Hidden Google Pixel Superpowers

The Hidden Pixel Superpowers

Google Pixel is not just another Android phone, but one of the best ones you can get on the market today. From UX to functionality and everything in between, it gives you the purest Android experience. And the latest one, Pixel 6 Pro, is even better. It has Google’s new Tensor CPU and a heavily updated camera module, as well as some hidden superpowers that we’ll discuss in this article.

The Hidden Superpowers of Pixel

Copy and Paste Text in a Snap

The copy-paste functionality has existed on phones for decades, though with some limitations. But Google Pixel has taken it to a whole new level through a somewhat hidden function. The Pixel allows you to pull text from any place in a snap. You can copy text within an image, screenshot, and location of an Android that you would not typically allow you to highlight and copy text, like a specific screen within the machine.

The most useful part is that this Pixel superpower feature works practically anywhere, even in places that wouldn’t typically let you copy text – like parts of the Play Store social media apps and sections of your system setting. And it’s simple:

• Open your Overview interface.
• Touch and hold your finger onto the text in the current preview.
• Choose Copy, Search, or Share.
• For recent Pixels, pick Select and select the specific text you need.

Copy and Paste Images

The Pixel doesn’t just allow you to copy text from sources; it also lets you copy and paste images from different applications, including Spotify, Instagram, etc. Traditionally, you had to fetch the image through an internet search or a screenshot. This Pixel superpower is an excellent feature that lets you copy text from any application or image even if the app doesn’t allow it natively.

So, the next time you need to snag an image from a forum, website, etc., save yourself some steps and let the Pixel handle the work for you. All you need to do is:

• Go to the Overview interface.
• Touch and hold your finger on the photo within the app preview.
• Choose copy, save or share the image.

Better yet, use Google Lens to get more details about the image. (We’ll cover more on Google Lens later in this article).

Text Share

Pixels allows you to copy text from any apps and share it directly with other processes and apps on your phone. This is not just convenient when wanting to search for things online, but also when you want to beam information from one place to another, like the message, note, or email.

Real-Time Text Translation

With this Pixel superpower, you don’t have to worry about not understanding any language. If you come across any text written in a foreign language and wish to know its meaning, you can select it within the Overview interface and get an instant translation.

Lifts Link

Copying a link directly from a webpage or app can be daunting, especially when you’re doing it on the phone. But the fancy link-lifting ability removes that stress from the process. With its link lifting Pixel superpowers, you don’t have to copy and paste manually. If you need to pull a link from any page to save or share with someone, you can open the Overview interface from Chrome, and the copy option will appear.

Intelligent Image/Text Searcher

Google Lens, an intelligent technology that lets you search what you see and understand your surroundings, is integrated into the Pixel. The Pixel superpower feature will be active the moment you launch your camera. It cuts the need to launch the assistant or dig into the camera app’s menu to analyze the world around you. Now, you can tap on an item in the viewfinder to interact with it, like save a phone number from a brochure, etc. With an intelligent image searcher, you can:

• Copy text from the real world – a book, paper, whiteboard, and copy that text onto your phone’s clipboard. You can then paste the text into Slack chat, email, Google Doc, etc.
• Send text from the real world to your computer.
• Interact with text from an image – the lens can extract and pull images, including screenshots and actual phones. So no need to write down the long tracking number from an email you just received.
• Search for the text from any image or physical documents.
• Scan barcodes and QR.
• Get more details and suggestions about the contents in the image.
• Call, email, text, or go to a website with a single tap.
• Translate text from the real world.

Simpler Screenshot

Initially, it was a struggle to capture a screenshot on a Pixel. You had to press the system’s power-button menu and volume-down buttons to take a screenshot, which wasn’t convenient. But Google revamped the menu, making taking screenshots a breeze. Now, you can easily capture screenshots in the Overview area and tap Screenshot at the bottom of the screen.

If you use older Android navigation setups, you won’t see the Screenshot command. In which case, open the System section > Gestures > System Navigation, and change the setting to Gesture navigation.

Pausing Power

Can’t stop scrolling Reddit or Facebook? Your Pixel has a pausing feature that allows you to pause these and other apps that are distracting you so that you can focus on important things. The pausing functionality prevents the selected app from sending a notification for the specified time or until you unpause it. It’s best when you want to focus.

Just long-press the specific app you wish to pause. Then on the popup, hit the hourglass icon and tap Pause on the prompt. This pauses the app, graying it out for as long as you wish. Once you’re ready to use it again, you can go right ahead and unpause it. The Unpause app option is right there on the screen.

Smooth Text Operator

By now, you’re already familiar with the fact that Google’s Pixel lets you Copy, Paste, Save or even Search details. However, you didn’t know that it also suggests specific actions to make it all easier. For example, it does a range of things within the Overview area, like:

• Present a “Call” option whenever you select a phone number in a screenshot, web page, email, etc.
• Beams addresses directly to sites like Google Maps, Lyft, or Uber for easy and immediate processing.
• Define selected words.

Google’s Pixel phone has gone through numerous changes now.  So, if you are having a hard time accessing some hidden superpowers, or have any Pixel questions, we can help. Contact us today for professional assistance.