We spend so much time customizing our Google Pixel wallpapers, widgets, and home screens, yet most of us ignore the two most visible elements of the entire UI: the default lock screen shortcuts.
For the longest time, I just accepted the standard Camera and Home Control buttons as immovable fixtures.
However, I recently dove deep into the settings and discovered a simple, often-overlooked customization option that allows you to swap those two icons for anything you want.
This isn’t a flashy new feature, but a simple, subtle UI tweak that has changed my muscle memory.
Changing my current lock screen setup
For months, my Pixel’s lock screen was defined by two icons I almost never needed: the Flashlight and the Still Camera. Yes, the flashlight is useful at times when I’m trying to find my seat in a dark theater.
And the default camera shortcut? I rely almost exclusively on the power button double-tap, which is faster and works when the phone is locked.
But my life right now revolves around two specific needs: maintaining focus and capturing fleeting moments of toddler magic.
My first, and most important, switch was ditching the Flashlight for Do Not Disturb. As a parent or someone trying to meet a deadline, being instantly available is often counterproductive.
I needed a way to drop into focus mode the moment I picked up my phone, or instantly silence it when I walked into a meeting or a quiet zone.
After all, the Pixel series doesn’t have an action button or a physical toggle slider to silence the phone quickly. Before, silencing my phone meant waking the screen, swiping down, finding the DND tile, and tapping it.
Now, I tap the lower-left corner of the lock screen, and the phone is instantly silenced. I’m no longer fumbling with menus.
My second frustration was the default Camera shortcut.
When my little one suddenly starts dancing or does something hilarious, speed is everything. Tapping the default Camera icon opened the still photo mode, which meant I had to wait for it to load, then swipe over to Video Mode, then finally press record.
By changing the default lower-right icon to the dedicated Video Camera shortcut, I now have an instant video capture device. One tap on the lock screen, and I’m instantly in recording mode, ready to go.
There are a couple of ways to change these settings. You can either long-tap on the lock screen and change toggles or head to Settings > Wallpaper & style > Lock screen > Shortcuts and pick left and right shortcuts from the following menu.
These are just two of my preferred shortcuts at the bottom. You can place Mute, QR Code Scanner, Google Wallet, Home, and even keep it empty.
Other lock screen tweaks to consider
The Pixel UI’s lock screen goes beyond just changing the bottom shortcuts. I have also enabled the dynamic clock so that the large clock dominates the screen when there are no notifications.
When a notification comes in, the clock smoothly shrinks and moves to the upper-left corner. It gives me a clean, minimalist lock screen most of the time but ensures that when new information arrives, the UI fluidly makes room for it.
I have also added emergency text on the lock screen. It’s a critical one for peace of mind.
Another neat Pixel UI feature is Now Playing. It shows the exact track when I hear a great song in a café or store, but I can’t pull out the Shazam app fast enough.
When I enable it, my Pixel is constantly, quietly listening for music, identifying the song on-device without sending audio to Google’s servers.
And since I have switched from an iPhone to a Pixel device, I enabled the Wake for new notifications toggle for the lock screen.
Changes I wish to see in the future
While I have genuinely loved the impact of swapping the default Flashlight and Camera for DND and Video Camera, the personalization options still leave a lot to be desired.
For example, the iPhone offers a long list of options to place different toggles on the lock screen. In comparison, Google has done an average job with available options.
I want the freedom to drag any of the toggles available in my Quick Settings panel (the one I pull down from the top) and pin it as one of my two lock screen shortcuts. Imagine placing Microsoft To Do (new task) or VPN connection options right on the lock screen.
From annoying to awesome
Often, we overlook the small optimizations, thinking they won’t make a meaningful difference.
Changing those two static lock screen icons from defaults I never touched to direct links for DND and Video Camera has shaved seconds off countless daily transactions.
Still, the current options are limited, and I would love to see more customization options in the future.
If you have been living with the default shortcuts, take five minutes right now to reclaim that screen real estate. If you are new to Pixel, check out these camera tips and tricks to get the best out of it.
