Pixel Watch 2 owner reports battery life falling from 48 to 12 hours

Owners of Pixel Watch 2 and 4 say their watches are lasting much less time between charges. In an October 28 report, 9to5Google described these separate accounts:

The cause and scale are unclear

The accounts come from online posts and comments, not a measure of how many owners are affected. Some commenters noticed a change only days before the October 28 report; others said it began earlier. Many said their battery life had not changed.

Google’s September 2026 update reached Pixel Watch 2 and newer models. It added Gemini Personalization, which Google says uses past conversations and its apps to tailor responses. 9to5Google raised that update as one possible explanation. It also mentioned a recent Google Health automatic activity-tracking update, but said that update would not explain the Watch 2 complaint. Neither update has been established as the cause. Google had not officially acknowledged the complaints as of October 28.

What owners can try

Google’s advertised figures are approximate maximums from tests using pre-production devices and a typical mix of activities. They are not measurements of these owners’ watches under their usual settings. Google says actual battery life varies with features, use and environment.

Google’s general guidance suggests Battery Saver when charge runs low. It switches off the always-on display and limits background activity, so notifications may arrive late. Owners can also turn off the display’s tilt-to-wake feature, though the screen will then stop waking automatically when they raise a wrist. Those options may extend battery life.