Google allows some Pixel phones to automatically stop charging the battery at 80%. This increases the phone's battery life.
When looking for ways to improve your phone's battery life, you may hear many different opinions, some of which may even contradict each other. Some say that it's okay to charge your phone overnight, while others say that it's bad for your battery in the long run. However, one thing that most experts agree on is that if you don't fully charge your phone, then your battery will last longer. That's why many laptop manufacturers offer built-in battery charge limiting software, which allows users to stop charging the device once the battery reaches a certain level. In the smartphone industry, Sony offers a similar feature for Xperia smartphones, with its Battery Care tool. However, there are also phones Pixel that have this feature as well, although most users are unaware of its existence.
See also: Google Pixel 6: Will it receive Android software updates for 5 years?
It's unclear when Google introduced the charging limit feature to Pixel phones. However, based on user reports, it was likely in April or May. The feature appears to be available on all Pixel phones, from the Pixel 3 onwards. The feature automatically stops charging devices once the battery reaches 80%. A support page states that the feature only activates under the following conditions:
- Continuous charging under high battery drain conditions, such as gameplay.
- Continuous charging for four days or more.
When the above conditions are met, charging is automatically limited to 80% and a notification saying “optimizing for battery health” appears in the Batteryof Settings. However, unlike Sony, Google does not allow the user to configure the feature. It is automatically activated when the above conditions are met and can only be deactivated by disconnecting the phone from the charger or restarting it.
See also: Pixel 6/Pixel 6 Pro: What do we know about Google's upcoming smartphones?
According to the support page and user reports, the feature is also available on Pixel phones running Android 11.
See also: Don't have a battery for your smartphone GPS? Try IndiaNavi!
It's worth noting that the ability to limit battery charging on Pixel phones is not the same as Google's Adaptive Charging feature, which the company introduced with the Pixel 4 and later as part of the December 2020 Pixel Feature Drop. Both features have a similar goal: to reduce battery wear, but the way they do it is different. Adaptive Charging uses your alarm clock settings to fully charge your phone right before you wake up and only works during specific hours. Also, this feature is only available on the Pixel 4 and later models.
Source: XDA Developers
