Google Pixel Tips: How to Get the Most Out of Your Phone

Google also updates its Pixel devices with new features over time, so there’s a chance we’ll see more additions arrive in the coming months. 

Whether you’re interested in touching up old photos or having Google Assistant screen your calls, these tips will help you get the most out of your device. 

Add captions to videos with Live Caption

Did you know that your Pixel phone can automatically caption videos, podcasts, phone calls and more? Press the volume button and tap the Live Caption icon, which looks like a tiny box of text, to enable this feature. Live Caption works in English on the Pixel 2 and higher, so it should be available on any Pixel phone that’s launched in the last several years. The captions are stored and processed locally and never leave your device, according to Google. 

You can also tweak certain settings, such as hiding profanity and adding labels to sounds like laughter and applause. Open the Settings and choose Live Caption to customize these options.

It’s also important to note that Live Caption can drain additional battery, so you might want to only turn it on when you need it.

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Snap a photo just by raising your hand

You don’t always need to press the shutter button to take a photo. You can simply raise your palm to the camera to start a photo countdown timer for three or 10 seconds if you have a Pixel 6 or newer. This can be particularly useful for group photos.

Just open the Google camera app and tap the settings button near the top of the screen to get started. From there, choose to have the timer set at three or 10 seconds. Now the timer should automatically start whenever the camera recognizes your palm. 

Sharpen old pictures in your photo library

If you’re anything like me, you have thousands of photos from the last decade stored on your phone or in a cloud service. And those photos don’t look nearly as sharp and crisp as the ones taken on today’s smartphones. Google has something that might help — although it’s only available on the Pixel 7 and Pixel Fold series. These devices have Google’s new Tensor G2 processor, which unlocks a new feature called Photo Unblur.

As the name implies, Photo Unlur sharpens photos that are out of focus to make the subject look clearer. To use it, just open the Google Photos app on your compatible Pixel phone, choose the photo you want to edit, tap the Edit button and select Tools. Then, tap Unblur.

Take better photos of the stars

Google’s Pixel phones come with a feature that’s specifically designed to help you snap photos of the night sky. It works on the Pixel 3 and higher, but you’ll need to adjust your zoom settings to at least 1x if you’re using the Pixel 4A 5G and later.

Google says the feature works best when taking photos away from city lights at least 45 to 90 minutes after sunset. You’ll also need a tripod or some other steady surface rather than your hands to get the best results.

Just open the camera app, prop up your phone and make sure it’s steady and tap Night Sight to get started. After a few seconds, you should see a message that says “Astrophotography on.” Press the capture button and leave your phone alone until it’s finished taking the photo. 

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Translate a screenshot in a different language

You can translate screenshots with text written in languages such as Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian and more with Google’s Lens feature. Open the Google Photos app and select the screenshot you would like to translate. Then tap the Lens icon, which looks like a camera, and choose the Translate option. Google’s support page says this feature should work on Android devices in general, not just Pixels.