Your Google Pixel battery dies fast and you don't know why. Most battery issues are caused by software problems, not hardware problems. Quickly changing some settings on your Google Pixel can often improve its battery life. In this article, I'll tell you about eight Google Pixel battery tips to help keep your phone charged for as long as possible!
Choose Your Preferred Network Type
5G is the recommended network for Google Pixels. Though some of you live in areas with good 5G coverage, others don't have great access to this newer technology yet. If you don't have solid 5G access, set your preferred network type to LTE. To do so:
- Open the Settings app by swiping down from the top of your screen. Swipe again, and tap on the gear icon.
- Tap Network & Internet.
- Select Mobile Network.
- Tap Preferred Network Type and select LTE.
This is important step because, if you're in an area with poor 5G coverage, your phone will use up unnecessary battery seeking 5G data to connect to.
Turn Off Usage & Diagnostics
When Usage & Diagnostic is turned on, your Google Pixel sends data to Google and app developers so they can improve their products. This uses a little bit of cellular data and battery. It's best to turn this feature off for the sake of your own privacy and battery life.
- Go to the main page of the Settings app.
- Scroll down, and tap Privacy.
- Tap Advanced.
- Select Usage & Diagnostics.
- Flip the switch labelled Usage & Diagnostics to turn this setting off.
Turn Off Unnecessary Location Services
Location Services are extremely useful for many apps. Unfortunately, it drains a significant amount of your battery. Luckily, not every app needs Location Services turned on. Turn off unnecessary Location Services by navigating to Settings, then tap App Access To Location.
Look at the lists of apps your Pixel displays. Pay particular attention to the apps set to Allowed All The Time. Do these apps need access to your location every second of every day? In most cases, probably not.
We recommend setting apps that don't need constant access to your location to Allowed Only While Using The App. For example, most social media and gaming apps will work just fine without recording a continuous record of your location in the background. To make this change, just click on the app's listing and select the Allowed Only While Using The App option from the list that appears.
Turn Off Location Accuracy
Location Accuracy is a feature designed by Google to help improve the record of your cell phone's geographical location. While this can certainly be helpful when traveling, or if you've lost your phone, it's not a necessary feature in day-to-day life. Shutting Location Accuracy off is another minor change that could increase your Pixel's stamina.
First, open Settings, then tap Location. Select Advanced, then flip the Use Location switch at the top of your screen off.
On a similar note, it's also helpful to take control over apps that require the use of your location. To find out which apps on your Pixel are currently monitoring where you are, swipe down on your display and tap the Location icon. If you don't see it, open Settings and set Location to appear in your Quick Settings dashboard.
Once you open Location, select App Permission. Here, you'll see a list of which apps monitor your location, and how often. Tap each app that you would like to disable location services for, and select Deny from the list of options that appears.
Turn Off Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Scanning
Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Scanning allow your Google Pixel to seek out Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks, even when when you turn these features off on your phone. Turn both Wi-Fi Scanning and Bluetooth Scanning off, and save a lot of battery life in the process.
Don't worry, you'll still be able to connect to Bluetooth devices. This tip just stops your phone from looking for it when it's unnecessary.
- Go back to Location Settings.
- Tap on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Scanning.
- Turn off the switches next to Wi-Fi Scanning and Bluetooth Scanning.
Turn On Dark Theme
If your Google Pixel battery dies fast, try turning on Dark Theme. Dark Theme not only looks cool, but it saves battery too. To turn Dark Theme on, go to Settings and tap Display. Next, tap the switch next to Dark Theme to turn it on. Cool, right?
Lower Display Brightness Level
Adjusting your Pixel's brightness is another great way to save battery.
Using two fingers, swipe down from the top of your Google Pixel's screen. A menu should appear on your screen with a brightness slider on top. To dim your display, just drag the slider to the left until your screen darkens to your preference.
Turn On Adaptive Battery
Adaptive Battery is a very convenient setting, as it automatically sets up a number of battery saving settings all at once. Follow the steps below to turn on Adaptive Battery, save yourself some time, and maximize your device's battery life!
- Navigate to Settings.
- Tap Battery.
- Tap Adaptive Battery.
- Flip the switch next to Adaptive Battery.
Turn On Battery Optimization
Let's just jump right into this one. The name “battery optimization” kind of explains itself. It'll save you a ton of battery!
- Go back to the main Settings page.
- Tap Apps & Notifications.
- Tap Advanced.
- Scroll down, and tap Special App Access.
- Then, tap Battery Optimization.
You'll see a list of apps that are currently not optimized. Go through the list and select any app you would like to optimize. If you have the Facebook app installed on your Pixel, make sure you set it to Optimize. Facebook specifically can be a huge battery drainer.
