First 14 things to do with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are unimaginable telephones that sit atop the record of greatest Android telephones in 2023. And whereas Google’s Pixel UI is extremely user-friendly and intuitive, they’re nonetheless loaded with options that you simply may not find out about.Whether it is capturing the very best pictures and movies, utilizing gestures to carry out actions extra shortly, or tapping into the ability of AI to get issues finished like earlier than, it’s essential do this stuff first to make your Pixel 8, Pixel nice.Call screening(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)One of probably the most magical elements of proudly owning a Pixel is the automated call-screening characteristic powered by Google Assistant. But Call Screening is not essentially enabled by default, so you must test to verify it’s. Trust me, you will by no means return to a different cellphone once more when you notice how a lot spam this factor catches.Here’s how you can do it:Open the Phone app.Tap the three dots on the highest proper and faucet Settings.Select Caller ID & spam from the record.Click the toggle subsequent to caller and spam ID to allow the characteristic.Google Assistant will mechanically display calls which might be deemed suspicious or from unknown callers. Behind the scenes, Assistant will ask them a collection of inquiries to establish who they’re and why they’re calling. If they select to remain on the road, you will be offered a transcript of the decision, and Assistant will ask you if you wish to take the decision.Other instances, chances are you’ll have to faucet Screen name when somebody calls. Even if somebody calls, you possibly can faucet the Ask if pressing button to have Google Assistant politely let the caller know that you simply’re busy however will reply if it is pressing. It’s very helpful!Erase picture bombers(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Magic Eraser was first launched with the Google Pixel 6 collection and has steadily improved over time. It’s one of many many AI instruments included totally free with a Google Pixel cellphone, whereas different Android or iOS telephones will want a Google One subscription to make use of it.Magic Eraser is a good software that permits you to “magically erase” something you need in a picture. Whether that is a photograph bomber who’s messing up the image or only a distracting object, Magic Eraser can do quite a bit with just some faucets.We’ve obtained a full information on how you can use Magic Eraser, however this is a fast set of steps so you possibly can test it out instantly:Open the Photos app and discover a picture you need to edit.Tap the Edit button on the underside row of icons.Scroll over to Tools and faucet on Magic Eraser.Tap or circle any object you need to erase in a photograph.When you are finished, faucet Done, then Save a duplicate.Turn grey skies right into a dawn(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)One of the very best new options on the Pixel 8 collection is Magic Eraser. This new AI-assisted software faucets into the ability of Google Cloud, permitting you to resize and transfer topics or simply change up the sky for one thing a bit extra engaging. It works equally to Magic Eraser however with a number of twists.Magic Editor was initially proven off as a method to reframe a picture by shifting particular person topics to the “right place.” It’s simply as simple to make use of as Magic Eraser, and a lot of the work is both finished with a single faucet or by circling the topic, then tapping and holding to maneuver or resize it.Just like Magic Eraser, we now have a full information on how you can use Magic Editor. But for those who’re not able to dive in headfirst, this is a fast rundown on how you can make skies in your photos look much more engaging.Open the Photos app and discover a picture you need to edit.Tap the Edit button on the underside row of icons.Tap the multicolored icon on the underside left to launch Magic Editor.Tap or circle any object you need to selected, then long-press and slide to maneuver it, or pinch to enlarge or shrink it.To change the look of the sky, faucet the magic wand icon on the backside of the display and select your most well-liked look from the record.When you are finished, faucet Done, then Save a duplicate.Clean up noisy audio(Image credit score: Android Central)While the earlier “Magic” options are made for picture enhancing, Audio Magic Eraser is all about video enhancing. With the ability of AI and the Google Tensor G3 processor, you possibly can really repair noisy movies and isolate the sounds you need. Whether that is somebody speaking, music enjoying, or anything you need to hold or take away, Audio Magic Eraser makes it simple.Check out the distinction when utilizing Audio Magic Eraser on this demo I made, and look under to see how you can do it your self.Open the Photos app and discover a video you need to edit.Tap the Edit button on the underside row of icons.Select the Audio tab on the backside, then faucet Audio Magic Eraser.After all of the sounds