Hey folks, there’s some spicy news going around if you’re using a Pixel 6a. And honestly, it’s not the fun kind. It looks like a few of the Pixel 6a batteries have caught fire while charging, and now Google’s stepping in with a fix… by reducing the battery capacity.
Yep, no joke. A couple of Pixel 6a users shared their horror stories, including one where the phone literally caught fire in the middle of the night while charging. That person posted on Reddit, and thankfully they’re okay, but their nightstand? Not so much. Naturally, this set off some alarm bells.
Now, Google isn’t just sitting back. They’re pushing a mandatory software update for a specific group of Pixel 6a devices. What’s in the update? Well, it’s basically a battery downgrade. The phone will limit its charging speed and reduce capacity after around 400 charge cycles. For most of us, that’s about 1–2 years of use. So yeah, your battery won’t last as long or charge as fast after that point.
This isn’t a brand-new play from Google, by the way. They did something similar with the Pixel 4a earlier when those phones had heating issues. It’s all about keeping the phone safer, which makes sense But it still sucks if your phone’s battery life was one of the things you loved most.
So, what should you do if you own a Pixel 6a? First, watch out for that update in July. Google says they’ll reach out to folks who are affected, so keep an eye on your inbox or phone notifications. If the issue gets more serious, there’s a chance Google might offer something like free battery replacements (they did it for the Pixel 4a), but no promises yet.
If your phone’s been running hot lately, or if you’ve had it for over a year, this is definitely something to take seriously. It might be time to think about a battery replacement or even upgrading if the performance hit feels like too much of a downgrade.
 | Google Pixel 9 Pro | $999.00 in Amazon | |
 | Google Pixel Watch 3 | $293.95 in Amazon | |
 | Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 | $189.00 in Amazon |
That’s the scoop for now. Stay safe and keep an eye on your tech, especially when it’s charging overnight. Nobody wants to wake up to a flaming nightstand and burning Pixel 6a batteries.
