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How to Enable and Customize the Pixel 9’s Screen Saver

Set up the Pixel 9 screen saver with photos, a clock, Home Controls, Pixel Weather, charging triggers, and low-light options.
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On a Pixel 9, open Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver, turn on Use screen saver, choose what to display, then set when it appears. You can select a clock, photos, Home Controls, Pixel Weather, or compatible app content; Google’s documented triggers are charging and upright charging, with an optional wireless-charging restriction.

How do I turn on the screen saver on my Pixel 9?

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Tap Display & touch > Screen saver.

  3. Turn on Use screen saver.

  4. Under Choose a screen saver, select the content you want.

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  5. Open When to show and choose a charging trigger.

  6. Tap Use screen saver to preview your selection.

Google’s Pixel Phone Help says some screen-saver steps work only on Android 14 and later, but does not identify which individual options have that requirement. Menu labels and availability can therefore depend on the Android build installed on your phone; check the labels shown on your Pixel 9 if a path or choice differs.

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What can the Pixel 9 show while charging?

Google describes the screen saver as a way to show photos, colorful backgrounds, a clock, and more while a phone is charging or docked. The listed choices on the screen-saver settings page may include these types of content:

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Choice What it displays Where to adjust it
Clock A screen-saver clock. Open the settings beside Clock on the screen-saver page. For style and Night mode, use the Clock app settings described below.
Photos Photos from a source you choose. Open the settings beside Photos to choose a source or adjust its settings.
Home Controls Home controls. Choose Home Controls in the screen-saver list. Additional screen-saver-specific customization is not stated in Google’s instructions.
Pixel Weather Weather content. Choose Pixel Weather in the screen-saver list. Additional screen-saver-specific customization is not stated in Google’s instructions.
Other apps Content from a compatible app listed on the phone. Select the compatible app under other apps. Options depend on what is listed on your device.

How do I show photos while my phone is charging?

  1. Go to Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver.

  2. Turn on Use screen saver if it is off.

  3. Select Photos under Choose a screen saver.

  4. Open the settings beside Photos, then choose a photo source or adjust the available settings.

  5. Open When to show and choose While charging or While upright and charging.

  6. Use Use screen saver to preview the result.

The steps select a source and use the phone’s available photo settings; Google’s instructions do not specify a particular album, app, or photo-selection behavior for every Android build.

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When does the screen saver appear?

In Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver > When to show, choose the charging condition that suits how you use the phone:

The screen saver is not a setting for displaying content continuously whenever the screen is on: its documented appearance is tied to charging or docking conditions. Google also describes a custom charging screen saver with Pixelsnap Chargers and Pixel Stand 1st and 2nd generation. Those accessories are not requirements for the general screen-saver feature.

Can I change the screen-saver clock?

Yes. There are two related but separate routes. To choose the screen-saver content, start at Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver and open the settings beside Clock. For the clock’s style and dark-environment behavior, Google Clock Help gives this route:

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  1. Open the Clock app.

  2. Tap More > Settings.

  3. Look under Screen saver.

  4. Tap Style to switch between analog and digital.

  5. Use Night mode to dim the clock in dark environments.

These settings concern the clock shown by the screen saver, not the clock on the lock screen. Google’s Pixel lock-screen instructions say Android 16 and higher can change the lock-screen clock’s style, color, and size through Wallpaper & style. Those controls do not configure the charging screen saver.

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Why does my screen saver turn into a dim clock at night?

Google says the default Low light mode behavior is to transition to a low-light clock when the environment is dim. That is why a selected screen saver may no longer look the same in a dark room. To adjust it, open Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver > Low light mode. This setting can also control whether the display turns off. The exact choices shown can vary, so use the options visible on your installed build.

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What to check if the options look different

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