The 80 percent charging limit was initially added in the November security patch but only became active with the December Pixel Feature Drop. The feature aims to prolong the Pixel’s battery lifespan by preventing all battery cells from fully charging. This helps reduce heat and stress on the battery, although its impact is only significant under certain conditions.

Previously, it was assumed that enabling the charging limit would simply cap the battery level at 80 percent, similar to how many Android devices operate. However, new findings suggest a more advanced system is at play, potentially offering better long-term battery health management.

How Battery Bypass Charging Works and Why It’s Important

According to Android Authority, enabling the 80 percent charging limit activates bypass charging—a detail later confirmed by Google.

Bypass charging allows the Pixel phone to draw power directly from the charger once the battery reaches 80%. Instead of routing power through the battery, the charger supplies power directly to the phone’s chipset, meeting its energy demands without engaging the battery.

This approach minimizes wear on the battery cells compared to simply trickling power into the battery to maintain its charge level, reducing voltage and current flow through the cells.

Which Google Pixel Models Support Battery Bypass Charging?

Bypass charging is commonly found in Android gaming smartphones, but its inclusion in the Pixel lineup is unexpected. High-end devices from brands like Samsung and Sony also support this feature, typically meant to enhance gaming performance. We previously explored using bypass charging on the Galaxy S23 Ultra in detail.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's Battery Bypass feature highlighted
Battery Bypass feature on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra / © nextpit Image source: NextPit

However, it remains unclear which Pixel models support bypass charging. While devices with the 80% charging limit may have the feature, hardware compatibility could limit its availability to models like the Pixel 9 (review) and Pixel 9 Pro (review).

Google would do well to clarify this by sharing more details and providing a list of supported devices in future updates.

Do you find bypass charging on the Pixel useful? Should Google offer more user controls for this feature? Share your thoughts in the comments!

We mark partner links with this symbol. If you click on one of these links or buttons–or make a purchase through them–we may receive a small commission from the retailer. This doesn’t affect the price you pay, but it helps us keep nextpit free for everyone. Thanks for your support!