One of the very best components of utilizing a Pixel is the way in which tasty little specks of Google intelligence get sprinkled all all through the expertise. Those small however important morsels showcase the worth of getting Google’s best substances built-in proper into your telephone’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 at all times 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 a part of the Pixel’s software program setup, and that is the Android Overview space. The simple-seeming interface for switching between lately used apps is overflowing with superior actions on a Pixel telephone, and when you uncover (or possibly simply remind your self) what’s there, you will be saving time and flyin’ round your telephone like no person’s enterprise.So as a complement to my well-liked Pixel Academy e-course — a very free seven-day e-mail journey that helps you uncover tons of next-level Pixel treasures — be a 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 a lot of the potentialities on this web page require Android 11 or greater to work. That means in case you’re nonetheless hangin’ onto a first-gen Pixel telephone, they will not be out there 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 online web page or a doc, certain, however you can even use it to spotlight and duplicate 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 duplicate textual content — like a particular display inside the system settings, for 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 outdated legacy three-button nav setup — after which press and maintain your finger onto the phrases you need inside the view of your most lately used app (or some other app in your present historical past).JR As lengthy as your telephone is operating Android 11 or greater, you must see the textual content in query get chosen. And you possibly can then slide your finger round as wanted to broaden or refocus the choice. If you wish to choose the entire seen textual content on the display, you can even use the comparatively new “Select” command on the backside of the Pixel Overview interface. Either manner, 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 possibly can 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 type — and press your finger down in any textual content modifying subject to drag up the “Paste” command and ship your freshly copied contents wherever they should be.* Spritely jig elective however extremely beneficial.Pixel superpower No. 2: The speedy textual content shareIn addition to copying and pasting textual content from wherever, the Pixel’s Overview interface lets you share textual content and ship it straight into different apps and processes in your telephone. It’s a good simpler solution 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 wish to copy inside the preview of any lately used app. The solely distinction is that this time, you will choose “Share” from the menu that comes up, then choose no matter app you wish to ship the textual content to from there.If what you require is context, you can even choose “Search” as an alternative of “Share,” and your Pixel will ship the textual content into a brand new Google Search occasion sooner than you possibly can 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 telephone’s Overview interface that is not in your native tongue, your telephone will mechanically supply to translate the textual content on the spot for you.See?JR Fantástico, ¿no?Pixel superpower No. 4: The easy textual content operatorThis might be my favourite tucked-away Pixel risk — ‘trigger when you get within the behavior of utilizing it, it will possibly actually be a serious step- and time-saver. So right here it’s: Anytime you have bought a little bit of textual content that is related to an motion in your telephone, you possibly can 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 appearing on it in no matter manner makes essentially the most sense.Let’s assume via some concrete examples, lets?If you spotlight a telephone quantity inside Overview — in an online 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 telephone’s Overview spirit will summon up the choice to name that quantity with a single quick faucet. (You also needs to have the ability to discover an choice to ship a message to the quantity in query inside that three-dot menu icon.)
JR Highlighting an handle in Overview provides you with the choice to beam it over straight right into a Google Maps navigation — no copying, pasting, or fussing required.
If you’ve any ride-sharing apps like Lyft in your telephone, you also needs to see the choice to ship any addresses straight into them for straightforward and quick processing. Those types of choices are sometimes tucked away inside that three-dot menu icon alongside “Copy,” “Share,” and the opposite extra commonplace decisions, so remember to look intently to see in the event that they’re out there.
When you choose a phrase inside the Overview space that your Pixel telephone 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 just a little credit score, would ya?!Pixel superpower No. 5: The pretty hyperlink lifterNeed to seize a hyperlink from an online web page you are viewing — possibly to share with somebody or to avoid wasting on your personal future reference? Just head into your Pixel telephone’s Overview space straight from Chrome, and holy moly, wouldya take a look at that?JR On Pixels operating Android 12, you will discover a fancy new link-lifting button proper then and there, simply ready on your finger-tappin’ pleasure. Give that dangerous boy a faucet, and…JR Ta-da! Just like that, you will have your hyperlink.Pixel superpower No. 6: The instantaneous picture extractorThis subsequent one’s cool: When you have been something involving a picture in an app — an online web page, a social media feed, even a screenshot that had pictures inside it — you possibly can 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 solution to save something you encounter wherever — even in locations the place you possibly can’t normally extract photographs simply — after which zap it over right into a word, e-mail, message, or wherever else you may want it.Pixel superpower No. 7: The clever picture searcherYou understand how a lot I love Google Lens, proper? Well, you would be forgiven for forgetting (or possibly failing to note within the first place!), however Google’s glorious picture intelligence know-how is constructed proper into your Pixel telephone’s Overview space for super-easy looking inside photographs 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 nearly eerily good system will do various various things, relying on the context:It’ll determine a landmark, a portray, or perhaps a plant or an animal, if one is pictured, after which supply up more information about that object.
