Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. Mobile
  4. News

Use the Pixel Timer for easier selfies and group shots

By
Add as a preferred source on Google
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Do you find using awkward selfie sticks unbearable? Are you tired of rushing to beat the camera timer when setting up a group shot? If you own a Pixel, there’s a surprisingly simple alternative tool available: your hand.

With the built-in “Pixel Timer,” you can make group photos and selfies much more effortless. Instead of fumbling with a complicated setup or racing against the clock, signal the phone with your hand.

Recommended Videos

Here’s how it works: raise your hand before the camera to let your Pixel know you’re ready for a photo. This gesture helps you frame the shot perfectly and ensures that everyone, including those awkwardly positioned in the back, can get in place without the chaos of a countdown clock.

Lower your hand after you’ve gathered everyone, and everyone will be ready to smile. This action will trigger the timer, allowing enough time for you to strike the perfect pose. This user-friendly feature means less stress and more fun during those memorable moments.

So, next time you plan to capture a group photo, remember that your hand is an effortless tool in your Pixel’s photography arsenal. Yes, it’s that easy!

The Pixel Timer is turned on by default. To confirm that it’s installed, go into the Camera app on your Pixel, then choose Settings. From there, you’ll notice a toggle for the Pixel Timer.

The Pixel Timer was first introduced in August 2024 on the Pixel Fold and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Since then, Google has expanded it to all other Pixel phones, going back to the Pixel 6. With the March 2025 Feature Drop, the tool has been upgraded to work with both the rear and front cameras. Before this release, the Pixel Timer was only compatible with the selfie camera.

The March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop enhances user experience with AI-driven features, improved connectivity, and safety upgrades. A standout is the new AI-powered scam detection, which identifies potential fraudulent calls and messages while protecting user privacy. The “Connected Cameras” feature allows Pixel 9 users to stream from multiple camera angles by connecting to other Pixel devices or GoPro cameras. There’s also expanded satellite support for staying connected in areas without cellular or Wi-Fi, beneficial for emergencies.

Additionally, the Pixel Watch 3 introduces health updates, including loss-of-pulse detection and enhanced menstrual tracking. This drop underscores Google’s focus on intelligent and safe technology.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Topics
The wearable on your wrist can predict blood pressure crisis events days in advance
A hypertensive crisis can lead to acute organ damage, and the abrupt spikes in blood pressure are also linked to stroke, kidney damage, fluid backup in the lungs, and heart attack. Research says wearable devices can provide a warning 3 days in advance.
Huawei Watch D3 Blood Pressure (6)

In the domain of wearable devices, we have reached a stage where they are available in a variety of form factors. You can go with a smartwatch, something a little more subtle like a smart band without a screen, or even a smart ring. And as the form factors have continued to evolve, so have the capabilities and the sensing hardware. What started with basic light-based heart rate tracking has now reached a stage where smartwatches are capable of tracking multiple metrics, such as taking electrocardiogram readings, tracking sleep, looking for signs of sleep apnea, or even detecting spikes in blood pressure levels.

Now, fresh research courtesy of the American Heart Association claims that these mass-market wearable devices can help predict episodes of dangerously high blood pressure, or hypertensive crisis, up to three days in advance. The research was conducted over a period of 12 months and involved more than 4,000 participants living with stage 2 high blood pressure.

Read more
Wear OS is borrowing your phone’s status bar so you never lose track of time
Your smartwatch is finally getting the one thing it was weirdly missing.
The Pixel Watch on a person's wrist.

If you have ever opened an app on your Wear OS smartwatch and had no idea what time it was, Google is working on a fix. In October, the company launched a Wear OS canary emulator inside Android Studio. It lets developers try out new features and design tweaks well before Google ships them to anyone’s wrist.

The biggest addition in this build is a status bar that never leaves. It lives at the top edge of your round watch face, floats above whatever app you have open, and keeps the clock and your watch’s status icons in view. 

Read more
Samsung’s first AI glasses could arrive in December, but only in two countries
Samsung's Gemini-powered glasses might be arriving a little later than expected, and most countries will have to wait even longer.
Samsung AI Glasses

Samsung's first AI-powered smart glasses are finally getting closer to store shelves. According to a new report from South Korea's ChosunBiz, the company is planning to launch its Intelligent Eyewear in mid-December, and if you're waiting to get your hands on them outside the US or South Korea, you might be disappointed.

For those catching up, we reported earlier in October that Samsung was planning a November launch. However, the latest report suggests the release has been pushed back by a few weeks. Samsung hasn't officially confirmed the new date, and there's still no word on how much the glasses will cost.

Read more