The Google Pixel 8a is here with many improvements over its predecessor. If you have one, here are a few of the first things you need to do.
Ahead of Google I/O 2024, Google revealed the Google Pixel 8a, and it’s turning out to be one of the best phone values in a while. It boasts a beautiful OLED display that now sports a 120Hz refresh rate, the Tensor G3 chip, Gemini Nano, a larger battery, wireless charging, and a refreshed design with some fun new colors. In short, there’s a lot to dig into.
There is definitely a lot to like about the Google Pixel 8a, and as such, we don’t blame you if you aren’t sure where to start. If you just picked one up, then make sure you do these things first!Turn on Smooth Display
The Pixel 8a is the first device in the Pixel A-series to offer a 120Hz refresh rate on the display. Google only offered 60Hz on the Pixel 6a and 90Hz on the Pixel 7a. This is one of the big upgrades over its predecessors and a big reason why the Pixel 8a is worth the upgrade.
But when you get the Pixel 8a, the default setting is 60Hz to extend battery life. That’s quite considerate of Google, but if you want to get the full experience of the Pixel 8a, you’ll want to have that 120Hz refresh rate on for smoother scrolling, better animations, and just an overall better experience.
To turn on the 120Hz refresh rate, go to Settings > Display > Smooth Display and make sure that the toggle is on. This will automatically raise the refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz on some content, but battery usage will increase. It’s worth it, though!Enable Notification History
I’m not sure about everyone else, but sometimes I feel like I get bombarded with notifications every day. These come from my email, work messages, social media, news, new subscription content, and more. I appreciate the notifications, but sometimes I just want to get rid of the clutter on my lock screen or notification panel because it’s just too much.
Since I have been using Android, one of the most useful things I’ve discovered is Notification History. On my iPhone 15 Pro, whenever I dismiss a notification, it’s gone forever. Sometimes I have gotten rid of an important notification and then I’ve wondered what it said. I’m glad that Android has Notification History, and it’s something I enable on all of my Android phones.
With Notification History, you can go back and check on recently dismissed notifications, as well as the past 24 hours of notifications. I’ve found this useful if I do need to go back for something. If you aren’t already using this, I’d recommend you do so.
To turn this setting on, go to Settings > Notifications > Notification History and make sure that it’s on.Play around with the wallpapers and style
With the Google Pixel 8 lineup, Google added some AI-powered features, including the ability to generate wallpapers. But there are also some new wallpapers, clock styles, and other fun stuff that you can tweak to make the Pixel 8a feel more like “you.”
With the generative AI wallpapers, there are several themes to pick from, and from there, you make some changes in the text prompt and get truly unique wallpapers. Or you can create you own emoji wallpaper if you’d like, or simply pick from your existing photos or the included selection of wallpapers.
On top of this, Android 14 added several new clock faces that you can use on the lock screen, giving the Pixel 8a even more of a personal touch.
