If you have obtained a Google Pixel telephone, it is time to rejoice — for some shiny new software program is on its method to you this week.Android 13, Google’s newest and biggest Android model, formally made its touchdown on Monday and is within the midst of rolling out to present Pixel units as we communicate.That means for those who’ve obtained a Pixel 4 or greater, it must be displaying up in your sweaty person-palms any second now. And that, in flip, means you have obtained some spectacular new Googley goodies to discover.For everybody else — effectively, time will inform. It’s as much as every device-maker to course of and ship Android updates to its clients, and never all telephones are created equal. You can look again to my Android 12 Upgrade Report Card for a basic gauge of how lengthy your telephone’s producer tends to take with rollouts (after which perhaps take into consideration for those who actually wish to be shopping for telephones from that firm sooner or later).For now, it is a Pixel celebration right here within the land o’ Android — and gersh dern it, it is time to have a good time. Android 13’s most outstanding Pixel-affecting additions could appear refined, given the software program’s concentrate on tablets and foldables, however do not let the familiar-feeling interface idiot you. All under-the-hood enhancements and security-aimed enhancements apart, Android 13’s obtained some completely superior stuff to be discovered — if you understand the place to look.Ready to dig up your Pixel’s latest buried treasures? Android 13 treasure No. 1: Fast flashlight flippingIf you have obtained the Pixel 6 or greater, take word: Your telephone’s Quick Tap characteristic simply gained an extremely helpful new choice.So right here it’s: You can now flip your Pixel’s flashlight on or off with a mere two faucets in your telephone’s again (and an optionally available however extremely really helpful uttering of the phrase “Lumos” together with that). It could not be a lot simpler to arrange, both:
Head into your Pixel telephone’s settings (by swiping down twice from the highest of the display after which tapping the gear-shaped icon within the panel that pops up).
Tap “System” adopted by “Gestures” after which “Quick Tap to start actions.”
Make positive the toggle on the high of the display that comes up subsequent is within the on place.
As lengthy as you have obtained Android 13 on the system, it’s best to see a brand new “Toggle flashlight” choice towards the underside of the record.
Tap that to pick out it, then faucet twice in your Pixel’s again and caress it gently for good measure.Oh, and bear in mind, too: You can increase that Quick Tap system even additional with this artful hack, in order for you to have the ability to use it for activating your telephone’s Do Not Disturb mode and different such not-officially-supported actions.Android 13 treasure No. 2: A extra succesful clipboardNext up: With Android 13 in its digital paws, your Pixel positive aspects an entire new class of copying and pasting energy.Try this:
Press and maintain your finger onto any textual content — in your browser, a doc, an e mail, or anyplace else textual content is selectable in your telephone — after which faucet the choice to repeat it.
Look for the newly current clipboard pop-up that plops up briefly on the backside of your display.
JRSee it? Good — now faucet that textual content, and… JRWouldya take a look at that? Your freshly upgraded Pixel will allow you to edit any textual content you copy after which have the adjustments go immediately onto your system clipboard for future pasting.Not dangerous, Android 13. Not dangerous in any respect.Android 13 treasure No. 3: Vibration customizationHere’s a helpful new Android 13 choice you’d in all probability by no means discover: As of this newest replace, your Pixel can assist completely different vibration intensities (insert refined smirk right here) for various kinds of functions. Here’s methods to discover ’em:
Buzz your manner again into your Pixel’s system settings.
Tap “Sound & vibration” adopted by “Vibration & haptics.”
Ooh, ahh, and optionally gurgle in any respect the newly nuanced choices in entrance of you.
JRPlay round with the completely different sliders to determine which settings work greatest for you, then get pleasure from your Pixel’s newly optimized context-specific buzzing conduct.Android 13 treasure No. 4: Vibration notificationSpeaking of fine vibrations (paging Marky Mark and/or the Beach Boys…), Android 13 corrects an ungainly oversight Google launched in its final Pixel-aimed replace: It empowers you to inform your Pixel you at all times wish to know when its vibrate-only mode is energetic.For some motive, final yr’s Android 12 replace took away the vibration icon that’d historically present up within the Pixel’s standing bar each time the sound was set to vibrate-only. Android 13 marks its triumphant return — nevertheless it’s as much as you to seek out the swap after which flick it to get it going.Luckily, there is not a lot to it:
Get again to that “Sound & vibration” menu in your system settings.
This time, scroll all the way in which to the underside and search for the newly added “Always show icon when in vibrate mode” choice on the very backside of the display.
Tap the toggle subsequent to it to show it into the on place.
