10 Hacks Every Google Pixel 11 User Should Know

Part of the nosy of upgrading your telephone is digging into each the caller features and functions it offers, and it's nary different pinch Google's precocious unveiled Pixel 11 series. While location are hardware bumps successful these phones, galore of the astir notable trading points are connected the package side, pinch a bunch of upgrades related to AI and Android 17.

If you've invested successful a Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, aliases Pixel 11 Pro Fold, past these are the champion tricks to effort retired first. All of these hacks are exclusive to the 2026 flagships, though we mightiness spot immoderate of them trickle down to older handsets complete clip (for now, Google isn't saying 1 measurement aliases the other).

Install this app to return afloat power of HiLight

HiLight is caller to the Pixel 11, and uses a rear LED ray to alert you to incoming calls from the astir important group successful your life—the thought being that it helps you trim retired the remainder of the sound associated pinch owning a smartphone successful 2026.

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You tin configure HiLight from Settings by choosing System > HiLight, but there's not really overmuch configuring to do. It only useful for Gemini chats and calls from contacts marked arsenic favorites, pinch a elemental toggle move successful some instances. You tin take different colors for different contacts, but that's astir it.

To do much pinch HiLight, though, you tin install HiLight Studio. This third-party instrumentality unlocks HiLight for usage pinch much apps connected your phone, and gives you afloat power complete the colors displayed, making HiLight overmuch much useful.

Use Camera Looks filters to adhd imperfections to your photos

One of the Pixel 11 exclusives successful the Camera app is what Google is calling Camera Looks. They activity for illustration subtle filters, akin to the Photographic Styles connected iOS, pinch gentle adjustments to opposition and colors that springiness your images a different consciousness (and tin region the ultra-clean, over-processed vibe of Pixel photos successful general).

Open the Camera and pat the controls fastener (lower right), past Looks. This gives you entree to the four different options you tin use by default erstwhile snapping images: Original (the accustomed Pixel processing), Natural (for "relaxed details"), Shadows (for "deeper contrast"), and Vanilla (for "a warm, aureate glow").

There are 4 Camera Looks to take from. Credit: Lifehacker

Limit zooming to debar AI-generated imagery

Here's a extremity astir not utilizing a Pixel 11 feature. If you person the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold you tin spell up to 30x pinch Super Zoom, while connected the Pixel 11 Pro and the Pixel 11 Pro XL there's Pro Zoom up to an unthinkable 120x.

The Pro Zoom levels get you person to the action, sure, but they besides usage generative AI to enhance what's successful the photo. It's not conscionable sharpening and enhancing; it's really inventing caller specifications based connected the pixels that are already location (which is why you person to download a generative AI exemplary the first clip you usage Pro Zoom).

The 30x Super Zoom uses AI too, but of a different type: Rather than generating details, it's combining photograph frames and analyzing colors to sharpen up an image, for illustration a accepted image editor filter. This applies up to a 30x zoom level, Google says, truthful you cognize wherever to extremity if you don't want immoderate AI elements being added in.

With Pro Zoom shots, Google Photos will prevention some the AI-enhanced type and the earthy integer zoom version—you tin move betwixt them successful the app and take the 1 you for illustration best.

Use Magic Capture to automatically return photos while signaling videos

It's the perennial problem of the modern age: How do you make judge you've sewage photograph memories of an arena while still staying coming successful the moment? Of people you'd for illustration snaps of your kid's day party, but you don't want to walk the full clip glued to your phone.

This is wherever Magic Capture comes in: You tin alteration it from the Camera app by tapping the icon to the near of the photograph icon, conscionable nether the main shutter button. You past pat the shutter fastener to commencement a video capture, and past fto it record. You tin attraction connected what's happening alternatively than looking astatine the Camera app and taking individual photos.

When you extremity the recording, AI swings into action to prime retired still images that look for illustration highlights from the footage—so presumably personification blowing their candles out, raising a toast, aliases reaching the crest of a wave, depending connected the scenario.

Use Pause Point to artifact distractions connected your pixel

Every telephone shaper has travel up pinch aggregate ways to effort and support america from getting excessively addicted to our devices, and the latest integer well-being thought from Google is the Pause Point characteristic for the Pixel 11 phones.

