Got a Pixel 8a? Change these 8 settings NOW!

Why companies hype up features at the launch of a product and then either disable or hide them in the product itself is one of tech’s great mysteries. Take a new product out of its box, and you will inevitably find some features (even some much-talked-about ones) turned off by default for reasons best known to the brand.

Google’s recently released Pixel 8a is no different. The phone comes packed with a truckload of new features, including special AI and smart touches, but you might notice them for the simple reason that many of them have actually been switched off or not activated.

So, if you have got a Pixel 8a and want to experience all the magic it has packed inside (and it has a lot of it), just change these eight settings the moment you get it:

Switch on Screen protector mode

The Pixel 8a comes with Gorilla Glass 3 protection on its display, which would have been amazing in 2014 and is handy even today, but it really needs an additional tempered glass screen protector to keep it clear of scratches and protect it from the odd drop. Now, using a screen protector does not generally affect the performance of a phone, but the Pixels actually come with a special mode that increases touch sensitivity when a screen protector is placed on them. And this does improve performance significantly. So yes, when you get a Pixel 8a, get a display protector on it and then activate Screen protector mode’ to ensure it works well. Just follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings and choose Display.
2. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the available options, and you will see Screen Protector mode.
3. It will be switched off. Switch it on.

Many users switch on Screen protector mode even when there is no screen protector on their devices, just for the extra sensitivity that can come in handy during gaming sessions.

Change that refresh rate and get it up to 120 Hz

The Pixel 8a is the first Pixel a-series phone to come with a 120 Hz refresh rate and an Actua Display, bringing it closer to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. However, you are unlikely to notice any difference when you use the device. That is because the feature is actually turned off by default, perhaps to conserve battery. To fix this, just follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings and choose Display.
2. Scroll down until you come to an option called Smooth Display. This will be switched off by default. Switch it on.

Your Pixel 8a can now switch between 60 Hz and 120 Hz for some content. The difference will not hit you immediately, but it will become evident over time.

Activate adaptive sound on the speakers

The Pixel 8a comes with very good stereo speakers. But there is more to them than just super audio. They are smart too. Using a feature called Adaptive Sound, the Pixel 8a actually uses the microphone on the phone to evaluate the level of noise around the user and accordingly changes the output of the speakers. So, the output from the phone speakers will be different in a crowded marketplace than in a quieter conference room. However, this feature is switched off by default. Follow these steps to be able to use it:

1. Open Settings and go to Sound and Vibration.
2. Scroll down until you find Adaptive Sound. It will be switched off. Switch it on.

Get Gemini as your virtual assistant

One of the biggest attractions of the Pixel 8a is the AI features that come along with it. In fact, ‘Powerful and AI-full’ is the tagline that Google uses for the phone. One of the most powerful AI features comes in the form of Gemini, which can act as a very skillful AI assistant and let you do far more than the default Google Assistant does. The Pixel 8a is, however, set to use Google Assistant as its default virtual assistant. We recommend switching this to Gemini immediately and getting dollops of AI magic into your virtual assistant. Doing so is very simple:

1. Download the Google Assistant app from the Play Store.
2. Go to the settings in the app by long pressing the icon.
3. In the options that appear, scroll down until you find “Digital Assistants from Google.”
4. You can now choose between Gemini and Google Assistant. Choose Gemini.
5. Long pressing the power/display button will now launch Gemini instead of Google Assistant.

If you need Google Assistant back (as Gemini cannot control smart home devices), simply go back to the app and choose Google Assistant. We really wish switching between the two had been smoother, but it is what it is.

Also See: How to Get Gemini Nano on a Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a

Turn on Circle to Search on Pixel 8a

One of the most talked about features of Android in recent times is “Circle to search,” with which you can launch a Google search for literally anything on the display by just drawing a circle around it. Of course, the feature is available on the Pixel 8a, but it comes switched off by default. This is how you activate it:

1. Open Settings and then head to Display (yes, again)
2. Scroll down to Navigation mode
3. Here, you will have two options: Gesture navigation and 3-button navigation.
4. Depending on which navigation system you use, tap on the gear icon next to it. In the case of Gesture navigation, switch on Hold handle to search, and in the case of 3-button navigation, switch on Hold home to search.

That’s it. The next time you wish to use Circle to search, just hold the handle at the base of the display or the home button, and the option of Circle to search or Type will come up. You can also turn off the option from here.

Turn on Live caption

Live caption is one of the most magical features on Pixel phones. It literally converts all speech that it hears on the phone to speech, making it easier to understand and follow. Unfortunately, it comes switched off by default. We would advise switching it on to get a classic slice of the pixel experience. This is how you do it:

1. Go to Settings and choose Sound and Vibration.
2. Scroll down and select Live Caption.
3. In the window that opens, switch on Use live caption.
4. You can also tweak the style of the captions, the languages, and so on (we suggest doing this to ensure the captions are convenient to read for you).
5. You can also activate Live captions for calls.

Get Quick Tap working to do things by just tapping the back of your Pixel

A super feature on Pixels is the option to tap twice on the back of the phone to do a task, be it launching a particular app, taking a screenshot, switching on the flashlight, and so on. It might sound simple and basic, but it can be a lifesaver as it lets you access a feature with just a couple of taps. We have no idea why it comes turned off by default, but we would recommend switching it on. This is how you do it:

1. Go to Settings, and scroll all the way down to System.
2. In System, go to Gestures.
3. Right on top of the options will be Quick Tap to start actions. Select that.
4. Switch on the Quick Tap option. Then, choose the action or app that will be launched when you double-tap on the back of your Pixel 8a.
5. You can even switch on the Require stronger taps option to make sure that any accidental taps do not activate this feature.

Turn on Now Playing to find out what’s playing

Another magical feature of the Pixel series is Now Playing. Introduced in the second Pixel in 2017, it automatically identifies any song being played in the vicinity. For some odd reason, however, this is a feature that has never been switched on by default. It exists on the Pixel 8a, too, but is switched off by default unless you switch it on while setting up the phone (hint: many people do not). Fortunately, switching it on is as easy as following these steps:

1. Once again, head to Settings, and this time, choose Sound and vibration
2. Select Now playing, and switch on the Identify songs playing nearby feature.
3. That’s all you need to do. The next time you are in a place where music is being played, your Pixel 8a will try to identify it!