Supercharge your days with routines.

Imagine waking to gradually brightening lights as your favorite movie soundtrack softly plays in the background. You can smell fresh coffee brewing, and your daily schedule is displayed on your Pixel screen – all without you having to lift a finger. Pixel routines can make all that happen, and more. These automations transform your phone into a proactive assistant, helping you stay organized and freeing up valuable time. 

Ready to transform your Pixel phone into a personalized automation hub? This step-by-step guide will walk you through setting up and optimizing Pixel routines. We’ll also explore example routines for your perfect day.

Here’s how to set up routines to automate your day:

1. Open Assistant settings: Say, “Hey Google, open Google Assistant settings.”  Or open the Settings app:

   1. Tap the Settings app icon on your Pixel’s app drawer or home screen.

      1. Scroll down and tap Apps & notifications (or simply Apps on some Android versions).

   2. Find Assistant settings:

      1. Depending on your Android version, you might see Assistant listed directly. If not, you may need to:

         1. Look for a section related to default apps, or special app access.

         2. Or, look for a section called Google and tap that. You should find Assistant settings there.

2. Scroll down and tap Routines.

3. Select or create a routine:

   1. Choose an existing routine (for example, Good morning). 

   2. Or, create a new one.

4. Edit starters and actions:

   1. Tap Starters to edit voice commands that activate the routine.

   2. Tap Add action to input additional actions.

   3. Tap and drag the double horizontal icons to reorder actions.

   4. Tap an action and select Remove action to delete it.

5. Choose action details:

   1. Select the desired action – for example, Get info and reminders.

6. Tap Done to confirm action.

7. Tap Save. You can also add a routine widget to your home screen by tapping Add to Home Screen.

8. Test the routine by saying the activations command – for example, “Hey Google, good morning.”

Now let’s walk through some example routines. The beauty of these automations is their flexibility. Mix and match the actions as you see fit – adding, removing, reordering – to craft personalized routines that seamlessly align with your lifestyle and preferences. 

• Personalized news and music: Play your preferred podcast or music playlist on your Pixel phone for a positive and energetic start to your day. 

• Daily briefing and schedule: Display your daily calendar appointments and reminders on your Pixel phone to quickly see what’s in store. 

• Weather and commute information: Display the weather forecast and a commute update to help you plan your outfit and travel time accordingly. 

• Focus mode: Activate Do Not Disturb mode, or a customized Work mode, on your Pixel phone, silencing non-essential notifications while allowing critical alerts from key contacts or apps. 

• Essential work app launch: Open preferred work apps such as email, your calendar, and messaging for instant access to your essential tools.

• Optimized audio: Adjust your Pixel’s volume to ensure a suitable audio level for your workspace, preventing excessive noise and maintaining a professional atmosphere. 

• Instant work schedule access: Display your work calendar or to-do list widget directly on your Pixel’s Home screen, keeping tasks and appointments front and center. 

• Motivational music: Launch your chosen music streaming service to ignite your workout with a favorite high-energy playlist.

• Fitness tracking app launch: Open your preferred fitness tracking app to ensure every step, rep, and calorie burned is recorded. 

• Interruption-free training: Activate Do Not Disturb mode on your Pixel phone to maintain focus and prevent distractions.

• Time tracking: Start a workout timer to easily track the duration of your workout.

• Relaxing audio: Play calming white noise to help you gently drift off.

• Automatic sleep mode: Switch your Pixel phone to Do Not Disturb mode for an undisturbed night’s rest. 

• Sleep tracking app: If you use a sleep tracking app, launch it to monitor your sleep patterns throughout the night.

Now that we’ve explored how routines can level up your daily life, you can begin tailoring these automations just for you. Experiment with various actions and configurations to discover your optimal setup. 

If you need a little extra help getting those routines dialed in just right, the Pixel routines support page is here for you.