A feature in the Pixel 10 phones significantly reduces battery capacity and cannot be disabled.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold

The feature is mandatory in the series, although it is optional on older Pixel models.

Google introduced Battery Health Assistance for the Pixel 9a earlier this year, which gradually reduces the phone's charging speed and battery voltage to preserve battery health.While this feature is optional for Pixel phones except the Pixel 9a, there's bad news for the new Pixel 10 series.

Google confirmed to Android Authority that Battery Health Assistance is mandatory for Pixel 10 series phones and cannot be disabled, according to a report by the technology news website. This means that the phone's charging speed and actual battery life will gradually decrease over time.

The company said earlier this year during the Pixel 9a launch: "This software adjusts the battery's maximum voltage in stages, starting at 200 charge cycles and gradually increasing to 1,000, helping to stabilize battery performance and lifespan."

As a result, Pixel 10 series users may notice slight decreases in battery life as the battery ages. In addition, this feature will adjust the phone's charging speed based on the adjusted battery capacity, so users may notice a slight change in battery charging performance.

Why is this important?

All smartphone batteries deteriorate over time, gradually reducing their capacity. Google says the Pixel 8a and newer Pixel phones can withstand 1,000 charge cycles before their actual battery capacity drops to 80%.

However, this "Battery Health Assistance" feature significantly reduces the phone's battery capacity beyond the normal degradation. This is particularly disappointing because users aren't given a choice in this regard. It's also disappointing because some competing smartphone manufacturers are addressing battery health issues by offering more durable batteries.

For example, Samsung's top-of-the-range phones can withstand 2,000 charge cycles before their actual battery capacity drops to 80%, while the lithium-ion batteries in Chinese OnePlus and Oppo phones can last 1,600 charge cycles before reaching 80% capacity.

Therefore, there likely wouldn't be a need for the "Battery Health Assistance" feature if Google's batteries had a similar lifespan. Furthermore, many OEMs, including Google, already offer software measures for battery health, such as limiting the maximum charge to 80%.

This issue also comes after several older Pixel A models suffered from significant battery issues by 2025. One of these issues was a battery swelling in the Pixel 7a, which prompted Google to offer a free battery replacement program. This raises the question of whether Google is being cautious about long-term battery health due to these previous issues, or if the Pixel 10 series may also be experiencing issues.