Pixel 9a Powerhouse

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Tues, May 6th 2025. The Pixel 9a forum seems to be completely empty. Perfect. Because I want this thread to be my journal. A spot to document everything I've done to this little midrange model in order to turn into a customized powerhouse full of fun, function and productivity.

I like my devices to be neat and tidy. Things like duplicate contacts and random screenshots cluttering up my gallery do not sit well with me. I like organized bookmarks and app folders, etc. I also enjoy a good-looking phone and I'm constantly on the hunt for the perfect case and accessories. I'll update the post as I work through getting things setup, installed, purchased, etc. Maybe it'll be a cool thread for other owners to follow.

 

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Before diving into the software side of things I try not to even open a new phone unless I have a screen protector to immediately install. That can be tricky sometimes if the retailer doesn't carry many accessories or if the device is very new. In this case I ordered tempered glass via T-Mobile and I found it to be a bit small. Although no camera cut out which is always a plus. It ended up being a finger print magnet but if you're ordering from T-Mobile it does fit and has a foolproof install guide that plugs into your charging port to help alignment. $39.99

https://www.t-mobile.com/accessory/goto-tempered-glass-screen-protector-for-google-pixel-9a?sku=610214686176&INTNAV=tNav%3ASearch%3ATopSuggestions

Not loving the fingerprints and always having preferred a matte finish, here's my recommendation via Amazon $6.99 for a 3pk

https://a.co/d/3QekeQS

And finally a very basic silicone case also from Amazon $11.99

https://a.co/d/3xzpwqt

 

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Now that this little Pixel has the matte display I desired (I love how a matte finish sounds as your fingers slide across the screen) and my OCD is no longer hyper focused on fingerprints and glare, I'm ready to start getting the internals mapped out to my liking.

Let's start with the meat and potatoes of any Android device - my Google account. I've been using the same account for many years and to be honest, there's very little that is of any importance. Minus a handful of contacts and emails such as a few paperless bills. I'd much rather a clean slate with this new phone. And so after obtaining a new Google account, contacts are my only real concern. Here's a great write up on how to move contacts from one account to another should you find yourself in a similar situation and a fresh start is right for you https://www.folk.app/google-contact...s-from-one-google-contacts-account-to-another

My old account was so messy that I skipped this step and manually added contacts into my new phone to be backed up to my new account. All appropriate labels and notes within each individual contact are a worthwhile effort and ensure I won't find myself in a similar predicament in the future. Gone are the days of a business being saved as a first and last name with their number stored as "Mobile".

With contacts out of the way, the only thing left to do is dive into the settings within Google to attach my phone number for security reasons and add my home address to have more accurate ad targeting, etc. A cup of coffee this afternoon while really getting this new account buttoned up sounds peaceful and so that's where this post will end.

 

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Setting up the new Google account was a great idea. I logged back in to my old account was immediately flooded by dozens of unwanted emails which made for a good reminder as to why I made the switch to begin with.

Next, Google Photos needs to be setup. This can be a headache depending on how organized you like to keep things. I turned on backup for everything. Any time a new photo lands in the photos app, it gets backed up. What I don't like, however, is having the same photo in more than one place. For instance... I hate seeing the same photos in the "camera" folder that are in a designated album. Here's what works for me...

Create albums. I like working on my truck and I also like photographing it in nice locations or lighting conditions. So I have a "Tahoe" album. When I take a photo of my truck I manually move it into the it's album. But there's that pesky duplicate sitting in "photos" as well. But if you delete it from "photos", it will also be deleted from that album. So what you want to do is take a photo (same can be said for downloaded photos", move it to it's correct album and then archive the original. This cleans up the "photos" tab and leaves your "collections" screen nice and tidy. Plus, when you head to Google Photos from a web browser, all of your efforts reflect there as well. Instantly.

Now that the first stage of setting up and organizing is complete, I'll do some research on importing some of my social media content into this new phone/account. That'll be a discussion for next time.