Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra users hit by July update battery drain
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S24 Ultra owners are reporting severe battery drain, overheating, and slower charging after Samsung's July 2026 security update. Community reports point to WhatsApp getting stuck in an encrypted backup loop, not necessarily the patch itself. Samsung has not yet issued an official response.
Key Takeaways
- Galaxy S25 Ultra and S24 Ultra users report idle battery drain after the July 2026 update.
- Affected phones may run warmer than usual, and some owners also see slower charging.
- Forum users link the drain to WhatsApp stuck during an encrypted backup process.
- Cancelling or temporarily disabling encrypted backups has restored normal idle use for some.
- Samsung has not publicly acknowledged the reports as of publication.
Complaints are stacking up on Reddit and Samsung's community forums days after the July 2026 patch landed. For more gadget and AI coverage, browse our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
What is going wrong with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Owners say battery life fell sharply right after installing the update. One Galaxy S25 Ultra user saw daily battery usage jump to about 143% from roughly 80%, even while spending less time on the phone—suggesting most of the loss happens when the device should be idle.
PCMag relayed another S25 Ultra report of roughly 2 hours and 10 minutes of usable life, with about 5% to 7% draining each hour while the phone sat unused. Users also describe unusual warmth and, in some cases, slower charging. On S25 Ultra units, affected firmware builds ending in CZG3 have been called out, while many S24 Ultra owners describe the same pattern.
Why does this feel like history repeating itself?
PhoneArena notes a similar wave in April, when Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra owners also reported severe drain and warm devices after a software update. Once again, the July patch is meant to harden security, yet a stuck background task appears to keep the processor busy.
Community digging points to WhatsApp: the update seems to leave the app looping on an encrypted backup. Constant retries would explain idle drain and heat even when the screen is off.
How can you fix the battery drain for now?
Samsung has not posted an official fix. Some owners say cancelling the stuck WhatsApp encrypted backup restored normal idle consumption immediately. Others on Reddit report they only recovered after disabling end-to-end encrypted backups, letting the process finish, then turning the feature back on.
Turning encryption off even briefly reduces chat backup protection, so re-enable it when done. Checking battery stats for high background use, clearing a stuck app's cache, or restarting may also help until Samsung responds. PCMag says it asked the company for comment and will update if it hears back.