Google / Android Apps New Features, Tips & Tricks

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A couple of months back, Google released a pretty major update for its Pixel Camera app. Not only did it get a major redesign thanks to Material 3 Expressive, but it delivered a simpler interface that made some subtle but notable changes as well.

And while, at a glance, everything felt pretty familiar, there was a small adjustment that flipped around the shadow and exposure settings that could be found on the live view screen when taking a picture.

Putting things back to how they were​

Naturally, this wasn't a huge deal, but for those that were used to the previous settings, it did take some time to adjust. If you weren't a fan of the change, there's luckily some good news. You'll be happy to hear that Google has now reverted the shadow and exposure settings back to its previous configuration.
The change was spotted by the folks at 9to5Google, and is available in the latest Pixel Camera 10.2 update. So going forward, the shadow adjustment will be at the top, while the exposure setting will be located at the bottom when making adjustments in the live view. You can check out the change shown in the image above.

Not a big change, but it's something to be aware of​

As you can tell, it's quite subtle. It's also important to note that the temperature adjustment will remain in the same space, occupying the left-hand area. For the most part, there's nothing really major going on here, but it's something to be aware of the next time you head into the settings to take some photos and make some adjustments.

Things will feel different, and it could be confusing if you're not paying attention to what's going on. If you've never messed with the exposure and shadow settings, it's worth taking a look, as these are small adjustments that can end up making a huge difference. Google's posted a nice refresher to give you an idea of how each of these settings work in the Pixel Camera app.

This BRILLIANT Pixel now makes a lot more sense. [Video]


This is especially critical if you're someone that's going to be taking a ton of photos over the holidays. We know how some scenarios might not have the best lighting, so it's critical to be able to make these types of adjustments on the fly without having to think too much. However, we know that the Pixel Camera is already pretty good at getting the shot right.

So, if you feel like leaving things alone, that's an option too. Just in case you're curious about this change, you can head to the Play Store to check for this update. However, 9to5Google notes that it may not be widely available yet. So, if you don't see it, don't be alarmed and check back again at a later time.

 

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Call Recording now available. you can find the feature in the Phone app under Settings > Call Assist > Call Recording

 

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In November, Call Recording for the Pixel Phone app began rolling out broadly, and it’s now getting international availability.

This is different from Gemini Nano-powered Call Notes available on the Pixel 9 (except A-Series) and later. Call Recording is for all other devices and does not offer transcription or summaries.

Once available, go to Phone app > Settings > Call Recording for a setup/download process. Afterwards, open the Call Assist menu during a conversation to activate. You can also “Automatically record calls with non-contacts” and specify numbers that always record.

There’s a countdown before the spoken message that notifies everyone on the line that you’re recording. You can tap “Stop” mid-call to end. Recordings appear in the Home tab with a microphone icon and inline player.

You can have recordings automatically delete after 7, 14, 30 days, or Never, with “Delete all” available in settings.

Call Recording is available on “Pixel 6 and up with Android 14 and up.” Officially:

You must be in a country or region where call recording is supported. Call recording is widely available, but not in all countries or regions. Features vary based on your country or region.

This wider Call Recording availability was announced in September, with Google noting how the “expansion to new countries will roll out through the rest of the year.” In November, we saw broad US availability, but people reported not getting it in Europe.

Over the past few days, we’ve seen more reports from European countries about Call Recording going live.

Additionally, with the Pixel 10a launch, Google told us that “all markets” and languages would get Call Recording in the Phone app by the end of February, or before the new device hits store shelves.

 

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Did you know that Google has a secret home screen widget for your camera app? When the Pixel 8a shipped in 2024, it came with this new “Snapshot” widget that lets you snap an instant photo with your camera and immediately pin it to your home screen. The widget remained under the radar, even though it showed up again on the Pixel 9a in 2025, but it never made it to any other phones beyond these two.

I just stumbled across the widget while digging through my Pixel 9a and realized it was tied to a standalone APK from Google called “Family Space.” After extracting the APK, I sent it to my other phones — Pixels, Samsung, Nothing, and OnePlus — and it worked there too. Here’s how to get it on your phone’s home screen.

How to get Google’s Snapshot widget​

As far as I can tell, the Snapshot widget is only pre-installed on the Pixel 8a and 9a. There, you’ll find it under the full widget menu under Snapshot. Easy peasy.

Any other device will have to sideload it first. The package name is “com.google.android.apps.pixel.familyspace”. You can grab the file I extracted from my Pixel 9a from this Google Drive link. (It should soon be available on APK Mirror, too.) Download it to your phone and install it. You might run into a hiccup where Google says you need permission to install this file — that’s normal. Just give it permission, and you can always take it away later.

1. Find the file on your phone

2. If you get this warning, choose "Settings"

3. Toggle "Allow from this source"

4. And install the file

When it’s installed, go to your home screen and try to add a new widget. You’ll find the new widget either under Snapshot (Pixels) or Family Space (other phones). Add it to your home screen and resize it to fit as much or as little space as you want.

Find the widget on your Galaxy

...or your Nothing Phone

...or your Pixel

I’ve tried this on my Pixel 10 Pro XL, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Nothing Phone 2, and my colleague tried it on a OnePlus 13R. It worked on all of them. It’ll probably work with other Android skins and brands, too.

What Google’s Snapshot camera widget does​

The Snapshot widget is extremely simple and pretty barebones. At first, it shows up like a printed placeholder photo taped to your home screen. Tap the camera icon to open the default camera app on your phone, take a picture, approve it, and it will show up inside the widget.

It’s as simple as that, really. The photo will be saved like any normal pic on your phone. Tapping the widget opens the pic to let you edit it, but any edits you make won’t affect how the photo is displayed on your home screen. You can’t pin a previously-shot photo to the Snapshot widget; you can only take a new photo and set it immediately.

Just think of this Snapshot widget as an instant camera addition to your phone’s camera. It shoots a pic in the moment and pins it to your home screen the same way you’d grab a pic with an instant cam, print it, and pin it to your fridge or the board in your living room.

I’m not sure why Google has chosen to keep this particular feature as a Pixel A series-exclusive, without ever talking about it or marketing it. But hey, at least now you know how to get it on your phone, in spite of Google.