are recognized, they’ll seem as separate soundtracks with clear labels on the underside, reminiscent of Nature or Noise.Tap the sound you need to edit, then transfer the slider to regulate the quantity of that sound.When you are finished, faucet Done, then Save a duplicate.Get it finished quicker with gesturesLike many fashionable Android telephones, the Google Pixel 8 collection helps quite a lot of gestures that allow you to carry out frequent duties extra shortly than sliding via menus all day. To discover Pixel 8 gestures, open up the Settings app, scroll all the way down to and faucet System, then choose Gestures from the record.My private favourite gestures are the Tap to test cellphone gesture, which helps you to double-tap the show when it is off to wake the cellphone, and the Quick faucet to start out actions gesture.I take advantage of this second one to invoke Google Assistant since I’ve a bunch of Nest Home audio system round my home, so I hold the “Hey Google” invocation methodology reserved for these audio system. There are much more actions in right here moreover simply Assistant, although, so try all of the potential gestures earlier than shifting on!Get some snazzy AI wallpaper(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Google has packed tons of AI options into the Pixel 8 collection, however the AI-generated wallpapers characteristic is one you possibly can get pleasure from day-after-day for those who use it. Google designed a novel method to create all kinds of various wallpaper designs based mostly in your preferences, however it’s not fairly as open-ended as ChatGPT.We’ve obtained an in depth tutorial for how you can use AI-generated wallpapers, however this is the quickest method to discover it and mess around with the out there choices:(Image credit score: Android Central)Long-press on an empty space of your own home display.Tap Wallpaper & model.Tap More wallpapers.Tap the AI wallpapers tile on the prime.Have enjoyable experimenting with all the differing types and choices!Automatically establish musicIt might sound bizarre, however one in all my favourite causes to make use of a Pixel is the Now Playing characteristic, which mechanically identifies any songs enjoying in your neighborhood. Enabling this characteristic permits your Pixel 8 to hear passively through the use of an ultra-low-power CPU core to establish when it hears music.When music is enjoying, it’s going to mechanically ship a request to Google Cloud and keep a listing of songs the cellphone heard all through the day. You may even look at your lock display and see any songs at present enjoying, then faucet the title of the music to play it in your music service of alternative. Here’s how you can allow Now Playing:Open your Settings app.Go to Sound & Vibration.Tap Now Playing.Toggle Identify songs enjoying close by on.Get assist in an emergencyGoogle’s Pixel line of telephones was the primary to supply automotive crash detection approach again in 2019, and it might assist save your life within the occasion of a automotive crash. The Personal Safety app is constructed into your Pixel and is simple to arrange. However, as you may anticipate, it requires a hefty quantity of permissions so as to work correctly. That contains microphone permission, location entry, and a few others that not everybody can be comfy with.But there’s one thing price saying about getting emergency assist when you possibly can’t attain or discover your cellphone within the occasion of a traumatic crash. Here’s how to make sure you get assist immediately with the assistance of your Pixel cellphone:Open your Settings app.Go to Safety & emergency.Tap Car crash detection.Sign in to Google Personal Safety together with your Google account.Accept any permissions required to make use of the Personal Safety app.Click the banner up prime for location permission, then choose Allow on a regular basis for location entry.Scroll all the way down to the Actions for those who need assistance after a crash part and allow any actions you need your cellphone to carry out within the occasion of detecting a automotive crash.Fancy up your lock displayIt’s probably that you will be utilizing your lock display day-after-day, so why not make it a bit nicer wanting? Customizing your lock display is as simple as long-pressing anyplace on the lock display after which tapping the Customize lock display button on the underside of the display.From right here, you possibly can change the font, coloration, measurement, and magnificence of the clock, choose a unique wallpaper on your house and lock display, and modify the 2 shortcuts within the backside corners.A phrase of be aware: some lock display customizations are solely seen when you don’t have any notifications, so chances are you’ll need to disable lock display notifications if this bothers you. That will be finished simply within the lock display customization choices.Enable VPN by Google OneDo you know your Google Pixel 8 comes with a free VPN service by Google? Normally, you’d must pay for Google One and use a supported gadget, however one of many many luxuries of getting a