Google Pixel 2 strangely ditches the ‘Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep’ toggle

Ben Schoon | Oct 24 2017 - 7:11 am PT

Google made a lot of strange decisions when it comes to the software on the Pixel 2, but as more people start using the phones, we’re noticing even more bizarre changes. Today, it’s been spotted that a handy Wi-Fi feature has disappeared from Google’s new phones.

It’s unclear if this is intentional or just a bug, but Android Police pointed out today that the “Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep” toggle has just disappeared from the Pixel 2, despite being on Oreo on last year’s Pixels (as seen below, Pixel 2016 on left, Pixel 2 on right). This is a feature not everyone will use, but it’s been a part of Android for a while, and shows up on pretty much every phone or tablet running Google’s OS.

In case you’re unfamiliar with this feature, it simply turns off Wi-Fi whenever your phone/tablet goes to sleep and immediately turns it back on when the device is back in use. The idea is to save battery life, and it can actually come in handy for that exact purpose.

By default, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are supposed to keep Wi-Fi on during sleep, but in the case of those who had their devices ship with the wrong toggle (like the tipster who first brought this to everyone’s attention), they’re stuck without a fix. Hopefully, this is just an oversight that Google can fix in a coming update. Even if intentional, it’s a piece of functionality that would be nice to have back on these devices.