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Pixel Power User: Tips to Get More From Your Phone

So, you’ve just picked up a Google Pixel. Welcome to one of the cleanest and smartest Android experiences around. While Pixel phones are easy to use out of the box, there are plenty of useful features hiding beneath the surface.

Whether you’ve bought the latest Pixel or are upgrading from an older model, these tips will help you get more out of your phone from day one.

1. Set Up Quick Tap

One of the most useful Pixel shortcuts is Quick Tap. Double-tap the back of your phone to trigger an action such as taking a screenshot, playing or pausing media, launching an app, or displaying notifications.

Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Quick Tap and choose what you want the shortcut to do.

Once you get used to it, it’s hard to go back to a phone without it.

2. Make the Most of Circle to Search

Pixel phones make searching for information on your screen remarkably convenient with Circle to Search.

Instead of copying text or taking a screenshot, activate Circle to Search and circle, highlight, or tap the item you're interested in. You can use it to identify products, translate text, find information about objects in photos, and more.

It’s particularly handy when you come across something interesting while browsing social media or watching a video.

3. Customize the At-a-Glance Widget

The Pixel home screen includes At a Glance, which can surface useful information such as weather, calendar events, travel information, and reminders.

Don't overlook it. Head into the At a Glance settings and customize which information you want to see.

If you're someone who likes having important information available without opening several apps, it's worth setting up properly.

4. Turn on Now Playing

Pixel's Now Playing feature can automatically identify songs playing around you and display the information on your lock screen.

Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Now Playing to configure it.

It's especially useful when you hear a song in a café, shop, or on television and don't want to pull out another device to identify it.

5. Explore the Camera's Editing Tools

Pixel photography isn't just about pressing the shutter button. Google's built-in photo tools can dramatically change the final image.

Depending on your Pixel model and Google Photos features available to you, tools such as Magic Eraser, Best Take, Photo Unblur, and Magic Editor can help fix distracting objects, improve images, or create a better-looking final photo.

Before installing a third-party photo editor, spend some time exploring what Google Photos can already do.

6. Use Call Screen When Available

Pixel phones have some genuinely useful call-management features. Call Screen, where available, can help you figure out who's calling before you decide whether to answer.

Check your Phone app's settings to see which call-assistance features are available in your region and on your particular Pixel model.

For anyone tired of answering unknown numbers only to discover they're spam, this can be a major quality-of-life improvement.

7. Customize Your Lock Screen

Your lock screen doesn't have to remain at its default settings.

Pixel lets you customize elements such as the clock style, shortcuts, notifications, and other lock-screen options. Spend a few minutes setting it up so the information you actually care about is visible immediately.

A good lock screen can save you from unlocking your phone dozens of times throughout the day.

8. Turn on Battery-Saving Features

Pixel phones include several features designed to stretch battery life.

Adaptive Battery learns how you use your apps and can limit background activity for apps you rarely use. You can also use Battery Saver when you need to squeeze more time out of your remaining charge.

Check Settings > Battery and take a look at which apps are consuming the most power. You may discover that an app you barely use is responsible for a surprising amount of battery drain.

9. Use the Recorder App

If your Pixel includes Google's Recorder app, don't ignore it.

Recorder can be useful for meetings, interviews, lectures, brainstorming sessions, or simply recording a quick voice note. Supported Pixel models also offer transcription and other intelligent features.

It can turn your phone into a surprisingly capable pocket recording and note-taking tool.

10. Take Advantage of Voice Features

Google Assistant and Pixel's voice features can save a surprising amount of time.

Try using voice commands for tasks such as setting timers, creating reminders, sending messages, checking your calendar, or controlling smart-home devices.

You don't have to use voice commands for everything. But for quick tasks, speaking can be considerably faster than navigating through menus.

11. Customize Your Home Screen

Don't settle for the default Pixel layout.

Experiment with widgets, app folders, wallpapers, icon arrangements, and the search bar until the home screen works for you.

A simple approach is often best: keep your most frequently used apps within easy reach and use widgets for information you regularly check.

12. Learn the Gestures

Pixel navigation is built around gestures, and learning them can make the phone feel much faster.

Spend some time getting comfortable with:

• Swiping up to access your home screen
• Swiping up and holding to see recent apps
• Swiping from the edge to go back
• Pulling down from the top for Quick Settings
• Using the gesture shortcuts available on your particular model

The more naturally these gestures become, the less time you'll spend hunting through menus.

13. Check Your Privacy Dashboard

One of the first things any new Pixel owner should do is review privacy settings.

Open Settings > Privacy and explore the available controls. Pay particular attention to which apps have access to your camera, microphone, location, contacts, and other sensitive information.

You don't necessarily need to disable everything. The goal is to understand what your apps can access and decide whether each permission makes sense.

14. Set Up Theft and Security Features

Your phone contains a huge amount of personal information, so security deserves more attention than simply choosing a PIN.

Make sure you have a strong screen lock, biometric authentication where appropriate, device-finding features, and Google's available theft-protection options enabled.

Also consider what would happen if you lost your phone tomorrow. A few minutes of preparation now can save a lot of trouble later.

15. Don't Forget the Little Features

Some of the best Pixel features aren't necessarily the headline features.

Explore the Settings app, especially the System, Gestures, Display, Battery, Security & privacy, and Google sections. New features can also arrive through software updates, so it's worth checking what's been added after major Android or Pixel updates.

Final Thoughts

A Pixel is capable of far more than making calls, sending messages, browsing the web, and taking photos. The real fun starts when you customize it around the way you actually use your phone.

Start with a few of these features rather than trying to change everything at once. Once you've mastered the basics, dig deeper into the settings—you'll probably discover a few Pixel tricks that become indispensable.