Introduction
AI has become a buzzword that often feels overhyped and underwhelming. Most features labeled “AI” on your phone still rely on cloud servers, which can raise privacy concerns and feel sluggish. I used to think on-device AI was a gimmick—until I discovered Google’s underrated app that unlocked three genuinely useful tools running entirely on my Android phone. These tools work offline, respect your privacy, and actually make daily tasks easier. In this how-to guide, I’ll show you exactly how to get these features up and running, step by step.
What You Need
- An Android smartphone (Android 10 or higher recommended)
- The latest version of the Google app (pre-installed on most devices)
- The Google Photos app (for photo-related AI tools)
- Stable internet connection (only for initial setup and downloads; after that, features work offline)
- At least 2 GB of free storage for on-device AI models
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Update Your Google Apps
Open the Play Store and search for Google. Tap Update if available. Do the same for Google Photos and Gboard (the Google keyboard). These updates often include the latest on-device AI models.
Step 2: Enable On-Device AI Processing
Open the Google app (the main search app). Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right, go to Settings → Google Assistant → Devices & apps → Phone → On-device AI. Toggle “Use on-device AI” on. This allows the phone to process certain tasks locally without sending data to the cloud.
Step 3: Activate Magic Eraser (Photos)
Open Google Photos and select any photo. Tap Edit (pencil icon), then scroll to Tools → Magic Eraser. If you see a popup asking to download the AI model, tap Download (do this once on Wi-Fi). After that, you can circle or brush over unwanted objects – the phone will remove them locally. It works offline and is incredibly accurate.
Step 4: Use Photo Unblur (Photos)
Still in Google Photos, open a blurry photo. Tap Edit → Tools → Photo Unblur. The app will analyse the image and sharpen blurry faces or text using on-device AI. You can adjust the intensity with a slider. This feature also works fully offline once the model is downloaded.
Step 5: Enable Smart Reply (Gboard)
Open any messaging app and tap a text field to bring up Gboard. Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the keyboard, then Settings → Smart Reply. Turn on “Suggest replies”. Now when you receive a message, you’ll see small reply chips above the keyboard. These suggestions are generated on your device – no data leaves your phone. They learn from your conversation patterns while staying private.
Tips for Best Results
- Download models on Wi-Fi – On-device AI models can be several hundred megabytes. Download them over a fast connection to avoid mobile data charges.
- Keep apps updated – Google constantly improves AI models. Enable auto-updates in Play Store for Google and Google Photos.
- Privacy first – Because processing happens locally, your photos and messages never leave your phone. This is a major advantage over cloud-based AI.
- Battery impact – On-device AI uses your phone’s neural processing unit (if available) or CPU. For most tasks, the battery drain is minimal – similar to taking a photo or typing.
- Experiment with lighting – Magic Eraser works best when the background is relatively uniform. Photo Unblur is most effective on faces with moderate blur.
- Smart Reply customization – In Gboard settings, you can also turn off suggestions for specific apps if they become distracting.
These three on-device AI tools have completely changed my mind about local AI processing. They’re fast, private, and genuinely useful – no hype, just results. Give them a try and you might discover that your phone is smarter than you thought.