One of the perfect components of utilizing a Pixel is the best way tasty little specks of Google intelligence get sprinkled all all through the expertise. Those small however important morsels exhibit the worth of getting Google’s best components built-in proper into your cellphone’s working system, with none competing forces or awkwardly conflicting priorities at play.And Goog almighty, does that make a world of distinction. The options in query might not all the time be essentially the most eye-catching or marketing-friendly benefits, however they’re extremely sensible touches that may make your life simpler in some fairly highly effective methods.Today, we’re gonna zoom into an particularly possibility-packed space of the Pixel’s software program setup, and that is the Android Overview space. The simple-seeming interface for switching between not too long ago used apps is overflowing with superior actions on a Pixel cellphone, and when you uncover (or perhaps simply remind your self) what’s there, you will be saving time and flyin’ round your cellphone like no person’s enterprise.So as a complement to my standard Pixel Academy e-course — a very free seven-day e mail journey that helps you uncover tons of next-level Pixel treasures — be part of me for this tour of excellent and out-of-the-way Pixel Overview gems. Check ’em out, strive ’em out, after which come join the course for much more super-practical Pixel awesomeness.(Note that many of the potentialities on this web page require Android 11 or increased to work. That means in case you’re nonetheless hangin’ onto a first-gen Pixel cellphone, they will not be accessible for you, sadly. But do not despair. You can nonetheless discover plenty of different worthwhile goodies in my Pixel Academy!)Pixel superpower No. 1: The fast textual content copyWe’ll begin with a easy however supremely useful characteristic for copying textual content from virtually wherever in a snap. You can use it to snag phrases from one thing like an internet web page or a doc, positive, however you may as well use it to spotlight and replica something from inside a picture, a screenshot you’d beforehand saved, and even an space of Android that would not usually let you choose and replica textual content — like a particular display throughout the system settings, as an example.Whatever the case could also be, all you have gotta do is open up your Pixel’s Overview interface — by swiping up an inch or so from the underside of the display after which stopping, in case you’re utilizing Android’s present gesture system, or by tapping the square-shaped button on the backside of the display, in case you’re nonetheless holding onto the previous legacy three-button nav setup — after which press and maintain your finger onto the phrases you need throughout the view of your most not too long ago used app (or some other app in your present historical past).JR As lengthy as your cellphone is working Android 11 or increased, it is best to see the textual content in query get chosen. And you’ll be able to then slide your finger round as wanted to develop or refocus the choice. If you need to choose the entire seen textual content on the display, you may as well use the comparatively new “Select” command on the backside of the Pixel Overview interface. Either approach, as soon as your textual content is chosen, all that is left is to hit the “Copy” command within the menu that comes up after which do a spritely little jig of celebration.*At that time, you’ll be able to head into some other app or course of you need — an in-progress e mail draft, a messaging app, or maybe a note-taking device of some kind — and press your finger down in any textual content modifying subject to tug up the “Paste” command and ship your freshly copied contents wherever they should be.* Spritely jig optionally available however extremely really helpful.Pixel superpower No. 2: The speedy textual content shareIn addition to copying and pasting textual content from wherever, the Pixel’s Overview interface permits you to share textual content and ship it immediately into different apps and processes in your cellphone. It’s a good simpler option to beam the information you want on to the place the place you need it, particularly if the ultimate vacation spot is a brand new e mail, word, or message (as sharing will usually place the information in query into a brand new merchandise as an alternative of a draft you have been already engaged on).Performing this feat is sort of just like pulling off our first little bit of Pixel sorcery: Once extra, you will open up the Overview interface after which press and maintain your finger onto no matter textual content you need to copy throughout the preview of any not too long ago used app. The solely distinction is that this time, you will choose “Share” from the menu that comes up, after which choose no matter app you need to ship the textual content to from there.If what you require is context, you may as well choose “Search” as an alternative of “Share,” and your Pixel will ship the textual content into a brand new Google Search occasion quicker than you’ll be able to say “Aw, shucks, Siri sucks.”Doesn’t get a lot simpler than that.Pixel superpower No. 3: The language-translating genieHere’s a Pixel energy you’d most likely by no means know existed: If you spotlight some textual content inside your Pixel cellphone’s Overview interface that is not in your native tongue, your cellphone will robotically provide to translate the textual content on the spot for you.See?JR Fantástico, ¿no?Pixel superpower No. 4: The clean textual content operatorThis might be my favourite tucked-away Pixel chance — ‘trigger when you get within the behavior of utilizing it, it could possibly actually be a serious step- and time-saver. So right here it’s: Anytime you have received a little bit of textual content that is related to an motion in your cellphone, you’ll be able to spotlight it in your Pixel’s Overview interface (utilizing the identical course of we have utilized in our first few superpowers) after which discover a particular possibility for performing on it in no matter approach makes essentially the most sense.Let’s assume via some concrete examples, we could?If you spotlight a cellphone quantity inside Overview — in an internet web page, an e mail, even a screenshot you captured of one thing six months in the past and simply pulled up within the Photos app — your Pixel cellphone’s Overview spirit will summon up the choice to name that quantity with a single quick faucet.
