Google’s latest software rollout for its Pixel lineup has hit a massive snag, leaving thousands of users tethered to their chargers.
What started as a few grumbles in March 2026 has snowballed into a full-blown crisis this April, as owners of everything from the Pixel 6 to the brand-new Pixel 10 report severe battery depletion that occurs even when the phone is sitting idle.
The most frustrating part for many isn’t how the phone behaves while in use, but how it dies while sitting on a nightstand. Reports indicate that devices are losing massive chunks of power overnight, often while in Airplane Mode. According to a reader poll conducted by Android Authority, “An overwhelming 75.9% from thousands of respondents said their Pixel battery is draining faster after a recent update.”
While the average user just sees a dropping percentage, tech-savvy investigators have dug into the code to find a “hardware interrupt storm.” Data from a Pixel 9 Pro XL logs suggests the phone’s CPU is being physically blocked from entering its low-power “Deep Doze” state.
Essentially, a component responsible for location and networking (the GNSS/baseband module) is caught in a loop, poking the main processor several times a second. This keeps the phone “awake” internally even if the screen is off. As one user detailed via the Issue Tracker, the device suffers from “extreme idle battery drain due to the CPU being physically prevented from entering Deep Doze.”
Google’s search for a fix
Google has acknowledged the situation, assigning the bug a “P1” priority, the highest level of internal urgency. However, a definitive fix hasn’t arrived yet. The company is currently asking affected users to submit detailed logs to help them find the smoking gun.
In a post on the Issue Tracker, Google wrote: “Without a bug report, we can’t pinpoint the specific application causing the problem.” They have requested that users provide a “comprehensive bug report for a deeper investigation into background processes.”
What now?
There is no verified workaround for the time being. Some users have found minor relief by disabling 5G or background scanning, but for most, the drain persists. A commenter told Android Authority, it’s currently “Impossible to pass the day without charging or an external battery, even with battery saver activated and without really intensive usage.”
Pixel owners are now looking toward the May 2026 security patch, hoping Google can silence the interrupt storm and fix the battery drain issue.
Also read: Our Google Gemini cheat sheet shows how the company’s AI tools are expanding across Android, Chrome, and smart-home products.
