5 Pixel options I at all times change on...

Google lately launched its new $500 mid-range cellphone, 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 most recent model of

Android 15
, and

Android 16
quickly to reach.

In case you’re seeking to improve your expertise with any of Google’s Pixel smartphones working Android 15, there are a number of options you possibly can activate that are not mechanically enabled by default, which may considerably enhance your each day use of the gadget. Listed here are 5 settings I allow immediately every time I exploit a brand new Pixel smartphone to boost its efficiency and software program expertise.

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5

Charging optimization

Delay 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 function 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 totally 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 mechanically prompts bypass charging. Which means after your Pixel cellphone reaches its 80 % cost restrict, it should solely be powered by the DC energy coming from the charger, bypassing the battery completely to energy the cellphone. This protects the battery even additional, and the cellphone produces much less warmth because the charger is not continually making an attempt to recharge the battery. All in all, it is a win-win on your Pixel. Whilst you may not get as lengthy of battery life as you’d by charging to 100%, your battery’s lifespan will final for much longer, which is vital if you wish to hold your Pixel gadget for some time.

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4

Clean show

Make the most of your Pixel’s excessive refresh charge on a regular basis

As soon as you utilize a smartphone with a refresh charge increased than 60Hz, I discover it almost inconceivable to return to 1 with a decrease refresh charge. The latest Pixel telephones boast a number of the most stunning Actua 120Hz OLED shows in the marketplace. Whether or not it is the costlier Pixel 9 Professional XL or the cheaper Pixel 9a, the OLED shows on each fashions look beautiful, and one in every of my favourite features is their excessive refresh charges.

Nevertheless, if you first get the cellphone, the show is about to 60Hz by default to save lots of battery. In case you activate Clean show by going to Settings > Show & contact > Clean show, it should increase the cellphone’s refresh charge to a constant 120Hz always, permitting you to benefit from the elevated refresh charge repeatedly. It is effectively definitely worth the slight sacrifice to battery life, because it makes the cellphone’s display look buttery easy, particularly its animations.

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3

Fast Faucet

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

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

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

There are additionally another useful gestures you possibly can try within the Pixel’s Gestures menu, resembling one-handed mode, which allows a gesture to drag the display right down to make it simpler to make use of one-handed, and likewise Shortly open digicam, which helps you to double-tap the ability 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 totally checking each notification that was in it. Previously, I’ve missed a number of essential notifications just because I by accident cleared them with out pondering. That is the place Notification historical past turns out to be useful. Because the identify suggests, it saves your notification historical past, in order that in case you by accident swipe one and overlook what it was, you possibly can rapidly pull it up once more.

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

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1

Now Enjoying

Discover out what music is enjoying close to you

Chances are high, you have heard a superb music enjoying round you as soon as and instantly questioned what the identify is. Normally, you’d need to rapidly open the Shazam app or Google AI to determine it, however with this useful Pixel function, you will discover out what music is enjoying close to you simply by glancing down at your lock display.

The function known as Now Enjoying, and to allow it, head to Settings > Show & contact > Lock display > Now Enjoying > Determine songs enjoying close by. When you flip it on, it should 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 does not acknowledge and likewise present album paintings.

Now, if a music is enjoying close by, you may see the music’s identify and artist displayed below the fingerprint reader in your Pixel lock display. In case you faucet it and unlock your cellphone, it should carry you to your Now Enjoying historical past, the place you possibly can view all of the songs that performed close to you latterly. 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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