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Pixel 10 Pro Battery Boost: Why Turning Off Smooth Display (and Google’s New Updates) Matter Today – November 16, 2025

November 16, 2025
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Pixel 10 Pro Battery Boost: Why Turning Off Smooth Display (and Google’s New Updates) Matter Today – November 16, 2025

Google’s Pixel 10 series is only a few months old, but its battery life is already back in the headlines. This week, an Android Police writer revealed that simply switching off one marquee feature — Smooth Display, the 120Hz high‑refresh screen mode — made their Pixel 10 Pro battery “better than ever.” [1]

At the same time, Google’s November 2025 Pixel Feature Drop is rolling out with a new Google Maps Power Saving mode that can add up to four extra hours of battery life on road trips, plus a Device Health & Support hub and a patch that quietly improves battery and stability across recent Pixels. [2]

And as of today, November 16, 2025, Android Authority is warning that many older Qi wireless chargers simply don’t play nicely with the Pixel 10 series, causing slow or unreliable charging. [3]

Here’s a breakdown of what all of this means if you own a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, or Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the settings you should change right now for better battery life.

The one feature Android Police switched off: Smooth Display

The Pixel 10 Pro uses a 6.3‑inch LTPO “Super Actua” OLED panel that can vary its refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz thanks to Google’s Smooth Display tech. [4] At 120Hz, scrolling and animations look wonderfully fluid — but there’s no free lunch. Higher refresh rates mean the display updates more often and draws more power.

In a story published this week, Android Police describes turning off Smooth Display on the Pixel 10 Pro after noticing that the feature was among the biggest contributors to day‑to‑day battery drain. Once disabled, the phone reportedly made it through long days much more comfortably, with fewer low‑battery panics before bedtime. [5]

Google itself warns in its support docs that Smooth Display “can increase battery usage”, and general Pixel battery guides from companies like Asurion and others have long recommended turning high refresh rates off if endurance is a priority. [6]

Independent testing backs that up:

  • In Tom’s Guide’s battery tests of the non‑Pro Pixel 10, the phone lasted around 13 hours 13 minutes with Smooth Display off, compared with 12 hours 25 minutes on — roughly an extra three‑quarters of an hour of runtime. [7]

The exact gains will vary based on how much time you spend scrolling social media, gaming, or browsing, but if your Pixel 10 Pro regularly dies before the end of the day, Smooth Display is a prime suspect.

What happens when you turn Smooth Display off?

When you disable Smooth Display:

  • Your Pixel 10 Pro sticks to 60Hz most of the time instead of ramping up toward 120Hz.
  • The screen uses less power, especially in apps that would otherwise run at high frame rates.
  • Animations and scrolling feel a bit less “buttery,” but still perfectly usable for most people.

For many owners, that trade‑off — slightly choppier scrolling in exchange for an extra chunk of battery — is absolutely worth it.

How to turn off Smooth Display on Pixel 10 Pro (and other Pixel 10 models)

If you want to try the same tweak as the Android Police writer, here’s how to disable Smooth Display on your Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, or Pixel 10:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Display.
  3. Find Smooth Display.
  4. Turn the toggle Off.

That’s it. Your phone will now prioritize battery life over ultra‑smooth animations.

Pro tip: If you’re not ready to give up Smooth Display entirely, you can still tweak other display settings that have a big impact on battery:

  • Use Adaptive brightness so the phone isn’t running at 100% brightness all day. [8]
  • Turn on Dark theme, especially if you use apps with white backgrounds.
  • Keep Always‑on display as minimal as possible or disable it entirely if you really need to squeeze out more runtime.

November 2025 Pixel Feature Drop: New battery‑saving tools

Beyond that one headline setting, Google’s latest Pixel Feature Drop for November 2025 quietly brings several changes designed to help your battery last longer on the Pixel 10 series.

