Some Pixel users say Google’s November update broke wireless charging

Google’s big November update, in addition to bringing features like Pixel Solver, Create My Widget, Gemini Call Screen, and more, also seems to have introduced a bug that appears to be causing wireless charging issues for at least a couple of Pixel users.

This doesn’t yet appear to be a widespread issue, but it doesn’t seem to be an isolated one either. The complaints stem from a recent Google Support post, where a Pixel 10 Pro XL user reports that their device lost its wireless charging capabilities after installing Google’s November 5 update, which rolled out with the new Pixel Drop.

According to the user, when they throw their phone onto a certified Qi2 wireless charger, the phone indicates that it is charging, but the battery percentage actually goes down. They added that they’ve tried out several Qi2 chargers that worked perfectly before the Pixel update, but none really work now. Their battery diagnostics are normal, and the usual troubleshooting steps, including a hard reboot, don’t offer any relief.

Others in the thread corroborated the claim. One user pointed out similar inconsistencies:

I did have one brief session on my usual charger that worked. But every other time I’ve tried charging since the update it doesn’t actually charge the phone. The screen says it’s “Charging”, but the light on the chargers I’ve tried does not turn on.

A different user doubled down on the claim and said that Google Support hasn’t been very helpful:

The support specialist I contacted wasn’t very helpful. They want to blame my case (which I had already removed) or my charger (which still works with other phones). It’s obviously an issue with the November update.

Although not exactly the same, a different user reported experiencing similar wireless charging problems after a recent software update. The user reports seeing a “Connected but not charging” status and claims that the same wireless charger worked previously without issues using the same phone.

Repositioning the phone or restarting it “sometimes” corrects the issues. The user didn’t explicitly link the problem to the November update, but they did say that “recent updates seem to have broken wireless charging.” Note that there is no concrete evidence linking the bug to the November update, beyond timing and user claims.

Interestingly, Google’s changelog for the November update lists a battery and charging fix. The company wrote that it fixed an issue that was causing the charging indicator to appear when no charger was connected. The fix is unlikely to be connected to the potential new bug.

We’ve reached out to Google to ask whether it is aware of the complaints and if the November update might be responsible. We’ll update this article if and when we hear back.