Google Pixel 3 – How to Change Lock Screen

With a 1080 x 2160 screen, Google’s Pixel 3 offers very sharp images and stunning color reproduction. Taking advantage of this is a must for everyone that has gotten their hands on this device.

Moreover, it comes equipped with a variety of security features, including multiple locking options. If you haven’t had a chance to explore them, this tutorial will show you everything you should know about personalizing your lock screen.

Changing Lock Screen Wallpaper

There are a couple of ways of changing the wallpaper of both your lock screen and home screen. Here’s the simplest one:

1. Tap and hold any blank part of the screen.

2. Choose Wallpapers from the popup menu.

3. Choose My Photos, Living Universe photos, or Google’s images.

4. Select a photo and crop it to fit the screen, and then tap Set Wallpaper.

5. Choose between lock screen, home screen, or both.

The Pixel 3 comes with all kinds of beautiful images that you can set as your lock screen. If you prefer your own, you can choose any of your photos or download from the web.

Unfortunately, that’s about it when it comes to personalizing your lock screen. Stock Android 9 Pie doesn’t allow for too many adjustments, so you’re not able to edit shortcuts or widgets. Maybe that will change in the future, but for now, the lock screen wallpaper is the only thing you can change.

Setting Screen Lock

Like most new phones, the Pixel 3 comes with a variety of screen locking options. To access them, go to Settings > Security & Location > Security. You’ll see a Screen Lock option, so tap on it to set/change your screen lock. Here are the options you can choose from:

1. None: Your phone isn’t protected by any password, and you access the home screen immediately upon waking up the phone.

2. Swipe: No password, unlock your phone by swiping across the lock screen.

3. Pattern: Lets you set up a pattern to draw when you want to unlock the device.

4. PIN: Requires 4 or more numbers to unlock your phone.

5. Password: Lets you choose an alphanumeric password of 4 characters or more.

6. Fingerprint: Set up one or more fingerprints to unlock your phone with.

7. Smart Lock: Automatically unlock your phone when you reach a certain location, when it’s on you, and several other situations.

Auto-unlocking is very convenient, but it might not be the best option. It’s always better to put in a little effort into unlocking your phone than risk having your personal information stolen.

The Final Word

Even though lock screen customization options aren’t all that rich on the Pixel 3, you can still personalize it to some extent.

When it comes to protection, make sure you have at least some. Think of a simple PIN or password if you can’t be bothered with long passwords.

If there’s anything else that you’d like to learn about customizing your Pixel 3, feel free to drop your questions in the comments below.