Own a Google Pixel Watch? 7 hidden features that are incredibly useful (and where to find them)

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Google Pixel Watch 4 is the astir intelligent smartwatch disposable today.
• Some of these features are disposable for previous-generation Pixel Watch models.
• Rather than judge the default settings, research what your ticker tin bash for you. 

I walk a batch of clip testing smartwatches and bounce astir trying the latest and top features and functions. It wasn't until Google launched a larger exemplary that the Pixel Watch appealed to maine for longer than the trial period. 

With this year's Pixel Watch 4 supporting longer artillery life, outer SOS connectivity, and the new Fitbit Premium AI coach, I americium acceptable to perpetrate to 1 ticker for a longer period.

Also: A period with Fitbit Premium connected my Pixel Watch changed however I spot AI wellness coaching

After months of utilizing the watch, exploring default apps, settings, and different functions, determination are respective features everyone should beryllium alert of to bask an optimal Pixel Watch experience.

Let's instrumentality a person look astatine immoderate worthy features -- and if you person others to adhd to the list, delight stock them present for america to enjoy.

1. Generative AI successful messages

Despite my agelong past of utilizing mobile technology, I've been dilatory to follow AI due to the fact that I've been excessively engaged to afloat analyse its usefulness and quality to assistance amended my efficiency. I besides similar to make archetypal contented and spot my ain experiences.

Also: Amazfit conscionable got the 1 Garmin diagnostic I usage each time - and present I'm conflicted

However, determination is 1 awesome diagnostic I usage each of the clip connected the Pixel Watch 4 -- generative AI responses successful Google Messages. The LLM-powered messages are created connected the device, truthful they look rapidly and tin beryllium sent immediately.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

When a connection notification appears connected your Pixel Watch, swipe up connected the notification to spot reply options. You volition past spot a fewer Smart Reply options appear. You tin pat connected 1 to nonstop the reply. So far, I've recovered the replies to beryllium much utile than emblematic astute replies, specified arsenic Yes, No, I can't respond, Call you later, and others.

2. Customize notifications

Speaking of notifications, smartwatches are fantabulous for helping you triage your communications. However, accidental each azygous exertion connected your smartphone has notifications sent to your watch. In that case, you tin walk a sizeable magnitude of clip interacting with your watch, and trim artillery beingness for much captious functions.

Unfortunately, each notifications are enabled by default aft you acceptable up your Pixel Watch. Ensure you entree the Watch exertion connected your telephone and manually prime the notifications you privation successful the app settings.

3. Watch faces and complications

One of the archetypal things I bash with each smartwatch is customize and optimize the ticker look and complications to supply maine with the champion idiosyncratic experience. Google's Pixel Watch 4 has immoderate of the best-looking and champion animated ticker faces disposable connected immoderate smartwatch.

Also: Which smartwatch has the champion information features? I tested them all, and here's however Google fares

The slick animations of the Concentric ticker face, with its half-dial layout, person made it my existent default ticker face. The larger domed show of the Pixel Watch 4 makes the acquisition adjacent better.

I highly urge tapping the edit enactment successful the ticker look selector to take your preferred ticker look color, prime a chill layout, and take the complications that supply you with the glanceable accusation you need. Complications are disposable for default Google apps and third-party applications. On my Pixel Watch 4, determination are presently much than 60 complications to take from, which is simply a immense magnitude compared to astir different smartwatches.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

4. Material Expressive Tiles

In summation to the ticker faces, the Tiles are a cardinal constituent of the Pixel Watch experience. Swiping near oregon close from the ticker look takes you done each of the Tiles that you person selected to look connected your watch. 

With the Pixel Watch 4 -- and the latest mentation of Wear OS, with Material 3 Expressive quality -- the Tiles are much susceptible and beautiful. Some Tiles present person aggregate panels with cardinal accusation close connected the Tile, making them much utile and informative without adjacent having to pat into the details of the Tile. Actions, specified arsenic creating a note, creating a list, signaling a dependable note, mounting an alarm, and more, are beforehand and halfway successful the Tile.

Also: Best humor unit watches: I tested the apical models that really work

With the apps I person loaded, determination are 39 Tile options connected my Pixel Watch 4. Unlike past Pixel Watch models, determination is nary bounds to the fig of Tiles you tin have. However, support successful caput you request to swipe near and close from the ticker look to presumption the Tiles.

5. Double-press the integer crown

The spinning integer crown connected the Pixel Watch 4 is highly utile for scrolling lists and making selections, but the double-press enactment has go 1 of my most-used actions for respective reasons. 

I bask Starbucks drinks, particularly during the fall, with chilly mornings that animate maine to prime up a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I've been disappointed that a Starbucks app doesn't beryllium for WearOS. However, you tin simply adhd your Starbucks paper to Google Wallet, making a double-press of the crown fastener a speedy mode to wage for your coffee.

Likewise, the Orca transit paper utilized present successful the Puget Sound does not enactment with Apple Pay, but it tin beryllium added to Google Wallet, allowing you to rapidly and easy wage for your bus, train, oregon ferry thrust with your Pixel Watch 4. Wallet presently supports outgo cards, transit passes, loyalty cards, acquisition cards, and adjacent your driver's licence successful 10 states.

6. Turn your Pixel telephone into a motorcycle machine

The Pixel Watch 4 has dual-band, multi-frequency GPS and an close bosom complaint sensor, making it a susceptible fittingness tracker. Riding a motorcycle portion looking astatine your wrist is not the safest mode to ride, but Google dealt with that contented with the Pixel Watch 4.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Start a motorcycle enactment connected your Pixel Watch and past pat to stock the measurements with your phone. Key metrics volition look successful ample font connected your Pixel phone, truthful if you person it safely mounted connected your handlebars, you nary longer request to look astatine your watch.

One country that needs Google's attraction is adding mapping output to the Pixel phone, truthful you tin navigate safely connected your ride, and not conscionable way your wellness metrics.

7. Flashlight (seriously)

Regular readers cognize I emotion utilizing watches with LED flashlights. While the Pixel Watch 4 does not person this hardware element, a elemental swipe down from the apical of the ticker look provides entree to the flashlight fastener that launches a achromatic ticker look for a reasonably agleam AMOLED experience.

I personally usage a reddish airy astatine nighttime to support my nighttime imaginativeness and to debar waking my wife. Once you motorboat the flashlight, rapidly pat the show to marque the surface red. Tap 1 much clip to crook disconnected the light. I would similar to spot an disposable mounting to take the colour you privation arsenic the default, and besides possibly a mounting to summation the brightness erstwhile you request much light.

Also: Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch 8 got maine moving again (and it's already connected sale)

There are plentifulness of different precocious features and settings to research connected the Pixel Watch 4. As I antecedently posted, the Pixel Watch 4 offers the best information features of immoderate different smartwatch, truthful instrumentality vantage of those. My ZDNET colleague, Nina Raemont, besides mentioned the caller Fitbit Premium AI-coaching functions are really useful. I'm anxious to person the ticker assistance motivate maine to bid and supply maine with applicable guidance and coaching.