Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program: Difference between revisions

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#*Google Support initially stated that the $100 USD coupon code could not be used in combination with other sales. This has turned out to be false. This information may have affected the compensation option customers chose.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pixel discount DOES stack with the sale! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i6ei4x/the_pixel_discount_does_stack_with_the_sale/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

#At least two users have reported Google Support telling them that their Pixel 4a's trade-in price would be lowered after the update's installation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Does anyone know if they'll give full cashback for Pixel 4a after update |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i43nz3/does_anyone_know_if_theyll_give_full_cashback_for/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

#Google's use of Payoneer makes it impossible for people to receive the $50 that Google offered as an option. The most someone can receive is $47 if they share personal financial information with an unknown-to-them company including their ~~social security~~ number, and promptly cancel the Payoneer service to avoid additional fees.

#Google's use of Payoneer makes it impossible for people to receive the $50 that Google offered as an option. The most someone can receive is $47 if they share personal financial information with an unknown-to-them company including their Social Security number, and promptly cancel the Payoneer service to avoid additional fees.

==Restoring battery functionality==

===This is a user-submitted guide. Follow at your own risk.===

===Replacing the battery===

[[#Technical evidence of battery changes|Initial reverse engineering efforts]] suggest that you can identify if your battery is bad by looking at the serial number. If you're going to replace the battery outside of Google's program with another OEM battery, look for one with the serial number "8230015901". Make sure it does NOT have the bad serial number, "8230020501".

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===Blocking the update or flashing older firmware===

'''Warning:''' please consider the [[Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program#Safety considerations|battery safety concerns]] before reverting or ignoring updates. Users must evaluate battery health at own risk.

Following the criticism, the community was quick to find workarounds to retain or restore previous battery capacity. Users can stop the update by blocking DNS requests to Google's OTA servers (''ota.googlezip.net, ota-cache1.googlezip.net, ota-cache2.googlezip.net'') via a DNS filtering application such as NextDNS, RethinkDNS, or AdAway<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE ONLY WORKING SOLUTION to stop the forced battery update - this works even if the update is currently downloading, or has already been downloaded and it's waiting for a restart to apply it |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i0zih0/the_only_working_solution_to_stop_the_forced/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>. Users can delete an already downloaded (and not yet installed) update: ''Settings -> Apps -> All Apps -> Google Play Services -> Storage and cache -> Manage Space'' and from there on delete all data through the "'''Clear all data'''" button. If the phone has already installed the Jan 2025 update, users can manually flash the previous firmware to restore functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 Jan 2025 |title=How to: Undo the January 2025 update without losing data (unlocked devices only). |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-undo-the-january-2025-update-without-losing-data-unlocked-devices-only.4713980/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. Flashing to the previous firmware requires unlocking the bootloader<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Aug 2020 |title=[GUIDE] Unlock/Root/Safetynet for Pixel 4a |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-unlock-root-safetynet-for-pixel-4a.4153773/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>, and a copy of the previous firmware from November 2023 (sunfish-tq3a.230805.001.s1-factory-82902ea9)<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Jan 2025 |title=Changes coming to your Pixel 4a |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/changes-coming-to-your-pixel-4a.4712085/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>.

@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 #*Google Support initially stated that the $100 USD coupon code could not be used in combination with other sales. This has turned out to be false. This information may have affected the compensation option customers chose.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pixel discount DOES stack with the sale! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i6ei4x/the_pixel_discount_does_stack_with_the_sale/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>
 #At least two users have reported Google Support telling them that their Pixel 4a's trade-in price would be lowered after the update's installation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Does anyone know if they'll give full cashback for Pixel 4a after update |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i43nz3/does_anyone_know_if_theyll_give_full_cashback_for/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>
-#Google's use of Payoneer makes it impossible for people to receive the $50 that Google offered as an option. The most someone can receive is $47 if they share personal financial information with an unknown-to-them company including their social security number, and promptly cancel the Payoneer service to avoid additional fees.
+#Google's use of Payoneer makes it impossible for people to receive the $50 that Google offered as an option. The most someone can receive is $47 if they share personal financial information with an unknown-to-them company including their Social Security number, and promptly cancel the Payoneer service to avoid additional fees.
 ==Restoring battery functionality==
+===This is a user-submitted guide. Follow at your own risk.===
 ===Replacing the battery===
 [[#Technical evidence of battery changes|Initial reverse engineering efforts]] suggest that you can identify if your battery is bad by looking at the serial number. If you're going to replace the battery outside of Google's program with another OEM battery, look for one with the serial number "8230015901". Make sure it does NOT have the bad serial number, "8230020501".
@@ Line 119: / Line 119: @@
 ===Blocking the update or flashing older firmware===
-'''Warning:''' please consider the [[Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program#Safety considerations|battery safety concerns]] before reverting or ignoring updates. Users must evaluate battery health at own risk.
+'''Warning:''' please consider the [[Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program#Safety considerations|battery safety concerns]] before reverting  or ignoring updates. Users must evaluate battery health at own risk.
 Following the criticism, the community was quick to find workarounds to retain or restore previous battery capacity. Users can stop the update by blocking DNS requests to Google's OTA servers (''ota.googlezip.net, ota-cache1.googlezip.net, ota-cache2.googlezip.net'') via a DNS filtering application such as NextDNS, RethinkDNS, or AdAway<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE ONLY WORKING SOLUTION to stop the forced battery update - this works even if the update is currently downloading, or has already been downloaded and it's waiting for a restart to apply it |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i0zih0/the_only_working_solution_to_stop_the_forced/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>. Users can delete an already downloaded (and not yet installed) update: ''Settings -> Apps -> All Apps -> Google Play Services -> Storage and cache -> Manage Space'' and from there on delete all data through the "'''Clear all data'''" button. If the phone has already installed the Jan 2025 update, users can manually flash the previous firmware to restore functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 Jan 2025 |title=How to: Undo the January 2025 update without losing data (unlocked devices only). |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-undo-the-january-2025-update-without-losing-data-unlocked-devices-only.4713980/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. Flashing to the previous firmware requires unlocking the bootloader<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Aug 2020 |title=[GUIDE] Unlock/Root/Safetynet for Pixel 4a |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-unlock-root-safetynet-for-pixel-4a.4153773/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>, and a copy of the previous firmware from November 2023 (sunfish-tq3a.230805.001.s1-factory-82902ea9)<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Jan 2025 |title=Changes coming to your Pixel 4a |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/changes-coming-to-your-pixel-4a.4712085/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2025 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>.