Google’s Pixel Launcher is likely one of the best and most versatile launchers to make use of. I don’t have to tweak heavy settings or regulate limitless toggles to maintain it working out of the field.
In terms of app notifications, although, leaving these settings untouched can drown you in alerts, even with the brand new notification supervisor instruments, particularly in case you have dozens put in (or over 100).
After over a 12 months of day by day driving my Google Pixel 9 Professional XL, I discovered which settings and features to flip on to keep away from getting swamped by pesky alerts whereas stopping me from lacking the essential ones.
Notification Organizer
I can prioritize essential alerts with a single toggle
In case you’re like me and put in near or over 100 apps in your Pixel, you understand how shortly app notifications can swarm your notification shade, equivalent to if you get up within the morning after silencing them in a single day.
Google launched Notification organizer to handle this downside I and others have confronted.
It shipped with Android 16 QPR on the finish of final 12 months and helps newer Pixel fashions just like the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 which have on-device AI.
It really works by mechanically grouping totally different notifications and silencing them. They nonetheless seem within the notification bar and drawer, however every notification window stays collapsed.
Notifications from a number of apps are organized per app, so you continue to get a number of minimized objects inside every grouping.
It’s surprisingly efficient at protecting me targeted on extra vital alerts, prioritizing them over low-priority objects like promotional advertisements and social media pushes that I discover annoying.
Relying in your system, Notification organizer could be switched off by default.
Accessing and turning it on is a simple course of: Go to your Pixel settings and faucet Notifications. Choose Notification organizer and switch it on.
Alternatively, you may entry every Notification organizer toggle from an app’s notification web page.
I additionally suggest tweaking the opposite controls contained in the characteristic, equivalent to toggling on Social and Urged along with Information and Promotion.
You may customise which apps will likely be excluded from Notification organizer, which provides you neat granular management. For instance, I hold the toggle lively for finance apps in addition to YouTube Music and Slack.
Notification Summaries
Shorten prolonged messages
I left Notification summaries sitting untouched for months earlier than realizing how efficient it’s for managing lengthy chat threads or messages.
It’s the equal of Notification organizer, however constructed for rambling conversations. And since it depends on on-device synthetic intelligence, it’s solely accessible on newer Pixel generations.
When turned on, it summarizes and teams chats by way of messaging or social media apps. The result’s a compact window with summarized chat entries slightly than particular person conversations filling up your notification drawer.
I discovered that it’s not overly aggressive, both. I’ve seen it solely kicks in when threads are ridiculously lengthy.
Even so, you may customise which apps are included in Notification summaries, so Google gained’t drive it throughout the board.
I hold WhatsApp and Messages exempted from summarization in order that I don’t miss vital messages from household and pals.
App notifications for blocking alerts
And much more granular controls
Even on older Pixel fashions – and usually on gadgets working inventory Android – there’s a traditional software for managing apps and filtering out the noise.
It’s labeled Notification classes on inventory Android, whereas on Samsung Galaxy gadgets working One UI, you’ll discover it beneath Handle notification classes for every app within the superior settings.
On Pixels, it’s enabled by default and works out of the field. Nonetheless, the characteristic doesn’t mechanically apply to each app or newly put in app.
Leaving it alone typically leaves essential toggles off, so it’s value checking it individually.
It’s as important as the opposite notification instruments on Android, permitting me to customise which sorts of alerts are filtered out.
As an example, I can select to obtain solely direct messages from Instagram whereas shutting off promotions and push alerts.
The one downside is that it’s important to examine every app’s settings web page. However after you’ve dialed all the things in, you gained’t want to the touch it once more.
Flash Notifications
Visible cues which might be arduous to overlook
One other traditional software that leans extra towards accessibility is Flash notifications.
It options two modes: digital camera flash and display flash. Older gadgets with a devoted LED notification mild assist related visible triggers.
It makes use of visible cues by means of the digital camera flash or show when an incoming notification hits or an alarm is working.
On different gadgets, it’s also possible to customise the frequency or depth of the digital camera flash, in addition to the colour of the display flash, equivalent to on my Pixel cellphone.
However there’s a lacking management I want had been added. There’s no solution to choose particular apps to set off the display flash, which might make a world of distinction for precedence alerts. However having the choice is healthier than nothing.
It’s yet another solution to assure I gained’t miss a ping when my cellphone is sitting silent on my desk.
Managing notifications on Android is just not a headache anymore
I’m glad Google is taking notification overload significantly with these new controls, even when the execution isn’t completely foolproof.
With a number of fast settings changes on my Pixel cellphone, I can focus on important alerts as an alternative of feeling like my cellphone is continually poking at me.
I hope we get extra management sooner or later, although it’s probably not a big constraint. What’s already accessible is sufficient to management pesky alerts whereas additionally letting me resolve what stays.
