Pixel 9 ideas and tips you should not miss

The mud has largely settled on the Pixel 9 and Google’s newest smartphones are undeniably a essential success. The corporate hasn’t solely made its most polished {hardware} so far, it is also launched options to Android that make Pixels really feel distinctive compared to nearly each different smartphone on the market. And with the launch of Android 15 and a brand new Pixel Feature Drop, all of Google’s smartphones are getting that significantly better.

Android, on the entire, is rather more stream­lined than it was, with loads of customization choices to benefit from (some adequate that Apple copied them) and AI-powered abilities to try to slot in your day by day workflow. For those who simply received a Pixel 9, however have not explored all of its options, otherwise you’re utilizing the discharge of Android 15 as motivation to place your telephone via its paces, we have a number of ideas and tips beneath which might be an ideal instance of what the Pixel 9 is able to.

1 Use Pixel Screenshots to prepare and keep in mind your digital life

Google’s software helps you to construct a searchable library of stuff you’ve seen in your telephone

We have already dived into lots of the new Al-driven features Google used the Pixel 9 to introduce, but it surely bears repeating: It’s important to attempt Pixel Screenshots. Google’s AI imaginative and prescient software bears some similarities to Microsoft’s Recall feature, but it surely’s pushed by what you wish to screenshot, and will not routinely seize what’s in your display screen. When the Pixel Screenshots app is lively, no matter you do wish to screenshot will get routinely cataloged by your Pixel 9, making it each searchable, and in some instances, actionable. The Pixel Screenshots app can flip your screenshots into direct hyperlinks to internet pages and calendar occasions, for instance.

The app is ideal for saving data from a textual content or e-mail to refer again to later, or a selected merchandise you wish to purchase and wish a direct hyperlink to. Google has additionally began integrating the app instantly with Gemini, which implies you’ll be able to pull up data along with your voice or a fast textual content immediate to Gemini reasonably than having to look via the Screenshots app.

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2 Set off actions by tapping the again of your Pixel 9

For those who’re on the lookout for a straightforward strategy to do a number of the extra dexterous actions your Pixel 9 requires, Google has its personal tackle Apple’s Back Tap accessibility feature that allows you to use your Pixel to set off a wide range of actions in your telephone. The characteristic is known as Fast Faucet, and will be subbed in for abilities that may usually require urgent one or a number of buttons, and as an alternative, subsitituting them with a double or triple faucet on the again of your telephone. When enabled, Fast Faucet can:

• Take a screenshot
• Entry Gemini or Google Assistant
• Play or pause media
• Present current apps
• Present notifications
• Toggle the flashlight
• Open a selected app

If you wish to flip it in your telephone, you may want to move to Settings.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Faucet on System.
3. Faucet on Gestures.
4. Faucet on “Fast Faucet to begin actions.”
5. Then faucet on the Use Fast Faucet toggle, and choose which motion you wish to use by tapping on it.

For those who discover that you simply usually by chance set off Fast Faucet, you can even have your telephone require “stronger faucets” to set off no matter motion you have assigned on the identical Settings display screen.

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3 Reveal your notification historical past even after they have been deleted

Your Pixel can hold observe of all of the notifications you have acquired

Like different smartphones, the Pixel 9 has a devoted part or “notification shade” that collects and kinds messages, alerts, and let’s face it, adverts, out of your varied apps. More often than not, you handle these notifications or swipe them away and go about your day, however what occurs when you really want the knowledge in a kind of alerts? Nicely, Google really has a hidden strategy to view the notification historical past in your telephone, it simply must be turned on.

You will must entry it in Settings by way of the Notifications part or you’ll be able to simply wait till your notification shade is empty:

1. Swipe down to entry the notification shade.
2. With an empty notification listing, faucet with two fingers.
3. Your telephone will change to the Notification part of Settings.
4. Faucet on Notification Historical past and toggle it on.
5. Any further, if you two-finger faucet on an empty notification shade you may see your notification historical past.

