Pixel 10’s new screensaver mode works beyond Pixelsnap

The Pixelsnap Charger with Stand is Google’s newest magnetic charging dock for the Pixel 10 lineup, and it comes with more than just faster charging. One of its headline features is a revamped screensaver mode for the new flagships, which essentially turns your phone into a mini smart display when docked.

The Pixelsnap charger system consists of a stand and a detachable magnetic charging puck that snaps onto the Pixel 10 phones. You can buy the Pixelsnap Charger separately or with the stand.

When a Pixel 10 series device is placed on the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand for the first time, a prompt appears suggesting that you enable the new screensaver mode. You then get a range of screensaver options to choose from, including:

• Home Controls: For quick access to lights, thermostats, and other Google Home devices.
• Pixel Weather: For at-a-glance weather forecasts.
• Everyday Clock: A digital clock face displaying the date and weather.
• Analog Clock (showed up as “Pilot bold clock” for us): A traditional clock face displaying the date and weather.
• Google Photos: A rotating showcase of your favorite photos.

These new screensaver options turn a charging Pixel 10 into something closer to a smart display, useful when kept on a desk or a nightstand. You can further customize some of these screensaver options. For instance, the clock screensavers can be customized to display the date and weather in different spots on the screen. You can also change their orientation depending on how you prefer to dock your phone.

Although Google says the new screensaver options are designed to pop up when a Pixel 10 is docked on the Pixelsnap Charger Stand, we found that it also works with the original Pixel Stand from 2018 and any older Qi wireless charger! (As a matter of fact, it can even work when your phone is charging over USB-C, too.) We had to update a handful of apps to get this going, including the Google Dreams app to version 2025.08.04.790612904.0, Pixel Stand app to version 2.2.0.794463467, and Pixel Weather to version 1.1.20250608.786129232.release.

Once updated, the new screensaver options appeared when charging with the old 10W stand and any other Qi wireless charger, showing that Google hasn’t completely locked the feature to its new accessory.

Of course, the Pixelsnap has advantages beyond screensavers. It can charge the Pixel 10 Pro XL at 25W, while the rest of the series charges at 15W, more than the aging original Pixel Stand can handle.

The Pixelsnap Charger with Stand is available now from Google for $69.99. It officially replaces the 2nd-gen Pixel Stand in the lineup.