Why does my Android battery drain overnight?
Steps to check
Write down bedtime and morning percentages
One night of notes beats guessing. If you went from 80% to 72% over eight hours, that's a small, often normal drop. From 80% to 40% with a warm phone is worth investigating.
Open Battery usage and sort by what used power
Look for apps near the top that you weren't actively using overnight: mail sync, social apps, maps, or "System" entries that seem unusually high.
Samsung Settings → Battery and device care → Battery → Battery usagePixel Settings → Battery → Battery usageStock Settings → Battery → Battery usage (wording may vary slightly)Put one or two greedy apps to sleep
Restrict background activity for apps that ran all night without a good reason. You can always undo this later if an app stops updating when you need it.
Samsung Battery → Background usage limits → Sleeping appsPixel App info → App battery usage → RestrictedTry one night in Airplane mode (as a test)
If drain almost stops in Airplane mode, the phone was working hard on Wi‑Fi or mobile data. That doesn't mean the phone is broken; it was just busy. Then turn Airplane mode off and quiet the apps from step 3 instead of living in Airplane mode.
Check for a stuck update or a hot charger habit
Install pending system updates when you're on Wi‑Fi and plugged in during the day. Avoid leaving a dead phone on a wireless charger all night every night if it feels hot. Heat ages batteries faster.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
A single-digit to low-teens percent drop overnight while the phone stayed cool, plus mail or messages arriving by morning.
Worth a closer look
Phone warm in the morning, 25%+ gone while unused, or the same app topping Battery usage every night after you've restricted it.
Common questions
Is 10% overnight battery loss bad?
Not by itself. Many phones lose roughly that much while checking messages and staying reachable. Compare a few nights and look at Battery usage before worrying.
Should I close all apps before bed?
Usually no. Forcing every app closed can make the phone reopen them later and use more power. Restrict the few apps that show high overnight use instead.
Do I need a new battery?
Not after one bad night. If capacity has fallen a lot over months, the phone gets hot often, or health tools show a worn battery, then consider a professional check. Start with the steps above first.