First-time Google Pixel users: there are easy new ways to navigate your phone with intuitive gestures.
Once your Pixel is set up, it's time to get comfortable with how to move around your new phone. Your Pixel uses intuitive gestures, designed for a smooth and natural experience.
Your Google Pixel uses gesture navigation by default, allowing you to control your device with simple swipes.
See all your apps: From your home screen, just swipe upwards from the bottom of the screen to reveal your entire list of apps.
Switch between apps (recent apps): If you've just used one app and want to quickly switch to another recent one, swipe up from the thin horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen and hold your finger. This shows a list of your recently used apps. Swipe left or right to find the one you want, then tap to open. You can also close an app from this list by swiping it upwards.
Go back: Want to return to the previous page in an app or a website? Simply swipe inwards from the left or right edge of the screen. It's like pressing "back" on a browser.
Quickly hop to the last app: For a super-fast switch, swipe from left to right on the bottom navigation bar to jump directly to the last app you were using.
Return home instantly: From within any app, a simple swipe up from the very bottom of the screen will take you straight back to your Pixel's home screen.
Find apps by swiping up on your home screen.
If you prefer the classic button-based navigation, your Pixel offers that too. You can easily change your setting to "3-button navigation" in Settings. This will replace gestures with familiar Home, Back, and Recent apps buttons at the bottom of your screen.
A clean home screen makes finding your favourite apps a breeze.
Remove from home screen: To remove an app icon from your home screen (without uninstalling the app entirely), press and hold the app icon, then drag it to the "Remove" or "Delete" option that appears at the top of the screen. Don't worry, the app will still be installed and available in your app list!
Uninstall apps: If you want to completely remove an app from your Pixel, press and hold its icon and drag it to the "Uninstall" option. This will fully delete the app and free up space.
It’s easy to delete apps from your home screen.
Notifications keep you in the loop, but you're always in control.
Viewing notifications: New notifications appear at the top of your screen. To see all your recent notifications, simply swipe down from the very top of your screen.
Clearing notifications: Tap a notification to open the corresponding app. To clear a notification without opening the app, just swipe it left or right.
Control specific app notifications: Want to stop notifications from a particular app? Go to Settings > Notifications > App Notifications. Here, you can easily turn notifications on or off for each app individually, ensuring you only get alerts that matter.
For common settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or your flashlight, you don't need to dive deep into menus.
Quick access: Swipe down from the top of your screen. This will show your quick settings shortcuts and any pending notifications.
Expand for more: Swipe down again to expand the Quick Settings panel, revealing more options. You can also swipe left and right to see additional pages of shortcuts.
Customise your quick settings: To change which shortcuts appear here, tap the pen icon (edit icon) at the bottom right of the panel. You can drag and drop tiles to personalise your most-used settings for instant access. This is a great Pixel tip for efficiency!
Swipe down to find and use Quick Setttings.
For all other adjustments and customisation, the comprehensive Settings app is your go-to.
Accessing settings: You can launch it from your app list (look for the gear icon) or by tapping the gear icon within the Quick Settings panel.
Smart search: The fastest way to find what you need is the search bar at the top of the Settings app. Just type in what you're looking for (e.g., "fonts," "battery," "display"), and your Pixel will instantly show you relevant settings.
Search for apps or on Google via the Search feature on your Pixel phone.