Google Maps Power Saving mode: up to 4 extra hours

One of the most important new features is a Power Saving mode in Google Maps, currently exclusive to the Pixel 10 family (Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold). [9]

Here’s what it does:

  • When you’re using turn‑by‑turn navigation while driving, pressing the power button switches Maps into a low‑power view.
  • The UI dims and simplifies, showing only the essentials like your route and next turns.
  • Behind the scenes, Android uses a special low‑refresh “AOD min mode” display path to reduce how often the screen updates, cutting power draw dramatically. [10]

Google says this can extend battery life by up to four hours on long trips — in its internal tests, using fully charged Pixel 10 devices with brightness locked at a high level. [11] Real‑world results will depend on how bright your screen is, how long you’re driving, and whether you’re also streaming music or using Android Auto.

Either way, if you’ve ever watched your battery plummet while using Maps on a road trip, this is an easy win.

How to use it:

  1. Start driving navigation in Google Maps.
  2. Once navigation is running, press the power button once.
  3. Maps should switch into the minimalist Power Saving mode view.
  4. Press the power button again to return to the normal full‑fat UI.

Device Health & Support: a hub for battery insights

Another piece of the November Feature Drop is the wider rollout of Device Health & Support, a diagnostics hub that debuted with the Pixel 10 series and is now expanding to Pixel 6 through Pixel 9 as well. [12]

On the Pixel 10, Device Health & Support lives at the bottom of the Settings app and groups together:

  • Battery health (capacity, cycle‑style indicators, and tips)
  • Device temperature
  • Storage and performance checks
  • Quick access to Pixel Support

The goal is simple: make it easier to understand why your phone might be running hot, draining fast, or feeling sluggish — and to fix issues before they become serious.

The November 2025 Pixel update: stability and battery tweaks

Alongside the Feature Drop, Google is pushing a November 2025 security and bug‑fix update for the Pixel 7a through Pixel 10 lines. Multiple outlets report that it does more than patch security holes. [13]

Key points:

  • The update fixes a serious 911/emergency calling bug that could, in rare cases, stop calls from going through even with full signal — an issue that understandably drew a lot of attention. [14]
  • Google’s official changelog also mentions improvements to charging stability, battery performance, and camera behavior for recent Pixels. [15]

If your Pixel 10 feels like its battery life took a hit after the Android 16 update earlier this year — something users have reported in Google’s support forums — installing the November patch is essential before you start tweaking settings. [16]

To check for it:

  1. Open Settings > System > System update.
  2. Tap Check for update.
  3. Install and reboot if an update is available.

The long‑term twist: Battery Health Assistance you can’t turn off

While disabling Smooth Display helps with day‑to‑day runtime, a different battery story has been brewing around the Pixel 10 since launch: Battery Health Assistance.

According to reporting from Android Authority and others, Pixel 10 phones include a non‑optional battery health system that gradually reduces maximum charging voltage and slows fast charging after roughly 200–1,000 charge cycles, with the goal of preserving long‑term battery health. [17]

On earlier Pixels, similar health features could be toggled off, but Google has confirmed that on the Pixel 10 series there’s no user‑facing switch. That means:

  • Over time, your peak charge speed may drop, especially when the phone gets warm.
  • Maximum usable capacity may be quietly capped to reduce stress on the battery.
  • You’re trading some performance and convenience now for a battery that should age more gracefully over years.

This system doesn’t directly affect how long a single charge lasts today, but it’s part of the bigger picture: Google is trying to keep the Pixel 10’s battery usable for its promised seven years of software updates, even if some power users would prefer the ability to opt out. [18]

Today’s warning: older Qi chargers can hurt your Pixel 10 experience

The newest Pixel 10 battery‑adjacent news today, November 16, 2025, comes from Android Authority: many older Qi wireless chargers and power banks aren’t playing nicely with the Pixel 10 series. [19]

In a series of tests, the outlet verified that:

  • Some older Qi pads only charge the Pixel 10 intermittently.
  • Charging may start and then stop randomly, or dribble along at extremely low speeds.
  • Newer Qi and Qi2 chargers generally behave much better, especially those that support Google’s Qi2‑based Pixelsnap ecosystem. [20]

Because the Pixel 10 line leans heavily into Qi2 wireless charging, using outdated pads could leave you thinking your phone has terrible wireless performance — when the real issue is compatibility.

