6 must-try Pixel options you in all probability have not heard of

On some stage, the Pixel is meant to symbolize Google’s idealized model of an Android telephone. Each Pixel is meant to be the Google-iest model of a smartphone that may exist. The corporate has spent years growing the {hardware} and common look of the Pixel line, main it down the unconventional design path that produced the camera bar, but it surely’s additionally accomplished the identical factor with software program.

If something, software program is the standout cause individuals use Pixels within the first place. The telephones leverage Google software program — significantly the corporate’s work with AI — to allow distinctive abilities you possibly can’t fairly get wherever else. Pixel telephones simply really feel a bit smarter than the common Android phone, and that is all due to what Google’s in a position to pull off on the software-side of issues. Sadly, the corporate is not at all times the perfect at filling individuals in on all of the issues that Pixels can do, although, so this is a recap of the good Pixel options you would possibly now find out about.

1 Fast Faucet offers you immediate entry to telephone options

It is like an invisible shortcut button

Just like the iPhone, you possibly can allow a particular faucet gesture in your Pixel telephone that offers you fast entry to particular features of your telephone. It is simpler than searching via menus, and it gives a probably extra accessible strategy to management your Pixel if in case you have a tough time urgent small on-screen buttons.

I’ve Fast Faucet set to take a screenshot on my Pixel 9 — all the higher for remembering issues for later with Pixel Screenshots — however it’s also possible to head into the Settings app and set Fast Faucet to features like enjoying or pausing media in your telephone, opening an app of your selection, or flattening the notification shade.

Fast Faucet has been out there for some time on Pixel gadgets, but it surely’s oddly a characteristic Google does not actually promote, despite the fact that it might clearly be helpful for lots of people. To allow it for your self, head to Settings > System > Gesture > Use Fast Faucet. You’ll be able to choose the particular factor you need Fast Faucet to do from the menu.

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2 Now Taking part in Shazams songs for you

Enjoyable and helpful passive info

One of many Pixel’s earliest and finest particular abilities is a built-in music recognition instrument known as Now Taking part in. For those who’ve used Shazam, otherwise you’ve requested Google Assistant to determine a track for you earlier than, Now Taking part in is analogous — it is simply at all times operating within the background. With Now Taking part in enabled, you possibly can take a look at your lockscreen or notification shade and see the identify and artist of no matter track is enjoying close to you. You too can faucet on that small widget / notification to begin enjoying the track in your chosen music app or share it with another person.

You’ll be able to allow Now Taking part in in Settings > Sound & vibration > Determine songs enjoying close by. For those who occur to faucet on the “coronary heart” icon subsequent to the songs, it’s also possible to construct an inventory of favourite songs that is viewable instantly from the “Sound & vibration” menu in Settings. It is much less handy than these favorites ending up in your default music app, but it surely’s higher than nothing.

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3 Notification historical past helps you to by no means miss a message

Don’t be concerned about unintentionally deleting issues

The notification shade in Android makes it straightforward to handle notifications in your Pixel, but it surely will get fairly straightforward to fill it with alerts and messages you do not essentially must see. With the ability to clear your entire notifications without delay helps, however what occurs to the messages you unintentionally delete? You probably have notification historical past enabled, you can get to them once more.

You’ll be able to allow and consider notification historical past in Settings and get entry to each latest notification you have obtained, even when it was deleted. Activate the characteristic by going to Settings > Notifications > Notification historical past > Use notification historical past. For those who do not need to wade via Settings each time you need to search for an outdated notification, you possibly can faucet on “No notifications” within the notification shade to right away bounce to notification historical past.

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4 Dwell Captions converts spoken audio into textual content

Add subtitles to audio throughout the Android working system

The Pixel characteristic Dwell Captions can mechanically add captions to speech throughout your telephone. It really works on issues like movies, podcasts, telephone calls, video calls, and audio messages, although it will not caption something apart from spoken dialogue until you toggle a separate possibility in Settings.

You’ll be able to allow Dwell Captions by urgent the quantity controls on the aspect of your Pixel and tapping on the caption icon to show Dwell Captions on. The caption field may be repositioned simply by tapping on it and dragging it across the display screen, and you’ll technically view them in a number of completely different fashions. It’d primarily appear to be an accessibility characteristic, however in our video-driven world, there are literally lots of conditions the place you would possibly want to look at a clip with the pontificate. Now you are able to do it whereas nonetheless understanding what is going on on.

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5 Display consideration retains your show on and unlocked

Tapping your telephone awake is a factor of the half

For those who’ve ever had your telephone go to sleep whereas taking a look at one thing, you know the way annoying it may be. Pixel telephones have a built-in characteristic that may maintain you from ever having that occur once more. It is known as “Display consideration” and it retains your telephone energetic so long as you are taking a look at it. That approach your display screen does not go to sleep whilst you’re watching or studying one thing and never touching your display screen.

You’ll be able to activate the characteristic by yourself telephone by going to Settings > Show & contact > Display timeout > Display consideration. The characteristic might have a adverse influence in your telephone’s battery life within the sense that your display screen goes to spend so much extra time powered on, however that is a small adverse to take away an actual annoyance.

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6 Add Me lets your Pixel create group images for you

You do not have to prop up your telephone and hope for the perfect

Google

Among the Pixel’s finest digital camera options take care of eliminating edge-cases, conditions which may not be common, however can break your photograph in the event that they occur. Add Me, a brand new characteristic added with the launch of the Pixel 9, does simply that for taking group images. When you do not have to take a photograph for you, your solely choices are to prop up your telephone and set a timer or depart somebody out of your photograph. Add Me helps you to embrace everybody by basically combining two images into one. One photograph with out the photographer and one other with the photographer posed subsequent to the place the remainder of the group was standing.

You’ll be able to entry Add Me instantly from the Pixel Digital camera app. The characteristic will information you thru taking every photograph and even consists of onscreen silhouettes so you know the way to pose in your second photograph. After a little bit of loading, you may get a photograph that wasn’t doable with out Add Me. That is a fairly nice magic trick.

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The Pixel is filled with abilities that make it stand out

Google’s Pixel telephones have nice options that different Android telephones do not have. The six options above are a number of the finest and underappreciated issues a Pixel can pull off, however there are different options price taking a look at, too. The Pixel 9 is able to some fairly wild AI-generated photo edits, and there is a complete list of Pixel Tablet features to peruse if in case you have certainly one of your individual. The purpose is, Google’s Pixel gadgets have lots going for them, and with a Pixel 9a on the best way, you do not have to pay flagship costs to understand every thing they’ll do.

Google Pixel 9

$649 $799 Save $150

Pixel 9 includes a 6.3-inch show and a well-recognized design. It helps the addition of a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens to its rear digital camera array alongside Google Gemini and AI options.