Android 12 may seem like old news to those of us in the land o' Pixels at this point, but hold the phone: Google's latest software has some pretty phenomenal features that are lurking beneath the surface and all too easy to overlook.

We explored a dozen such treasures the other day, but there's even more juicy goodness where that came from. So here now are seven more spectacular hidden gems you'll absolutely want to dig up in Android 12 on your Pixel phone — regardless of whether you're packin' the new Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro or one of the older Pixel models.

Check 'em out, get yourself in the habit of using 'em, and then come sign up for my free Pixel Academy e-course to uncover even more hidden Pixel magic.

Android's Overview area — y'know, the card-driven app-switching interface you see when you swipe up from the bottom of your screen and then hold your finger down, using the current Android gestures system — has gotten some seriously cool superpowers on Pixels as of late. And with Android 12, your favorite Googley phone has another tucked-away time-saver to discover there.

So here it is: Anytime you look at Chrome in your Overview area, you can grab the link of the currently open page with one quick tap — without ever leaving Overview or opening the app. And from there, it's just one more press of your precious fingie to copy the link or share it anywhere else on your phone.

How to find it

This one's easy:

Tap that icon, and shazam! You've got your link.

One of Android's best buried treasures is the device control panel introduced in Android 11 and then weirdly tucked away to an out-of-the-way place in Android 12. Fear not, though, for your Pixel's fancy new software has a couple cool ways to bring that panel back to the forefront.

The panel, in case you aren't familiar, gives you easy access to adjusting any connected devices associated with your account — smart lights, cameras, thermostats, speakers and displays, e-rodents, you name it. It's an awesome time-saver, but it's up to you to pull it out of Android's bowels and make it accessible.

How to find it

First things first, you need to download the confusingly named Google Home app, if you haven't already, and make sure you're signed into it and set up with any connected devices you've got. And don't let the app's name fool you: It's essentially just an interface for interacting with any and all connected gadgets, no matter where they are or what purpose they serve (ahem).

Once you've got that up and running:

And there's another new Android-12-added Pixel feature along those same lines...

In addition to showing basic info like the time, weather, and any pending notifications, your Pixel's lock screen can offer up a one-tap shortcut to that connected device control panel. In fact, the shortcut might already be there, but there's a decent chance you haven't noticed it or realized what it does.

How to find it

Once you have the Google Home app installed and configured, look for a subtle house-shaped icon in the lower-left corner of your Pixel's lock screen:

See it? Purty, right? Tap that house and tap it good, and you'll be staring at your connected device controls faster than you can say "Hey Google, house it goin'?" (as one does).

If you have the Home app set up but don't see that icon on your lock screen:

While you're there, take note: You can also turn on a toggle in that same area to show an icon for your wallet on your lock screen and keep your Google Pay card selector one tap away. You'll need to have the Google Pay app installed and configured in order for that one to work.

Among its many under-the-hood privacy enhancements, Android 12 introduces a pair of new kill switches that make it super-easy for you to disable your Pixel's camera or microphone anytime the need arises. They also have the advantage of allowing you to talk about using "kill switches," which makes you sound totally hard-core...until people figure out that you're actually talking about an advanced privacy feature on your Google Pixel phone.

But, hey, I won't tell if you don't. So let's find and enable those options, shall we?

How to find it

We'll need to mosey our way back into your Pixel's Quick Settings editor to dig these lovely fellas up:

After that, it'll just be a single tap on either of those tiles to turn off the associated function and know no one can possibly see and/or hear whatever it is you're up to (you naughty, naughty bird).

Android 12's Material You theming system is surprisingly impressive, but for some reason, one of its most prominent elements seems to be disabled by default on Pixels that are upgrading to Android 12.

That element is the auto-theming of icons on your home screen so that they're coordinated with your current wallpaper and the rest of your phone's dynamically changing motif. It's a subtle touch and a purely superficial one, but it really does create a nice effect and make a meaningful difference in how pleasant your phone is to use.

How to find it

Provided you're using your Pixel's default Pixel Launcher home screen setup:

And, ta-da:

Pretty spiffy, wouldn't ya say? Just note that as of now, it's mostly only Google apps that are affected by this system. It'll take some time for non-Google app developers to get on board with the system and start empowering their apps to be a part of it — but with any luck, we'll see more of that soon.

Google Assistant's got tons of worthwhile time-savers, with new options showing up all the time (especially here in Pixel Land!). But uttering "Hey Google" isn't always the most practical way to summon your trusty virtual companion. And Android's swipe-up-from-the-corner-of-your-screen gesture for activating Assistant is often awkward and inconsistent (which might be at least in part why Google disabled it by default on the new Pixel 6 devices).

Well, take note: As of Android 12 on a Pixel, you've got another option — and it's about as easy as can be: A simple press and hold of your phone's physical power button can pull up your friendly neighborhood genie and have it standing by to help with whatever you need.

B-b-b-b-b-but — oh, yes — you've gotta find and activate the feature first.

How to find it

Thankfully, there's not much to this process:

That's it: Now just press and hold that protruding ol' power button of yours, and your Assistant will be there in a flash. When you want to power down your phone or access any other items in the traditional Pixel power menu, press the power button and the volume-up key together (and that'll override the previously available muting shortcut connected to that same key combination).

If you love shortcuts as much as I do, you're gonna adore this final Pixel-specific Android 12 treat. It's a new system that lets you tap twice on the back of your phone to have a specific action performed — capturing a screenshot, summoning Assistant, playing or pausing any active media, opening your recent apps, opening your notifications, or opening any app you want (whew!). As an added bonus, it also makes a lovely percussive pitter-patter.

So, yeah: This new Pixel option is pretty forkin' fantastic, to say the least. The only catch is that is seems to be available only on the Pixel 4a 5G and higher — so the Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and then the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro models (but not, curiously enough, the regular Pixel 4 or Pixel 4a devices).

How to find it

If you have the Pixel 4a 5G or higher:

If you go with the "Open app" option, be sure to hit the gear-shaped icon along that same line to select which app, specifically, you want to have open.

And if you find your phone is activating the tap action inadvertently, when you aren't actually tap-a-tap tappin', head back into that same area of the settings and try activating the "Require stronger taps" toggle to see if that helps.

Not a bad bag of tricks to have, eh? And hey, don't forget to come join my free Pixel Academy e-course to keep the momentum going. You'll get seven spectacular days of efficiency-enhancing Pixel knowledge — starting with some camera-centric smarts and moving from there to advanced image magic, next-level nuisance reducers, and oodles of other opportunities for pro-level Pixel intelligence.

Your Pixel productivity journey is just getting started, my dear Pipsie, and we've got plenty more ground left to cover yet.