Don't worry, these things are normal on your new Pixel 7

Getting a new smartphone is one of life’s more enjoyable experiences, and the honeymoon period is indeed real as you get used to your shiny new object. This is particularly true of the Pixel 7 series, as it brings a slick design, high-quality cameras, and great screens.

In saying so, you might come across a few odd issues that could seem concerning when first using your Pixel 7 series phone. We’re here to assure you that these things are indeed normal.

A slight rattling

You might be a little worried to hear a little rattling when you shake your Pixel 7 or 7 Pro, with this rattling coming from the camera area. Fortunately, this isn’t a case of something breaking free inside your shiny new phone.

That rattling you hear is actually the main camera’s optical image stabilization components (namely tiny ball bearings). It’s a completely normal noise, and you’ll hear this on many other phones with OIS too.

Fingerprint scanner not working with some screen protectors

Applied a glass screen protector or third-party screen protector and now struggling with fingerprint unlock? This isn’t a Pixel-specific issue as it actually relates to how the in-display sensor works and whether the protector interferes with it. In fact, we’ve seen this issue with Galaxy S series devices too.

Related: Don’t worry, the Pixel 7 fingerprint scanner is totally fine

You’ll need to use a certified screen protector on your Pixel 7 device to ensure that fingerprint unlock works as well as on the bare screen. Fortunately, Google maintains a list of some “Made for Google certified” screen protector brands that should provide the best compatibility.

Screen tint at certain angles

You might find that your Pixel 7 series screen exhibits some screen tint or discoloration when viewing it at an angle. This could be particularly noticeable on the Pixel 7 Pro with its curved panel.

More reading: Why don’t the best premium Android phones have flat displays?

Fortunately, this problem isn’t actually exclusive to Google handsets. We tend to see this issue on phones from other brands too (e.g. OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, vivo), with the curved edges of some screens especially prone to this.

Auto-brightness isn’t effective at first

Auto-brightness is one of those features you don’t think about until it starts misbehaving, and you might feel that the Pixel 7 line’s adaptive brightness setting is indeed acting up upon first using it. Too dark at times, too bright at others. Thankfully, this should only be a temporary issue.

This problem is due to the adaptive brightness setting learning your preferences in varying conditions. So keep making those manual adjustments and you should find that the phone’s auto-brightness is to your liking after a week or two.

Battery life is initially unpredictable

The Pixel 7 ships with a decently sized 4,355mAh battery while the Pixel 7 Pro offers a larger 5,000mAh battery. But you might find that the phones don’t deliver maximum battery life in the first few days. Don’t return the phone just yet, though.

It’s completely normal to see mediocre battery life in the first couple of days with most phones, as they’re still downloading background updates, caching essential data, then learning your usage and adapting accordingly. Of course, it’s another matter altogether if the Adaptive Battery measures don’t kick in and battery life remains unusually short a few weeks or a month down the line.

There are, however, some things about the Pixel 7 series that aren’t normal – and for those, we have this guide to the most common Pixel 7 problems.