Google Pixel 80% adaptive charging glitching after March update? Here's what you need to know

The rollout of the March 2025 security patch and the first Feature Drop of the year has Google Pixel users buzzing with excitement over new features. However, it’s also sparked a wave of concern where many are reporting that their phones are ignoring the “Limit to 80%” charging setting. Devices are charging well beyond the expected 80% cap leading to widespread speculation that the update broke this battery-preserving feature. The good news? It’s not a glitch. It’s just a misunderstood calibration process.

The issue surfaced almost immediately after the update, with users flocking to Pixel forums to voice their frustrations at what they perceived as a sloppy update breaking a daily-use feature, while others confirmed their devices hit odd percentages like 96% or 98%. A few even reached out to Google, learning that complaints about the 80% limit were piling up post-update.

For many, the feature is a cornerstone of battery management, designed to reduce wear on lithium-ion cells by capping charge levels. Seeing it apparently fail has left users toggling settings, rebooting devices, and scratching their heads. But buried in the complaints is a recurring clarification that shifts the narrative from “broken” to “working as intended.”

The root of the confusion lies in how Pixel devices handle battery calibration, particularly after a software update. Experts within the community explain that the 80% limit isn’t absolute — it’s designed to occasionally allow a full charge to recalibrate the battery’s capacity gauge. This ensures the phone accurately tracks its battery health over time. After an update like the March 2025 patch, this full charge becomes mandatory for the first cycle, temporarily overriding the 80% limit.

Multiple users have validated this behavior. One shared that their Pixel charged to 100% post-update but resumed limiting to 80% on the next cycle. Another noted their device lingered at 100% for about half an hour before naturally dropping back down. A third described letting their phone trickle charge to 100%, waiting for a shield icon to appear, and then confirming the limit worked as expected afterward. The pattern is clear: it’s not a bug, but a deliberate step.

The hitch? Calibration doesn’t end the moment the battery hits 100%. Users must leave the phone plugged in — sometimes for 45 minutes, sometimes over two hours — until a shield or protection symbol appears next to the battery icon in the status bar. Only then does the system finalize the process, restoring the 80% limit for future charges.

For extra confirmation, use a USB power meter or a power bank with a display to verify that power draw ceases at 80% on subsequent charges. If it still doesn’t work, some suggest toggling the charging optimization setting off and back on in the battery menu, then repeating the process.