Google rolled out the March 2026 Pixel update on April 7. It came with amazing goodies, such as fixes for issues causing banking and third-party apps to crash. The update also introduced a dedicated fix for the Pixel 10 games crashing issue. As amazing as this April Pixel update is, it also comes with some serious issues. New reports show that users are now experiencing a Pixel battery drain issue, which started after the April 2026 update.
Users Report a Pixel Battery Drain Issue After April 2026 Update
According to many users, the April 2026 update brought a Pixel battery drain issue. Well, it’s partially okay if the draining problems occur while the phones are in use. What is not acceptable for many users is the fact that the
still surfaces even when the phone is not in use. When in Airplane Mode, the smartphones basically lose a lot of power, according to reports.
A few days ago, Android Authority conducted a poll to better understand what Pixel users are facing. Thousands of affected users joined this poll. Based on the survey, about 75.9% of the affected users said their battery drains faster because of the recent update.
According to Android Central, this issue isn’t only specific to one device. Instead, it affects several different Pixel models, from the Pixel 6 series to the Pixel 10 lineup.
What caused the issue?
According to investigations by the affected users, the battery drain issue from the April 2026 update is caused by the CPU. The issue is that the CPU never rests properly. The processor is supposed to enter Android’s Doze mode, but instead stays active due to repeated wakeups. This continuous activeness keeps devices busy, which eventually causes battery drain overnight. But Google hasn’t yet acknowledged this explanation as the official cause.
Google knows about this issue
From the Issue Tracker, Google has finally acknowledged the Pixel battery drain issue that comes with the April 2026 update. The giant tech company assigned the bug as P1, meaning it’s highly prioritized. The only issue, however, is that the ETA for a fix is still uncertain.
For now, Google is still requesting users to give more details about the issue. The company said it can’t do anything without a detailed description of the issue. This means more information will certainly aid Google’s deeper investigation into the background processes.
If you currently experience this issue, below are a few things we suggest:
- First, confirm you’re experiencing the same pattern on your Pixel device. If your device drains in Airplane Mode, then you’re experiencing the same pattern. If it drains on heavy use, this is an entirely different issue.
- If the pattern aligns, we recommend filing a diagnostic report on the Issue Tracker thread. When filing the report, ensure to add your Pixel model, current software, and the draining pattern. Additionally, ensure to upvote the thread. Having sufficient upvotes allows Google to look into the issue quickly.
Let’s hope that the May 2026 update comes with fixes that address issues on Pixel phones. If this happens, then we’re sure Google will also fix the Pixel battery drain issue that surfaced after the April 2026 update.
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