JR Highlighting an handle in Overview provides you with the choice to beam it over immediately right into a Google Maps navigation — no copying, pasting, or fussing required.
If you could have any ride-sharing apps like Lyft in your cellphone, you must also see the choice to ship any addresses immediately into them for simple and quick processing. Those kinds of choices are sometimes tucked away inside a three-dot menu icon that exhibits up alongside “Copy,” “Share,” and the opposite extra customary selections, so make sure to look intently to see in the event that they’re accessible.
When you choose a phrase throughout the Overview space that your Pixel cellphone thinks you may not know, you will see an choice to get a definition for it on the spot.
JR Hey, Google: Give a man a bit of credit score, would ya?!Pixel superpower No. 5: The on the spot picture extractorThis subsequent one’s cool: When you have been taking a look at something involving a picture in an app — an internet web page, a social media feed, even a screenshot that had images inside it — you’ll be able to press and maintain the picture inside your Pixel’s Overview space after which pull it out of the preview for easy sharing or saving.JR It’s a spectacular option to save something you encounter wherever — even in locations the place you’ll be able to’t normally extract pictures simply — after which zap it over right into a word, e mail, message, or wherever else you may want it.Pixel superpower No. 6: The clever picture searcherYou understand how a lot I love Google Lens, proper? Well, you would be forgiven for forgetting (or perhaps failing to note within the first place!), however Google’s wonderful picture intelligence expertise is constructed proper into your Pixel cellphone’s Overview space for super-easy looking inside pictures in any apps you have been utilizing.This one’s fairly wild: Just pull up your Pixel’s Overview interface and press and maintain any picture you see inside an app’s preview. That ought to make “Lens” pop up as an possibility. And in case you faucet it, Google’s virtually eerily good system will do numerous various things, relying on the context:It’ll establish a landmark, a portray, or perhaps a plant or an animal, if one is pictured, after which provide up additional information about that object.
It’ll present you pictures just like the one in your display inside Google Image Search together with data and hyperlinks associated to what’s pictured — together with even shopping-related hyperlinks so you’ll be able to examine costs and buy the merchandise within the image, when related.
JR It’ll scan a barcode or QR code for you — no futzing round with third-party software program required.
It’ll provide to learn textual content inside a picture out loud to you.
It’ll provide to ship textual content inside picture over to a pc the place you are additionally signed in (in Chrome) for hassle-free cross-platform copying.
And all of that is simply the beginning of what Lens is able to doing. Remembering that it is all the time standing by and accessible in your Pixel cellphone’s Overview space is without doubt one of the most effective methods to faucet into its magic.Pixel superpower No. 7: The easy screenshot machineAndroid’s all the time allowed you to seize screenshots with a fast press of a cellphone’s energy and volume-down buttons, however that key combo is not all the time handy to activate — at the least, not with out some severe hand yoga concerned.So make your self a psychological word of this: You can all the time seize a screenshot of something by sliding your approach over to your Pixel’s Overview space. Ergonomics apart, that offers you the benefit of getting a very clear and neat picture of no matter’s in your display, with out all the standard system interface parts (the standing bar, the navigation bar or buttons, and so forth) round it.Just march your approach again into that Pixel Overview space and search for the “Screenshot” command on the backside of the display.JR Tap that dangerous boy and faucet it good, and you will be looking at a static picture of no matter you final had open by itself, with none further gobbledygook above or beneath it.(If you do not see that command, by the best way, you are most likely nonetheless utilizing one of many older Android navigation setups — both the legacy three-button nav mannequin or the Android-9-era two-button gesture system. Go into the System part of your cellphone’s settings and choose “Gestures” adopted by “System navigation.” Change the setting there to “Gesture navigation,” and all the things ought to work flawlessly from right here on out!)Pixel superpower No. 8: The app data shortcutEver end up needing to move into an app’s data display — perhaps to regulate its notification conduct or permissions and even to open up its Play Store web page so you’ll be able to seek for an replace or revisit some introductory data?The swiftest option to get there when you’re utilizing an app is to open up the Overview space in your Pixel, faucet the app’s icon on the prime, after which choose “App info” from the menu that comes up.JR Fast, simple, and fuss-free. Yes, please.Pixel superpower No. 9: The speedy screen-splitterOne of Android’s most missed options is the system-level possibility for splitting your display in half and viewing two apps on the similar time. It is not one thing you are prone to want all that usually, however when the precise event comes alongside — engaged on a doc whereas concurrently referencing an internet web page or e mail, as an example, or perhaps peeking in at a spreadsheet while additionally looking at images of Gary Busey (as one does) — good golly, it positive might be useful.And guess what? That similar candy Pixel Overview space of ours is the important thing to tapping into that magic.Just glide your fancy person-feet again into Overview, faucet the icon of the primary app you need to use in your split-screen setup, after which faucet “Split screen” within the menu that seems. That app will transfer up into the higher space of your display, and you may then choose the second app you need to full the image.JR Whee!Pixel superpower No. 10: The app-pinning possibilityA useful however hidden Android characteristic I all the time overlook to make use of is the software program’s app-pinning system. Once activated, it permits you to lock one particular app or course of to your display after which require a pin or passcode earlier than the rest might be accessed.The thought is that you might move your cellphone off to a buddy, a co-worker, or some method of rabid jungle fowl — perhaps to allow them to see a doc, have a look at one thing on an internet site, or peck out a fast name whereas their very own tiny bird-phone is not useful. And because you proactively pinned no matter app was related to that objective to your display, you’ll be able to relaxation simple realizing the remainder of your stuff will stay safe and inaccessible till the cellphone’s again in your arms.To get this one going, you first want to fireplace up the characteristic inside your Pixel cellphone’s settings:Swipe down twice from the highest of the display, then faucet the gear-shaped icon to open up the system-level settings.
