Tips on how to use the Pixel launcher to be extra ...

Personalizing your cellphone along with your favourite apps is without doubt one of the defining options of smartphones and is on the market on principally any of those you should purchase: Android, iOS, or in any other case. Past that, your potential to customise your cellphone can differ. Each cellphone maker will allow you to change your wallpaper, however not all of them will allow you to change the core fundamentals of how your cellphone works. A novel facet of Android gadgets specifically is their potential to run launchers — the software program that governs how your property display capabilities and the way you set up and cargo into apps — apart from those they ship with.

Altering your launcher is without doubt one of the greatest modifications you’ll be able to alter how your cellphone feels to make use of. There are dozens of great third-party Android launchers, however you may need the whole lot you want with the one your cellphone shipped with. The Pixel launcher that comes on all of Google’s first-party telephones and tablets is not flashy, but it surely has sufficient built-in options that it may possibly show you how to really feel extra productive and fewer hooked up to your cellphone with the correct setup. This is how I am leveraging the Pixel launcher on my Pixel 9 to be a bit extra productive at work, and steering on how it’s best to method the Pixel cellphone in your pocket.

Let the launcher do the be just right for you

Make your cellphone self-sufficient

My common logic for private devices and smartphones specifically is that it’s best to alter your property display and lock display in order that they serve what you should do in your cellphone and never the opposite approach round. You must begin there, as a result of even on a cellphone with tons of of apps on it, you continue to spend plenty of time trying on the app grid or notifications in your lock display. If you will get away with solely hanging on the market and never diving into an app, it’s best to.

The primary place you will wish to head to start out organising your Pixel is “Dwelling settings,” which you’ll simply entry by long-pressing on your property display and tapping on “Dwelling settings” within the contextual menu that pops up. I prefer to allow a number of settings in there, like At a Look, Google’s widget that pulls and shows info from throughout its providers everytime you want it most, be it your Calendar, your Gmail, or simply the climate. It isn’t flashy, however you’ll be able to’t declare it does not work.

I’d additionally alter the next choices:

• Flip Swipe to entry Google app on to entry information proper from your property display.
• Flip Add app icons to dwelling display off so you’ll be able to determine when and if you wish to add an app to your property display.
• Flip Notification dots on so you understand in the event you even have to faucet on an app within the first place.

After getting these taken care of, there are a couple of different choices I prefer to tweak within the sub-menus of Dwelling settings. Relying in your cellphone’s greatest guess of what app you want sounds somewhat regarding, however each iOS and Android are fairly good at suggesting apps and after they’re unsuitable, the friction of discovering what you truly need may very well be sufficient to get you off your cellphone when you do not should be on it.

With that in thoughts, inside Ideas, activate Ideas in all apps checklist and Ideas on Dwelling display to start out seeing the apps your Pixel thinks it’s best to open. As a rule of thumb, I go away one spot within the backside row of apps on my dwelling display open for these options. You will additionally wish to head into Search settings and make it possible for Swipe as much as begin search and Internet search are each on. That approach, you’ll be able to simply look issues up instantly from your property display.

So far as your lock display and the final aesthetic of each your lock display and residential display go, plenty of it may be left as much as private desire. Within the Settings app, the primary sections you will wish to deal with are the Show & contact and Wallpaper & fashion sub-menus. As you may anticipate, you may make your cellphone suit your visible aesthetic below Wallpaper & fashion. Google has a pleasant collection of wallpapers, however I’ve admittedly had extra enjoyable enjoying with its software for creating AI-generated ones (the extra summary and pattern-like the wallpaper might be, the higher). On this similar menu it’s best to activate Present notifications on lock display and determine what you need your lock display shortcuts to be. I take advantage of the flashlight and Do Not Disturb mode, however there are different choices like Google Pockets or the Google Dwelling app, too.

Lastly, head to Show & contact after which faucet on Lock display to allow the Now Playing feature so you’ll be able to determine songs with out having to ask Google Assistant or Gemini. You must also ensure that Dynamic Clock is on and At all times present time and information is disabled to avoid wasting additional battery life. Tweak any remaining settings primarily based in your desire and concern for privateness. Usually, although, the extra you are able to do with out unlocking your cellphone, the higher.

Most apps solely should be glanced at

With these fundamentals set, I like to consider workflow. I primarily use my Pixel 9 for work (each for calls and e mail, and as a Android machine to check issues on) whereas my iPhone 16 acts as my private cellphone. The apps I wish to be instantly accessible on a piece cellphone are apps that contain work duties, like Gmail, Slack, or Chrome. The remainder of my cellphone I attempt to go away as widgets — issues I am monitoring, however needn’t frequently work together with.

I prefer to have a complete display dedicated to a large Google Calendar widget I can examine on a whim and one other web page with no matter activity tracker my employer makes use of, on this case Asana, with every other glanceable info I believe could be helpful, just like the battery lifetime of my Pixel and Pixel Buds. It is price experimenting with what works greatest for you, however my technique is to have your first display solely embrace what you want, leaving the remainder of your app icons to be reached for within the app drawer, and solely when you actually need them. That approach, you keep away from the temptation of randomly checking apps and solely maintain the necessities (and what your Pixel thinks you may use) close by.

The Pixel launcher provides you simply sufficient

You in all probability want fewer options than you assume

Google’s launcher is distinct from conventional Android, but it surely’s not precisely bursting with stylistic prospers or wild options. It is restrained. And in the event you’re trustworthy with your self, you in all probability will not use a lot of the options of a extra difficult Android launcher anyway.

As this information hopefully exhibits, you actually do not want rather a lot to arrange a cellphone that works for you moderately than in opposition to you. The launcher preinstalled in your cellphone will in all probability do the trick with the correct settings enabled. If you’re nonetheless excited about exploring different launchers, Pocket-lint has a list of some of the best. In case you’d as an alternative like one thing much more targeted on holding your cellphone use easy, you may additionally think about learning more about Niagra Launcher.