How to set up the screen saver on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Display and touch

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Screen saver

   Open Settings and tap Display and touch. Screen saver is below Navigation mode. Ours said Off.

   Done

2. 

   Turn on Use screen saver

   The switch at the top turns it on. Ours was off. Google says tapping Use screen saver also shows a preview.

   Done

3. 

   Choose when it shows

   When to show said While charging on ours. It was greyed out while the screen saver was off. Google says the choices are While charging or While upright and charging.

   Done

4. 

   Pick a screen saver

   Under Choose a screen saver, ours had four: Everyday clock (Beautiful clock face for everyday use), Google Photos (a slideshow of your photos), Pilot bold clock (Elegant analogue clock face) and Pixel Weather (See your current weather). Tap one.

   Done

5. 

   Low-light mode

   At the bottom, Low-light mode said On/Low-light clock will show when your environment is dark. Tap the words for its options. Google says you can make it turn the screen off instead.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Different choices on your Pixel? Google lists clock styles, weather, a photo frame, charging status and home controls. Our Pixel 10a with Android 17 showed only the four choices above, with no colours or photo frame option. Source: Set up a screen saver
• No Screen saver row? Google says some of the screen saver steps work only on Android 14 and up. Source: Set up a screen saver
• No wireless charging option? Google mentions a Restrict to wireless charging switch under When to show. We didn't open When to show, because it was greyed out on ours. Source: Set up a screen saver

If this does not work

• Screen saver doesn't start? It only shows while charging. Google also says it won't start if you turn the screen off with the Power button: leave the screen on and let it time out. See how to change the screen timeout. Source: Set up a screen saver
• Only a dim clock shows? That is Low-light mode, which was on on ours. Google says it switches to a low light clock when the room is dim. Source: Set up a screen saver
• Weather or photos stay blank? Google says the weather needs location set to Always allow, and the photo frame needs access to your photos and media. Source: Set up a screen saver

About this guide

The screen saver shows a clock, photos or the weather while your Pixel is charging.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. Use screen saver was off, so the rest of the page was greyed out. We only looked.

Good to know

To see the time while the screen is off and not charging, see how to turn on Always-on display on a Google Pixel.

Google says you can swipe left or right from the screen edge to switch between screen savers.

In short: Settings, Display and touch, Screen saver: Use screen saver on, When to show, pick one, Low-light mode.