How to stop Chrome AudioMix Wakelock

[Android Central Question]

Hi

My phone has been suffering from extreme battery depletion on and off for the last few weeks. Using Wakelock detector I've identified it as being AudioMix. Using trial and error I've found it is coming from Chrome. I don't use any sound when browsing Chrome but my suspicion is it might be adverts on some sites trying to use sound. A reboot stops it (as does disabling Chrome) but then it will happen again within a week. I've cleared the cache partition, no joy. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Chrome, again no joy. I tried Greenify but it couldn't see Chrome (even ticking the "show all" box). I have found references to this problem on this and other forums but no solutions or none that I could replicate. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

My phone is a Moto E4 running Android 7.1.1. It is not rooted. My chrome version is 81.0.4044.117.

Thank you

NB

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Just to be sure -- your cell signal strength is always good? Poor signal strength is another common battery culprit.

Does it help if you turn on Lite Mode in Chrome?

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[NB99]

Thanks for your reply. I am already registered - have logged in now.

I always run Chrome in lite mode. Cell signal is usually good - we've been locked down for 8 weeks and my signal at home is good!

 

[B. Diddy]

Does the battery drain also happen in Safe Mode? https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/indevice_detail/a_id/120286/p/30,6720,10216

 

[NB99]

The problem is it often won't happen for a week or so and then bang, battery dead in half a day. So I can put it in safemode and nothing happens but I can't really keep it in safe mode for 2 weeks....

 

[B. Diddy]

Try also clearing the app cache/data for Chrome in Settings>Apps (which don't necessarily clear out with uninstalling the app, since the data might restore after you reinstall it).

 

[NB99]

OK I've tried that. I fear though that if this was something in the cache caught in a loop it would happen all the time and not just every week or so. Do you know of any apps that can block/stop apps that are trying to wakelock?

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm not aware of any app for that, at least not on an unrooted device. (I have no rooting experience, so I wouldn't be able to point you in the right direction there anyway.)

Let's see if the problem comes back in the next few days after you cleared the cache/data.

 

[NB99]

OK. Thanks anyway for your input - much appreciated. I'll update as/when I have news!

 

[NB99]

Yep, happened again today. 8 hours of wakelock.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm -- given the time frame of this happening, it still seems like Safe Mode might be a reasonable thing to try. I realize it's a hassle if you can't use your 3rd party apps, but if you want to get to the bottom of things, you may just have to try.

 

[NB99]

What I don't understand is what that will show? That it's a third party app? I know that - it's Chrome. Every time it happens I just have to force it to stop and the wakelock stops. Is there something else to learn from running safe mode that I've missed?

 

[B. Diddy]

No -- I'm wondering if some other 3rd party app might have some kind of adware that is trying to bring up a browser popup ad. Maybe it's malfunctioning such that you're not actually seeing the ad, or maybe it's a "pop-under" tab. It's admittedly a longshot, but at least it would help eliminate that possibility if the wakelock doesn't occur in Safe Mode for the better part of a day.

 

[NB99]

OK I'll try it one weekend when i don't need my phone so much. Thanks again though for your input.

 

[B. Diddy]

Did Chrome come preinstalled on the phone, or did you have to install it yourself? If it was preinstalled (which I assume would be the case), then uninstall all updates and don't let it update back again. If something with the latest Chrome update is causing the bug, then it would probably go away using the factory installed version. In that case, wait for the next available Chrome update to become available, and then update it.

 

[NB99]

I like this idea. Just done it. Let's see if it happens again or not on the older version.

 

[NB99]

Just wanted to say - this idea has worked!! Well done on the idea. Now, the small problem is I then updated to the latest version of Chrome and it happened again straight away. Worst case I can live with staying on the old version, but do you know if it's possible to update to a specific older version, ie maybe 9 months ago, before the problem started. Would be good to have at least a slightly newer version. Thanks again though for your idea.

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm not aware of a simple way of installing an older version of Chrome and keeping it that way. You could try looking for an apk for that specific version from a reliable site (the only trustworthy apk site that I know of is apkmirror.com, since they're run by Android Police), but I'm not sure how that would interact with the preinstalled version of Chrome on the phone.

Here's a shot in the dark -- what if you block JavaScript in Chrome's Site Settings menu?

 

[NB99]

Trying that now. Will let you know in a few days! Thank you.

 

[NB99]

A week later, no more wakelock!! Brilliant analysis and suggestion. Javascript was the issue. I'm now going to trial adding sites one by one to "allow javascript" and then I can work out which site was giving me the wakelocks. Thanks very much for your time on this. Problem solved!