Samsung Galaxy S21 owners should update now — here’s why

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If your Samsung Galaxy S21 has encountered battery issues, be sure to update right away

Samsung Galaxy S21 battery update
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Samsung has released a patch to fix battery draining problems that have affected some Samsung Galaxy S21 handsets with the Exynos 2100 chip. 

Seemingly introduced in a recent security update, some Galaxy S21 users reported that the batteries in their phones were draining abnormally fast. But new firmware update (version G99xBXXU1AUB6) has fixed the problem, according to users on the XDA Developers forum. 

The battery problem only seemed to affect Galaxy S21 handsets with the Exynos 2100 chipset. That means most users in the U.S., where the phone has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset, won’t have been affected.

While the firmware update to fix the issue is already rolling out, some users on the XDA Developers forum have said it hasn't fixed the battery issues in their S21 handsets. So it would appear that a further fix might be needed. 

Either way, if you have an Exynos-powered Galaxy S21 you’re going to want to get your phone updated as soon as possible, to see if the fix works or not. 

To check if the update has arrived for you, head to the settings menu and find the “Software update” section. Then tap “Download and install” and see if it says there’s something new available. 

The update you’re looking for is G99xBXXU1AUB6, and if it’s not there you’re just going to have to be patient, as the update rollout is likely to have not reached your S21 yet. 

If you haven’t suffered any issues with battery life, count yourself lucky. But the best course of action with Samsung and Android phones, in general, is to ensure you have the latest updates. These tend to squash all sorts of bugs, bolster security, and help improve your overall smartphone experience. 

Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.