The Pixel Watch features many owners forget to use

On the new Google Pixel Watch are a lot more features than most people even use on it day-to-day. Yet after trying hundreds of wearables, there are seven tools I go back to that quietly, sneakily manage to turn the Pixel Watch from a good smartwatch into a great one. These are baked into modern models, and they work on many older watches running the latest Wear OS builds, so you can start using them today.

Use on-device AI to craft in-message quick replies

Swipe up when a message buzzes your wrist and you will be shown suggested replies that are constructed on the watch itself. Responses appear nearly instantaneously and are less robotic than those old “Yes” or “Call you later” standbys, since the language model runs on your device. It’s great when you’re hands full or mid-workout — just tap, send, and keep depriving yourself of oxygen. Google has pushed on-device AI across its ecosystem hard, and this is one of the clearest everyday wins.

Dial in notification triage to cut battery drain

Practically every app, by default, wants to ping your watch. That saps battery and your peace of mind. Open the Watch app on your phone, go to Notifications, and mercilessly allow only what you would actually act on from your wrist: calls, messages, calendar, maybe ride-hailing or deliveries. Industry surveys, conducted by firms such as Deloitte, have brought the notification overload issue to light as a leading driver of smartwatch fatigue: Cutting out that noise is what makes the Pixel Watch feel faster and run for longer between charges.

Meanwhile, the complications that are really vying for attention

The Pixel Watch range offers some of the classiest faces of any Wear OS device, but the true grunt is in complications. Press and hold the watch face, tap Edit, then pick layouts that call out essentials — heart rate, next calendar event, timers, or your favorite app shortcuts. With dozens of complication slots available from Google and third-party apps in the Play Store, you can cut down on tapping time by having a glance tell you what you need to know. It’s the difference between a clock that looks nice and one that is useful.

Build tiles with real workflows for faster actions

Tiles are the side-swipe screens to the immediate left and right of your watch face. Now, with the most recent Material Design updates, they have brought multi-panel Tiles, which have richer data and one-tap actions. Include Tiles for Keep to catch a note, Clock for an alarm, Wallet to pay with passes, and Weather for next-hour precipitation, as well as Fitness for readiness and zones. There’s no hard limit now, so you can build a left-to-right flow that exactly mirrors your day. Wear OS engagement was up as Tiles matured — here’s why.

Double-press the crown to pay and speed through lines

Allocate Google Wallet to the double-press of the crown, and you’ve made your watch into a tap-to-pay remote. It can do payment cards, most transit systems, gift and loyalty cards, and in certain regions, digital IDs. Real-world example: load your local transit card once, then double-press at the turnstile. Coffee runs are equally frictionless. Both are still adding support for contactless transit and merchants, and Wallet on the watch is easily one of the fastest ways to cash in.

Mirror bike metrics to your phone for safer rides

It’s never a good idea to glance down at your wrist while riding. Begin a bike workout from Exercise on the watch, then select to share metrics to your phone. Put the phone on your handlebars, and you get speed, distance, time, and heart-rate zones in large legible type. It’s a safer arrangement, but it still amasses training history in the Fitbit environment. Cyclists have been asking for mirroring like this for years; Google’s solution is simple and it works, and it integrates with existing ride mounts as well.

Use the flashlight with a night-friendly red mode

Swipe down for Quick Settings and tap on Flashlight. The screen turns into a glowing white panel — useful for keys, dark hallways, or campsite tasks. Tap it again, however, and you will be treated to a red light, which maintains night vision and is less disruptive if you are moving around in a bedroom. You can also control brightness with the crown. It’s a minor feature that winds up as one of the most-used tools on the watch.

Get a smarter fitness overview with timely zone alerts

From high-precision heart-rate monitoring to dual-frequency GPS, modern Pixel Watch models are legit fitness wearables. And put all that accuracy at your wrist in one perfect circle within reach by using heart-rate zone alerts, adding the Exercise and Today Tiles, or even controlling some technology with a tap. Fitbit’s coaching tools can help interpret raw data into actionable guidance on recovery. Studies out of fitness and sports science groups keep showing that timely zone feedback increases the likelihood that you will stick with your workouts — let your wrist be the one to tell you.

If you try just one of these, begin with notifications and Tiles: Together, they rewrite how quickly Pixel Watch helps you do real things. Add Wallet on the crown and AI replies, and you’ll notice the difference in a day. The hardware’s already on your wrist; these features just ensure you’re getting the most out of what you paid for.