Tap the Security part.
Tap the “Advanced” line on the very backside of the display, then faucet “App pinning.”
Make positive the toggle on the prime of that display is within the lively and on place, and ensure the secondary toggle (“Lock device when unpinning” or “Ask for unlock pattern before unpinning,” relying in your Android model) can also be lively.
Got it? Good. Now, with that possibility lively, hop again into your Pixel Overview space, faucet the icon of any app you need to pin, and search for the aptly named “Pin” possibility in that lovable little menu.JR Tap that, say “Ooga, booga, gherkin, workin’!” for good measure (and for my very own private amusement), and ta-da: That app will probably be locked in place. To get previous it and into the rest, you will first must swipe your finger up from the underside of the display and maintain it in place for a couple of seconds, then present no matter method of unlocking authentication (PIN, sample, password, appendage, 14 drops of blood out of your pinky toe, and so on) is acceptable to proceed.If you are still utilizing Android’s previous three-button nav system, you will as an alternative press the square-shaped Overview button to get to the Overview interface, and you will press and maintain the Back and Overview buttons collectively from there if you’re able to unpin.Pixel superpower No. 11: The pausing energyThis subsequent merchandise is one other oft-overlooked Android possibility. It permits you to briefly pause a person app, which suggests the app’s icon will get grayed out and the app will not be capable to ship you any notifications till both you unpause it or the day ends — whichever comes first. It’s a effective option to give your self a reprieve from the horrors of social media, the people of your office Slack channel, or no matter different power is demanding an excessive amount of of your consideration throughout your (allegedly) off-work hours.The app-pausing energy is all the time simply two faucets away in your Pixel’s Overview space: Get to that Overview interface, contact your favourite phalange to the icon of no matter app you need to pause, after which press the “Pause app” possibility. If you resolve you need to unpause the app earlier than the day’s executed, simply discover and faucet its icon inside your house display or app drawer, and your cellphone will immediate you to undo the deed.Pixel superpower No. 12: The contemporary begin flickLast however not least in our Pixel Overview superpower assortment is an possibility that is broadly misunderstood and possibly used extra typically than it oughta be. But it is actually value being conscious of for the precise kinds of conditions.So right here ’tis: Whilst viewing any app inside your cellphone’s Overview space, you’ll be able to flick its card upward to dismiss it from the listing. That’ll additionally dismiss the app out of your cellphone’s lively reminiscence and trigger it to start out up contemporary the subsequent time you open it as an alternative of selecting up the place you left off, because it usually would.Despite what some people imagine, there’s actually no want to do that as a matter of behavior. Android robotically manages its lively reminiscence and removes stuff as wanted. Because of that, continually closing all the things out as a type of compulsive “cleaning” is each pointless and infrequently even counterproductive (for the reason that system will robotically restart something that must be working, which then results in even much less environment friendly use of assets). But when an app is performing funky or for another purpose requires a reset, this one-two flickeroo is a effective Overview device to recollect.And bear in mind, too: There’s heaps extra the place this got here from. Come be part of my fully free Pixel Academy e-course for seven full days of pleasant Pixel data — beginning with some camera-centric smarts and shifting from there to superior picture magic, next-level nuisance reducers, and oodles of different alternatives for superior Pixel intelligence.If there’s one factor I’ve discovered over time, it is that right here within the land o’ Googley issues, there’s all the time one thing new simply ready to be found.

Copyright © 2021 IDG Communications, Inc.