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

On some stage, the Pixel is meant to characterize 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 basic look of the Pixel line, main it down the unconventional design path that produced the camera bar, however it’s additionally carried out the identical factor with software program.

If something, software program is the standout purpose individuals use Pixels within the first place. The telephones leverage Google software program — notably the corporate’s work with AI — to allow distinctive expertise you’ll be able to’t fairly get anyplace else. Pixel telephones simply really feel a bit smarter than the typical Android phone, and that is all because of what Google’s capable of pull off on the software-side of issues. Sadly, the corporate is not all the time the very best at filling individuals in on all of the issues that Pixels can do, although, so this is a recap of the nice Pixel options you may 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’ll be able to allow a particular faucet gesture in your Pixel telephone that offers you fast entry to particular features of your telephone. It is simpler than looking by means of menus, and it affords a doubtlessly extra accessible solution to management your Pixel when 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 you can even head into the Settings app and set Fast Faucet to features like taking part in or pausing media in your telephone, opening an app of your alternative, or flattening the notification shade.

Fast Faucet has been out there for some time on Pixel gadgets, however it’s oddly a characteristic Google does not actually promote, though it may clearly be helpful for lots of people. To allow it for your self, head to Settings > System > Gesture > Use Fast Faucet. You may 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 greatest particular expertise is a built-in music recognition instrument referred to as Now Taking part in. In case you’ve used Shazam, otherwise you’ve requested Google Assistant to establish a music for you earlier than, Now Taking part in is comparable — it is simply all the time working within the background. With Now Taking part in enabled, you’ll be able to take a look at your lockscreen or notification shade and see the title and artist of no matter music is taking part in close to you. You too can faucet on that small widget / notification to begin taking part in the music in your chosen music app or share it with another person.

You may allow Now Taking part in in Settings > Sound & vibration > Establish songs taking part in close by. In case you occur to faucet on the “coronary heart” icon subsequent to the songs, you can even construct a listing of favourite songs that is viewable immediately from the “Sound & vibration” menu in Settings. It is much less handy than these favorites ending up in your default music app, however it’s higher than nothing.

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

Don’t fret about by chance deleting issues

The notification shade in Android makes it straightforward to handle notifications in your Pixel, however it 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 by chance delete? If in case you have notification historical past enabled, you can get to them once more.

You may allow and consider notification historical past in Settings and get entry to each latest notification you’ve got acquired, even when it was deleted. Activate the characteristic by going to Settings > Notifications > Notification historical past > Use notification historical past. In case you do not need to wade by means of Settings each time you need to search for an outdated notification, you’ll be able to faucet on “No notifications” within the notification shade to instantly 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 aside from spoken dialogue except you toggle a separate choice in Settings.

You may allow Dwell Captions by urgent the quantity controls on the facet of your Pixel and tapping on the caption icon to show Dwell Captions on. The caption field could be repositioned simply by tapping on it and dragging it across the display, and you’ll technically view them in a number of totally different fashions. It’d primarily seem to be an accessibility characteristic, however in our video-driven world, there are literally quite a lot of conditions the place you may want to observe a clip with the pontificate. Now you are able to do it whereas nonetheless realizing 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

In case you’ve ever had your telephone go to sleep whereas one thing, you understand how annoying it may be. Pixel telephones have a built-in characteristic that may preserve you from ever having that occur once more. It is referred to as “Display consideration” and it retains your telephone energetic so long as you are it. That method your display does not go to sleep when you’re watching or studying one thing and never touching your display.

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

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6 Add Me lets your Pixel create group photographs for you

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

Google

Among the Pixel’s greatest digicam options take care of eliminating edge-cases, conditions which may not be common, however can spoil 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 photographs. 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 go away somebody out of your photograph. Add Me permits you to embrace everybody by basically combining two photographs 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 may entry Add Me immediately from the Pixel Digicam app. The characteristic will information you thru taking every photograph and even consists of onscreen silhouettes so you understand how to pose in your second photograph. After a little bit of loading, you may get a photograph that wasn’t attainable with out Add Me. That is a reasonably nice magic trick.

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The Pixel is full of expertise that make it stand out

Google’s Pixel telephones have nice options that different Android telephones haven’t got. The six options above are among the greatest and underappreciated issues a Pixel can pull off, however there are different options value , 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 when you have one in every of your individual. The purpose is, Google’s Pixel gadgets have quite a bit going for them, and with a Pixel 9a on the best way, you do not have to pay flagship costs to understand every part they will do.

Google Pixel 9

$649 $799 Save $150

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