Google has formally diminished battery life on two Pixel fashions

When you purchase a smartphone, you possibly can anticipate its battery to degrade over time. The rechargeable batteries inside client electronics are consumable parts, and eventually, they’ll wear out. Smartphone manufacturers have gotten higher at successfully speaking this to the common consumer, displaying the present battery well being of a cellphone as a proportion relative to when it was new. While you possibly can anticipate your cellphone to lose capability over time, you may not anticipate a compulsory over-the-air software program replace to throttle your cellphone’s battery and charging capabilities out of the blue.

That’s precisely what occurred to Google Pixel 4a and Pixel 6a homeowners final yr. In early 2025, Google announced a “Battery Performance Program” for the Pixel 4a, and supplied free battery replacements for affected units for one yr. A couple of months later, the corporate launched an “Extended Repair Program” for the Pixel 7a to handle sudden battery swelling. By July 2025, the Pixel 6a had a Battery Performance Program of its personal, and an analogous battery alternative supply.

Starting with the Pixel 9a, Google made the Battery Health Assistance function obligatory for all new units, successfully guaranteeing your battery life and charging velocity will drop as your cellphone ages — even for flagships just like the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 sequence. Google is not the primary firm to run into battery points. In truth, most of the massive smartphone corporations have gone by means of one thing of the kind, together with Samsung and Apple. But it is not possible to disregard the development of reliability points affecting Pixel batteries.

Google throttled battery and charging on two Pixel fashions

If you have not gotten a free battery alternative already, you’ve got missed your likelihood

The Google Pixel 4a (prime) is topic to a “Battery Performance Program.” The Google Pixel 9a (backside) is unaffected.

Google’s Battery Performance Program first hit the Pixel 4a, as outlined by a support document. The firm stated that sure Pixel 4a telephones wanted “a software program replace to enhance the soundness of their battery’s efficiency.” The answer was an automated replace to Android 13. Sounds nice, proper? For the affected units, it is something however. Google defined that the obligatory software program replace “reduces accessible battery capability and impacts charging efficiency.”

It’s unclear precisely what number of Pixel 4a telephones have been affected, and it is vital to notice that not each Pixel 4a noticed diminished capability and impacted charging efficiency. The Pixel 4a 5G wasn’t affected, both.

Google rolled out an analogous Battery Performance Program for the Pixel 6a, however the motive was completely different. For the Pixel 4a, Google cited a necessity for improved battery stability. This time, the corporate stated a compulsory replace was required to “scale back the chance of potential battery overheating which may pose a threat to customers,” based on a separate support document. Again, solely sure Pixel 6a telephones have been affected. In this case, the diminished battery capability and charging efficiency solely took impact on impacted units after they reached 400 cost cycles.

The obligatory software program replace is affecting impacted Pixel 6a units at half their battery’s rated lifespan.

The Pixel 6a’s Battery Performance Program kicking in at 400 cycles is notable, as a result of Google says the Pixel 4a is rated to retain as much as 80% capability for about 800 cost cycles. The obligatory software program replace that reduces battery capability and charging efficiency is affecting impacted units at half their battery’s rated lifespan. Of course, the opposite alarming a part of this Battery Performance Program is that it is designed to handle a possible security hazard. Lithium-ion batteries are harmful once they overheat, and issues may cause harm or damage.

Google did give affected customers an opportunity to take certainly one of three “appeasement” choices: a free battery alternative, a money fee, or a Google Store credit score in the direction of a brand new Pixel. For the Pixel 4a, the money fee choice was for $50 and the Google Store credit score was within the quantity of $100. For the Pixel 6a, the money fee choice was for $10 and the Google Store credit score was within the quantity of $150. Unfortunately, Google solely let customers take part in these applications for a interval of 1 yr — if you have not taken benefit of it but, you’ve got already missed out.

Since it is a {hardware} downside, Google arguably ought to’ve supplied the help program for longer. Additionally, Google may keep away from changing batteries if Pixels have been uncovered to liquids, or had different types of harm, comparable to “publicity to sharp objects or extreme power.” If your Pixel had out-of-warranty harm, you may’ve needed to pay a payment to get your free battery alternative. The cures Google supplied may not have been sufficient to fulfill customers that noticed a compulsory software program replace nerf the battery life and charging speeds of their Pixels.

The Pixel 7a is an indication Google is not completely out of the woods

There’s an prolonged restore program for the Pixel 7a, and you continue to have time

The Pixel 4a and Pixel 6a are older units at this level. The pure query is, ought to customers of newer Pixels be involved about their battery’s reliability? There is not an ideal reply to that query, however the Pixel 7a gives one other level of reference. In April 2025, a Google support document outlined an “Extended Repair Program” for the Pixel 7a’s battery. The firm stated “sure Pixel 7a telephones could expertise sudden battery swelling.” To tackle the difficulty, Google once more supplied free battery replacements and different appeasement choices.

Google went on to elucidate what can go unsuitable for homeowners of affected Pixel 7a telephones:

• Visible swelling of the gadget. The cellphone could seem thicker than regular, or the again cowl is perhaps bulging.
• Phone cowl bulging or separating from the gadget. This is noticeable by gaps or openings alongside the perimeters of the cellphone.
• The cellphone’s battery is draining considerably sooner than regular, even with minimal use, or fails to cost.

While known as an Extended Repair Program reasonably than a Battery Performance Program, that is yet one more instance of a confirmed battery problem affecting an A-series Pixel mannequin. Again, we do not know precisely what number of Pixel 7a items have been affected. But are flagship Pixel fashions immune from the battery reliability issues?

Newer Pixels have a battery administration function you possibly can’t flip off

If you personal a Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, or Pixel 11, Battery Health Assistance is obligatory

Recent Pixel flagships have not been topic to a battery efficiency or prolonged restore program up to now. However, it is price noting that new Pixel telephones have obligatory battery administration options that proactively throttle your cellphone’s battery life and charging velocity. Specifically, a function known as Battery Health Assistance is enabled by default on the Pixel 9a and newer, and it might’t be turned off.

This setting reduces the battery’s most voltage beginning at 200 battery cycles, and continues the gradual discount because the cellphone’s battery reaches its rated lifespan of 1,000 battery cycles. It additionally adjusts the cellphone’s charging velocity. In easy phrases, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10 sequence, and Pixel 11 series homeowners could discover shorter battery life and slower charging after crossing the 200-cycle threshold. Crucially, this is not strictly on account of anticipated battery degradation. It’s due to a proactive battery throttling function, and you do not get the choice of disabling it.

So far, we have seen confirmed battery reliability points affecting the Pixel 4a, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7a. Around the identical time, Google made Battery Health Assistance obligatory on new Pixel telephones. Google did not simply throttle the battery and charging efficiency of two older, A-series Pixel telephones — it additionally makes battery throttling a part of the plan for brand spanking new flagships.