What Android 9 Pie can do: a complete overview of features and hidden features

Android 9 Pie (code name Android P during development) has become one of the most significant updates to the mobile operating system from Google. Released in August 2018, it brought revolutionary changes to the interface, gesture control, artificial intelligence and device optimization. Despite the fact that several years have passed since the release, many users still actively use Android 9 —especially on budget smartphones or devices with limited support for updates.

This version has become a transition bridge between the classic Android with navigation buttons and modern gesture-based systems. It introduced functions that later formed the basis of newer versions, such as adaptive brightness, digital well-being i smart energy consumption. If you still don’t know what your smartphone is capable of Android 9 Pie, this article will help you unlock its potential by 100%.

1. New interface and gesture navigation

The most noticeable change in Android 9 is the abandonment of the traditional three navigation buttons (Back, Home, Recent) in favor of one elongated button gesture support. Now interaction with a smartphone has become more intuitive and modern.

How it works:

• 🔹 Return to home: short press on the button returns to the home screen.
• 🔹 Open recent applications: swipe up and hold your finger - a list of recent tasks will appear.
• 🔹 Quick switch: swipe right on the button to switch between the last two apps.
• 🔹 Search: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to open Google Search or Google Assistant.

If gestures seem inconvenient, you can disable them in Settings → System → Gestures → Navigation style and return to the classic buttons. However, it’s worth giving the new interface a chance - after a couple of days of use, many users note that gestures save screen space and speed up work.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices from manufacturers (for example, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei) the gesture interface may differ or be disabled by default due to proprietary shells. In this case, check the settings in the section Screen → Navigation panel.

2. Adaptive brightness and battery

Android 9 Pie learned automatically adjust screen brightness to suit the ambient lighting and your preferences. Unlike previous versions, where adaptive brightness worked according to fixed algorithms, now the system uses machine learning to analyze your actions. For example, if you often reduce the brightness in the dark, the smartphone will do this automatically.

Another key improvement is Adaptive battery. This feature limits the background activity of applications that you rarely use, thereby extending battery life by 10–30% depending on the smartphone model. It works like this:

• 📊 The system analyzes which applications you launch most often.
• ⏳ Rarely used apps are put into “sleep” mode.
• 🔋 Apps are not allowed to drain your battery unnecessarily in the background.

To check which apps are restricted, go to Settings → Battery → Adaptive battery. Here you can manually add or remove apps from the list of restrictions.

3. Digital well-being and time control

One ​​of the most useful new products Android 9 is tools Digital Wellbeing (Digital well-being). They help you track how much time you spend on your smartphone and limit the use of distracting apps. This is especially true for those who want to reduce their dependence on social networks or games.

Main functions:

• 📱 Control panel: shows daily device usage statistics, including the number of unlocks and time in each application.
• ⏰ Application timers: set usage limits specific apps (for example, 30 minutes a day for Instagram).
• 🌙 Do Not Disturb mode: automatically turns off notifications and visually switches the screen to black and white during sleep.
• 📵 Disconnect function: temporarily blocks access to distracting applications.

To activate Digital Wellbeing, go to Settings → Digital well-being and parental controls. On some devices (for example, Xiaomi or Huawei) this function can be replaced with branded analogues, such as Screen Time or Digital Balance.

Function	Description	How to enable
Application timer	Limits the time you can use selected apps	Digital well-being → Timers → Select an application
Do Not Disturb mode	Disables notifications and makes the screen black and white	Digital well-being → Sleep mode → Set up schedule
Usage statistics	Shows time spent in each application	Digital well-being → Control panel
Disconnect function	Blocks access to distracting applications	Digital well-being → Disconnect → Launch

4. Improved multitasking and recent applications

IN Android 9 Pie The display of recent applicationsis now shown as a horizontal ribbon with a preview, rather than a vertical list. This makes switching between tasks easier, especially on devices with large screens.

Key changes:

• 🖼️ Preview: now you can see not only the icon, but also a screenshot of the last application state.
• 🔍 Search by recent: you can enter a query to quickly find the desired application in list.
• 📋 Copy text: Select text directly from the app preview without having to open it.
• 🗑️ Quick closing: Swipe up on the app card to close it.

Also in Android 9 a function has appeared - it predicts which application you can launch next, based on your habits. For example, if you open App Actions — it predicts which app you might launch next based on your habits. For example, if you open every day at 8 am Google Maps every day at 8 am to plot a route to work, the system can suggest this action on the main screen or in the recent menu. applications.

How to return the old view of recent applications?

Unfortunately, in pure Android 9 there is no official way to return the vertical list. However, on some devices (for example, Samsung) you can install an alternative launcher, for example Nova Launcher, which supports the classic multitasking display.

5. Security and privacy

Android 9 Pie paid special attention to protecting user data. Several important improvements have been introduced:

New permissions for applications:

• 🔒 Restricting access to the microphone and camera: now applications cannot use them in the background without your knowledge.
• 📱 Lock unused sensors: if the application has not been launched for a long time, the system automatically revokes permissions to access sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer, etc.).
• 🔐 Backup protection: Data saved to Google Driveis now encrypted using your PIN or password.

Another important innovation - biometric authentication. In Android 9 standard support for fingerprint scanners and facial recognition has appeared at the OS level, which makes logging into applications and unlocking the device more secure.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices with custom shells (for example, EMUI from Huawei or MIUI from Xiaomi) security settings may be located in other sections of the menu. Always check the sections Security or Lock screen in the settings of your smartphone.

