New Android update brings battery health check to Pixel phones

Google has been working on adding a “Battery Health” feature to Pixel phones since late 2022, and the latest Android 16 Beta 2 shows they’re still at it. This new section in the phone’s settings under Battery > Battery Health will let users check how their battery is doing and get tips on how to make it last longer.

The tips include simple advice like enabling Adaptive Charging, keeping your phone away from very hot or cold places, turning off unused features, and making sure your software is up to date. There’s also a quick link to adjust charging settings.

Here’s what the Battery Health screen looks like in the latest Android 16 Beta 2:

One of the cool features is the Battery Capacity meter, which shows you how much charge your battery can hold compared to when it was brand new. The capacity you see might change after the battery goes through a recalibration process. Google explains that recalibration could take a few weeks:

• “Your battery is recalibrating. This could take a few weeks. Once done, we’ll update the battery capacity.”
• “Recalibration in progress.”

If the battery’s capacity goes down, you might find your phone needs charging more often. It’s not clear if this feature will cut the final Android 16 release. The last big battery-related update for Pixel was about showing device temperature back in December. The current version of the Settings Services showing these new battery health details is 1.1.0.717462792, updated from version 1.1.0.697513890 in earlier Android versions.