Take the temperature of objects with your Pixel phone

Important: The temperature sensor is located on the back of the phone, next to the camera. The object shouldn't touch the actual phone.

You can measure the surface temperature of objects with your Pixel phone. This feature is available on Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Measure the temperature of an object with your Pixel phone

On your Pixel phone, open the Thermometer app .
Tap Object temperature.
A thermometer disclaimer displays. Tap Continue.
Measure the temperature of an object.
- From the 'Routine measurements' list, tap the material that matches your item.
- To start a new measurement, tap Add .
At the bottom, choose the material of the object that you want to measure.
Position your Pixel phone within 5 cm (2 inches) of the object until the circle is fully highlighted.
To capture, tap the centre of the circle.
Tap Save.
- To delete the measurement, tap Delete .
- To capture again, tap Repeat .

Tips:

Use caution when you measure objects that are hot or cold.
For accurate results, position the sensor 5 cm (2 in) from the object.
Accuracy may vary and depends on:
- Proximity to higher or lower limits of the temperature range.
- Material selection.
- Size of the object.
- Difference in temperature between the sensor and the object.
For objects with hot steam, measure the area of the object not covered by the steam or wait until the steam has disappeared.
A red circle signals that the object is very hot, so be cautious.

Results outside of the supported range, -20°C (-5°F) to 200°C (392°F), will be displayed as 'Not available'.
Results reading 'Not available' are out-of-range errors that can happen when:
- The material selection has a low emissivity.
- The temperature reading is at a higher or lower temperature than the sensor supports.

Temperature readings depend on the object’s emissivity. Emissivity describes how much energy radiates from an object and ranges from zero to one.

The material that you choose helps better select the object’s emissivity and get more accurate results.