A Pixel 5, Pixel 4a or Pixel 4a (5G) that dies before evening is a phone from 2020 with a cell that has done thousands of charges, so a worn battery is the leading suspect before any app is. Google's free steps are still the right start: find the apps using the most power, restrict background use, keep Adaptive Battery on and give the phone a few days after an update. Wikipedia lists cells of 3,140 mAh (4a), 3,885 mAh (4a 5G) and 4,080 mAh (Pixel 5), so the plain 4a has the least to spare. Google-authorized battery replacement is quoted by iFixit at $99.99 for the 4a and $129.99 for the Pixel 5.
Differential
Likely causes of “Google Pixel 5 and 4a family battery drains too quickly”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A cell in its sixth year
What separates it The level drops from any percentage, or the phone shuts off with charge showing
How to confirm Google rates Pixel 3 through Pixel 8 Pro for about 800 cycles to 80 percent capacity; a 2020 phone is well past that if used daily
- 2
A small cell on the plain 4a
What separates it It reads full in the morning and is low by lunch even with light use
How to confirm Wikipedia lists 3,140 mAh, about a quarter smaller than the Pixel 5's 4,080 mAh
- 3
One app running in the background
What separates it A single app leads the battery list with more background than screen time
How to confirm Set it to Optimized or restricted in Battery usage and compare a day
- 4
Old Android with no fixes coming
What separates it Drain began after an app update and nothing on the phone changes it
How to confirm Wikipedia records the Pixel 5 topping out at Android 14 and the 4a at Android 13, so expect no more system updates
- 5
5G on the two 5G models
What separates it Drain is worst away from Wi-Fi on a Pixel 5 or 4a (5G)
How to confirm Compare an hour on Wi-Fi with an hour on mobile data; Wikipedia says both phones share a 765G chip with 5G
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which of the three phones you have, the Android version and its security patch date
- Whether the phone shuts down with charge showing, and at what level
- The top three apps in Battery usage and whether drain is idle, on Wi-Fi or on mobile data
- Whether the back or screen is lifting or the phone is hot when idle
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the age first
ReversibleSettings, About phone shows the build. For a phone this old, a battery replacement often does more than any setting.
Read Battery usage
ReversibleSettings, Battery, Battery usage. Look for one app taking a large share and restrict its background use, as Google's battery article advises.
Keep Adaptive Battery on
ReversibleGoogle recommends keeping Adaptive Battery on so the phone learns which apps you use. Note that Wikipedia says Extreme Battery Saver arrived with the Pixel 5 and 4a (5G).
Test Wi-Fi against mobile data
ReversibleOn the two 5G phones, spend an hour on each and compare how far the level falls.
Remove what you do not use
ReversibleRemove what you do not use, by uninstalling apps that run in the background and are no longer needed.
Watch the phone over a day
ReversibleCharge to full, unplug, and note the level at set times. A steady straight fall points to the cell; a sudden dive points to an app.
Price the battery
ReversibleAsk a Google-authorized repairer for the battery price and compare it with iFixit's table: $99.99 for the 4a, $129.99 for the Pixel 5.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Battery and charging by model
- Wikipedia lists 3,140 mAh (Pixel 4a), 3,885 mAh (4a 5G) and 4,080 mAh (Pixel 5); the Pixel 5 charges at 18W wired and 12W Qi wireless.
- Chip and storage
- Pixel 4a: Snapdragon 730G. Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5: Snapdragon 765G. All three have 128 GB storage with no card slot; the Pixel 5 has 8 GB of RAM and the 4a family 6 GB.
- Part numbers
- Google identifies repairs by device model, shown under Settings, About phone; there is no owner part number for the battery.
- Tools and supplies
- A second USB-C cable and charger to compare, a flashlight for the port and a dry towel. The phone should not be opened at home.
- Repair cost
- iFixit's table of Google-authorized (Asurion) prices lists battery replacement at $99.99 (Pixel 4a) and $129.99 (Pixel 5), and screen replacement at $149.99 (4a), $239.99 (4a 5G) and $229.99 (Pixel 5).
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G).
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If more than a quarter of the charge goes overnight after restricting the top apps and restarting, book a battery replacement
- !If the back or screen is lifting, or the phone is hot while idle, stop using it and go to a repairer that day
- !If a repair costs more than the phone is worth to you, compare it with replacing the phone; iFixit lists $99.99 (4a) and $129.99 (Pixel 5) for the battery
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Restricting apps, Adaptive Battery and update drain.
Rated charge cycles and battery health.
Pixel 5 battery, charging, chip, storage, Wi-Fi 5, IP68, display and Android versions.
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G) batteries, chips, storage, Wi-Fi 5 and Android versions.
Table of Google-authorized (Asurion) battery prices by Pixel model.
Exact questions
Common questions
Does Battery health show on these phones?+
No. Google's battery article ties Battery health to newer Pixel phones, so on a 5 or 4a you judge the cell by how the phone behaves and by a repairer's test.
Is a battery replacement worth it on a Pixel 4a?+
iFixit's table lists $99.99 for a Google-authorized replacement, and the phone no longer gets updates, so weigh it against how long you plan to keep it.
What does Extreme Battery Saver do?+
Wikipedia says it stops background app processing and lets only essential apps run; it arrived alongside the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5.
Why is the Pixel 5 better than the 4a on battery?+
It has the largest cell of the three at 4,080 mAh, but all three are old cells, so age matters more than capacity.
Does wireless charging shorten the battery's life?+
The Pixel 5 supports 12W Qi wireless charging according to Wikipedia. Charging warms the phone, and heat ages a cell, so charging in a cool place is kinder.
Can I fix drain with a factory reset?+
It can help if the cause is software, but a reset does not restore a worn cell. Back up first and treat it as a test, not a cure.
Does the Pixel 4a still get updates?+
Wikipedia records the 4a as upgradable to Android 13 and the Pixel 5 to Android 14. Google's own support pages say to check Settings, System, Software updates on your phone.