How to Fix the Latest Android Error That Is Draining Your Battery
Android users: If your phone’s battery seemed to be running low lately, the latest update to Google Play services might be to blame.
Android Hacks notes that since version 18.3.82, Google Play services consumed more power than most apps and ranked first in usage charts for many users. It’s unclear if this affects everyone or only certain devices, but you can (and should) test your own usage charts by searching for “Battery Usage” in the Settings app.
To avoid draining the battery of Google Play services, we recommend that you postpone any pending updates until Google announces an official fix. For those who have installed the latest version of Google Play Google services, there are two easy ways to fix this problem, although neither is perfect.
First, you can download the beta version of the Google Play Services app:
- Go to the Google Play Services Beta subscription page.
- Click or tap “Become a Tester”.
- Wait for the beta update to download to your phone. Those without automatic updates will need to check Google Play for pending app updates and manually install them as soon as they become available.
The usual caveats for beta software apply: You may experience bugs, crashes, and unexpected application behavior when using unfinished software. It can also be widespread as Google Play services handle most of your phone’s functionality, including notifications, app updates, and even basic system-level behavior and access to Google apps and services.
Another potential solution to fix Google Play Services battery draining is to revert to a previous version of the Play Services app. Fair warning that this too can cause some compatibility and application behavior issues in some rare cases.
- Download and download the previous version of Google Play Services . Be sure to allow “applications from unknown sources” when trying to install. (APKMirror version is safe to download.)
- Once you’ve rolled back Play Services, go to Settings> Apps & Notifications> View All.
- Scroll down and click on Google Play Services.
- Click Data Usage
- Disable Background Data to prevent the app from updating in the background. If that doesn’t work, you can try disabling the Google Play Store app entirely, but that will be inconvenient.