Fix battery drain problems on a Pixel Tablet

If your Pixel Tablet's battery life seems poor or short, an app on your tablet could be using too much battery. Follow the steps below to help your tablet's battery last longer.

Use battery protection

Learn about battery protection, a feature for your docked tablet that can help prolong its battery life.

Check open apps

Step 1: Restrict apps that use the most battery

Restrict apps with high background battery use

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap Battery.
3. If the screen has a card with advice to restrict an app, tap the card Restrict.

Restrict apps with high overall battery use

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap Battery Battery usage.
3. A list of apps appear that have used your battery in the previous 7 days, or since your tablet's last full charge.
4. Tap an app to review or change how it uses the battery.​

• Tip: For apps you use, choose Optimized. Set apps you don't use to Restricted. Restricted apps don't use the battery when they run in the background, so they might not work as usual.

Check battery use for all of your apps

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap Apps App battery usage.

Step 2: Close apps you aren't using

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap Apps under "Recently opened apps", tap See all [x] apps.
3. Tap the app you want to close.
4. Tap Force stop OK.

Important: Some apps can't be closed. Your tablet won't work correctly if you close some essential apps or services.

Step 3: Uninstall apps with high battery usage

1. Go to the Home screen swipe up find the app you want to uninstall.
   • If you can't find the app, swipe up on your Home screen.
2. Touch and hold the app drag it to an option at the top of the screen:
   • Remove: Remove the app from your Home screen but keep it on the tablet.
   • Uninstall: Uninstall the app from your tablet.
   • Cancel: Don't remove or uninstall the app.
3. Lift your finger if prompted, tap OK.

Tip: If an uninstall option doesn't appear, it means the app can't be uninstalled.

Reduce screen brightness and shorten screen timeout

Step 1: Reduce screen brightness

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
2. Drag the brightness slider to the left to reduce the screen's brightness.

Step 2: Shorten screen timeout

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap Display Screen timeout.
3. Choose a shorter time for your screen timeout.

Restart or update your Pixel Tablet

Restart your tablet (reboot)

Make sure to save any data, then restart your tablet.

Check for system software updates

1. Open your device's Settings app .
2. Tap System Software updates.
3. Your update status will appear. Follow any on-screen instructions.
4. To check for an update, tap Check for update.

Check for app updates

1. Open the Google Play Store app .
2. At the top right, tap the profile icon.
3. Tap Manage apps & devices.
4. Under "Updates available," choose to update all apps or a specific app.

Try advanced steps

Perform a factory reset

Perform a factory reset on your tablet.

A factory reset removes all data from your tablet. Any data stored in your Google Account will be restored, but all apps and their associated data will be uninstalled. Before you perform a factory reset, it's recommended that you back up your tablet.

Post your question to a Google forum

For possible solutions to other issues with your tablet's battery, you can post questions to the Pixel Community on our community forums.

Still have issues with battery drain?

If your Pixel Tablet still has issues with battery drain, contact us for additional support.