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To find apps using too much battery, check Settings > Battery > Battery usage and review the period and app list; the exact menu varies by phone. To investigate a slow phone, test it in safe mode: downloaded apps are temporarily turned off there, so a slowdown that disappears points toward an app. These are related checks, but battery use alone does not prove an app is causing lag.

Find battery use in Settings

  1. Open Settings and search for Battery usage if you cannot find the battery menu. Review the reporting period and the listed apps. If your phone offers app and system views, check both.

  2. Look for apps with notable use, especially background use. Treat the list as a clue, not a verdict: battery figures describe reported consumption for the selected period, and rounded values may not add up to 100%.

  3. On Pixel phones, Google documents this route: Settings > Battery > Battery usage > View by apps. Select an app to review its battery use or available background settings. Menu labels and controls can differ by Android version and manufacturer; if the route does not match, search Settings or consult your phone maker’s support instructions. Google’s Android battery guide notes that some steps apply only to Android 13 and later: Android battery help.

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What to do about high background use

If an app’s background use looks unexpectedly high, review its battery setting rather than automatically force-stopping it. On Pixel, some apps provide adjustable battery-use options, and Google recommends keeping Optimized enabled for all apps. Google also warns that force-stopping essential apps or services can make the phone work incorrectly. The available options differ by device and app; see Google Pixel Phone Help: Fix battery drain problem.

Check whether an app is causing slowness

1. Restart and update

Restart the phone, then check for Android system updates and updates to downloaded apps in the Play Store. These are among Google’s recommended first steps for a slow Android device. Some steps in Google’s guide apply only to Android 8.0 and later, and settings may vary: Speed up a slow Android device.

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2. Check free storage

Check how much storage is available. Google says a phone can start having problems when less than 10% of its storage is free; this is a troubleshooting threshold, not a guarantee that every phone will slow at that point. Free space by removing files or apps you no longer need, then see whether performance improves.

3. Test in safe mode

Safe mode temporarily turns off downloaded apps. The steps for entering it vary by phone, so use your manufacturer’s instructions if the method is not obvious. If the slowdown goes away in safe mode, Google says an app is likely causing the problem.

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4. Remove likely apps one at a time

Restart the phone to leave safe mode. Then uninstall recently downloaded apps one at a time, checking performance after each removal. This makes it easier to identify whether a particular app was involved. Avoid removing apps you rely on until you understand what they do.

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If the problem continues

If battery drain or slowness remains after these checks, contact your phone manufacturer’s support. For Pixel 6 and later, Google provides Battery diagnostics, including a Battery draining too quickly path. Google’s Pixel guidance also says a Pixel may use more battery for a few days after a software update while it downloads and optimizes software; that timing guidance is Pixel-specific. See Pixel battery troubleshooting for applicable instructions and Android-version requirements.

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