When the Google Pixel 3 launched last year, one of the new Digital Wellbeing features that launched with it was “Flip to Shhh” which simply puts your phone in Do Not Disturb mode when placed face down on a surface. As of this week, Flip to Shhh is now available on the Google Pixel 2, by way of a beta update for Digital Wellbeing.
Flip to Shh launched as a simple and clever way for Pixel 3 (and now Pixel 4) owners to disconnect from their phone and reconnect with things like family time, as part of their larger Digital Wellbeing efforts. All things considered, Flip to Shhh is not a difficult feature to add, simply checking the phone’s gyroscope and toggling Do Not Disturb mode, leaving many confused why older phones like the Pixel 2 couldn’t also join in.
Last night a new Digital Wellbeing app beta update rolled out via the Play Store, and, as spotted by Android Police, the update brings Flip to Shhh to Pixel 2 phones. If you haven’t signed up for beta updates of Digital Wellbeing yet, you can do so on the web or directly from the Play Store listing.
Once you’re on the new update, open up Digital Wellbeing from the Settings app, and you should see “Flip to Shhh” in the “Reduce Interruptions” section. Reportedly, Flip to Shhh can also appear elsewhere in the Pixel 2’s Settings app, under “System”, then “Gestures”. Of course, to enable the feature at all, you’ll need to give the Digital Wellbeing app permission to change your phone’s Do Not Disturb settings.
9to5Google’s Take
Flip to Shhh is one of my personal favorite features, as it’s not something I ever need to think about. If I’m interested in what might happen on my phone, I’d instinctively place it face up. Conversely, the intentionality behind putting your Pixel face down on a table at dinner signals both to your phone and to others that you’re taking part in the “real world” for a bit. Google bringing this feature backward is a good thing, albeit a bit late in the game for the Pixel 2.
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