4 Add your self to a gaggle shot with Add Me

Your Pixel can use AI so as to add you to a gaggle photograph

Google

One of many Pixel 9’s unique skills is a brand new images software Google calls “Add Me” that provides you the power to take a gaggle photograph with out a tripod, having arms lengthy sufficient for an excellent selfie, or depend on a separate photographer. Your Pixel 9 primarily combines two images, one in all you, the photographer, and one other of the individuals you wish to be within the photograph with, right into a single seamless photograph that appears such as you had another person take.

You may entry Add Me instantly within the Digital camera app:

1. Open the Digital camera app.
2. Faucet on Add Me on the left facet of the display screen.
3. Observe the on-screen prompts to scan the area and seize a photograph.
4. Hand-off your telephone to the individuals you simply captured and have them use the onscreen information to shoot a photograph of you.
5. Let your Pixel 9 mix the images and create a gaggle shot.

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5 Use Reside Caption so as to add captions to audio and video

The Pixel 9 can transcribe audio in your telephone, no matter the place it is from

Pixel telephones have the power so as to add captions and audio description to any sound in your telephone, regardless if it was designed to have subtitles or not. It is known as Live Caption, and it goes past video content material, too. For those who’re listening to a podcast or music, your Pixel can caption that audio as nicely. This makes use of the identical transcription skills which might be already current in an app like Recorder and turns them into an accessibility superpower that applies to all of the audio in your telephone.

You may flip Reside Caption on by adjusting the quantity in your telephone:

1. Press the quantity button.
2. Faucet on the three-dot menu on the backside of the on-screen quantity management.
3. Faucet on Reside Caption (the textual content field icon) close to the underside of the display screen.
4. Conform to any onscreen prompts and captions ought to seem anytime spoken phrases are taking part in in your telephone.

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6 Make your Pixel 9 simpler to make use of one-handed

There is a strategy to attain the highest of your large telephone display screen with out getting new palms

Telephones aren’t getting smaller anytime quickly, and that is unlucky, as a result of not everybody is ready to attain the highest of their telephone display screen with out utilizing two palms. Pixels do have a built-in strategy to get across the large display screen that may enable you to attain your notifications or simply something on the high of your display screen. The choice is known as One-Handed Mode, and it helps you to swipe the underside of your Pixel reasonably than the highest to entry notifications or just about pull the highest of your display screen down to achieve what you want.

To activate One-Handed mode:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Faucet on Gestures.
3. Faucet on “One-Handed Mode”.
4. Toggle the characteristic on and determine if you are going to use it for notification or reaching the highest of the display screen.

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7 Be taught extra about no matter is in your display screen with Circle to Search

Lookup no matter is in your display screen with a number of faucets

It is extremely potential you have already triggered it accidentally, however even when it is over-eager, Circle to Search is likely one of the higher new options Google has added to Android within the final 12 months. By long-pressing the navigation bar or residence button on the backside of your display screen, you’ll be able to allow Circle to Search and successfully Google something you circle along with your finger. This works on each textual content and pictures, even in movies, and will also be used to translate textual content too. It is extremely helpful for locating issues that may usually be exhausting to seek for with textual content alone, and it might soon extend to live video too.

For those who did not allow Circle to Search if you had been first organising your telephone, you’ll be able to flip it on in Settings:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Faucet on Show & Contact.
3. Faucet on Navigation Mode.
4. Toggle Circle to Search on.
5. Maintain down the underside navigation bar and circle anyplace in your display screen to look it.

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Your Pixel 9 is much more highly effective than it appears

Google’s no slouch in the case of updating Android, however years of software program releases imply that there are layers of performance constructed into each Pixel telephone (and most Android gadgets for that matter) that by no means will get totally defined. That is the character of each mature working system (you do not even wish to know the sorts of issues Home windows or macOS can do), however contemplating how usually we use our smartphones, determining the Pixel 9 feels extra urgent.

Google Pixel 9

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

The listing above is a superb start line for studying what your telephone can really do, however when you’re inquisitive about studying extra nitty-gritty particulars about your telephone, we have you lined, with guides on discovering hiding apps on your Pixel, and ensuring apps running in the background aren’t ruining your telephone’s efficiency.