Google is testing an experimental Device Help tool powered by Gemini for Pixel devices, allowing users to troubleshoot settings, battery life, and connectivity issues using natural language commands rather than navigating traditional settings menus.
Device Help Feature in Gemini
Google has begun rolling out an experimental “Device Help” feature in Gemini that lets Pixel users describe everyday phone troubles in plain English. Spotted on a Google Pixel 9 running the stable version of Android 17 and separately on Pixel 11 Pro devices after updating to Google app beta 17.52, the tool appears in the plus menu inside the Gemini app right above Personal Intelligence. Bearing a Labs badge to indicate its experimental stage, the feature utilizes the same icon Google introduced for Magic Cue on the Pixel 10 series, pointing toward a broader expansion of on-device intelligence. Telegram user @Brokenthrone shared screenshots and a video with Android Authority contributor Assembledebug showing the new Device Help feature appearing inside the Gemini app.
Rather than spitting out generic troubleshooting steps or forcing users to dig through endless submenus, the Device Help Agent actively inspects relevant phone settings before formulating a fix. For instance, when a user prompts the assistant with the complaint My screen is too yellow,
Gemini checks the device display settings via Google’s Utilities extension, identifies Night Light as the culprit, and recommends turning it off to restore normal display colors.
Testers note that the interface can tackle a wide range of common technical headaches. According to app testing and reporting, the assistant handles adjustments across display preferences like dark theme, brightness, and screen timeout, alongside sound and vibration modes, Do Not Disturb, and Digital Wellbeing features. The troubleshooting scope also covers connectivity issues with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data, alongside battery drain, audio problems, and app performance.
Device Help Tool and Hardware Performance
Beyond screen adjustments, the Device help tool dives deep into hardware performance and system housekeeping. Users can ask Gemini to audit app permissions for sensitive hardware like the camera, microphone, and location services, or manage app notifications and configure app timers. Storage management is equally integrated, allowing owners to review storage usage breakdowns and ask the assistant for step-by-step guidance on freeing up space.
Battery diagnostics form another pillar of the utility. The tool assesses battery usage, sets up Battery Saver modes, and provides structured walkthroughs for device gestures, camera capabilities, and privacy settings. While early testing shows the feature active on select Pixel 11 Pro devices running app beta 17.52—and not on the base Pixel 11 or older phones checked—the capability appears to just be using the existing Device Assistance
connected app, which was previously called “Utilities.”
Google Tensor G6 Chip and Gemini Nano Model
The rollout of conversational troubleshooting arrives alongside broader hardware updates in the Pixel ecosystem. Powered by the Google Tensor G6 chip—built with an upgraded CPU delivering 25 percent faster web browsing and 15 percent quicker app launches—the hardware packs 50 percent more TPU compute. Paired with the latest Gemini Nano model, this architecture processes on-device AI tasks up to 3.5 times faster while using up to 3.5 times less energy.
Google has also paired the Tensor G6 processor with a new Titan M3 security chip to establish post-quantum cryptography for secure boot on the device, engineered specifically to help safeguard sensitive information from advanced attacks today and from risks like attacks by quantum computers in the future. Counterpoint Research notes in a new report that the AI experience on Pixel devices has the most privacy protection on a phone, combining hardware-level isolation with these software-side intelligence upgrades.
Labs Label and Limited Beta Testing
Because the Device Help feature carries a Labs label, it remains under active development as a limited test and not a mass rollout, with no official indication yet of when Google plans a wider commercial release.
