80% battery charge limit bugging out for some Pixel users after September update

Update 19/09/25: The issue seems to have been fixed, at least on my end. After roughly 6 charging cycles, the charging now stops at 80%. Interestingly, I noticed the fix a day after I installed the August Play System update. It might just be a coincidence, but if you’re still stuck on the same boat, I’d suggest manually checking for the Play System update and installing it, if you haven’t already.

Update 11/09/25: Here’s the update that I mentioned I’d share. It’s September 11 today, and my Pixel 7a still refuses to stop charging at 80%. I’ve already put it through 3 more charge cycles since the post went live, and it keeps charging to 100%. This makes it clear that the behavior is a bug, not the usual calibration.

Are you still experiencing the same bug? Let me know in the comments below.

Original article published on September 8, 2025, follows:

I’ve noticed a number of complaints on Reddit and Google support forums, and a clear pattern is emerging. Pixel users are reporting that their 80% battery charge limit feature has gone rogue since the September update rolled out.

The issue isn’t just affecting one model either. There are complaints from Pixel 7, Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and even Pixel Tablet owners. One Pixel 7 owner wrote that they did “100% once until shield appears but it’s again charging past 80 limit after new update.”

For those unfamiliar with how this feature normally works, when you enable the 80% charge limit, your phone occasionally charges to 100% for battery calibration. You’ll see a small shield icon appear next to the battery percentage when this happens, then the phone returns to stopping at 80%. But that’s not what’s happening now.

I noticed several users mentioning they’ve tried the usual troubleshooting steps. Restarting phones, toggling the charging optimization setting on and off, even letting their batteries drain completely before charging. Nothing seems to stick.

What makes this situation different from typical post-update battery recalibration issues is the persistence. Usually, after an update, users might see their phone charge to 100% once or twice before returning to the 80% limit. That’s normal behavior as the battery management system adjusts. But I’m seeing reports of phones charging to 100% multiple nights in a row, completely ignoring the limit setting.

One particularly telling comment was from a user who said their phone charged to 80% with the shield icon appearing, giving them hope the feature was working again. But then the next charge cycle went straight back to 100%. That kind of inconsistent behavior screams software bug rather than normal calibration.

My Pixel 7a is also ignoring the charge limit. It has gone past 80% despite the feature being turned on (check the screenshot for reference). But to be fair, I’ve only run it past 2 charge cycles since the update. So I’ll report back later if something changes.

The Google support forums show similar patterns. A community expert acknowledged this as “a bug in the system at present” and recommended users submit feedback through their phone settings. 

Interestingly, I found a few users who managed temporary fixes. Some reported success by switching to adaptive charging briefly, then switching back to the 80% limit. Others said they had to plug in their phone via USB cable rather than wireless charging to get the shield icon to appear. But even these workarounds seem hit-or-miss.

For now, the most practical advice I’ve gathered from community discussions is to give it a few more charge cycles. Some users report the issue resolving itself after a few days. Others suggest toggling adaptive charging on briefly before switching back to the 80% limit, though results vary.

We’ll just have to wait and see if the problem lingers around for more days before being able to draw any conclusions. Given the number of reports online, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s indeed a bug. That said, I’ll post an update if and when there are any further developments.