Quick Tap is a nifty feature that lets you open an app or perform an action by tapping twice on the back of your Google Pixel phone. If you recently picked up a newPixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, we recommend using it alongside the otherfeatures exclusive to most Pixel phones.
We show you how to use Quick Tap (sometimes called Double Tap Gesture) and help you use it with some handy tips. We also introduce you to other navigation tools present in Pixel phones.
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How to activate and use Quick Tap on your Pixel phone
These steps use a Pixel phone running Android 14. If you have an older version of Android and can’t follow these steps exactly, search forQuick Tapin your Settings app’s search bar.
Quick Tap is set to play and pause media on your Pixel phone by default. Play some music and double-tap the back of your phone to test it out.
What can Quick Tap do?
Quick Tap can trigger many actions. Customize this from theQuick Tapsettings page. From here, you can change Quick Tap to:
Most of these options are straightforward, but we recommend exploring theOpen appoption as some apps allow Quick Tap to perform specific actions within the app. Tap thecog iconnext to theOpen appoption, then tap thecog iconnext to a compatible app to see what actions are available.
For example, Quick Tap can open your most recent album, Made for You playlist, or the search bar on Spotify. Not every app has these features, so scroll through to see what it offers.
If you uninstall an app while Quick Tap is set to open it, Quick Tap is turned off until you turn it back on.
Tips for using Quick Tap
Quick Tap is a straightforward feature to use, but there are a few things to be aware of when using it.
Adjust Quick Tap to activate with stronger taps
If you accidentally activate Quick Tap, turn on theRequire stronger tapsswitch. While you’ll need to use stronger force, we recommend holding your finger down on the second tap. In our testing, we found that Quick Tap struggled to detect taps with this feature activated unless we applied constant pressure with the second tap.
You can use a case with Quick Tap
Depending on the thickness of your case, you may be able to use Quick Tap. We recommend turning off theRequire stronger tapsswitch as it may struggle to recognize taps.
Use Quick Tap with one-handed mode
Quick Tap is handy when paired with Android’s One-handed mode. Activate this by heading to theGesturesmenu in your Pixel phone’sSettingsapp.
Other useful Gestures on Pixel phones
Quick Tap is one of many gestures on the Pixel. These can be found in theGesturesmenu of theSettingsapp. Try out these gestures to improve how you use your phone.
Most of these are activated by default, but double-check theGesturesmenu regardless.
Quickly open camera
Press your Pixel’s power button twice to open the camera. You’ve probably encountered this feature by accident, but you may not know that you’re able to do this from any screen.
Tap to check phone
This simple feature lets you check notifications when your phone’s screen is turned off or on Always On mode. Tapping your screen reveals your lock screen wallpaper and all notifications.
Lift to check phone
This feature shows your lock screen notifications and wallpaper when you lift your phone. It’s simple to use and lets you check your messages in seconds.
Flip to Shhh
When turned on, this feature turns on Do Not Disturb when your phone is placed face down.
Flip camera for selfie
Rather than tapping the switch camera button, twist your phone to switch to the selfie camera. In our testing, we found that you must turn the phone nearly 90 degrees each way to activate this feature reliably, which you may find frustrating.
Change what happens when you press and hold your power button
By default, holding your Pixel phone’s power button down opens Google Assistant. If you’re not a fan ofusing the features included with Google Assistant, change this to open the power menu, allowing you toactivate Emergency Mode, Lockdown, restart, or turn off your phone.
If you keep Google Assistant, you can tweak how long you need to hold the power button to activate it.
Use Quick Tap to perform frequent actions
Quick Tap is best paired with the actions you frequently do. If you have a Messenger contact you text daily, set it to open that conversation immediately.
Quick Tap isn’t the only time-saving tool on your Google Pixel phone. Try theselittle-known swipe shortcuts to zip around your phone.