If you find that optimizing a specific app slows it down or negatively effects your user experience, you can always go back into Settings and reconfigure it!
Restrict Background Activity
Believe it or not, a lot of apps run in the background when you're not using them. All this activity uses a ton of battery. Similar to Location Services, there are a lot of apps on your Pixel that don't need to be running constantly. Disabling Background Activity on things like games and apps made by smaller developers can be especially helpful for saving battery life.
- Go back to the main page of Apps & Notifications.
- Tap on See All Apps (your Pixel will display the exact number of apps you have here).
- Select any app you want.
- Tap on Advanced.
- Tap Battery.
- Select Background Restriction.
- Set the app to Restrict.
Set Up App Restrictions
Different apps require different amounts of battery to stay loaded. Setting restrictions on certain apps can make a serious difference in day-to-day battery use.
If you open Settings and tap Battery, your Google Pixel will list which apps it suggests setting up restrictions for. If you agree with these suggests, tap each suggestion to approve the restriction.
If you'd like to get into more specifics, tap the More button. You'll be brought to a page that shows the amount of battery different apps have used since you last charged your cell phone. From there, it's up to you to decide which apps you would like to restrict.
It is also good practice to close apps once you're finished using them. Every open app requires some of your cell phone's processing to stay active. If you keep apps closed when you don't need them, your Pixel will thank you down the line.
Disable Idle Lock Screen
Thanks to the Google Pixel's always-on display, Pixel users can access some basic information even when their screen is locked. While always-on displays can be helpful, they can also use precious battery life.
Luckily, the process to disable the Idle Lock Screen function is very simple. Just open Settings, then tap Display. Next, tap Advanced. Finally, select Lock Screen and flip the Always Show Time And Info button off. Once you complete this step, your screen should appear blank and lifeless when you're not using your Pixel.
Disable Now Playing
Now Playing is an audio feature on Google Pixels. When Now Playing is on, Pixel phones constantly listen to their environment to identify any songs playing in the background. If you have ever heard a song at a bar or party that you've really enjoyed but didn't get the chance to learn the name, you can see the benefit of a program like Now Playing.
However, requiring your Pixel to constantly “crane its ears”, so to speak, can contribute to a faster battery drain. Unless you're a serious music geek, turning Now Playing off will preserve battery without drastically effecting your experience.
To disable this feature, open Settings, tap Sound, and select Advanced. Finally, select Now Playing. When your Google Pixel prompts you to, turn off Now Playing.
Slow Refresh Rates On Your Google Pixel
Google has included 90Hz Smooth Displays in all the latest Pixel models. This feature creates a faster refresh rate to make images and animations look extra smooth. While this increased processing speed looks clean, it can also take up battery.
If you would prefer a longer battery life to a faster display, you can disable Smooth Display on your Pixel. To do this, open Settings, tap Display, and select Advanced. Finally, toggle the switch labelled Smooth Display to turn it off.
Shut Down Motion Sense
This tip is exclusive to the Google Pixel 4. Motion Sense makes a device aware of what's happening in the space around it. It's designed to help users control their Google Pixel 4 without touching it. As cool as this feature might sound, it's not necessary. Turning Motion Sense off could help lengthen your Pixel 4's battery life.
To complete this step, open Settings and tap System. Next, tap Motion Sense, then flip the Motion Sense switch to turn it off.
Update Your Pixel
Staying up to date on the latest Android software is another great way to maximize battery efficiency. If your cell phone falls behind on updates, it could begin to malfunction in ways harmful to battery life.
To check if there's an update available for your phone, just open Settings, select Advanced, then tap System Update. If you see that there are any new Android updates, follow the prompts to install them. If it looks like your Pixel is already running on the latest software, you're all set!
Stay Ahead Of The Weather
Cell phone batteries do not respond well to heavy abuse. It's good practice to get in the habit of charging your phone at regular intervals, as opposed to just waiting until every time your Pixel dies to plug it in to a power source.
If you notice your Pixel has started to feel hot, it wouldn't hurt to turn it off or give it a quick break. An overheating cell phone's battery is likely to drain much quicker than one that's working normally. On a similar note, if you're in an especially hot environment, keeping your Pixel out of the sunlight can also be very helpful.
Google also recommends against using third-party chargers to power up your Pixel phone. Depending on the model, cheap or knockoff chargers and charging cables can damage your phone's hardware. Sticking with the charging components that come stock with your phone will minimize any risk to the battery, and likely allow your phone to charge faster than it would with another charger.
Google Pixel Battery: Saved!
If you followed some or all of the steps above, your Google Pixel's battery will last so much longer! You now have more time for scrolling through Facebook, listening to music, or making calls. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below.
