Google Pixel 'Quick Tap' gesture not accurate? Here are some tips to get it to work flawlessly

Google Pixel devices have a handy feature dubbed ‘Quick Tap.’ This lets you double-tap on the back of the phone to activate things like the flashlight, take a screenshot, or even open an app. While that sounds great, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Ever since the feature went live, reports about it not registering taps or being inaccurate have been popping up on platforms like Reddit and X. If you’re in the same boat, then I might just have a solution for you.

I spent the better part of my weekend sitting and testing the double-tap function several hundred times. I tried various different approaches and tested the tapping gestures on a Pixel 8 and a Pixel 7a. And I think I nailed it! I found one way of tapping the back of the phone that managed to activate the Quick Tap function 100 times out of the 100 times that I tried. Beyond the weekend tests, I’ve now been able to use the same method to trigger Quick Tap successfully each time I’ve used it. So let’s just dive right into my findings and the method I now swear by.

The method that works for me is to keep my index finger straight and firm as opposed to keeping it curved and tapping the back with just the tip of the finger. While tapping with just the tip of the finger works, it did fail to register at times. However, when I kept my index finger straight and firm (refer to the video below), I managed to activate Quick Tap every single time.

But that’s not all. The speed and force at which you double-tap the back of the phone also play a big role in triggering the Quick Tap function. If you try double-tapping it too slowly, it’ll fail. Similarly, if you tap too quickly in succession, the chances of it not registering are high. So don’t rush with the double-taps. Furthermore, you’ll need to apply just a bit of force to those taps.

In my testing, I got similar results with and without a case. Although, your mileage may vary depending on the thickness of the case you are using on your Pixel phone. I have a Spigen Liquid Air case which is fairly thin, so keep that in mind. Nevertheless, I feel like a video would explain it better. Check it out (loads from Imgur):

While I found good success with the method mentioned above, it’s possible that you might have different results. After all, the size of your hand, case thickness, and other factors might impact how successful you are in getting the double-tap feature to work on your Google Pixel phone. So I’ve rounded up some tips by users too that you can check out.

Some claim that they found 100% success when using their nail to double-tap just under the camera bar. One other individual suggested that they got better results when making sure the phone was in an upright position. Others even say tapping on the camera bar directly does the trick too. I tried this myself and was pleasantly surprised. However, it did fail a couple of times out of the 20 or so times I tested it. Another super effective tip was something I hadn’t even considered. One wise Redditor noted that Quick Tap was 100% reliable for them when they triple-tapped the back instead of double-tapping it. Of course, I had to test this one out and can confirm that this was just as good as my own method of double-tapping the back. It’s an extra tap, but hey, if none of the other tips work for you, I’d highly recommend trying this out. It might take a few milliseconds more, but the results might please you.

Having said that, I hope you found this article useful in getting the double-tap feature to work accurately on your Google Pixel phone. In case you feel like you have a better solution, I’m all ears! Feel free to head to the comments section and share your Quick Tap experience.