Does the Pixel 6a have wireless charging?

Does the Pixel 6a have wireless charging?

No, the Google Pixel 6a does not support wireless charging. Despite sharing many of the Google Pixel 6's best features, the budget Pixel 6a misses out on wireless charging.

A tale of two Pixels

Google I/O 2022 was an exciting event, revealing some excellent new hardware and software products from Google. That's when we got out first official look at the value-packed Pixel 6a. Unlike the flagship Pixel 7 series, which was also announced at the same time, the cheaper Google Pixel 6a is a budget phone. This means that it retains many of the external and internal aspects of the Pixel 6, but also lacks many others.

Now that we know so much about the Pixel 6a, it's really exciting to see a mid-ranger using the upper-tier Google Tensor chipset. There are other premium features bundled in the phone, such as AI camera tools and Live Translate. Unfortunately, to keep costs down, Google had to sacrifice things like wireless charging support and battery size in the upcoming Pixel 6a.

(Image credit: Google)

It's a real shame that the Google Pixel 6a does not have the 21W wireless charging speed as the preceding Pixel 6. The more affordable Google phone has a tiny 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED panel, but it's still likely to drain a lot of battery. As a Pixel 6 user, I already struggle to get all-day battery out of my phone. With heavy usage, it is very likely that the Pixel 6a's smaller 4,410mAh cell will bleed the battery really quickly.

Paired with 18W fast wired charging, these specs are underwhelming on paper. Unfortunately, if you're getting a Pixel 6a, you have no other charging options. The best you can do is grab one of the best Pixel 6 chargers to make the most out of your phone. Also bear in mind that GaN chargers make for more efficient and portable chargers. Make sure you get support for Google's propriety charging profile in whatever wired charger you opt for so that you can get the max wired charging speed on your Pixel 6a.

Google Pixel 6

Redefining the Pixel

The Google Pixel 6 was a game changer for Google Pixel devices. While the design itself is enough to turn heads, what's on the inside is even more impressive. Android 12 with Material You, Live Translate, and outstanding camera tools like Magic Eraser make the Pixel 6 an absolute steal.