Google's Latest Pixel Update Categorises Notifications to Reduce Unnecessary Clutter

Google’s latest Pixel software update introduces an AI-powered notification organiser that automatically categorises and silences lower-priority alerts, aiming to cut down on noise and reduce clutter in the notification shade. The feature builds on earlier AI notification summaries and is rolling out with Android 16-based updates for recent Pixel models.​

How the new notification organiser works

On supported Pixels, the system now analyses incoming alerts and groups them into categories such as Promotions, News, Social and Suggested, using on-device AI to look at the content of each notification rather than just the app that sent it. These grouped alerts appear under the “Silent” section of the notification shade, so they don’t trigger sounds or haptics, but can be expanded with a tap when the user wants to review them.​​

High-priority notifications like messages from selected contacts or critical app alerts continue to surface normally at the top, while the organiser pushes less important pings into bundles that are easier to dismiss in one go. Users can also toggle which categories are managed by the organiser and choose to always expand bundles if they prefer to see more detail at a glance.​

Devices and availability

The notification categorisation feature is tied to newer Pixel phones running Android 16 quarterly platform releases, initially targeting models like the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 series. The feature is currently rolling out to users in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Some settings only appear once the device has been updated and restarted.​

Google has indicated that similar notification management tools and AI summaries are being opened up more broadly in Android 16, which means other Android manufacturers may adopt comparable features over time. For now, Pixel users are the first to see the full combination of AI summaries, VIP prioritisation and the new organiser, giving them more control over which alerts demand attention and which stay in the background.

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