5 Pixel options I all the time swap on instantly

Google not too long ago launched its new $500 mid-range telephone, the

Pixel 9a
, providing a aggressive various to the

iPhone 16e
and different mid-range choices, such because the

OnePlus 13R
.

Google’s Pixel series is famend for its software program expertise and highly effective cameras, with the Pixel 9a working the newest model of

Android 15
, and

Android 16
quickly to reach.

In case you’re trying to improve your expertise with any of Google’s Pixel smartphones working Android 15, there are a number of options you’ll be able to activate that are not routinely enabled by default, which might considerably enhance your day by day use of the gadget. Listed below are 5 settings I allow instantly every time I exploit a brand new Pixel smartphone to boost its efficiency and software program expertise.

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5

Charging optimization

Extend your battery’s lifespan

Charging optimization is without doubt one of the latest options in Google’s Pixel sequence. It was launched with the December Pixel characteristic drop final yr, permitting you to set your smartphone’s battery cost restrict to 80 %. Why would you wish to do that? Most significantly, by not absolutely charging your battery on a regular basis, you assist protect it higher and prolong its lifespan by lowering the variety of cost and discharge cycles the battery undergoes. To activate Charging optimization, go to Settings > Battery > Charging optimization > Use charging optimization > Restrict to 80 %.

Enabling this additionally routinely prompts bypass charging. Because of this after your Pixel telephone reaches its 80 % cost restrict, it’ll solely be powered by the DC energy coming from the charger, bypassing the battery fully to energy the telephone. This protects the battery even additional, and the telephone produces much less warmth because the charger is not continuously making an attempt to recharge the battery. All in all, it is a win-win in your Pixel. When you may not get as lengthy of battery life as you’ll by charging to one hundred pc, your battery’s lifespan will final for much longer, which is necessary if you wish to hold your Pixel gadget for some time.

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4

Easy show

Benefit from your Pixel’s excessive refresh price on a regular basis

As soon as you utilize a smartphone with a refresh price greater than 60Hz, I discover it practically unimaginable to return to at least one with a decrease refresh price. The latest Pixel telephones boast a few of the most stunning Actua 120Hz OLED shows in the marketplace. Whether or not it is the dearer Pixel 9 Professional XL or the cheaper Pixel 9a, the OLED shows on each fashions look gorgeous, and one among my favourite elements is their excessive refresh charges.

Nevertheless, if you first get the telephone, the show is about to 60Hz by default to avoid wasting battery. In case you activate Easy show by going to Settings > Show & contact > Easy show, it’ll increase the telephone’s refresh price to a constant 120Hz always, permitting you to reap the benefits of the elevated refresh price constantly. It is nicely well worth the slight sacrifice to battery life, because it makes the telephone’s display look buttery easy, particularly its animations.

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3

Fast Faucet

Double-tap the again of your telephone to open any app

One among my favourite options to indicate folks on my Pixel smartphone is the Fast Faucet choice. This lets you faucet the again of your telephone twice to entry an app or carry out a selected operate, akin to taking a screenshot, viewing your notifications, turning on the flashlight, and extra.

To activate Fast Faucet, go to Settings > Gestures > Fast Faucet to begin actions. You may then select from the assorted capabilities I discussed above, or choose any app you’ve got put in. I’ve mine set to open Spotify, however up to now, I’ve had it set to open my digicam and the telephone’s flashlight. This characteristic is similar to the double-tap characteristic the iPhone has below its accessibility settings.

There are additionally another useful gestures you’ll be able to take a look at within the Pixel’s Gestures menu, akin to one-handed mode, which allows a gesture to tug the display all the way down to make it simpler to make use of one-handed, and in addition Shortly open digicam, which helps you to double-tap the facility button to open the digicam.

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2

Notification historical past

By no means lose a notification once more

I’ve a nasty behavior of typically clearing my notifications with out absolutely checking each notification that was in it. Prior to now, I’ve missed a couple of essential notifications just because I by chance cleared them with out considering. That is the place Notification historical past is useful. Because the identify suggests, it saves your notification historical past, in order that in case you by chance swipe one and neglect what it was, you’ll be able to shortly pull it up once more.

To allow Notification historical past in your Pixel telephone, go to Settings > Notification historical past > Use notification historical past. As soon as it is turned on, any time you dismiss a notification, it’ll now seem on this menu below settings. To shortly entry it with out navigating by way of all these settings menus each time, faucet the Historical past button within the notification middle. In case your notification middle is empty, simply faucet the display, and Notification historical past will pop up.

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1

Now Enjoying

Discover out what track is taking part in close to you

Chances are high, you’ve got heard a superb track taking part in round you as soon as and instantly questioned what the identify is. Normally, you’d must shortly open the Shazam app or Google AI to determine it, however with this useful Pixel characteristic, you will discover out what track is taking part in close to you simply by glancing down at your lock display.

The characteristic is known as Now Enjoying, and to allow it, head to Settings > Show & contact > Lock display > Now Enjoying > Establish songs taking part in close by. When you flip it on, it’ll additionally ask you so as to add the widget to your lock display. I additionally suggest enabling Improve Now Enjoying. This may use Google Search to determine any songs it would not acknowledge and in addition present album art work.

Now, if a track is taking part in close by, you will see the track’s identify and artist displayed below the fingerprint reader in your Pixel lock display. In case you faucet it and unlock your telephone, it’ll carry you to your Now Enjoying historical past, the place you’ll be able to view all of the songs that performed close to you lately. I’ve discovered Now Enjoying to be useful for figuring out any of the songs I’ve heard on the radio whereas commuting.

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