What you need to know
- Google’s Pixel 4a battery update is a disaster, causing crazy battery drain for many users.
- The update also wiped older firmware, leaving no way to roll back to the previous version.
- Google has acknowledged the mess and offered compensation: a free battery replacement, $50 cash, or $100 credit toward a new Pixel.
Google recently rolled out a battery update for the Pixel 4a, and it’s been a bit of a disaster. A bunch of users are reporting crazy battery drain since installing it. To add insult to injury, Google wiped the older firmware as part of the update process, so there’s no official way to go back to the previous version. If you’re dealing with this mess, you’re pretty much stuck at the moment.
After discontinuing the Pixel 4a last year, Google had left the device without any software updates. But out of nowhere, about two weeks ago, the company released a surprise update meant to improve battery performance. Part of the Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program, it was supposed to help some units last longer on a charge. Instead, it ended up making battery problems worse for a ton of users.
In other words, the update was a total flop—lots of Pixel 4a owners are now stuck with awful battery life. And if you were thinking about rolling back to an older version to fix things, Google just shut that door by pulling the download links for previous firmware.
Someone on Reddit noticed that the only Android image you can get for the Pixel 4a is the new update that Google forced everyone to install in order to tackle unidentified battery issues (via 9to5Google).
The update might keep the Pixel 4a running, but it’s essentially rendered it useless for many users.
One Reddit user reported their 4a draining from full to 2% in just five hours, despite minimal screen usage (under 20 minutes).
Android Authority points out that Google rarely removes older firmware, implying a serious underlying issue with the Pixel 4a update.
Google is owning up to the battery disaster caused by the recent Pixel 4a update and is trying to make things right. The company is offering compensation to anyone impacted. To check if you’re eligible, hop over to this support page, type in your phone’s IMEI number, and follow the steps. You’ll get to pick between a free battery replacement, $50 cash, or a $100 credit toward a new Pixel.