Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How to enable the 90Hz screen option on the Pixel 7a

One of the biggest upgrades the Pixel 7a has over its predecessor is a 90Hz display, but how do you make sure you’re getting the fastest screen possible?

Even though the Pixel 7a has a 90Hz screen to make scrolling and swiping feel smoother, the option is actually disabled by default. That means that when you first boot up the phone it’ll be running at 60Hz – the same as the Pixel 6a.

Of course, if you want to eke the most battery performance out of the phone then sticking at 60Hz is best – however, that extra jump in speed is very noticeable and to get the best experience from the phone you’ll want to flip it on.

Thankfully enabling this new feature for the A-series is very easy and here’s how to do it in a few short steps.

What you’ll need: 

  • Google Pixel 7a

The Short Version

  • Unlock your Pixel 7a
  • Open Settings
  • Scroll down to Display
  • Toggle on Smooth Display
  1. Step
    1

    Unlock your Pixel 7a

    First up, unlock your Pixel 7a so you’re looking at the home screen.Google Pixel 7a front standing up angled

  2. Step
    2

    Open Settings

    You’ll next need to open the Settings app. This can either be done by clicking on the cog icon on the home screen, or swiping down the notification panel and tapping the small cog icon that appears at the bottompixel 7a how to settings

  3. Step
    3

    Scroll down to Display

    Once you’ve opened up Settings, scroll down until you spot the Display option. Tap it.pixel 7a how to settings display

  4. Step
    4

    Toggle on Smooth Display

    Inside the Display settings you’ll multiple options, but the one we want to toggle on is Smooth Display. This is Google’s moniker for a screen setting that switches between 60 and 90Hz. Tap the Smooth Display section and it’ll toggle itself on.pixel 7a how to settings display smooth display

Troubleshooting

Does Smooth Display use a lot more battery?

There is certainly a hit on battery life when Smooth Display is enabled, however the mode will switch off when the Battery Saver option in enabled.

Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

author icon

Editorial independence

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

author icon

Professional conduct

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.

Trusted Reviews Logo

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the best of Trusted Reviews delivered right to your inbox.

This is a test error message with some extra words