I’ve been using my Pixel 8 Pro for a few weeks now and I’m more than convinced that it’s the best Pixel that Google has released yet. It’s not like it’s a huge leap forward from the Pixel 7 Pro, but there are enough small changes that add up to make the whole thing a very impressive feat.
Not only is the headset easier to hold, the processor speed is significantly more powerful than its predecessor. The display is easy to read and all the little touches that come with Android 14 really seal the deal.
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As far as battery life is concerned, I’m happy to report that the Pixel 8 Pro beats the Pixel 7 Pro handily. Once all my apps were updated (especially Spotify), I found that I reached the end of the day with anywhere between 70% and 80% of my battery. With my Pixel 7 Pro, I regularly see that the phone has 50% to 70% of battery life left before putting it on the charger. One thing to remember, however, is that I retire my phone fairly early every day. My Pixel is usually on the stand every day at 7pm. So, if your day ends well after that, don’t expect to see 70-80% of your battery life left.
Anyone who has used the same phone for more than a year knows that battery life decreases. Google has anticipated this issue with the Pixel 8 Pro and Android 14 and added a handy battery diagnostic tool. This feature is only available on Pixel 8 phones, so even if you have a Pixel 7 with Android 14, you won’t find the diagnostic tool available.
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Now, before we continue, this feature is not a diagnostic tool so much as a troubleshooting aid. It doesn’t actually test your battery. Instead, what it does is to narrow down the issue based on the most common issues causing Pixel phone battery problems.
So, if you have a Pixel 8/Pixel 8 Pro and want to test your battery, show me how.
How to run battery diagnostics on Pixel 8
What you will need: To run Battery Diagnostics, you must have a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro. That’s it. Let’s diagnose your battery.
Log in to your Pixel 8 and pull down the notification shade twice. Under the hood, tap the gear icon to open the Settings app.
You can access Settings by tapping the Settings Launcher in the app drawer. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZdNet
Scroll down until you see Battery and tap the entry.
The battery entry also shows how much juice your phone has left. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZdNet
Under the Battery Widget entry, you’ll see Battery Diagnostics. Tap it to open the testing tool.
On the Battery Diagnostics page, you’ll find four different tests you can run:
- Battery drains very quickly
- Phone is very hot
- Problem with charging
- Another problem
Let’s say you find that the battery doesn’t last as long as it should. For that, tap on very quick battery drain. You will then be prompted to allow Pixel troubleshooting to determine if there is a problem. Tap Allow to continue testing.
Various battery tests you can run on Android 14. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZdNet
On the next page, you’ll find two tips to help prevent premature battery drain, which are screen displays and apps that use more battery. For example, if you tap on the screen display, you will be presented with two options:
- Turn on the dark theme
- Turn off smooth display
Tap on one of these options and it will take you to the settings location where you can take care of the issue. If you tap on the app using the most battery, you’ll be taken to the Battery Usage page, where you can see which apps are using the most of your battery. You can then take action and either close the offending app, or — as in my case with Spotify — go to the Google Play Store and upgrade the app in question.
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You’ll also find links on this page to more articles on how to improve your battery life.
In my opinion, the feature needs a name change because it’s not a diagnostic tool but a help page that takes you to common problems that cause battery drain. The good thing is that this feature guides you to the problems that always cause.
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If you find that your Pixel 8 phone battery does not last all day, my advice is to visit this page and follow the advice given to you. Chances are good that the page will help you solve your problem.