Pixel's 80% charging limit is broken for some after March update [U: Fixed]

Update (March 27): The bug report filed in the Issue Tracker for this particular issue has now been marked as fixed, and the bugfix is rolling out with the latest Android 17 Beta 3 update.

Resolved an issue where the 80% battery limit caused charging to stall or slow significantly at 77% by optimizing the current transition logic to ensure the device reaches the target threshold and enters bypass mode more efficiently (Issue #485148344, Issue #490178498).

Update (March 10): Here’s an update from Google devs via the Issue Tracker, where a bug regarding this issue had been filed. As per Google, this is the expected behavior.

This behavior is related to the 80% Charge Limit feature. In the current software build, the device charges at normal speeds until it reaches approximately 77%, at which point it transitions to a lower current to reach the final 80% limit. 

While this may result in slower charging speeds near the limit, it is intended to manage battery health and should not impact normal device usage. We are currently working on optimizing this user experience.

Original article continues:

Google’s March 2026 update appears to have introduced an annoying charging issue for some Pixel users who rely on the built-in 80% battery limit feature. Reports across community forums suggest that devices now slow down dramatically when approaching the 80% cap, sometimes appearing to stall entirely before reaching the limit.

The issue surfaced shortly after the March 2026 Feature Drop and security patch began rolling out to supported devices, including recent models in the Pixel lineup. Users say that once the battery level approaches roughly 74–78%, charging speed drops sharply, with the phone taking an unusually long time to complete the final few percentage points up to the configured 80% limit.

According to user reports, charging initially behaves normally before suddenly slowing near the cap. Power draw reportedly falls from typical mid-range charging speeds of around 9–10W to less than 1W, effectively putting the phone into an extremely slow trickle charge state. As a result, reaching the final 2–3% can take anywhere from 30 minutes to nearly an hour in some cases.

In several cases, devices also show confusing or inaccurate charging information. Some users note that the lock screen continues to display “Charging rapidly” even though the actual charging speed has slowed significantly. Others say the system’s estimated time remaining becomes unrealistic, sometimes projecting multiple hours to reach 80%.

The behavior appears closely tied to the battery protection feature itself. The option, available on newer Pixel devices, allows users to limit charging to 80% in order to extend long-term battery health. However, affected users say disabling the 80% limit immediately restores normal charging speeds, with the phone quickly charging past 80% and up to 100% without the same slowdown.

This suggests the slowdown may not be a hardware or charger issue but instead a software bug related to how the charging limiter operates after the March update.

Some users initially assumed the change might be intentional. Slowing down charging near the limit could theoretically reduce battery stress and heat buildup, which aligns with the goal of preserving battery longevity. However, the severity of the slowdown, combined with devices appearing stuck for extended periods, suggests the behavior is unintended.

In a number of cases, devices appear almost frozen at around 77–78%, with charging power dropping to extremely low levels while the remaining percentage takes an unusually long time to increase. The slowdown is reportedly consistent across multiple charging sessions rather than a one-time calibration process.

The issue has been observed across several Pixel models, including devices from the Pixel 9 series and newer hardware such as the Pixel 10 lineup. Reports indicate the problem occurs regardless of charger type, provided the 80% limit feature is enabled.

For now, the only reliable workaround is to disable the charging limit altogether. Once the feature is turned off, affected devices resume normal charging behavior immediately.

It is unclear whether Google intentionally modified the behavior of the Pixel battery limit feature or whether the slowdown is the result of a bug introduced in the March update. Some community members indicate the issue has already been reported through official feedback channels, and logs have been submitted to the Pixel team for investigation.

If the behavior is indeed a bug, it will likely require a software fix in a future Pixel update. Until then, Pixel users who depend on the 80% limit for battery longevity may have to choose between extremely slow charging near the cap or temporarily disabling the feature.

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