These are the primary options I turned on once I received my Pixel

The setup for a new Pixel cellphone is straightforward and roughly in keeping with the remainder of Android smartphones on the market. After I first turned on my cellphone, I signed into my Google account, downloaded the apps I take advantage of, chosen a wallpaper, and went by all the opposite fundamental settings and customizations.

Nonetheless, the actual enjoyable begins after the preliminary setup. There are a great deal of settings and options to play with, some extra essential than others. I wish to share the 5 I enabled on day one on my Pixel, together with some extra ones which might be additionally price trying out.

I’ve used the flashlight characteristic commonly on virtually each Android cellphone I’ve owned. It is useful once I drop one thing behind the sofa, search for my keys that fell out of my pocket in entrance of the home at evening, or when there’s an influence outage.

The sooner I can flip it on, the higher, and that’s the place Pixel’s residence display screen shortcuts are available. So, one of many first issues I did on my Pixel was toggle on the flashlight shortcut, which introduced the flashlight icon to my lock display screen. Every time I would like to make use of it, I simply get up the show and faucet and maintain the flashlight icon within the backside left nook. I can then flip it off with a easy faucet.

It really works like a appeal and saves me a couple of further faucets, as I’d in any other case must unlock the cellphone and pull down the notification shade to activate the flashlight — or do it from the settings.

To allow this shortcut, head to Settings > Show & contact > Lockscreen > Shortcuts and faucet the flashlight icon. You’ll be able to place it left or proper and even add an additional shortcut of alternative.

I typically use my cellphone in mattress, proper earlier than going to sleep. I do know I shouldn’t, but it surely’s laborious to interrupt unhealthy habits.

Utilizing Bedtime mode paired with the Do Not Disturb mode is the closest I’ve gotten to it. By turning these two on, non-urgent calls can’t attain me, and notifications are turned off. That method, I’ve much less incentive to select up the cellphone. But when I nonetheless do, the show mechanically turns black and white, and the wallpaper is dimmed, which places much less pressure on my eyes.

A black and white display screen can also be an indication for me that it’s time to place the cellphone down. I’ve it set in order that it activates at 11 pm and turns off at 8 am, an hour after I rise up within the morning. So it additionally serves as a reminder that I shouldn’t use the cellphone proper after I rise up, but when I do, the colours are muted, offering a much less colourful expertise for my sleepy eyes.

To show it on, head to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Bedtime mode and set it as much as your liking.

The Fast faucet characteristic on my Pixel permits me to open an app of alternative or carry out a selected activity simply by double-tapping the again of the cellphone. I’ve it arrange in order that it opens Gemini, which I take advantage of every day. I might technically press and maintain the ability button to entry Gemini, as that’s how my Pixel is about up by default, however I made a decision to remap the button in order that it brings up the Energy menu.

The characteristic will not be good, as I typically have to faucet the cellphone a bit tougher than I’d prefer to convey up Gemini, but it surely works as marketed 90% of the time for me.

To set it up, head to Settings > System > Gestures > Fast Faucet to begin actions. Along with launching your digital assistant, you should utilize it to take a screenshot, play or pause media, present notifications, activate the flashlight, or open an app of alternative.

I’m on a restricted information plan and use it typically since I don’t at all times have entry to Wi-Fi. It might probably get costly to go over the restrict, so I strive to ensure I don’t try this until I actually must. The Knowledge warning characteristic on my Pixel helps me with that, though it’s accessible on roughly each cellphone on the market.

I’ve a knowledge warning set in a method that it notifies me when I’ve a couple of GB of information left for the month, simply so I do know to tone it down, particularly if I’m simply midway by the billing cycle. I then even have a knowledge restrict that’s equal to my information plan, which means that I can’t use any extra of it as soon as it’s reached.

In case you’re on a vast plan or usually don’t ever go over your information restrict, this characteristic isn’t precious to you. However in the event you’re on a restricted plan like me, utilizing it might probably prevent fairly a bit of cash. You’ll be able to set it up by heading to Settings > Community & web > SIMs. Then faucet the SIM card for which you wish to set information limits and choose the “Knowledge warning & restrict” possibility.

I like music, however I are inclined to hearken to the identical previous artists and songs over and over. The one time I normally uncover new music is once I’m sitting at a restaurant or a restaurant and listen to one thing contemporary on the radio.

Up to now, I at all times launched Shazam in a situation like this to search out out the title of the artist and the music, however my Pixel makes issues even simpler for me. The Now Taking part in characteristic, when enabled, shows the title of the music that’s taking part in proper on my lock display screen, so I don’t want a separate app to trace it down anymore.

The wonderful thing about it’s that it really works utterly mechanically, so I don’t must do something exterior of setting it up initially. Then I simply head into the settings and examine the songs and artists the characteristic picked up whereas I used to be lounging at a restaurant consuming a mojito.

To allow it, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Now Taking part in. That is the place you’ll additionally discover the Now Taking part in historical past.

These are the primary 5 issues I’ve arrange on my Pixel, and I’ll do the identical with the subsequent one as properly. Nonetheless, Google’s telephones have a bunch of different fascinating options and settings that turn out to be useful.

I’ve not too long ago began utilizing Notification Historical past, which helps me observe down these notifications I by chance swiped away. It’s a helpful characteristic, and one my colleague Rita touched on in her publish about Android notification tips.

The charging optimization setting is one other one to remember, permitting me to decide on between Adaptive Charging or a charging restrict of 80%. Then there are additionally cross-device providers, which allow me to share a knowledge connection between my cellular gadgets with ease.

Now it’s your flip — which settings do you normally allow or disable immediately in your Android cellphone? Let me know within the feedback.