Many Nexus smartphones and tablet owners are encountering poor battery life after the Android Nougat update. With that in mind, today we’re going to go over some common battery life issues and offer tips on how to fix them.
This guide will cover Nexus 5x, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Pixel C and more. Including Android 7.1.2 Nougat issues and Google Pixel.
Android Nougat introduces a host of exciting new features such as split-screen mode, instant apps, and refreshed notifications. Unfortunately, the update isn’t perfect, and instead of improving battery life, it makes it worse for some.
How To Fix Nexus Android Nougat Battery Life Issues
going to reddit you’ll even see the official Google forum bug tracker. lots of complaints about a wide variety of problems. Most notably Nexus Android 7.0 battery life issues.
Abnormal battery drain is a common problem especially after major software updates.
We’re here to help fix some nasty Nexus Android 7.0 battery life issues users are experiencing. Android 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 fixed many bugs, but some remained.
Find Apps That Drain Battery
If battery life is an issue, the first thing users should do is check for rogue apps. This could be a malfunctioning app that isn’t quite ready to work with Nougat, an app keeping the system awake, or something else.
Usually go to settings > battery > and by looking at the list of apps that are draining the battery you will get a good idea of what is going on. Android System or Display (Display) is usually at the top of the list, but we see one issue where “Android OS” gets the most, followed by Android System. One should be there and the other not. The Android System is typically one of the highest expenses, but the operating system is not.
You shouldn’t see the Android operating system at the top, as Google services or Android System usually consumes the battery to perform important tasks in the operating system. Also, screen brightness is usually at the top of the list. If not, something is not right.
As for a fix, oddly enough, simply turning off Bluetooth if you don’t need it. Android Wear, Android Auto, and other devices require Bluetooth, but many users have noticed that battery life is significantly better with Bluetooth turned off.
Check the list of apps in battery settings to see if anything else is causing the battery to drain. Apps like Facebook and Snapchat can also often be the problem, so keep that in mind. Selecting an app and pressing “Force Stop” may end the process and improve the battery, but don’t kill anything if you don’t know what it’s doing. Reinstalling a misbehaving app is also another good idea.
Finally, try booting in Safe Mode. Safe Mode disables third-party apps, allowing you to narrow your search to find potential issues.
Check Account Sync
Similar to apps that drain your battery as mentioned above, apps that sync and back up can also be the culprit. multiple Reddit users noticed On the Nexus 6P, the device was not syncing properly, causing massive battery life drops. Imagine your phone trying to sync with the cloud and repeatedly trying to save all your contacts, photos, Google Drive documents or Google music. This will definitely affect battery life.
The user has to go to Settings > Accounts > and the sync icon or (!) Worse yet, manually refreshing the accounts to sync didn’t fix the problem. One owner went into each Google account sync option and did it manually. Fit for Google Drive, photos, music, storage and even 3rd party apps like Skype and resync each one. Multiple users have noticed that their Nexus battery life has improved significantly after doing this.
To take this even further, Skype syncing was causing issues for a few users so make sure to check all apps and accounts to make sure syncing is working. Then continue for the rest of our tips.
Disable Unused Services
If your apps are working properly, try disabling unnecessary services on your Nexus phone or tablet. Disabling connections and other services when you are not using them can save some battery life. We mentioned Bluetooth above and we’ll say it again. In fact, we’re seeing a lot of complaints about Bluetooth issues, and some of them can cause battery drain. Turn it off if you don’t need it.
We highly recommend turning off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS and cellular data when you don’t need to turn them on. You can turn them off from the Nexus’ quick settings menu, or turn them off from the regular Settings menu. It seems like with every update a small group complains of Bluetooth issues. Another idea is to change the location settings to “Battery Saver Mode” which uses WiFi and networks instead of GPS. This is because GPS uses all kinds of batteries.
If you are in the weak signal area, try turning on Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode kills all your device’s services but can prevent battery drain. When you have no service, the phone will constantly search for a service, so turn on Airplane mode and use the juice later. In fact, most phones can last 4-5 days in Airplane mode.
Restart Your Nexus
Sometimes apps start to drain the battery, even Android System and OS when they shouldn’t. If I unplug my Nexus (or any Android) from the charger and the charge is draining faster than I expected, I quickly reboot. This usually fixes any random issue that is killing the battery.
Press and hold the power button and turn it off, then turn it back on or hit restart on certain devices. This refreshes the entire system and can fix many minor bugs, including bad Nexus battery life. It sounds silly, but I restart my phone every 2-3 days for the best experience.
auto brightness
This isn’t really a tip everyone should know, but I constantly see users with a brightness setting of around 90-100%. Most devices don’t need full brightness, even outdoors. Instead, try setting the brightness around 35-40% and watch how long the phone lasts.
Go to Settings > Display > and uncheck automatic, then move the slider to a more manageable and realistic brightness setting. It may take a few hours to get used to the lower screen level, but your battery will thank you for it.
Clear Cache Partition
If none of this works, you can take more drastic steps to fix your bad Nexus Android Nougat battery life. One of these steps is to clear the cache partition.
Clearing the cache has done wonders in fixing generally poor Nexus battery life in the past, and some have stated on the Nexus support forum that it helps with battery drain. Here is how to clear your cache partition:
This has been shown to fix multiple minor issues after a software update. From battery life to WiFi and Bluetooth issues, GPS malfunctions and many other little things. We recommend doing this after any major update so your Nexus can start with a clean slate.
Factory Reset Your Device
This is a last resort, but like clearing the Cache, it’s also a great idea to start with a clean slate and delete unwanted leftover files. Performing a factory data reset will erase everything, so backup important files first and be prepared to dedicate an hour or so to restore your phone.
Most should know how to reset, if not, Google A comprehensive guide outlining the right way to factor reset Nexus smartphones and tablets. Take a look at this information, back up your device and get started.
Downgrade to Marshmallow
If you absolutely need better battery life and can’t fix it with any of these suggestions and can’t wait for Google to release an update for Android 7.1.2 Nougat, some owners can always revert to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
This guide explains how to install Android Nougat manually, but the same instructions (and factory pictures link) allow users to download any version of Android 6.0 and install it in 10-15 minutes. If you don’t need Nougat and want better Nexus battery life, use this to switch back to Marshmallow.
I wouldn’t recommend it but to each his own.
Try Android O Beta
The next logical step is to try the latest update to Android O, which is currently available as an early preview beta. Android O introduces a host of new features, improvements, bug fixes and has made major changes to improve battery life. Apps cannot run in the background as the operating system limits them after a certain amount of time. Users will enjoy many new features and hopefully better battery life.
Android O isn’t perfect and is still beta software, but it can significantly improve your experience.
Here’s how to install Android O today.
other ideas
If none of these work, try following another fix. Google’s Nexus Help Forums it’s a great place to start. There are tons of helpful users XDA-Developers Not to mention the custom 3rd party versions of Android you can install that might have better results.
We also recommend getting a Portable Battery Pack that can charge your device anywhere and everywhere; it’s not ideal, but it’s still a great accessory to have. We will be looking for more complaints, details, possible fixes and will report back once we know more. Experiencing bad Nexus Android Nougat battery life? Let us know in the comments below.
