{"id":243876,"date":"2025-09-21T12:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T12:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/243876\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T12:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T12:38:11","slug":"i-used-the-pixel-10-pro-and-pixel-ui-still-feels-brilliant-but-broken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/243876\/","title":{"rendered":"I used the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel UI still feels brilliant but broken"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Prakhar<\/p>\n

Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I have been using the Google Pixel 10 Pro<\/a> for a few weeks now, and this is the first time since my Pixel 3<\/a> that I\u2019ve enjoyed using a Google phone so much. I like the in-hand feel, Magic Cue seems great when it pops up, and themed icons are finally uniform. Plus, the Google Pixel 10 Pro looks fantastic in Moonstone.<\/p>\n

However, some things continue to bother me more than expected. Like, why does my Pixel not use the telephoto camera for portraits? Why can\u2019t I remove the Search bar from the bottom of my home screen, and why is the search in Settings as bad as it is?<\/p>\n

There are a few things that I love too, and only Pixel can offer that experience. But overall, it continues to feel more rigid than Samsung\u2019s One UI and the Nothing OS<\/a>. Here\u2019s how my love-hate relationship with Pixel UI continues after using the new Google Pixel 10 Pro.<\/p>\n

Do you like Google’s Pixel UI?<\/p>\n

52 votes<\/p>\n

Yes! I love the pure Android experience.<\/p>\n

62%<\/p>\n

I’m not fond of it but it’s fine.<\/p>\n

21%<\/p>\n

I don’t like it. It’s too rigid.<\/p>\n

17%<\/p>\n

What I love about Pixel UI<\/p>\n

\"Google<\/p>\n

Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I like Pixel UI<\/a> for the most part, and it is only getting better with contextual AI features like Magic Cue. Here are some of the features that I really appreciate.<\/p>\n

Material 3 Expressive gets more impressive<\/p>\n

Material Design gave Android a new look in 2014, while Material You made it more lively overall. But it wasn\u2019t till Material 3 Expressive<\/a> on the Pixel 10 series that my home screen finally started looking uniform and the Pixel felt more fluid. \u201cM3 Expressive is our most researched update to the design system since its launch in 2014,\u201d says Google, and I agree.<\/p>\n

I’ve really enjoyed using the Google Pixel 10 Pro.<\/p>\n

This is the first time all icons and elements on my home screen (and throughout the UI) apply the desired customizations. The new UI also makes my Pixel 10 Pro feel more responsive. It adds an extra polish and slight playfulness to the user interface, which plays well with the quirky Pixel UI. Using the new Google phone feels like a more complete and thought-out experience this time around.<\/p>\n

Contextual AI is nice to have<\/p>\n

AI by itself isn\u2019t as useful on phones as contextual AI. I first noticed it on my OnePlus 13s<\/a>, where I loved having pop-ups for AI features that the phone thought might be useful based on the screen I was on. No swipe from the sidebar or going to another screen to enable something; tap on a pop-up and it works! I found a similarly useful use case on the new Google phone.<\/p>\n

While using WhatsApp, my Pixel 10 Pro suggests Translate to English whenever it detects another language. It isn\u2019t accurate 100% of the time, but this is a handy feature for when I have to text someone who isn\u2019t very good with English and texts in their native language. Similarly, I\u2019ve found Magic Cue<\/a> suggestions to be useful (when they pull the right information).<\/p>\n

The overview screen is more functional now<\/p>\n

\"Pixel<\/p>\n

Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know I needed this until I started using it. With the latest version of Pixel UI, Google added the ability to take a screenshot or select text right from the overview screen. Swipe up and hold, slide to the app you need information from, and you can access it without needing to enter the app. You get two options: Screenshot and Select, which makes the required task quicker.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been using this feature a lot. Whether it be copying information from a WhatsApp text and Googling it or saving something from an email to Google Keep, everything is quicker with one tap less. I didn\u2019t know I\u2019d use and enjoy it as much as I do.<\/p>\n

