[Update] Google Pixel 7 users report battery drain, device overheating issues: here’s why

In a statement to 9to5Google, Google has confirmed that a “backend change” within the Google app has been causing battery drain on a “subset of Android devices.” The battery drain impact was noticed on Pixel devices and attributed by the community to the latest Google app versions as well as the May 2023 update that rolled out to Pixel phones earlier this month.

Original story follows…

Google Pixel users have been complaining about battery drainage on their devices. The problem seems to be affecting the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 smartphones, and the reason behind it is the Google app. Users started reporting battery drainage after an update to the Google app. 

Google Pixel 6, Pixel 7 battery drain issue

This was first reported by a Google Pixel 6 Pro user to Engadget who complained of not only battery drainage but the device overheating as well. According to the report, the Pixel 6 Pro user explained how they had kept the phone idle on a wireless charger for an hour but it still overheated. A screenshot of the phone’s battery usage clearly shows that the Google app has been consuming battery in the background the entire time. 

Turns out that this isn’t the only case as many other Pixel users are complaining on Reddit and Google support forums. The issue is being reported by Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro users, and all of them are facing the problem. In addition to the battery draining, users are complaining about their devices getting warmer than usual. 

Some users have tried rolling back to the older version of the Google app but that didn’t solve the problem. Even resetting the phone’s settings doesn’t fix the issue. In some cases the devices aren’t charging at all but rolling back to previous versions of the Google app helps in increasing the charging by a little bit. But the Google app continues to drain the phone’s battery in the background. 

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With users trying every possible solution to fix this problem, there’s nothing that can be done for now. Google is yet to respond and acknowledge the issue but what’s required is most likely an update to help stop the unusual battery drainage on Pixel phones. Google just released the Pixel 7a smartphone so it’s best that they fix it before the issue trickles down to the new device.