Potential workarounds for One UI 6.1-triggered battery drain on Samsung Galaxy S23, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and others

Samsung’s latest One UI 6.1 update is off to a rough start for some unfortunate users. I recently highlighted touch screen issues, a bug when expanding notifications, and more. Now, I’ve come across several reports from those who installed One UI 6.1 claiming that it resulted in increased battery drain on their devices like the Galaxy S23, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5. The folks over at SamMobile highlighted the concern too. If you too are one of the many experiencing unusual battery drain on your Samsung Galaxy phone after installing One UI 6.1, then read along. I’ve rounded up a few workarounds suggested by users themselves. So let’s check them out.

Workaround 1: Wipe partition cache

One recommended solution is to wipe the partition cache. This process can help resolve software-related issues that may be causing the battery drain. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press and hold the power and volume up buttons simultaneously until the Android logo appears.
3. Use the volume down button to navigate to “wipe partition cache” and press the power button to select it.
4. Once the process is complete, reboot the phone.

Workaround 2: Deactivate advanced AI features

Another suggested workaround is to deactivate advanced AI features. While these features can enhance user experience, they may also consume additional battery power. To disable AI features, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Advanced features.
2. Toggle off any AI-related features, such as Bixby Routines or Scene Optimizer.

Workaround 3: Battery usage optimization

Optimizing battery usage can also help address battery drain issues. This can involve adjusting screen brightness, disabling unnecessary connectivity options, and closing unused apps. Here are some steps to optimize battery usage:

• Lower screen brightness or enable adaptive brightness.
• Disable GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi when not in use.
• Close unused apps, especially those consuming significant battery power.

Workaround 4: Factory reset

If the above workarounds do not resolve the battery drain issue, a factory reset may be necessary. This process will erase all data and settings on the device, potentially resolving any software-related issues causing the battery drain. Before performing a factory reset, ensure all important data is backed up.

1. Go to Settings > General management.
2. Tap on Reset > Factory data reset.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the device to reset.

Some users noted that factory resetting the device fixed the problem entirely.

What you should know

As someone who has been keeping track of bugs and issues for years, battery drain reports after an update is one of the most common issues around. In most cases, severe battery drain after an update is usually because the system takes time to optimize all the apps in the background. Of course, there are several other factors that come into play in such situations. While the potential workarounds mentioned above should help fix the problem, if they do not, then you might have to wait for a bug-fixing update from Samsung. Alternatively, you can try rolling back to One UI 6.0.

Well, that’s it from my side. I hope this article helped you sort out the unusual battery drain bug following the One UI 6.1 update on your Samsung device. In case you have another workaround that could be useful, please feel free to share it in the comments below. Thanks!

Featured image credits: Nick Ackerman / YouTube