Here's how you can check the battery health of your Android phone to see if it's time for a replacement.
You can check your battery health on Android with a few taps
Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Onur Binay
Smartphone batteries have a limited lifespan, and lose their capacity over time. This means that once you've used your phone for a certain period of time, you must either replace the battery or switch to a new model if it's too old and parts aren't available. Apple added a battery health indicator years ago with iOS 6, and the feature finally made its way to select Google Pixel phones this year with the Android 16 update. Even third party Android smartphone makers have enabled the feature on their handsets, allowing users to check battery health via the Settings app.
Google blocked access to the hidden "testing" menu that appeared when you entered *#*#4636#*#* in the dialler on the Phone app, on Android 12 and newer versions of its operating system for security purposes. This means that if your phone is running on a recent version of Android, you can no longer access this menu to view battery statistics and other diagnostic information.
If you have a Google Pixel smartphone that has been updated to Android 16, you can check your battery's health level via a new option in the Settings app. Keep in mind that this feature is only available on the Pixel 8a and newer models like the Pixel 9 series that were launched in 2024, but not previous models like the Pixel 8 Pro.
The new battery health feature on Android 16 (tap to expand)
Samsung smartphone owners can use the company's Samsung Members app to quickly check their handset's battery health. While the app doesn't provide the exact value, it tells you when the battery is degraded and requires a replacement.
If your smartphone's battery section in the Settings app doesn't offer a built-in battery health feature, you can also use third-party apps that can be downloaded via the Play Store to check battery health on your Android smartphone. Keep in mind that some of these apps are not as accurate as the built-in features provided by smartphone makers, including the ones that we've mentioned above.
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