Pixel Watch owners are reporting an unexpected problem with their devices — fast battery drain after the June 2024 security update. The issue affects both the first and second generation Pixel Watch models.
The June update, although it includes new features such as crash detection and a new “Favorites” for Google Home seems to have introduced a hidden bug affecting battery life. According to this report, several users on Reddit and other online forums are describing their Pixel Watch losing significant charge within hours of recording workouts, despite having more than 80% battery to begin with. The problem is not limited to physical exercises — some users experience the watch completely draining during the night, which is very inconvenient considering that they went into the night with a sufficient charge level.
While the exact cause of this battery drain remains unclear, it appears to be related to the aforementioned update. Some users have found temporary relief by turning off the new crash detection feature, which uses sensors in the watch to detect sudden impacts and changes in movement that might occur during a car accident. Disabling this feature can potentially improve battery life, but also means giving up this potentially life-saving feature.
Another option may be to reset the device to factory settings. However, a factory reset removes all your data and settings from the watch, returning it to its original state. This can be a lengthy process and you will have to reconfigure all your settings and reinstall apps. Since this is a more drastic measure, resetting the watch should only be considered as a last resort if other troubleshooting steps have failed.
If you haven't yet installed the June update on your Pixel Watch, you should consider holding off until the issue is resolved. will not be resolved. If you're already experiencing battery issues, try restarting your watch a few times or turning off crash detection. If the problem persists, you may have to wait for the next security update that may fix this error.
While the fast battery drain problem is certainly annoying, it's important to remember that software updates often come with unexpected errors. Also, not all users are affected by the issue as I personally didn't experience it on my first generation Pixel Watch, but your experience may vary. Hopefully, Google will quickly address this issue in a future update, restoring normal Pixel Watch battery performance.