If there’s one constant in the smartphone world, it’s that the batteries that power them have a limited shelf life. The chemistry within lithium-ion (li-ion) power packs is remarkable, to be sure, but it’s also flawed in that it deteriorates the more charge cycles it’s put through. This is the case across all smartphone brands, whether it be Pixel, iPhone, Galaxy, or otherwise.
The fact of the matter is that modern battery technology is imperfect, and this is compounded by the fact that Pixel et al. seal their batteries within their chassis. What happens is that, as your battery naturally degrades, it’s total power capacity shrinks. To compensate, your phone’s software then throttles performance and charging speeds to ensure that the battery can keep up.
Phone batteries have a limited shelf life
Degradation is an ever-present reality
We’re still a ways away from solid state and graphene batteries taking hold in the industry, which means we have to live with li-ion and its flaws for the foreseeable future. Pixel phones are no stranger to battery-related issues, whether it be battery swelling, overheating, or any other number of issues that have been highly publicized.
Google, for its part, has even gone as far as to reduce the battery life on certain Pixel models to compensate for power pack degradation. The company has introduced a now-mandatory Battery Health Assistance feature on newer Pixel phones that gradually reduces maximum battery voltage and adjusts charging speeds to compensate for weaker battery performance over time, gradually scaling based on predetermined charge cycle thresholds.
How to check battery health on your Pixel phone
Easily accessible from within Settings
To check your Pixel phone’s current battery health, follow these steps:
- Launch Settings.
- Navigate to Battery > Battery health > Battery capacity.
Here, you’ll see a battery capacity percentage, which is an estimated percentage of charge that the battery can currently hold compared to a new standard battery.
Google says the Pixel 8a and later should retain up to 80 percent of its battery capacity for 1,000 charge cycles, which is an improvement over the Pixel 3 through Pixel 8 Pro (which should retain 80 percent capacity for 800 charge cycles).
How to preserve your Pixel’s battery health
There are several steps you can take
Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to improve the longevity of your Pixel’s battery life. For one thing, batteries last the longest when they’re at a comfortable percentage, which translates to roughly between 25 percent and 85 percent. Anything higher or lower is sure to add strain to the battery, which isn’t ideal.
In Settings, Google allows you to turn on a charging optimization feature, with two options to choose from:
- Adaptive charging: Finishes charging to 100% right before you normally unplug
- Limit to 80%: Your phone will only charge to 80% battery
Personally, I leave Limit to 80% on at all times (except when traveling), which means that my battery never reaches a degradation-prone full capacity. This is a trade-off in that it means I have less juice to work with on the daily, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for the sake of battery capacity longevity.
When Limit to 80% is enabled, your Pixel will occasionally still charge up to 100% to recalibrate itself. This is expected behavior, designed specifically to keep your phone’s battery capacity calibrated over time.
Aside from avoiding high and low battery percentages, I also recommend avoiding extremely high or low temperatures, which can damage your battery’s delicate chemistry. Batteries are designed to work their best at room temperature — if your Pixel is hot to the touch, consider moving it out of direct sunlight and avoid using it until it cools off.
Avoid these battery myths
Not all battery-saving tips and tricks are accurate
You may have heard that it’s important to only use first-party chargers on your Pixel phone, but this isn’t accurate. While I’d certainly avoid using cheap and low-quality USB Type-C cables and AC adapters, there are plenty of reputable brands that make high-quality USB Power Delivery (PD) compliant equipment (such as Anker, Belkin, Ugreen, and Baseus).
Inductive wireless charging is another hot topic — literally. Yes, more heat is produced when compared to cable-based charging due to innate inefficiencies, and, yes, this can negatively impact your Pixel’s battery health over time. That being said, Pixelsnap magnets found in modern Pixel phones automatically align the charging coils for added efficiency, which is great news from a health standpoint.
If you choose to wirelessly charge your Pixel phone, I’d recommend making sure to enable charging optimization for best results. If the device is going to sit on the charger for extended periods of time — including overnight — the Limit to 80% option is the best tool at your disposal for aiding in battery longevity.
