Battery drain from GMail - Nexus 4 - Android 5.0

[laminaytrap]

Hi, I'm new here; but not 'new'.

I am experiencing a significant battery drain from GMail since OTA to L.

Left the phone plugged in overnight on Wi-Fi to get all the sync and Updates done, as it died from 70% 3 hours post update.
Noticed that the drain was continuing so I cleared the cache partition this morning, but it is persistent. I have not seen any other mentions of battery drain attributed to GMail (anywhere) so I thought I'd ask for some troubleshooting ideas - ideally besides a reset, because that is not really solving the problem (just blowing it away entirely)

The Cache Wipe appears to have given me 2 more hours at this rate, but my screen time for today is only about 1:11, so i haven't exactly been pushing it hard. (brightness=lowest(auto)) GMail is currently contributing to 27% of my power consumption.

Willing to reset if no solution is forthcoming the the next while, but I think fixing it or identifying the problem would help more people.

After Cache Partition Wipe


Now


Thanks,

Laminaytrap

 

[anon(5600632)]

Have you checked settings-accounts-google to see whether gmail is having syncing problems, perhaps with something stuck in the outbox? I get this sometimes, especiallywith photos attached to emails. I'd suggest settings-apps-gmail and clearing the data. Maybe even uninstall and reinstall the last updates to the gmail app. It only takes a couple of minutes to repopulate once you start it again, although you will need to re-enter your settings. Much less hassle than a reset.

 

[laminaytrap]

Thanks for the suggestions!

No Sync errors, though I do pick up a POP3 account (probably not uncommon)
Thus:
-Deleted Data
-Rolled back to v. 1533254 - Didn't ask for new credentials (POP or GMail)
-Plugged in
-Left to repopulate database
-Updated to v. 1569867

This seems to have spurred a little update frenzy, perhaps it didn't finish them all last night (6 new+GMail).

Will charge fully overnight and compare results tomorrow.



Laminaytrap

 

[gdivanach]

Hi there,
I found what the problem is!
I had the same issue on a 2013 Moto X. I was using Gmail 5.0 (on Jelly Bean) to sync my Ymail account. I would get 6 hours of battery instead of the regular 18 hours or so. And my phone would be very hot.
I realised that the IMAP contact for Ymail would be constantly syncing. After removing it, my phone is back to normal.
PS: I still have Gmail app installed but just for Gmail.

 

[Asnteablar]

I am having the same problem, just since the last update to Android 5.0.

 

[Goofoon]

I was also having gmail taking 25% of the battery. I did a factory reset without any result. I am also using Inbox from Google. So I just disabled gmail and I have no drain anymore ...

Maybe Inbox and Gmail are bugging?

 

[huddie]

Hi there,
I found what the problem is!
I had the same issue on a 2013 Moto X. I was using Gmail 5.0 (on Jelly Bean) to sync my Ymail account. I would get 6 hours of battery instead of the regular 18 hours or so. And my phone would be very hot.
I realised that the IMAP contact for Ymail would be constantly syncing. After removing it, my phone is back to normal.
PS: I still have Gmail app installed but just for Gmail.

I think this is good advice. I've just noticed my Hotmail IMAP syncs are taking a few minutes each. This is probably why the Gmail app battery usage is 25% and my battery is draining quickly. Disabled sync just now. Will report back what I find.

 

[koguz]

Hi there,
I found what the problem is!
I had the same issue on a 2013 Moto X. I was using Gmail 5.0 (on Jelly Bean) to sync my Ymail account. I would get 6 hours of battery instead of the regular 18 hours or so. And my phone would be very hot.
I realised that the IMAP contact for Ymail would be constantly syncing. After removing it, my phone is back to normal.
PS: I still have Gmail app installed but just for Gmail.

this is the best advice to solve problem. Thank you
Now I use its own email app for every other mail account.

 

[Duncan Apthorp]

I am having a lot of trouble with my Exchange account on GMail draining the battery. I am running Android 5.0.1 on a Nexus 5.

Normally it is fine but every few days it goes wrong, the phone gets hot and the battery goes down very fast. I have a colleague with the same problem. Stopping sync on the Outlook account does not help, but deleting the Outlook account fixes it. I then reinstall the Outlook account and all is well for a few days and then it happens again. I have also tried deleting all reference to the phone in Outlook web access - doesn't help.

Here is an example. Just before 2pm it went wrong and it 5pm I deleted the Outlook account.

 

[getintune]

I've had nexus 4 for 2 years. Battery life not good but learned to live with it. Recently gobbling battery and getting hot. Got a new battery ted but it didn't make much difference. Looked in battery use and it said gmail using 40%. I had yahoo mail ad g mail in the email ap. I closed gmail down and got rid of the email ap. Now use only yahoo mail via its own ap. . It is like having a new phone. It lasts 4 or 5 days s on low level use. I can't believe it. I am not technically minded and have no explanation for this. I was thinking of upgrading too! I'm keeping this until there is a massive case for change. I just had to tell someone. Thanks for listening.

John

 

[Tommy Tornado]

Can confirm.

I had the same problem on the OnePlus One and my wife with her new OnePlus Two. We both had hotmail accounts pulling through the gmail app and battery drain was awful and the wake times were appallingly high.

On both occasions I removed the hotmail account from gmail and used another app (boxer or something similar) and battery drain issues disappeared immediately.

 

[Duncan Apthorp]

I've done the same - gone to Nine Email, battery problems gone and it's a great app.

 

[shuwacchi]

Hi there,
I found what the problem is!
I had the same issue on a 2013 Moto X. I was using Gmail 5.0 (on Jelly Bean) to sync my Ymail account. I would get 6 hours of battery instead of the regular 18 hours or so. And my phone would be very hot.
I realised that the IMAP contact for Ymail would be constantly syncing. After removing it, my phone is back to normal.
PS: I still have Gmail app installed but just for Gmail.

I have a Zenfone2 and android version 5.0. I had same battery drain issue since I have updated firmware few month ago. I was using Gmail app for Hotmail account. Once I deleted my Hotmail account from Gmail app, battery drain is gone. this is best advice to fix this issue.