These are the first features I turned on when I got my pixel

The layout for a New Pixel phone are simple and more or less in line with the rest of Android -Smartphones Out there. When I first turned on my phone, I signed up for my Google account, downloaded the apps I use, chose a wallpaper and went through all other basic settings and customizations.

However, the real fun begins after the first setup. There are many settings and features to play with, some more important than others. I want to share the five I activated on day one on my pixel, along with some extra that is also worth checking out.

I have used the flashlight feature regularly on almost every Android phone I have owned. It comes in handy when I release something behind the couch, look for my keys that fell out of my pocket in front of the house at night, or when there is a power failure.

The faster I can turn it on, the better, and that’s where Pixel’s Holding Screen shortcuts come in. So one of the first things I did on my pixel was to switch to the flashlight snarie, which brought my lash to my lock screen. Every time I need to use it, I just wake up the screen and press and hold the flashlight icon in the lower left corner. I can then turn it off with a single pressure.

It works like a charm and saves me a few extra taps, then otherwise I have to unlock the phone and pull down the warning shade to turn on the flashlight – or do it from the settings.

To activate this shortcut, head to Settings> Display & Touch> Lockscreen> Shortcuts and press the flashlight icon. You can place it to the left or right and even add an extra shortcut of selection.

I often use my phone in bed, just before I go to bed. I know I shouldn’t do it, but it’s hard to break bad habits.

Using bedtime mode paired with not disturbing mode is the closest I’ve come to it. By turning on these two, non-pressing calls cannot reach me, and notifications are turned off. That way I have less incentive to pick up the phone. But if I still do, the screen becomes automatically black and white, and the wallpaper is dimmed, which adds less load on my eyes.

A black -white screen is also a sign for me that it is time to put the phone down. I set it so that it turns on at 23 and turn off at 08:00, an hour after I got up in the morning. So it also works as a reminder that I should not use the phone right after I’m up, but if I do, the colors are muted and provides a less colorful experience for my sleepy eyes.

To turn it on, head to Settings> Digital Wellness and Parental Controls> Bed Time Mode And set it up to your taste.

The Quick Tap feature on my pixel lets me open a choice of apps or perform a specific task just by double tapping the back of the phone. I have it set up so it opens GeminiAs I use daily. I could technically press and keep the power button to access Gemini, as that’s how my pixel is set up by default, but I decided to recreate the button to get it up the power menu.

The feature is not perfect, as I sometimes need to press the phone a little harder than I want to get Gemini, but it works as an advertised 90% of the time for me.

To set it up, take the trip to Settings> System> Movements> Quick Requirements to Start Actions. In addition to starting your digital assistant, you can use it to Take a screenshotPlay or break media, show alerts, turn on the flashlight or open a choice of apps.

I’m on a limited Data plan And use it often since I don’t always have access to Wi-Fi. It can be expensive to cross the border, so I try to make sure I don’t do it unless I really have to. The data warning feature of my pixel helps me with it, even though it’s available on more or less each phone out there.

I have a data warning set in a way that it notifies me when I have some GB data left for the month, just so I know how to tone it down, especially if I’m only halfway through the billing cycle. I also have a data limit that is similar to my data plan, which means I can not use more of it when reached.

If you are on an unlimited plan or generally do not go over your data list, this feature is not valuable to you. But if you have a limited plan like me, using it can save you a lot of money. You can set it up by going to Settings> Network and Internet> SIMS. Then press the SIM card for which you want to enter the data limits and select the “Data Warning and Limit option” option.

I love music, but I tend to listen to the same old artists and songs over and over again. The only time I usually discover new music is when I sit in a cafe or restaurant and hear something fresh on the radio.

Lately i always launched Shazam In a scenario like this to find out the name of the artist and song, but my pixel makes things even easier for me. The now playing feature, when activated, shows the name of the song that plays right on my lock screen, so I don’t need a separate app to track it anymore.

The nice thing about it is that it works completely automatically, so I don’t have to do anything except to set it up in the first place. Then I just go into the settings and check the songs and artists the feature picked up while relaxing at a cafe that drank a mojito.

To activate it, go to Settings> Sound and Vibration> Player Now. This is where you also find the now player history.

These are the first five things I have set up on my pixel, and I will do the same with the next one too. However, Google’s phones have a bunch of other interesting features and settings that come in handy.

I have recently started using notification history, which helps me to track the warnings I happened to sweep away. There is a useful feature, and a my colleague Rita touched her post about Android –No warning tricks.

The setting for charging optimization is another to keep in mind so that I can choose between adaptive charging or one charging limit of 80%. Then there is too Cross -purity servicesWhich enables me to share a computer connection between my mobile devices with ease.

Now is your turn – what settings do you usually activate or immediately disable your Android phone? Let me know in the comments.