15 Neat Android Tips and Tricks You Probably Didn’t Know About

15 Neat Android Tips & Tricks You Probably Didn’t Know About

Android is a fantastic operating system for a small device. It’s jam-packed with useful features, cool hacks, and time-saving tips.

But how well do you know your smartphone or tablet? Sure, you can call and text, but we’re sure there’s something in this article that you didn’t know about.
Continue reading to find out!

1. Turn on Developer Mode.

Okay, this is one of the more well-known methods, but it’s still vital, so we’ll add it.

Go to Settings > About phone and tap seven times on your phone’s build number. A countdown will appear onscreen, followed by the phrase “Congratulations, you are now a developer.”

2. Accelerate the animation

The latest Android phones, for the most part, are already highly responsive. Some lower-end phones, on the other hand, only come with 4GB of RAM, and in some cases, only 2GB.

Change the Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale on your phone from 1x to 0.5x. It won’t actually speed up your phone, but it will make it feel faster.

Check out the photo gallery.

To access the appropriate choices, go to Settings > System > Developer options and scroll about two-thirds of the way down the screen (you’ll need to enable Developer Mode first).

3. Delete the App’s Defaults

It’s inconvenient when a link opens in a specific app instead than the browser. It could be a YouTube video, a tweet, or a Facebook page—either way, you’ll have to wait while your phone closes down Chrome (or your preferred browser) and launches something else.

It’s a simple repair.
Find the app that keeps launching under Settings > Apps and notifications. Pick Advanced, scroll down to Open by default, press it, and then select Clear Defaults.

Check out the photo gallery.
If that doesn’t work, try the same steps on your browser app.

4. Switch Wi-Fi Networks Quickly

Surprisingly, there is no visible way to easily switch between Wi-Fi networks. Sure, you may alter it in Settings > Network and internet > Wi-Fi, but surely there must be a faster way?
There is, indeed!

Check out the photo gallery.
To open the Quick settings menu, swipe down twice from the top of your screen, and instead of touching on the Wi-Fi icon (which disables it), tap-and-hold on it. You’ll be given a list of all the networks in your area right now.

Related: The Best Alternatives to 11 Most-Used Google Apps on Android

5. Get to the Quick Settings Menu Quickly

Did you know that you don’t have to double swipe to go to the Quick settings menu? Instead, a two-finger swipe with both hands will achieve the same result.

6. Make a Screencast

Do you have a Chromecast? If that’s the case, you can use the cast function to quickly mirror your Android screen (and individual apps).

Simply select Screen Cast from the Quick Settings menu. Your device will detect your Chromecast (if you’re on the same local network), and you’ll be ready to go.

It’s ideal for playing games on a bigger screen, displaying images to family and friends, and listening to music through louder speakers. Many programs, such as YouTube, include a dedicated cast button within the app for even more convenience.

7. Track Down Annoying Alerts

Do you continuously getting unwanted app notifications but can’t figure out which one is to blame?

There’s an easy way to find out: simply long-press on the relevant notification, and your smartphone will inform you.

8. Organize Notifications in the App

Following up on the last suggestion, you’ll notice an information icon when you’ve long-pressed the app. When you press it, you’ll be provided with the app’s notification settings.

You may stop all (or part) of its notifications, give it priority mode override, and have it hide confidential information, among other things.

9. Turn on the Do Not Disturb mode.

The Do Not Disturb option is perhaps one of the most underappreciated and underutilized features in Windows.

In a nutshell, it allows you to silence your phone while still allowing some “noise” to get through. This could include calls, texts, or WhatsApp messages from specified contacts, app notifications, or essential warnings like alarms.

  • Check out the photo gallery.
  • Go to Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb to set up Do Not Disturb, then select the options you want.

It may be turned on and off fast from the Quick settings menu.

10. Zoom in on the map

Have you ever needed to use Google Maps with just one hand? (Not when you’re driving, of course!)

To zoom in or out, simply double-tap the screen—a it’s lot less cumbersome than pinching your fingers and holding your phone at the same time!

Double-tap and keep your finger on the screen for more accurate control. Then, to zoom in and out, move your finger up and down.

11. Smart Lock

The smart lock is quite beneficial. When you’re at home or in another “safe” area, it eliminates the need for a keypad lock.

It may prevent your phone from locking itself by using GPS, particular networks, your face, or even your voice, providing for a lot speedier and hassle-free experience.

Set it up in Settings > Security > Smart lock (see photo gallery).

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12. App Pinning

If you have children who use your phone frequently, this is a terrific approach to ensure that they don’t build up large bills or view age-inappropriate information.

  • Check out the photo gallery.
  • To begin, you must first enable the functionality (oddly, it is turned off by default). Toggle the toggle at the top of the window by navigating to Settings > Security > Advanced and scrolling down to App pinning.
  • Open the app, press the Overview button (the square), and then the pin icon to pin a screen.
  • If you want to, you can PIN-protect the pinned screen.
  • While you’re on hold, use Assistant.
    If you try to call your Internet service provider, cable provider, power company, or just about any other firm with which you have an account, you can bank on two things: horrible customer service and a long wait in a hold queue.

With Google Assistant, waiting in lines can be a thing of the past. If you’re stuck in a line, hit the three dots in the upper right corner and select Hold for me. When someone eventually answers, the assistant will notify you, and will even preserve a transcript of what was spoken in the meanwhile.

Note that, at the time of writing, the feature is only available in the United States on toll-free phones.

14. Enable the Notification History feature.

We’ve all unintentionally swiped away notifications. It’s aggravating, especially if you didn’t realize it was from one of your apps. The Notification History feature in Android 11 and higher provides a solution.

It’s simple to switch on. To turn on notification history, navigate to Settings > Apps and notifications > Notifications > Notification history and slide the toggle to On. To view what you missed, tap History in the notification shade after it’s enabled.

15. Turn on the chat bubbles

Chat bubbles are supported by all compatible messaging programs. A conversation bubble is a persistent shortcut symbol that appears on your screen whether or not you are using the main program. It will send you directly to the chat window of the person with whom you are conversing.

Go to Settings > Apps and notifications > Notifications > Bubbles to enable chat bubbles. Then go to Settings > Apps and notifications > Conversations and select the discussion you wish to transform into a bubble.

These Tips Will Help You Become a Power User

We haven’t covered all of the tricks that Android has to offer. But if you follow these 15 recommendations on a regular basis, you’ll be an Android power user in no time.