Hidden Pixel tools: 8 features that enhance productivity
The Pixels are even more feature-rich than Android. You find more the deeper you go. Given that he finds more features than Google even promotes, our own Mishaal Rahman may likely attest to that. And that speaks volumes about a platform that the majority of us use on a regular basis on our phones, which are our main devices.
Having spent years immersed in the vibrant and colorful world of Android, I have created certain personal favorites—features that are really essential yet still go unappreciated. Although you may be aware of them all, I’m willing to wager that many of us are unaware of them until we come across them in a random Reddit comment.
I now use these functions on a regular basis; some are exclusive to the Pixel, while others are available on all Android devices.
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Quick tap
Double-tapping the back of a Pixel phone activates shortcuts, which is a great gesture. I have my Quick Tap in Settings app set to pull down the notification shade, which I probably do a thousand times a day, whether it’s to ignore a barrage of Instagram direct messages or obsessively check for a message.
Particularly when utilizing an app, it’s far simpler than reaching your thumb all the way to the top of the screen. I just need to lightly tap my index finger, which is where it naturally sits, to check who has ping-ed me, and then I can immediately resume my job while ignoring them. Easy.
Clipboard manager on Gboard
Sincerely, I’m not sure how I’ll manage without this anymore. I’m always storing text snippets, URLs, package tracking numbers, and even Instagram captions that I’m still working on using Gboard’s clipboard manager. Additionally, it is located beneath Gboard‘s menu selections and is only a tap away.
It’s an underappreciated talent to be able to pin things so they don’t disappear after an hour. Additionally, it helps me fill out those nagging forms that always reload when I switch between apps. My sanity has been rescued numerous times by having lengthy responses stored in the clipboard.
Smart text selection in overview
Who knew it could feel like such a victory to save one more tap? Long-pressing text in the app overview screen on Pixel phones allows you to copy it without having to return to the app.
At first, it might not seem like a significant deal. However, those saved taps add up if you’re copying information one by one, for example, from WhatsApp to fill out a form somewhere else while making sure everything is correct. It’s a minor detail that helps me avoid a lot of conflict and irritation.
Multitasking with split-screen
I believe this function to be equally useful on smaller devices, even though it’s frequently marketed for phones with giant screens and foldables. To avoid continually switching between apps, I regularly utilize it to run utilities like the calculator alongside other programs, again from the Overview page.
I’ll admit that I occasionally forget it’s there, but I spare myself the hassle by arranging my programs into split-screen the instant I see myself switching between them too frequently.
App pinning
It’s simple but incredibly underappreciated. I pin the app by choosing the Pin option from the Overview screen whenever I give my phone to someone, such as to pick up a contact or scan a QR code at a movie theater (you must first enable app pinning in your phone’s Security and privacy settings). This prevents them from inadvertently or purposely swiping into another app.
When I show friends and family a single picture, I can’t stop them from idly browsing around my gallery, but I can stop them from switching to Messages or Keep. It comes in particularly handy when my young niece or nephew borrows my phone to play games and I don’t want them to change applications or erase random notes.
Notification history if you dismissed one by mistake
It would be an understatement to say that this is a lifesaver. I vividly recall how taken aback I was to discover that Android even possessed this capability.
I occasionally unconsciously swipe away notifications from a particular app out of habit, only to discover later that I truly needed that particular app. Even if accessing notification history through the Notifications area of the Settings app isn’t the most user-friendly method, knowing that those messages aren’t permanently erased calms my racing thoughts.
Screen recording has built-in audio
In addition to recording the screen, Android’s built-in screen recorder also records internal audio, not simply microphone input. Every time you choose the option from the Quick Settings menu, it allows you to choose the audio source.
I utilize the functionality for more enjoyable (and practical) purposes, but it’s also useful for sending how-tos to friends and relatives. When a song strikes, you can save synced lyrics from music applications to share with someone, record buggy app behavior to report bugs (and collect huge bug bounties, just saying), or record clear audio broadcast parts from YouTube.
The microphone does not pick up any noise during any of this. Furthermore, you definitely don’t need any dubious third-party tools for this.
Quick Share
Fast file transfers between devices are a feature of Quick Share, however I use it more for myself than for other people.
I frequently have to transfer screenshots and images from my Pixel to my Mac for work. I can share files as quickly and smoothly as AirDrop if I have a third-party app installed on macOS. Even better, Google’s first-party Quick Share software functions flawlessly on Windows, so you’re in luck.
I’m confident that there are a dozen more hidden gems like this in the UIs of Android and Pixel if I look more closely. However, I use these on my Pixel every single day. My flow and my sanity would be totally disrupted if I were to lose even one of them.
Google Pixel 9
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Google Pixel Watch 4
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