Got a Pixel phone? Grab these 5 Google apps because they’re not installed by default

Google loads its Pixel phones with the most essential apps, but there are some obscure gems worth adding, too.

Jun 7, 2025 - 17:50

Got a Pixel phone? Grab these 5 Google apps because they’re not installed by default

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Every time I set up a new Pixel phone, there is a list of apps that I immediately install. Spotify, 1Password, Slack, Todoist, DuckDuckGo, JotterPad, Backdrops, Plex, Wanderlog, and many more are at the top of my list, but so are a few apps developed by the company that made my phone — Google.

Despite these being Google apps, they don’t ship by default on Pixels and must be manually added to the phones. Some of them are known; others are more obscure. But there’s a particular reason to use each and every one of them, so without further ado, here are the five Google apps I add to my Pixel and that I think you should consider as well.