If you rely on wireless charging:

  • Prefer Qi2‑certified chargers or modern 15W pads from reputable brands.
  • Avoid very old 7.5W or 10W pads that predate fast wireless standards; they’re the most likely to behave erratically. [21]

Faster, more reliable charging isn’t exactly “battery life” in the strict sense, but it absolutely affects how often you feel stuck next to a wall outlet.

Five Pixel 10 battery settings to tweak today

Putting everything together, here’s a quick checklist you can use right now on November 16, 2025:

  1. Decide what to do with Smooth Display
    • If you’re chasing maximum runtime, turn it off (Settings → Display → Smooth Display).
    • If you leave it on, consider lowering brightness to offset the extra drain. [22]
  2. Enable Adaptive Battery
    • Google’s official battery guide highlights Adaptive Battery as one of the most important power‑saving features on Pixel 10, using on‑device AI to limit rarely used apps. [23]
    • Turn it on in Settings → Battery → Adaptive Battery.
  3. Use Battery Saver and Extreme Battery Saver when needed
    • Battery Saver tones down background activity and visual effects.
    • Extreme Battery Saver goes further by pausing most apps and notifications; Google says a Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro can last up to 100 hours in this mode under test conditions. [24]
  4. Take advantage of Maps Power Saving mode for long drives
    • When driving with Google Maps, tap the power button to enable the new low‑power navigation mode exclusive to Pixel 10 phones. [25]
  5. Update and audit your chargers
    • Install the November 2025 Pixel update to get bug fixes and battery optimisations. [26]
    • Replace unreliable old Qi pads with modern Qi2 or recommended wireless chargers if you see intermittent or slow charging. [27]

The bottom line for Pixel 10 owners in November 2025

Taken together, the recent wave of Pixel news paints a clear picture:

  • Smooth Display is a real battery hog, and turning it off can genuinely extend your Pixel 10 Pro’s screen‑on time. [28]
  • Google’s November 2025 Feature Drop brings smarter tools — like Maps Power Saving mode and the Device Health & Support hub — that can help your battery last longer and age more gracefully. [29]
  • The November patch improves both reliability and battery behavior, while Battery Health Assistance quietly works in the background to protect your battery over the long term. [30]
  • And as of today, you should be cautious about older Qi chargers, which may be the hidden culprit behind slow or inconsistent charging on the Pixel 10. [31]

If your Pixel 10 Pro has been dying before you’re ready to put it down, you don’t necessarily need a new phone. Start by flipping off Smooth Display, updating to the latest software, and embracing Google’s new power‑saving tools — your battery (and your anxiety level) might feel brand‑new.

Pixel Update Bulletin: November 2025!
Watch this video on YouTube.

References

1. www.androidpolice.com, 2. blog.google, 3. startupnews.fyi, 4. fi.google.com, 5. www.androidpolice.com, 6. support.google.com, 7. www.tomsguide.com, 8. store.google.com, 9. www.androidpolice.com, 10. 9to5google.com, 11. blog.google, 12. 9to5google.com, 13. www.androidpolice.com, 14. www.phonearena.com, 15. www.phonearena.com, 16. support.google.com, 17. www.androidauthority.com, 18. en.wikipedia.org, 19. startupnews.fyi, 20. startupnews.fyi, 21. startupnews.fyi, 22. support.google.com, 23. store.google.com, 24. store.google.com, 25. www.androidcentral.com, 26. www.androidcentral.com, 27. startupnews.fyi, 28. www.androidpolice.com, 29. 9to5google.com, 30. www.androidcentral.com, 31. startupnews.fyi

Mateusz Brzeziński

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