Google is rolling out a server-side update to fix Pixel battery drain

A recent Google app update was found to cause battery draining and overheating issues on Google Pixel phones. Now, Google has confirmed that a fix is being rolled out.

In a statement to 9to5GoogleGoogle confirmed that a “backend change” within a Google app caused battery drain on “a subset of Android devices”. The battery drain effect was noticed on Pixel devices and the community attributed it to the latest versions of Google apps as well as the May 2023 Update that rolled out to Pixel phones earlier this month.

Google says the fix for this issue is now rolling out to all devices and requires no app or system updates. Instead, it’s a server-side update that should fix the problem “immediately”.

The company explains:

A recent Google app backend change has inadvertently caused a subset of Android devices to experience rapid battery drain. We rolled out a fix shortly after we became aware of the issue, and affected users should see their devices return to normal behavior immediately. This fix does not require an application update.

Affected users, especially those with Pixel 6 or 7 series devices, noticed that the Google app was significantly affecting battery life, with some saying their battery life was effectively halved.

If you’ve been affected by this issue, let us know in the comments if things improve in the next day or two.