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Google packed its flagship Pixel phone with a long list of useful features for everything from privacy to productivity, and rolls out more with it. Frequent pixel drop updates. It can be hard to keep up with what’s available—plus, many of the best features are disabled by default. If you own one of Google’s smartphones, here are 10 ways to maximize all that your Pixel has to offer.
Use app pinning to prevent people from snooping on your phone
Before you give your Pixel to someone else—whether you’re letting a stranger call you or showing photos to a friend—Enable app pinning To prevent that person from navigating around your device. This privacy feature keeps users in a pinned app so they can’t open your messages, snoop on your search history, or find other personal information. The only way to escape a pinned app is with your PIN, pattern or password. To pin an app, go to Settings > Security or Security & Location > Advanced > App Pinning and turn on Use application pinning And Ask for PIN before unpin. Then, open the app you want to pin, swipe and hold to open your overview, tap the app’s icon, and tap “Pin.”
Use “Private Space” to hide sensitive data
There is another way to keep your personal information away from prying eyes By placing it in a private space—A hidden section of your Pixel that requires separate authentication to open. Private Space holds sensitive apps (like having a separate phone inside your phone) and hides them from Quick Search, Launcher, and Recent Views. Private Space also disables foreground and background activities, including notifications.
To set up a private space, go to Settings > Security & Privacy > Private Space And either authenticate with your device screen lock PIN or set a new PIN if you don’t have one. tap on Set > Got it And follow the prompts to set a new lock for the space. When Private Space is open, you can either add apps (tap Install) or touch and hold the app then tap Install the app in private space.
Powered by Android’s AI Circle to find The tool lets you search for an image, text, or video within the app simply by circling, highlighting, or tapping. It can also continuously translate text on websites and social media posts as you scroll down the page or between posts without any additional input or relaunching the feature. To activate translation, long press the Home button or the navigation bar to launch Circle to Search, then tap Translate icon > Scroll and translate.
Use Hold for Me for customer service calls
Don’t waste hours of your life with customer service when your Pixel can do it for you. With Hold for Me, Call Assist will hang out with elevator music, detect when a representative is on the line, and alert you when it’s time to pick up the call.
To enable Hold for Me, open your Phone app and go to More > Settings > Hold for me. You also have to turn on the feature for each call—when you’re put on hold, tap Catch for me > Start. When the “Someone is waiting to talk to you” prompt appears, tap Return to call. Note that Hold for Me is available to users in Australia, Canada, Japan, UK and US
Use “Take a Message” for real-time missed call transcripts
Your Pixel can also help you manage your missed and rejected calls with Take a Message, a voicemail option that shows you a real-time transcript on your home screen. This allows you to screen the call and decide whether to pick up before the message is complete—you can join an ongoing call at any time. The feature also creates AI-generated call notes and next steps (such as reminders or a click to return a call). According to Android AuthorityCustom take a message greetings for individual callers can also be handy.
To enable this feature, open your phone app and tap Go to More > Settings > Message and turn on the setting. Receive messages on Pixel 6 and higher in Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK and US
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Use Quick Tap to turn the back of your Pixel into a button
is A whole host of gestures You can set up your Pixel to check for notifications, find and open apps, or activate Google Assistant. Quick Tap is an option that turns the back of your phone into a “button” that can be customized to perform a number of different actions with a double tap. Taking a screenshot and activating the flashlight is normal, but People also use Quick Tap To launch things like Google Lens, Wallet or Snapchat.
Connect your Pixel to an external monitor in desktop mode
Google Recently released a feature For all users of the Pixel 8 and later that allows you to connect your device to an external monitor, essentially turning it into a desktop PC. Just plug in your phone via USB-C and you’ll find movable windows plus apps in an onscreen dock. You may want to add a few PC peripherals (Bluetooth keyboard and mouse) to your arsenal if you don’t already have them to maximize the desktop experience.
Use your Pixel as a webcam
When plugged into your computer (or TV, tablet or laptop with USB video class support), Your Pixel also doubles as a webcam. All you need is a data-supported USB cable. Tap the notification labeled This is charging the device via USB and select “Webcam” under Use USB for Menu You can still use your phone normally when you’re in webcam mode, although the stream will pause if you receive a video call or open an app that uses the camera. Note that a Pixel cannot be used as a webcam for other Pixels.
Enable advanced voice typing for seamless voice-to-text
The standard voice-to-text features get the job done when you need to talk instead of type, but the Pixel’s on-device AI Voice typing takes it up a notchCapturing speech (including grammar and punctuation) quickly and accurately. Gboard on the Pixel is “context aware,” meaning it can understand voice commands and corrections, punctuate based on natural speech patterns, and even insert emojis. You must turn on Advanced Voice Typing (available on Pixel 6 and up) in any app you can type with. Tap where you enter the text, then select Settings > Voice Typing on top of the keyboard. Then, toggle Advanced voice typing features continued
Optimize battery life with adaptive preferences
Some adjustments are required to make your phone battery last as long as possible. The Pixel has a handful of adaptive settings that use AI to recognize your usage patterns and reduce power requirements accordingly. Adaptive battery (below Settings > Battery > Battery Saver) reduces background power for apps you use less, while adaptive brightness (Settings > Display > Adaptive Brightness) automatically adjusts screen brightness based on context. Finally, Adaptive Connectivity will switch between 5G networks, which require more power, and 4G LTE depending on whether you’re streaming or have enough speed for basic tasks.
