User solves Pixel performance issues by disabling one of the latest Android features

Google’s Pixel phones are supposed to be the peak of Android experience, featuring the latest and most innovative features the company has to offer. And while that is true in some areas, such as cameras, the overall package is far from perfect. Pixel users have experienced multiple hardwareissues over the years and surprisingly the software, albeit being Google’s area of expertise, has let people down as well.

There seems to be a discrepancy between Pixel users as many have complained that their phones aren’t as fast and responsive as they should be considering the high-end hardware and “clean” Android operating system. Some were pointing fingers at the low amount of RAM the latest Pixels have, but it seems that’s not the main culprit for the disappointing experience.

One user, part of Google Pixel’s Reddit community decided to take matters into his own hands and find what’s slowing down his beloved smartphone. And he did.

Digital wellbeing can lead to digital frustration

The user, Trueray17, posted a thread on the Pixel subreddit to share his findings. Initially, he tried all the usual steps often suggested to cleanse your phone from bad influences: factory resets, app removal and so on. He then deduced that the reason must lie within the core software of the Pixel as the issue inevitably reappeared. Eventually, he set his sights on Digital Wellbeing, a feature Google introduced with Android 9 to help people manage better the time they spend on their phones. After turning off Digital Wellbeing’s usage access he noticed an immediate improvement in the phone’s performance.

What’s even better, as a diligent community member, he made a how-to video showing you exactly where to go to turn off said setting. Here it is:

 
It takes literally seconds to try it and involves no risk whatsoever to your device, so if you’re experiencing any sluggishness on your Pixel device there’s literally no reason not to. We can’t confirm if it really works since our Pixel 3 is working well as is. However, multiple users are reporting in the Reddit thread that they've tried it and there is indeed a noticeable change in performance after Digital Wellbeing is disabled.

Some of the commenters happy with the newfound speed of their phones are using older Pixels, such as the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, so if you’re in the same boat, it won't hurt to give it a try as well.

Digital Wellbeing is not exactly a vital service for most people either, so it’s not like users have to sacrifice a lot to get the performance they deserve. Of course, there shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place, but hopefully, now that the problem is well-known Google might look into it and figure out why some devices are affected by it while others aren’t.