The greatest buried Android 13 treasures
Pixel house owners, pay attention up: You will not wish to miss these out-of-sight Android 13 gems.
Marco Verch/JR Raphael, IDG
(CC BY 2.0)
If you’ve got obtained a Google Pixel telephone, it is time to rejoice — for some shiny new software program is on its option 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 converse.
That means if you happen to’ve obtained a Pixel 4 or increased, it needs to be displaying up in your sweaty person-palms any second now. And that, in flip, means you’ve got obtained some spectacular new Googley goodies to discover.
[Psst: Android 13 is only the start. Check out my free Pixel Academy e-course to uncover all sorts of advanced intelligence lurking within your favorite Pixel phone!]
For everybody else — effectively, time will inform. It’s as much as every device-maker to course of and ship Android updates to its prospects, and never all telephones are created equal. You can look again to my Android 12 Upgrade Report Card for a common gauge of how lengthy your telephone’s producer tends to take with rollouts (after which possibly take into consideration if you happen to actually wish to be shopping for telephones from that firm sooner or later).
For now, it is a Pixel social gathering right here within the land o’ Android — and gersh dern it, it is time to rejoice. Android 13’s most distinguished Pixel-affecting additions could appear refined, given the software program’s give attention to 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 flipping
If you’ve got obtained the Pixel 6 or increased, take notice: 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 non-compulsory however extremely really useful 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 begin actions.”
- Make certain the toggle on the prime of the display that comes up subsequent is within the on place.
- As lengthy as you’ve got obtained Android 13 on the system, it is best to see a brand new “Toggle flashlight” choice towards the underside of the listing.
Tap that to pick it, then faucet twice in your Pixel’s again and caress it gently for good measure.
Oh, and keep in mind, too: You can develop that Quick Tap system even additional with this artful hack, if you’d like 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 clipboard
Next up: With Android 13 in its digital paws, your Pixel beneficial properties 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 electronic mail, or wherever 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.
JR
See it? Good — now faucet that textual content, and…
JR
Wouldya 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 unhealthy, Android 13. Not unhealthy in any respect.
Android 13 treasure No. 3: Vibration customization
Here’s a useful new Android 13 choice you’d most likely by no means discover: As of this newest replace, your Pixel can assist totally different vibration intensities (insert refined smirk right here) for various kinds of functions.
Here’s discover ’em:
- Buzz your means 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.
JR
Play round with the totally different sliders to determine which settings work greatest for you, then get pleasure from your Pixel’s newly optimized context-specific buzzing habits.
Android 13 treasure No. 4: Vibration notification
Speaking 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 at any time when the sound was set to vibrate-only. Android 13 marks its triumphant return — however it’s as much as you to seek out the change 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 present 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 overview
Android’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 operating within the background in your telephone as a common rule, and also you completely should not be attempting to shut out or forcefully cease apps willy-nilly for no motive.
Android manages all that stuff robotically, and until you are operating into some kind of uncommon drawback, messing round with it would truly make your telephone much less environment friendly — because the working system will merely must restart something that has a motive to be operating within the background seconds after you cease it.
That being stated, Android 13 makes it a heck of so much simpler to peek in on what particular apps are energetic in your Pixel at any given second after which — if a authentic motive exists — cease ’em from operating.
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 reveals what number of apps are presently energetic.
JR
Yup — that is the one! Tap that son of a tubber, and you may see an in depth listing of what is operating, strolling, and possibly even prancing merrily in your Pixel at that very second.
JR
If one thing is energetic that looks as if it should not be, take into consideration trying 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 individuals like me grumble, groan, and grouse much more than ordinary.
Android 13 treasure No. 6: A less complicated scanner
While 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 may entry from wherever 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 modifying 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 controls
If you employ any allegedly sensible 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 linked devices — lights, audio system, thermostats, digital geckos, or no matter sorts of contraptions you’ve got obtained connected 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 display.”
- Make certain the toggle subsequent to “Show system controls” is within the on place. (That half is not new, however it’s wanted for the following half to work.)
- Directly beneath that, relaxation your eyes on the brand new “Control from locked system” 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:
JR
Tapping that may pull up the Android 13 linked system management panel — and so long as the app or course of related along with your sensible doohickey permits it, you’ll modify it with out even having to unlock your telephone.
Android 13 treasure No. 8: A much less comically giant lock display clock
All proper: While we’re obsessing over our Pixels’ lock screens, we have gotta to handle the elephant within the room. And to be clear, I’m not saying “elephant within the room” as a result of it is one thing unstated however relatively as a result of the item in query is roughly the scale of 4 totally grown pachyderms.
I’m speaking, in fact, 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’ large, and never everybody’s been thrilled about it.
Well, my fellow land-rover, it’s possible you’ll be happy to study that Android 13 introduces the choice to shrink that clock again all the way down to a extra earthly-seeming measurement, if you happen to’re amongst those that aren’t diggin’ the mammoth digits.
Here’s all you’ve got gotta do:
- Galumph your means again into the “Display” after which “Lock display” 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 habits
Our closing two Android-13-enabled Pixel additions are a pair of enhanced choices for serving to your telephone show you how to 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 enables you to create a selected set of changes that occur robotically at a sure schedule — both at particular occasions on particular days of the week or at any time when your telephone is charging throughout sure preset hours.
You can have your Pixel robotically activate Do Not Disturb mode, as an example, in addition to change 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 listing of prospects: You can now have your Pixel robotically change 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, ensure you arrange some method of activation guidelines throughout the “Bedtime routine” space of the display.
- Finally, faucet “Customize” after which “Screen choices at bedtime” and search for the “Dim the wallpaper” and “Dark Theme” choices.
JR
All that is left is to sing your Pixel a candy lullaby after which drift off to a geeky, Googley slumber.
Sweet desires, you lovely 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 to your favourite Pixel telephone.