Also in Android 9 function appeared Lockdown Mode (Blocking mode). When activated, all biometric data (fingerprint, facial recognition) are disabled, and the device can only be unlocked using a PIN code or password. This is useful in situations where someone might force you to unlock your phone. The mode is activated via the power button (hold it and select Lock mode).

6. Performance optimization and compatibility

Android 9 Pie has brought significant improvements to system performance, especially on devices with limited resources. Here are the key changes:

Startup acceleration applications:

• ⚡ ART (Android Runtime): optimized for faster application compilation, which reduces their launch time.
• 🖥️ 64-bit support processors: all new applications in Google Play must support 64-bit architecture, which improves performance.
• 📦 DALVIK cache compression: reduces the memory footprint and speeds up the system.

For developers in Android 9 new APIs have appeared, such as:

• 🎮 Android Neural Networks API 1.1 - to speed up work AI applications.
• 📡 Wi-Fi RTT — allows you to determine location in rooms with an accuracy of 1–2 meters.
• 🔊 Improved Audio API —supports new audio formats, such as Opus and FLAC.

If your smartphone is updated before Android 9 began to work slower, try the following steps:

Reset cache in Settings → Storage → Cached data

Disable animation in Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → Developer settings → Animation scale (select 0.5x)

Check the background activity of applications in Settings → Battery → Adaptive battery

Update all applications in Google Play-->

7. New features for multimedia

Android 9 Pie introduced several useful functions for working with media files:

Improved sound controls:

• 🎧 Individual volume control: you can now separately adjust the volume for notifications, multimedia and alarm clock.
• 🔇 Vibration only mode: quickly switch between sound and silent modes via the volume button.
• 🎵 Support for HDR VP9 and HEIF: improved quality of videos and photos at a smaller size files.

Also in Android 9 a function has appeared for all applications. Now you can watch video in a small window while working in another application. For example, you can turn on Picture-in-Picture (PiP) for all applications. Now you can watch videos in a small window while you work in another application. For example, you can enable YouTube in PiP mode and simultaneously write a message in WhatsApp.

To activate Picture-in-Picture:

1. Open the video in a supported application (for example, YouTube Premium or Google Maps).
2. Press the button Home —video automatically will switch to PiP mode.
3. To close the window, swipe it down or tap Close.

⚠️ Attention: Not all applications support the mode Picture-in-Picture v Android 9. For example, a standard YouTube without subscription Premium can block this function. In this case, you can use a browser Firefox or Kiwi Browser, where PiP works for any videos.

8. Hidden functions and features of Android 9

In addition to the obvious innovations, Android 9 Pie hidden are several useful functions that not everyone knows about:

Secret features:

• 🔄 Automatic screen rotation: if the auto-rotate function is disabled, but sometimes you need to quickly flip the screen, double-tap the Home button (or swipe up if you use gestures).
• 📸 Long scrolling screenshot: Take a regular screenshot, then tap the notification thumbnail and select Scrollingto capture the entire page.
• 🔍 Search in settings: at the top menu Settings a search bar has appeared - now you don’t need to scroll through the menu manually.
• 🎨 Dark theme (hidden): although there is no official dark theme in Android 9 it can be enabled via Developer settings (activate Override dark theme forcing).

Another useful feature — improved text copying. Now, when you select text, a larger window appears for precise selection, as well as suggested actions (for example, Google Search or ShareThis is especially convenient when working with small screens.

If you want to access Developer settings, go to Settings → About phone → Build number and click on it 7 times After this, a new section will appear in the main settings menu. For developers, where you can fine-tune the operation of the system.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Android 9 Pie

Can any smartphone be updated to Android 9?

No, the update depends on the manufacturer and model of the device. Most. smartphones released after 2017 received Android 9, but budget models or devices older than 3-4 years may remain on earlier versions. Check the manufacturer's official website or section Settings → System → System update.

How to roll back Android 9 to a previous version?

Rollback is possible, but requires a complete flashing of the device, which can lead to data loss. To do this you need to:

1. Find the official firmware for your model on the manufacturer's website.
2. Unlock the bootloader (if required).
3. Install the firmware via Fastboot or Recovery.

⚠️ This process is risky - we recommend contacting a specialist or studying the instructions for your model on the forums (for example, XDA Developers).

Why does the battery drain quickly after updating to Android 9?

This may be due to:

• Background activity of applications (check in Settings → Battery).
• Adaptive brightness (disable it temporarily in Settings → Display).
• Optimization errors (reset the cache in Settings → Storage).

If the problem persists, try resetting to factory settings (don't forget to make a backup!).

How to enable dark theme in Android 9?

Official dark theme in Android 9 no, but it can be activated through Developer Settings:

1. Activate developer mode (click on Build number 7 times data-i="299">Settings → About phone v Settings → About phone).
2. Go to Settings → System → For developers.
3. Find the option Override dark theme forcing and enable it.

Please note that not all applications will support dark mode.

Does Android 9 support wireless charging?

The operating system itself Android 9 supports wireless charging, but its availability depends on smartphone hardware. If your device is equipped with a module Qi, then charging will work regardless of the OS version. Check the specifications of your model on the manufacturer's website.