The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
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The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google’s most vital telephones but, providing spectacular {hardware}, top-notch cameras and an attention-grabbing design, based on CNET’s reviewers. But to take advantage of your new Pixel cellphone, you will wish to dig into the settings and make a number of tweaks.Some of those adjustments will give the person interface a contemporary look, whereas others will enable you to get extra out of your Pixel cellphone’s digicam or battery. Google has additionally baked some attention-grabbing new options into the cellphone app that may make it simpler to name customer support numbers with out ready on maintain. We’ll present you tips on how to flip these settings on or off, too.
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Here’s a take a look at the settings it is best to change in your Pixel 6 immediately. Read extra: All the Pixel 5 and Pixel 6’s largest variationsTurn on themed icons to make your apps match your wallpaperOne of the most important options in Android 12 is Material You, which customizes the software program’s coloration palette to match your wallpaper. To allow this, begin by lengthy urgent on any empty area in your Pixel 6’s residence display. Then faucet “Wallpaper & style” and ensure the change subsequent to “Themed icons” is toggled on. Now a few of your app icons and sure components in apps like Gmail, the Google Play Store and Google Chrome may have coloration accents that match your wallpaper.
You could make app icons on the Pixel 6 match its wallpaper.
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Use Quick Phrases to dismiss an alarm or cellphone name with out saying, ‘Hey, Google’We’ve all been there. It’s 6 a.m., your alarm begins blaring and also you barely have the vitality to succeed in on your cellphone. Google makes this a bit of simpler on the Pixel 6 by enabling you to pause or dismiss an alarm by merely saying, “Snooze” or “Stop” with out requiring the “Hey, Google” set off phrase. You can do the identical for cellphone calls by saying, “Answer” or “Decline” with out having to seize your machine.To flip this on, open the Settings menu and select Apps. Then, choose Assistant and faucet Quick Phrases. You ought to see choices for alarms and timers and incoming calls. Tap the change subsequent to every one to allow this characteristic.The quick-phrases characteristic enables you to dismiss alarms and reply calls with out utilizing the Hey, Google wake phrase.
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Have Google Assistant wait on maintain for you and transcribe automated cellphone menusTired of ready on maintain? Try utilizing Google’s Hold For Me characteristic, which has Google Assistant wait on maintain after which notify you when a buyer consultant turns into accessible. If you do not wish to keep in mind which quantity to punch the following time you are sitting by means of automated voice prompts, it’s also possible to activate Direct My Call. This transcribes automated menus in order that you do not have to recollect which quantity to press to get directed to the proper extension. Both of those options are accessible from the Pixel 6’s cellphone app. Open the Phone app and faucet the three dots within the prime proper nook to get began. Choose Settings and it is best to see Hold for Me and Direct My Call below the Assistive part.The Direct My Call characteristic appears promising, however it solely works for toll-free numbers in English proper now. That could make its transcriptions a bit complicated since many automated cellphone menus sometimes learn choices in Spanish, too.Google Assistant can transcribe automated menus for you when calling toll-free numbers, however solely in English.
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Choose whether or not you wish to lengthen battery life or enhance efficiency Google’s Pixel telephones can optimize battery life relying on how you employ your cellphone. While that is a helpful perk, there could also be occasions if you’d choose to show this characteristic off so that you could get higher efficiency out of your machine. You can flip this setting on or off anytime by opening the Settings menu, selecting Battery and tapping “Adaptive preferences.”The Pixel 6 can optimize its battery primarily based in your cellphone utilization.
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Turn on Smart Storage to keep away from operating out of areaIf you are taking a variety of images and movies, you understand how valuable your machine’s space for storing could be. As one method to cope with that drawback, you possibly can select to have your Pixel cellphone robotically delete outdated images to unencumber area. If you allow this characteristic, your Pixel machine will erase images backed as much as your Google Photos account which were in your machine for 60 days in case your cellphone’s storage is lower than 25 %. To flip this on, open Settings, select Storage and faucet “Free up space.” Then faucet the menu icon within the prime left nook and choose Settings. Toggle the change subsequent to Smart Storage.
Google’s Smart Storage characteristic robotically deletes outdated images to avoid wasting area.
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Use Storage Saver to optimize your Pixel’s picture and video storageIf you wish to save area, there’s another choice: Enable Storage Saver in your Pixel machine. This adjustments settings that use giant quantities of storage, similar to saving RAW photographs as JPEG and recording movies in 1080p as an alternative of 4K. If you care extra about saving area than having the very best decision potential, you would possibly wish to do this.Launch the Camera app and faucet the settings cog within the prime left nook. Then, faucet “More settings” and choose “Device storage.” Toggle the change subsequent to Storage Saver.The Pixel also can change sure media settings to optimize storage.
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Customize what occurs if you press the quantity key whereas taking imagesYou can use the quantity button to snap a photograph, alter the zoom or management the audio quantity in your Pixel machine. Open the Camera app, press the settings icon and select “More settings.” Then, select Gestures and choose “Volume key action” to decide on your most well-liked possibility.You can customise the quantity key on the Pixel 6.
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Make positive your Pixel’s display robotically switches orientation when neededFew issues could be extra annoying than having your cellphone caught in portrait mode if you’re holding it in panorama mode to observe a video. Avoid this in your Pixel 6 by opening the Settings menu, selecting Display and tapping “Auto-rotate screen.” You also can select to activate face detection to make auto-rotate extra correct. Google says photographs utilized in face detection are by no means saved or despatched to the corporate. Make positive your Pixel switches its display orientation if you need it to.
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Identify songs taking part in close by on the lock screenEver heard a music taking part in at a restaurant and questioned what it is referred to as? Google Pixel units can acknowledge songs and show the title of the music and artist in your cellphone’s lock display. Open the Settings menu, select Display and faucet “Lock screen.” Press Now Playing and toggle on the change subsequent to “Identify songs playing nearby.”The Pixel 6 can show the monitor title and artist for songs taking part in close by.
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Choose whether or not you need smoother scrolling or longer battery lifeThe Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are able to boosting their refresh charges to allow sooner scrolling and smoother animations, which makes the software program typically really feel extra responsive. The Pixel 6 can bump its refresh price as much as 90Hz, whereas the Pixel 6 Pro can go as much as120Hz. But since this characteristic will increase battery utilization, there are occasions if you would possibly wish to flip it off.To entry this feature, open the Settings menu and select Display. Scroll all the way down to Smooth Display and toggle the change to show it on or off. You can select to extend the display’s refresh price or maximize battery life on the Pixel 6.
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Add captions to movies, podcasts and cellphone callsGoogle’s Live Caption characteristic generates captions for media taking part in in your machine, and it really works on older Pixels relationship again to the second-generation mannequin too. It’s an accessibility characteristic, and it may also be helpful for occasions if you’re caught with out headphones and want to listen to the content material of a video or podcast in a public setting. To flip this on, press the quantity button and faucet the Live Caption icon, which seems like a speech bubble. Just keep in mind that utilizing Live Caption can use extra battery assets.
Google’s Live Caption expertise captions audio taking part in in your machine.
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Edit your fast settings to simply entry shortcutsPulling down from the highest of the display will launch the quick-settings menu. Tap the pencil icon to edit this menu and add the settings you employ most frequently. Google affords all kinds of choices starting from battery saver to enabling or disabling the microphone and accessing alarms. Of course, you will discover staples like airplane mode, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi right here too.These are only a few of the numerous settings shortcuts accessible on the Pixel 6.
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Looking for extra recommendation on your different Google units? Check out our ideas for enhancing your productiveness on Chromebooks and getting essentially the most out of your Google Nest.