Much extra wise, would not ya say?Android 13 treasure No. 5: An energetic app overviewAndroid’s dealing with of background processes is a woefully misunderstood topic, so let me preface this subsequent Android 13 addition by reiterating for the gazillionth time: You actually need not obsess over which apps are working within the background in your telephone as a basic rule, and also you completely should not be making an attempt to shut out or forcefully cease apps willy-nilly for no motive.Android manages all that stuff routinely, and until you are working into some type of uncommon drawback, messing round with it’ll truly make your telephone much less environment friendly — because the working system will merely should restart something that has a motive to be working within the background seconds after you cease it.That being mentioned, Android 13 makes it a heck of rather a lot simpler to peek in on what particular apps are energetic in your Pixel at any given second after which — if a legit motive exists — cease ’em from working.Simply swipe down twice from the highest of your display to open your telephone’s full Quick Settings panel, then search for the newly added line on the backside of that display that exhibits what number of apps are at the moment energetic. JRYup — that is the one! Tap that son of a tubber, and you may see an in depth record of what is working, strolling, and perhaps even prancing merrily in your Pixel at that very second. JRIf one thing is energetic that looks as if it should not be, take into consideration wanting in that app’s settings to see what it is as much as and why. But please, resist the urge to cease stuff for no legitimate motive. It will not do any good, and it will make folks like me grumble, groan, and grouse much more than traditional.Android 13 treasure No. 6: An easier scannerWhile we’re with reference to Quick Settings and Android 13’s changes in that space, take a gander at your Pixel’s newly current shortcut choice: a one-tap QR scanner you possibly can entry from anyplace in your telephone. Hey, why not?To uncover the brand new Android 13 scanner shortcut:
Swipe down twice from the highest of your display to open up these Quick Settings.
Tap the pencil-shaped enhancing icon within the panel’s lower-right nook.
Scroll down towards the underside and search for the “Scan QR code” tile.
Press and maintain it, then slide it as much as one of many topmost positions to place it in an energetic and simply accessible place.
Remember, the primary 4 Quick Settings tiles in your Pixel are crucial — as these are those that present up with only a single swipe down from the highest of your display. Easy entry, child!Android 13 treasure No. 7: Quicker connected-device controlsIf you employ any allegedly good Google Assistant units in your workplace or abode, concentrate: This subsequent one’s for you.Android 13 makes it simpler than ever to regulate any of your related devices — lights, audio system, thermostats, digital geckos, or no matter sorts of contraptions you have obtained attached in your workspace — proper out of your Pixel’s lock display.Here’s the key to creating it occur:
Gallop again into your Pixel’s system settings.
Tap “Display” adopted by “Lock screen.”
Make positive the toggle subsequent to “Show device controls” is within the on place. (That half is not new, nevertheless it’s wanted for the following half to work.)
Directly beneath that, relaxation your eyes on the brand new “Control from locked device” choice and flip the toggle subsequent to that into the on place, too.
Now, when your Pixel is locked, search for the vaguely home-shaped icon within the lower-left nook of its lock display: JRTapping that may pull up the Android 13 related system management panel — and so long as the app or course of related along with your good doohickey permits it, you’ll alter it with out even having to unlock your telephone.Android 13 treasure No. 8: A much less comically giant lock display clockAll proper: While we’re obsessing over our Pixels’ lock screens, we have gotta to deal with the elephant within the room. And to be clear, I’m not saying “elephant in the room” as a result of it is one thing unstated however relatively as a result of the thing in query is roughly the scale of 4 totally grown pachyderms.I’m speaking, after all, about that Android-12-era Pixel lock display clock — the topic of a lot debate amongst Pixel-owning pachyderms and people alike. Android 12 launched a brand new lock display design that may greatest be described as massively honkin’ big, and never everybody’s been thrilled about it.Well, my fellow land-rover, you might be happy to be taught that Android 13 introduces the choice to shrink that clock again all the way down to a extra earthly-seeming dimension, for those who’re amongst those that aren’t diggin’ the mammoth digits.Here’s all you have gotta do:
Galumph your manner again into the “Display” after which “Lock screen” space of your Pixel’s system settings.
Look for the newly added “Double-line clock” choice.
Turn its toggle into the off place.
Breathe an elephant-sized sigh of reduction.
Android 13 treasures No. 9 and 10: Better bedtime behaviorOur ultimate two Android-13-enabled Pixel additions are a pair of enhanced choices for serving to your telephone aid you wind down for sleepytime. And actually, who would not need that?!Android’s had a surprisingly highly effective Bedtime Mode characteristic for some time now. It helps you to create a particular set of changes that occur routinely at a sure schedule — both at particular occasions on particular days of the week or each time your telephone is charging throughout sure preset hours.You can have your Pixel routinely activate Do Not Disturb mode, as an example, in addition to swap the display over to a much less distracting grayscale setting and shut off its otherwise-always-on show.Android 13 tacks two noteworthy new choices into that record of prospects: You can now have your Pixel routinely swap over to Android’s Dark Theme and in addition dim your wallpaper for a extra mellow look everytime you’ve obtained Bedtime Mode going.You can discover each new choices by following this roadmap:
Open up your Pixel system settings.
Tap “Digital Wellbeing & parental controls,” then faucet “Bedtime mode.”
Unless you solely wish to activate Bedtime Mode manually as wanted, be sure to arrange some method of activation guidelines throughout the “Bedtime routine” space of the display.
Finally, faucet “Customize” after which “Screen options at bedtime” and search for the “Dim the wallpaper” and “Dark Theme” choices.
JRAll that is left is to sing your Pixel a candy lullaby after which drift off to a geeky, Googley slumber.Sweet goals, you stunning pachyderm.Don’t let your self miss an oz. of Pixel magic. Sign up for my free Pixel Academy e-course and uncover tons of hidden options and time-saving tips on your favourite Pixel telephone.

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