8 Google Pixel Tips and Tricks

The Google Pixel line represents Google’s most successful foray into smartphone devices; the Pixel phones are now the flagship models for the tech manufacturer.

The original Google Pixel was released in 2016 with the most recent model, the Google Pixel 5, being released in 2020. Some consider the Pixel line to be Google’s answer to iPhones.

Many users favour the Pixel because it is a far more affordable smartphone when compared to Apple products. This is doubly true if you are considering choosing a 2nd hand phone like those offered here at Second-Hand Phones!

If you’ve already been sold on the Google Pixel, you may benefit from these handy tips and tricks to get the most out of your phone and achieve the ultimate user experience. If you’re still deliberating, maybe our guide can help show you what’s so great about the Pixel!

Night Light Mode

Let’s face it, we can all be a little guilty of some midnight scrolling, but the light-sensitive features of the Pixel can help you out! The tinted screen option produces a far dimmer light, making it more user-friendly in the dark.

Your eyes will thank you for utilising this tip. Simply go to the ‘Display’ section in the system settings and select ‘Night Light’. You can choose ‘turn on automatically’ and ‘sunset to sunrise’ to make the screen automatically darken when it becomes evening.

Wi-Fi Assistant

When you’re out and about, mobile data can be a lifesaver. However, over-using data can also rack up your phone bill if you’re not careful.

To help combat any drain on your data, the Pixel can tap into reliable networks in your proximity. You can turn this feature on by selecting ‘Networking’ and then ‘Wi-Fi Assistant’. This will allow your phone to automatically connect to available connections and save you a bit of precious data.

Any incoming or outgoing data is automatically encrypted so you can rest assured that your time online is secure.

Camera Settings

A decent camera is a basic requirement for most smartphone users these days, and the Pixel can deliver if you know where to look.

The Pixel has a wonderful camera, but you may need to experiment with the settings to unlock its true potential and get the best quality photos.

When you access your camera app, you can go to the settings menu and select ‘black camera video resolution’ and then ‘UHD 4K’. These settings will take your photography to the next level and produce some excellent quality pictures that the default settings won’t quite achieve.

Hands-free Pictures

The ability to set up the perfect shot or selfie is also something many people require from their phone. With the Pixel’s Google Assistant, you can use voice commands to set a photo timer.

Gone are the days of running back and forth between your camera or phone and desired pose to manually set a timed countdown. You can simply say ‘Ok Google, take a picture’ and your phone will automatically set a three-second timer. This command applies to the rear camera, but for selfies, you can say ‘Ok Google, take a selfie’ to use the front camera.

For added control, you can specify a longer timer in your voice command.

Google Photo Storage

When you’ve taken all your stunning photos, you’re going to need somewhere to store them all. Many other smartphones will have limited storage and will then require you to buy more external storage, but this is not the case with the Pixel!

Through the Google Photos app, you can back up all of your images at full resolution for free. You can enable this function through the app by simply selecting ‘back up and sync’.

In this settings menu, you will also notice that you can group photos into folders and set up whether your images are only backed up when charging or not.

Get the Headlines

Your Google Assistant has a wide variety of capabilities that you can utilise at every turn!

If you want to stop your habit of endlessly scrolling through Twitter for the news, this can be a really handy feature. You can select your favourite news channels before asking Google for the headlines, which will then be broadcast. You can either ask for a particular selection or be more general and ask for the news as a whole. The Google Assistant will then dictate the headlines, giving you a brief overview of the most recent news.

To end the command, you can just say ‘Ok Google, stop’.

Fingerprint Scanner

The Pixel’s fingerprint scanner’s most obvious function is security. With it, you can be sure that only you have access. However, to increase its functionality even further, you can assign different actions to the scanner.

You could customise the scanner and turn it into a home button or assign a variety of custom roles to it, whatever suits your needs!

To have a look at what other actions can be assigned, go to ‘Settings’ and ‘Moves’. Here, you will see a range of gestures that expand upon merely unlocking your phone. If these actions aren’t quite what you are looking for, you can utilise third-party apps that work in the same way to give you a more customised experience.

This kind of customisable experience can ensure you are getting the absolute most out of your phone!

Caller ID

With all the added features on a smartphone, we sometimes forget that a phone’s main purpose is to contact others.

By default, your Pixel will identify who exactly is calling you; this can be useful for determining whether you want to pick up or not.

If your phone cannot identify the caller, it is smart enough to recognise potential spam callers. When an incoming call has been flagged up by your phone, it will show a red screen with the notification ‘suggested spam caller’. These calls are of course still answerable, but your phone gives you a clear sign that it may be a waste of your time!

If you would like to get your hands on a second-hand Google Pixel or other reconditioned device, why not take a look at our range?