It’ll present you photographs just like the one in your display inside Google Image Search together with info and hyperlinks associated to what’s pictured — together with even shopping-related hyperlinks so you possibly can 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 supply to learn textual content inside a picture out loud to you.
It’ll supply 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 at all times standing by and out there in your Pixel telephone’s Overview space is among the most effective methods to faucet into its magic.Pixel superpower No. 8: The easy screenshot machineAndroid’s at all times allowed you to seize screenshots with a fast press of a telephone’s energy and volume-down buttons, however that key combo is not at all times handy to activate — not less than, not with out some severe hand yoga concerned.So make your self a psychological word of this: You can at all times seize a screenshot of something by sliding your manner 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 manner again into that Pixel Overview space and search for the “Screenshot” command on the backside of the display.JR Tap that son of a sausage and faucet it good, and you will be watching a static picture of no matter you final had open by itself, with none additional gobbledygook above or beneath it.(If you do not see that command, by the way in which, 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 telephone’s settings and choose “Gestures” adopted by “System navigation.” Change the setting there to “Gesture navigation,” and every thing ought to work flawlessly from right here on out!)Pixel superpower No. 9: The app information shortcutEver end up needing to go into an app’s info display — possibly to regulate its notification conduct or permissions and even to open up its Play Store web page so you possibly can seek for an replace or revisit some introductory information?The swiftest solution to get there whilst 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, straightforward, and fuss-free — sure, please.Pixel superpower No. 10: The speedy screen-splitterOne of Android’s most neglected 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 more likely to want all that always, however when the best event comes alongside — engaged on a doc whereas concurrently referencing an online web page or e-mail, for example, or possibly peeking in at a spreadsheet while additionally watching pictures of Gary Busey (as one does) — good golly, it certain may be helpful.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 wish 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 wish to full the image.JR Whee!Pixel superpower No. 11: The app-pinning possibilityA helpful however hidden Android characteristic I at all times neglect 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, passcode, or different technique of authentication earlier than the rest may be accessed.The thought is that you can move your telephone off to a good friend, a co-worker, or some method of rabid jungle chook — possibly to allow them to see a doc, take a look at one thing on an internet site, or peck out a fast name whereas their very own tiny bird-phone is not helpful. And because you proactively pinned no matter app was related to that function to your display, you possibly can relaxation straightforward realizing the remainder of your stuff will stay safe and inaccessible till the telephone’s again in your arms.To get this one going, you first want to fireplace up the characteristic inside your Pixel telephone’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” or “Advanced settings” line on the very backside of the display, then faucet “App pinning.”
Make certain the toggle on the prime of that display is within the energetic 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 be energetic.
Got it? Good. Now, with that possibility energetic, hop again into your Pixel Overview space, faucet the icon of any app you wish to pin, and search for the aptly named “Pin” possibility in that lovely little menu.JR Tap that, say “Ooga, booga, gherkin, workin’!” for good measure (and for my very own private amusement), and whoomp: That app can 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 suitable to proceed.If you are still utilizing Android’s outdated 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. 12: The pausing energyThis subsequent merchandise is one other oft-overlooked Android possibility. It permits you to briefly pause a person app, which implies the app’s icon will get grayed out and the app will not have the ability to ship you any notifications till both you unpause it or the day ends — whichever comes first. It’s a fantastic solution to give your self a reprieve from the horrors of social media, the alleged people of your office Slack channel, or no matter different drive is demanding an excessive amount of of your consideration throughout your (theoretically) off-work hours.The app-pausing energy is at all times 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 wish to pause, after which press the “Pause app” possibility. If you resolve you wish to unpause the app earlier than the day’s accomplished, simply discover and faucet its icon inside your private home display or app drawer, and your telephone will immediate you to undo the deed.Pixel superpower No. 13: The recent begin flickLast however not least in our Pixel Overview superpower assortment is an possibility that is broadly misunderstood and possibly used extra usually than it oughta be. But it is actually value being conscious of for the best types of conditions.So right here ’tis: Whilst viewing any app inside your telephone’s Overview space, you possibly can flick its card upward to dismiss it from the record. That’ll additionally dismiss the app out of your telephone’s energetic reminiscence and trigger it to begin up recent the subsequent time you open it as an alternative of selecting up the place you left off, because it usually would.Despite what some of us consider, there’s actually no want to do that as a matter of behavior. Android mechanically manages its energetic reminiscence and removes stuff as wanted. Because of that, continually closing every thing out as a type of compulsive “cleaning” is each pointless and infrequently even counterproductive (for the reason that system will mechanically restart something that must be operating, which then results in even much less environment friendly use of assets). But when an app is appearing funky or for another purpose requires a reset, this one-two flickeroo is a fantastic Overview device to recollect.And bear in mind, too: There’s tons extra the place this got here from. Come be a part of my fully free Pixel Academy e-course for seven full days of pleasant Pixel data — beginning with some camera-centric smarts and transferring 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 at all times one thing new simply ready to be found.
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