Google cellphone is that this necessary safety characteristic is inbuilt. All it’s a must to do is allow it!Enabling the VPN will guarantee all community visitors out of your cellphone is encrypted, so you will really feel secure even on these shoddy passwordless public Wi-Fi networks. Here’s how you can allow VPN by Google One in your Pixel 8:Open your Settings app.Tap Network & web.Tap VPN.Select VPN by Google One from the record.Click the toggle subsequent to Use VPN to allow the characteristic.You may toggle VPN by Google One within the fast toggles space of your notification shade. Just pull down twice on the standing bar on the prime of the show.Turn on Live CaptionsWhether you categorize your self as deaf, exhausting of listening to, or identical to captions whereas watching movies, the Live Captions characteristic is an incredible software you will by no means need to stay with out. The better part is that Live Captions would not want the audio supply to have caption assist. Your Pixel 8 makes use of machine studying to know any audio taking place in your gadget and generates captions stay, because the namesake implies.That means you need to use this for movies, cellphone calls, video games, and anything that you may want or want captions for! Here’s how you can allow it:(Image credit score: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)Click one of many quantity buttons on the precise aspect of your Pixel to deliver up the quantity adjustment panel.Tap the Live Captions button under the quantity slider.Accept the permission immediate if that is your first time enabling the characteristic.To disable Live Captions, repeat steps one and two.Track coughing and loud night breathingDigital Wellbeing has been round for years, however do you know that your Pixel 8’s Digital Wellbeing options can be utilized to detect coughing and loud night breathing at evening when you sleep? Tracking your coughing or sleeping at evening can assist you enhance your sleep, however it’s a must to know you might have these issues earlier than you possibly can attempt to repair them!Here’s how you can allow cough and snore detection:Open your Settings app.Scroll all the way down to and faucet Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.Select Continue on the Cough & snore detection dialog up prime.Tap Allow to provide the cellphone entry to your microphone throughout your recurrently scheduled bedtime.Make positive you both manually choose Bedtime mode when sleeping or schedule it via the Digital Wellbeing settings panel.Pro digicam mode (Pixel 8 Pro solely)Unfortunately for smaller Pixel 8 house owners, some digicam options are unique to the bigger Pixel 8 Pro. One such characteristic is the brand new Pro digicam mode, which allows guide adjustment choices whereas taking a photograph. From right here, you possibly can regulate shutter velocity, ISO, coloration temperature, white steadiness, and even guide focus.Here’s how you can shortly entry the guide mode when taking photos on a Google Pixel 8 Pro:(Image credit score: Android Central)Open the Camera app.In picture mode, faucet the Manual button on the underside proper.Tap any choice you need to handle and regulate the slider to configure your setting of alternative.Take a photograph while you’re proud of the look.Boost your video high quality (Pixel 8 Pro solely)Now that Video Boost is offered on the Pixel 8 Pro, you may get the very best potential video recording high quality out of your cellphone. Video Boost makes use of the ability of Google Cloud so as to add additional processing to a video after it has been taken, however it has a number of caveats.First, you will must allow Video Boost each time you need to use it, so it is clear that this characteristic is not supposed on your on a regular basis fast video captures. Second, it could actually take hours to course of captured movies earlier than the best-quality model is offered.After enabling the characteristic and recording your video, a normal-quality model can be out there immediately. Opening up the video within the Google Photos app will present you each variations so you possibly can examine the standard as soon as the higher model is offered. The distinction in high quality will be large, particularly in decrease mild. Here’s how you can use Video Boost:(Image credit score: Android Central)Open your Camera app.Tap the Video digicam icon on the underside to change to video seize.Tap the Settings cog on the bottom-left to open settings.Click the toggle to allow Video Boost.Tap the file button and file your video as you usually would.After the video has been captured, open the Google Photos app and discover your video.Select between the 2 variations of the video by tapping the preview tiles on the backside of the display.Hopefully some or all of the following pointers are ready that can assist you get probably the most out of your new Pixel 8. As among the best Android telephones available on the market, there’s are loads of spectacular and easy-to-use options that may provide the greatest expertise when taking pictures, making calls, and even when you’re asleep.