Android Battery Draining Fast? Check Battery Usage on Pixel and Galaxy

On a Pixel, open Settings → Battery → Battery usage and select View by apps. On a Galaxy, open Settings → Battery and tap the battery graph to see app details. Menu names vary by model and software version. Look for high background use by an app you rarely opened. Also note whether the drop happened during navigation, video, or a stretch with weak mobile reception.

Update an app that started using unusual amounts of power. On a Pixel, keep Optimized enabled in the app’s battery settings for everyday use. On a Galaxy, use Settings → Battery → Background usage limits to put an infrequently used app to sleep. Leave apps that need timely alerts out of Deep sleeping apps, which only run when you open them. Compare battery use during a similar period before making another change.

A Galaxy may use more power during its first few days while apps and services are being optimized. Google also says a Pixel can temporarily use more battery after a software update. If the drain began at that point, check again after a few days of ordinary use. If it happens mainly in a place with weak mobile reception, compare a similar stretch in a place with a stronger signal.

On Pixel 6 and later, open Settings → Battery → Battery diagnostics and choose Battery draining too quickly. On a Galaxy, open Samsung Members, find Phone diagnostics, and select Battery status if offered. If the test reports a problem, or the phone still loses charge quickly during light use without an obvious app cause, share the battery graph and test result with the manufacturer’s support team.