The adaptive Charging feature made it to the Pixel 4 and newer devices as part of the December 2020 Feature Drop. The feature is designed to increase the longevity of the phone’s battery by charging it slowly overnight and topping it up just before the alarm is set to go off. However, users could only verify if Adaptive Charging was active through a small lock screen message that was easily missed, and deactivating the feature required navigating through the Settings menu. To address this issue, Pixel phones now display a notification when Adaptive Charging is active, making it easier for users to manage the feature.
Several Pixel owners have reported seeing a notification on their Pixel phones indicating that Adaptive Charging is active. This notification reportedly includes a new feature that allows users to turn off Adaptive Charging. This can be handy in those cases when say you need to turn off the feature for a night and require the phone to be fully charged before the regular wake-up time. Additionally, Google has already introduced a comparable option for Bedtime mode.
Google’s approach to Adaptive Charging is different from that of iPhones and other Android phones. One interesting aspect of the feature is that an active alarm is necessary to trigger it, which makes it less adaptable. It is slightly different on iPhones where the Optimized Battery Charging feature analyzes your usage and sleeping patterns to determine when to fully charge the battery.
On the Pixel 4 and newer models, you have what is referred to as the “Smart Charge” feature that can help extend battery life. This feature detects when the phone is plugged in and intelligently manages the charging process based on the time of day and the user’s sleep schedule. When the phone is plugged in at night, the Smart Charge feature will slow down the charging process, allowing the battery to charge more slowly and avoid overcharging. This helps to extend the lifespan of the battery and reduce the risk of damage. Battery experts recommend avoiding leaving lithium-ion batteries at full charge for extended periods to prolong their lifespan.
