Google has launched its second-generation Pixel Fold this year. Named the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, this is Googleโs offering of what Googleโs version of the Android OS is capable of on foldable devices. As a foldable device with a screen on the outer cover and an almost tablet-like screen on the inside, battery life is one of the main things that many users and first-time owners of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will worry about.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with a 4,650 mAh battery. Google says that this battery can last around 24 hours and almost 72 hours if you have the Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled. While the claims are pretty good, people tend to still worry about the battery, especially for a device with a sizable screen. Well, you can stop worrying about the battery if you change these settings to extend the battery life of your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Best Tips to Improve Battery Life on Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Apart from simply switching the battery-saver mode toggles in the battery settings of your Pixel 9 Pro Fold, there are many settings that you can adjust, change, or enable to help improve and increase the battery life of your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Disable or Turn Off Live Wallpapers
Yes, live wallpapers are fun as they are very interactive and react whenever you open or close the device. But, if you are battery-conscious, it is recommended that you switch from live wallpapers to basic wallpapers. Also, when you are setting up your new wallpaper, ensure that you have any of the special effects or motion features disabled. Or, if you just want to play a safe game, simply set a black image as your wallpaper for the inner and out screens.
Reduce the Number of Active Widgets
Widgets are useful as they act like little shortcuts to apps that give you details or information such as the weather, calendar updates, media player, or anything else depending on the app. Less or no widgets might help with improving battery life as you have even fewer elements that are actively working on your screen and also a reduced number of background processes. Here is how you can remove those widgets.
- On the home screen of your Pixel 9 Pro, Fold, tap, and hold onto the widget you want to remove.
- Now, drag the widget to where it says Remove.
- Finally, release your finger.
Enable Dark Mode/Dark Theme
Googleโs Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with an OLED display that works perfectly with black/dark themes. A lot of users whose phones come with OLED or AMOLED displays usually shift from a light theme to a dark theme. You can also do this on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Here is how you can do that.
- Launch the Settings app on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
- Scroll and select the Display and Touch options.
- Tap on the toggle that says Dark Theme. This sets the dark theme for your device system-wide. A lot of the apps that rely on system-based theming will also enable dark mode by itself.
- If you want, you can also schedule the dark theme by applying a time that applies the dark theme automatically.
- While this might not bring a big change in how much battery is being used, anything that uses less battery is considered a win.
Turn Off Always on Displays
AMOLED and OLED displays have helped in bringing features such as the Always on Display or AOD to smartphones. With the AOD enabled, you get to see little details such as notifications for your apps, as well as nice clock animations that you can view by simply tapping the screen once. Also, with an AOD, the screen lights up whenever you receive a notification. But, if you are someone who doesn’t care much about this AOD feature, you can follow these steps to run it off.
- Launch the Settings app and tap on Display and Touch.
- Now, tap on Lock Screen.
- Switch the toggle tow off next to where it says Always Show Time and Info.
- Additionally, if you want, you can also turn off Tap to Check Phone, Life to Check Phone, and even Wake Screen for notifications.
Set the Refresh Rate to 60 Hz
Google launched the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a 120 Hz refresh rate display. This higher refresh rate gives you a smooth scrolling experience and also helps with getting a smooth and higher FPS when you play certain types of games. However, if you are fine with the basic 60 Hz refresh rate, then you can switch it back. Here is what you need to do.
- Open the Settings app on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- Scroll and tap on Display and Touch.
- You will see a toggle next to the Smooth Display. Simply tap on it to switch back to 60 Hz.
Enable Battery Saver Modes
Battery saver Modes on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold will let you extend the battery life by turning off a lot of background services. You can enable this mode whenever you might not be using the device for an extended period. Here are the steps to enable Extreme Battery Saver Mode.
- Open up Settings and tap on Battery.
- Here you will find two options: Standard Battery Saver and Extreme Battery Saver.
- If you use the Standard Battery Saver mode, it disables all visual effects, enables the dark theme, and limits some background activities.
- However, if you enable the Extreme Battery Saver Mode, apps and notifications that aren’t important to you can be paused completely. You also get access to mobile data only when your device is unlocked.
Turn off the Now Playing Feature
Google introduced, Now Playing, a Shazam app – like feature that detects and lets you know what song is being played around you. This feature is always on the listen for any type of song that is playing. If you do not care about the Now Playing feature or simply have no use for it, then I would recommend turning it off. Here is what you need to do.
- Launch the Settings app on your Fold.
- Scroll and tap on the Sounds and Vibration option.
- Tap on Now Playing and finally switch the toggle to Off.
- This will prevent the device from actively listening to songs and identifying them every time something is detected.
Install All Updates
As you can expect from software, there can be times when certain bugs or glitches could cause your Google Pixel 9 Pro Foldโs battery to have trouble. Issues such as poor battery backup or rapid draining can sometimes be solved or fixed via software updates. It’s best practice to keep your device updated to the latest available update at all times. These are the steps if you are planning to check for any updates on your Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
- Open up the Settings app and scroll till you see the System option.
- Tap on System followed by Software Updates.
- The device will check for any updates if available and will download them right away.
Speaking of updates, you should also keep all of your installed apps updated. Because there have been times when certain apps have been responsible for battery drains and issues. So, if these are fixed by the developer, then updating them is your best bet.
Turn Off Flashlight Notifications
Yes, it is sad that the notification LED light has lost its place in the era of full-screen and punch-hole displays. While it makes sense to have the flashlight act as a notification light, this can also be an invitation to reduce battery life. Here is how you can turn it off.
- Launch the Settings app and tap on Notifications.
- Now, tap on Flash Notifications.
- Make sure to switch off the toggles for Camera Flash as well as Screen Flash.
Enable Adaptive Charging
Did you know that you can optimize how your device charges itself? This is a useful tip wherein the system will learn and identify your usage pattern and then will charge your device accordingly. This helps prevent the battery from getting degraded quickly and also reduces the amount of heat the device generates when it is charging.
- Open up the Settings app and tap on Battery.
- Now, tap on Charging Optimization.
- Switch the toggle on to where it says Charging Optimization.
- Here, you will see two options: Adaptive Charging and Limit to 80%
- You can choose to let the device charge up to 80% or enable Adaptive Charging where the device will just charge to 100% before you take the device with you.
Bonus Tip: Use Good Branded Chargers and Cables
While selecting a charging brick for your Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, it can become very easy to get lost in the sea of charging bricks to pick from. You can decide to get a charging brick that has at least 35W, as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is capable of charging at a maximum of 21W.
Closing Thoughts
This concludes everything you need to know about how you can save and gain that small percentage of extra battery life by following these settings and tips. Also, ensure that your phone is not in a massively thick cover, which will simply make the device heat a lot while it is charging. Additionally, it is best to reduce the reliance on wireless charging so that your battery does not degrade and lose the ability to hold its charge.
What other tips and tricks or settings do you think you would like to share with other Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold users? Let us know about them in the comments section below.
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