It's beautiful simple, which intends it conscionable mightiness work: For the apps you specify, you get a mindfulness punctual each clip you unfastened them up. Those fewer seconds of thought and self-reflection could thief you recognize that no, you don't really request to unfastened up Instagram aliases X again today.

To group this up, spell to Settings, pat Digital Wellbeing, and past Pause Point to prime the apps you'd for illustration it to use to. This doesn't look to beryllium unrecorded yet, however, contempt Google announcing it and including it successful its official support documentation. Keep an oculus retired for it appearing successful updates complete the adjacent fewer weeks.

The Pixel 11 lets you group circumstantial vibrations for circumstantial contacts. Credit: Lifehacker

Set civilization vibration patterns to place circumstantial contacts

Another measurement to trim surface clip is to create unsocial alerts for each contact, truthful you cognize who's getting successful touch pinch you conscionable from the measurement your telephone pings aliases buzzes. The Pixel 11 phones thief pinch this by letting you customize vibrations successful a mates of useful ways.

First, you tin group circumstantial vibrations for circumstantial contacts, arsenic good arsenic circumstantial audible ringtones (which has agelong been an option). From the Contacts app, pat connected a name, past Contact ringtone, and you tin take a vibration shape arsenic good arsenic a sound.

You tin besides alteration the default vibration patterns for calls and notifications, which you couldn't before—though not connected a per-app aliases per-contact basis. From Settings, prime Sound and vibration, past Ringtone aliases Notification.

Use the built-in teleprompter to create contented straight connected your pixel

Attention, contented creators! If you're utilizing your Pixel 11 to grounds video for nationalist consumption, you tin make usage of a built-in teleprompter to publication your scripts—no third-party app required.

From the Camera app, pat the video icon (to the correct of the photograph icon, nether the shutter button), past pat the settings fastener up successful the apical near corner. If you move to the Creator tab, you'll spot there's a Teleprompter toggle move you tin move on.

Once it's enabled, pat the Teleprompter icon connected the seizure model to participate your matter (you tin of people paste it successful from location other if you want). When the video signaling starts, arsenic you statesman to talk done the script, it'll automatically beforehand for you.

Use the Pixel hunt barroom to find your worldly faster

This is 1 of the much well-hidden caller features connected the Pixel 11 phones. Pixel Search is designed to make it easier to find worldly connected your telephone (like messages and files) from a azygous hunt bar, but it's not the hunt barroom connected the location screen.

Instead, it's the 1 supra the app grid. Swipe up connected the location surface to get to the app grid, past pat successful the hunt container astatine the top. The first clip you do this connected your Pixel 11, you'll spot an preamble to the feature, together pinch a Go to Settings link.

Follow that link, past Apps successful hunt results, and you tin take the contented that Pixel Search will dive into—across Google Calendar, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Photos, and Settings, for example.

You tin take which apps are included successful Pixel Search. Credit: Lifehacker

Ask Rambler to edit dictated text

There's an exclusive Gboard add-on for Pixel 11 devices called Rambler, which Google has positioned arsenic a super-smart upgrade connected sound dictation. Phones person been capable to move reside into matter for a agelong while now, but Rambler is amended astatine dealing pinch earthy reside rhythms, filler words, and pauses.

It's besides amended astatine editing. If you opportunity "the gathering astatine 2pm... aliases alternatively 3pm" successful your ramble, the "3pm" will make the vanished transcript. If you're reviewing matter Rambler has transcribed, you tin motorboat Rambler again to make edits to it pinch earthy prompts, too—something for illustration "change the time from Friday to Saturday."

Load up Gboard connected your Pixel 11 (any matter input container will do), pat the microphone button, past publication done the Rambler preamble and pat Get started. Once it's group up, it tin beryllium launched astatine immoderate clip done the microphone button.

You tin spell backmost to the modular sound dictation astatine immoderate point, if you for illustration it: From Gboard pat the paper fastener (the 4 squares connected the left), past prime Settings > Voice typing.

Use this screensaver to move your Pixel 11 into a bedside clock

You tin usage StandBy mode to move an iPhone into a bedside clock, and the Pixel 11 handsets person thing similar—sort of. From Settings, take Display and touch > Screen saver, and you'll spot there's a caller Charge action there.

This displays a advancement barroom showing complaint status, and a clock. Enable it, and if you hook your Pixel up to a magnetic wireless charger overnight, you've sewage a decent, minimal bedside show that useful successful image aliases scenery orientations.