At a Glance remains unbeaten<\/p>\n

I want every Android manufacturer to copy this feature. It isn\u2019t a new addition or exclusive to the Pixel 10 series. And I\u2019m not talking just about the At a Glance widget, but glanceable information on the lock screen.<\/p>\n

From weather information to pulling details from the Calendar, it displays the important stuff right on the lock screen. I don\u2019t need to unlock my phone to check glanceable information. I\u2019m excited for the new layout<\/a>, which is supposed to be released soon.<\/p>\n

Things I dislike about Pixel UI<\/p>\n

\"Omnipresent<\/p>\n

Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Apart from all the nice stuff, there are a couple of things that I dislike about Pixel UI. And there are also a few I just can\u2019t wrap my head around.<\/p>\n

Quick Settings toggle is not so quick<\/p>\n

Pull down the Quick Settings panel and tap on Wi-Fi or Data to toggle them on or off. That\u2019s how quick-setting toggles are supposed to work, right? Not on Pixel UI. It bundles Wi-Fi and Data in a single tile called Internet and adds an extra step in this process.<\/p>\n

On Pixel UI, you need to pull down the Quick Settings panel, tap on Internet, and a new pop-up menu appears that lets you toggle Wi-Fi and Data. This might not seem like a big deal, but it is bothersome for me, especially when I\u2019m traveling. While on the go, there are times when I need to switch off Wi-Fi to jump to mobile data (for banking apps), and that added step makes the process inconvenient. It adds up when I need to do those things frequently.<\/p>\n

Search in Settings is broken<\/p>\n

\"Searching<\/p>\n

Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want pop-up notifications on my phone because I get distracted easily. I don\u2019t want to see a random message pop up on my screen when I am reading through an email or browsing online. This is the first setting I turn off on every phone.<\/p>\n

Oppo and OnePlus\u2019 ColorOS<\/a> offer a blanket setting for all apps but on a Pixel, you need to turn it off for every single app. I\u2019m fine with per-app notification controls but Pixel UI needs to make it more searchable. As of now, if you search for\u00a0 \u201cpop,\u201d \u201cpop-up\u201d or \u201cpopup\u201d in the Settings menu, it won\u2019t give you the desired results.<\/p>\n

It should be easier to go to such settings and much more convenient to be able to search for them from inside the Settings app. I\u2019d imagine a phone with AI capabilities like the Pixel 10 Pro to get this basic stuff right, but it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Pixel UI is still rigid<\/p>\n

Despite the Material 3 Expressive makeover and new features, Pixel UI continues to feel more rigid, as compared to the competition.<\/p>\n

For instance, Samsung lets me customize the transparency of widgets on One UI, but Pixel UI only gives me Semi-Transparent, Transparent, and Solid options to choose from. This is also limited to just a few widgets. Having One UI-like ability to customize widget transparency helps me design my home screen better to my liking.<\/p>\n

The Pixel 10 Pro is gorgeous, but Pixel UI keeps testing my patience.<\/p>\n

Secondly, Google hasn\u2019t updated the design and functionality of some of its widgets in a while. I love Nothing\u2019s take on widgets, which lets me add more useful things. Like, I can add a Settings widget and select QR code scanner to scan and pay with one tap. By contrast, Google severely limits what one-tap settings you can access through its widgets.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019m talking about rigidity, the omnipresence of a Search bar at the bottom of my home screen isn\u2019t something I\u2019m fond of. It has always been like that and I wish it\u2019d change, but this is part of the \u201cPixel experience,\u201d I guess.<\/p>\n

These are some of the things that hinder my otherwise enjoyable Pixel experience. I hope Google makes Pixel UI more customizable, but for now, I\u2019ll focus on the positives with my Pixel 10 Pro and continue using it for its contextual AI and gorgeous design.<\/p>\n

Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Prakhar Khanna \/ Android Authority I have been using the Google Pixel 10 Pro for a few weeks…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":243877,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[4600,2722,10974,611,158,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-243876","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-android-16","9":"tag-google","10":"tag-google-pixel-10","11":"tag-mobile","12":"tag-technology","13":"tag-united-states","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115242330401520686","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243876\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=243876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=243876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}