Mandatory update coming soon to Pixel 6a units and owners won’t like it
Google recently confirmed that an update will limit the battery capacity of the phone to prevent overheating issues.
Pixel 6a is not the first Google phone affected by an overheating issue | Image credit: PhoneArena
If you’re still using a Pixel 6a, there’s a chance that you’re eligible for a “mandatory” software update that Google plans to release in the coming weeks. The reason this update is mandatory is because some Pixel 6a units have major issues with the battery, and the update is meant to reduce the risk of overheating.Earlier today, Google confirmed to 9to5google that it will indeed start informing Pixel 6a users in July that they will receive a software update that will reduce the capacity of their phone’s battery.
A subset of Pixel 6a phones will require a mandatory software update to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating. The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles. We’ll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue.
– Google, June 2025.
Unfortunately, we don’t know how many Pixel 6a units are affected by this issue, but apparently not all will receive the update. Google also said that even though customers who own one of the affected Pixel 6a units will be contacted next month, the update might not arrive immediately after.
Now, for those of you who plan to circumvent the update in order to avoid having your phone’s battery capacity reduced by purchasing a new one, it’s probably not going to be a successful approach in the long term.
As Google notes in the message to 9to5google, once your battery hits 400 charge cycles, the mandatory update will be automatically installed on your phone in case it’s one of the affected devices.
Pixel 4a was also the target of a similar update not long ago | Image credit: PhoneArena
Google’s decision to push out this mandatory update follows a series of reports from Pixel 6a owners claiming their phones caught fire while charging. These reports only recently emerged online, although the Pixel 6a hit shelves three years ago.
Sadly, this is not the first Pixel device that exhibits overheating issues. Google recently rolled out a similar update to a number of Pixel 4a units that were affected by a similar overheating issue. Some Pixel 4a owners were offered free battery replacements.
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