Google Maps adds battery saver for driving on Pixel 10

Google is beginning a broad rollout of a battery saver mode for Google Maps — but for now it’s limited to Pixel 10 owners. Announced as part of the November Pixel Drop, the feature switches navigation to a pared-back black-and-white interface on the Always-On Display to noticeably cut power consumption on long drives.

The mode works in driving view: once turn-by-turn directions are active and the screen is switched off, the phone keeps only the essentials on the lock screen — the next maneuver and remaining time. It’s powered by a new Android capability called AOD Min Mode, which lowers brightness and refresh rate; on Pixel OLED panels, black pixels effectively shut off, trimming energy use.

According to Google, on a Pixel 10 this can extend navigation time by up to four hours. There are trade-offs: it currently supports portrait orientation only and is designed strictly for in-car navigation — walking, cycling, and public transit aren’t supported. For now, Google hasn’t shared plans to expand availability to older Pixel models or devices from other manufacturers. Reasonable limits for a first wave, though they’ll likely test the patience of anyone hoping for feature parity across travel modes.

To turn it on in Google Maps, go to Settings → Navigation → Driving options → Battery saver mode. During a route, you can jump into the low-power view by simply turning the screen off — directions continue on the locked display; to return to the standard view, tap the screen or switch it back on. The flow is intuitive and avoids digging through menus mid-journey.