But let’s start with these Pixel tips, so you can get the most out of your new phone. 

You’ve completed your Pixel phone setup, but now it’s time to find your way around. Google Pixel phones use gesture navigation, which lets you operate the device by moving your finger up, down, left, or right on the screen. For example, on the home screen, swipe from bottom to top to see all the apps installed on your Pixel.

If you just finished one task – say, checking your email – and want to go back to an app you were using before – like your internet browser – swipe up on the horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen and hold your finger on the screen. A list of recently used apps will be displayed. Swipe sideways, and tap the app you want to switch to. You can also close an app by finding it on this same list screen, placing your finger on it, and swiping up.

Want to return to the previous page of a website you were just viewing? Swipe from the left or right edge of the screen – it’s like hitting “back” or “forward” on a browser window. This gesture also lets you conveniently return to an app’s home screen from its settings screen without having to remember the steps you took to get there. 

To quickly return to the last app you were using, swipe from left to right on the bottom bar. Or, instantly get back to your Pixel’s home screen from within an app by swiping up from the bottom.

Your Pixel’s default setting is gesture navigation – that is, performing all these operations with swipes. But if you’re more comfortable using buttons, you can change your setting to “3-button navigation.” Instead of navigating with gestures, you’ll see Home, Back, and Recent apps buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Keep your home screen clutter-free by removing apps you don’t use often or uninstalling ones you don’t want anymore. Press and hold the app icon and move it to the top of the screen. When you’re asked to choose Delete or Uninstall, tap Delete, but don’t worry – this only means the app won’t appear on your home screen. You’ll still be able to launch it from the app list or and find it in search. Selecting Uninstall will fully delete the app.

Notifications are displayed at the top of the screen. Past notifications can be viewed by swiping down from the top of the screen.

When you tap a notification, the corresponding app will launch and the notification will disappear. If you want to clear the notification without launching the app, swipe left or right. If you don’t want to see notifications for a specific app, you can turn notifications on or off for each app by going to Settings, then Notifications, then App Notifications. 

Easily change settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and your flashlight with just one tap by swiping down from the top of the screen to display Quick Settings.

When you first swipe down, both the Quick Settings menu and app notifications are displayed. If you swipe down further, you’ll see more settings. You can then swipe left and right to configure each one. Want to change the settings that show up in this menu? Click the pen icon in the bottom right of the panel to customize the items displayed in Quick Settings.

You can find everything you need for tweaking and customizing your new Google Pixel right in the Settings app, which can be launched from the app list or by tapping the gear icon in the bottom right of Quick Settings. Find what you’re looking for by browsing by category, such as Connection Settings, Battery, or Display. Or cut right to the chase and try searching for exactly what you need in the bar at the top of the Settings app. For example, if you search for “fonts,” you’ll see a list of font-related settings to choose from.

Having a lot of apps can make it time-consuming to browse for the one you want. Just use the search function at the bottom of the home screen to bypass the app hunt and look directly. You can also use it to search websites with Google, or search for a specific function without opening the Settings app by clicking Search on Settings at the bottom of the search results screen.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to go a little deeper. Here are 4 ways you can customize your Pixel. If you’re ready to add some personalization to your home screen, try these 3 tips on making your wallpaper more unique. And if you’re really up for digging into customization, try these 8 ideas for doing your Pixel, your way.