Android How-Tos
How To: Keep Your Favorite Emoji Pinned for Quick Access in Facebook Messenger Lite Chats
Are you trigger happy with a specific emoji with a particular friend? Do you like flinging emoji poo at a buddy who keeps acting sh*tty? We have good news. In the Facebook Lite Chat app, you can now set a specific quick access emoji for easy emoji spamming.
How To: Make Chrome Always Open Desktop Sites by Default on Android
It's now standard for websites to have a mobile version. Conveniently, we can browse the web with a mostly mobile-optimized experience. But what if you want the desktop experience on mobile? If you want, you can browse the mobile web and see only the desktop version of websites on Android devices.
How To: Disable Google Doodle Animations in the Pixel's Search Bar
I want my Android device to run how I want, and I want it to be useful and positively contribute to my life. Recently, animations have started appearing on the Pixel's search bar when Google has a seasonal Doodle on their front page. It attracts my attention and distracts me from what I think is important. After several days of annoyance, I went on the hunt to turn these animations off.
How To: Google Photos vs. Gallery Go — Which App Is Right for You?
Google has started to release a Go line of Android apps. These apps offer a minimalistic version of their major app counterpart. So far, we have Go versions of Maps, Photos, Gmail, and more. Who are these apps for and why would you want to use them? Here's a quick overview of Google Photos and Gallery Go.
How To: Enable Wind Down Mode on Your Google Pixel to Get Better Sleep at Night
Lots of people sleep with their phone close by. When closing our eyes, our phones are often the last thing we see. But with help from Google's Wind Down Mode, we can have an easier transition into our sleepy time.
How To: There's a Satisfying Way to Remove Apps from Your Home Screen
If you're like me, you reorganize your home screen every few months. But instead of dragging the old icons and dropping them on that "Remove" button up top, there's a much faster, and quite frankly, more satisfying way to do it.
How To: The Best Micro SD Cards for Your Galaxy Note 10+
It's a sad fact, but the Galaxy Note 10+ is the only phone in Samsung's 2019 Note 10 lineup to include microSD support. It comes with either 256 GB or 512 GB of storage, but you can more than double that if you slap a memory card in it. So if you're in the market, here are some of your best options.
How To: Hide All Traces of Your Apps & Pictures on Android
Unlike some of the popular app lockers out there, a nifty app fittingly named App Hider completely erases apps, files, and their associated footprints from your smartphone. Think of App Hider as a micro-OS within your smartphone's system. This miniature ecosystem can operate copied apps independently, thus giving it an unprecedented layer of privacy and freedom within your handset.
How To: Update Your OnePlus 7 Pro Without Losing Root — No Computer Needed
Multiple methods can be used to update OnePlus phones, but if you're rooted with TWRP installed, you might want to try this one out for yourself. The update method outlined in this guide works like a charm while maintaining your root status after an OTA update. One of the best parts about it — you don't have to rely on a computer like you did when you rooted the first time around.
How To: Use This Trick to Quickly Uninstall Apps with Nova Launcher
On Android, you can uninstall an app by opening Settings, selecting "Apps," then choosing the app from the list and finally tapping "Uninstall," then "OK." You can also drag the app's icon from your home screen or app drawer and drop it on the "Uninstall" button. But if you have Nova Launcher, there's a much better way.
How To: Disable Bloatware for Free on Your Galaxy Note 10 or 10+
You may have noticed your Note 10 came with quite a bit of bloatware. Even the unlocked version of the phone comes with Facebook preinstalled, and if you bought it from a carrier, it's much worse. Luckily, there's a way to remove any apps you don't want, and you don't need root or a paid app to do it.
How To: Boot into Recovery Mode & Download Mode on the Galaxy Note 10+
You can't call yourself an Android pro without knowing about Recovery or Download Mode. These menus are critical to do more advanced tasks on your phone, include sideloading software updates and un-bricking a device. But this year, Samsung changed the button combinations that will get you there.
How To: Turn Your Galaxy Note 10+ into a Google Pixel
The Galaxy Note 10+ is the pinnacle of Android hardware. You won't find many phones with a better combination of specs and design. But you may not love the software. Even with One UI on board, some users still want a more "stock" feel.
How To: You Can Update Your Android Apps in 2 Quick Taps Using This Simple Trick
If you're like me, you habitually check the Play Store for app updates a few times a day. Whether it's because I'm hoping a buggy app gets fixed or a new feature gets added (such as dark mode), instead of waiting for that "Updates Available" notification, I want it now. Well, what if I told you there is a faster way to do that?
How To: Turn Your Galaxy Note 10's Camera Cutout into a Battery Indicator
The punch hole design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has challenged users to find a clear way to deal with it. Although it's less intrusive than a notch, if left unaccounted for, it can be just as much of an eyesore. One of the more creative ways we've found is to use as a battery indicator.
How To: Turn Your Galaxy Note 10+ into an iPhone 11 Pro Max
I already know what you're thinking: this guide is blasphemy. I am showing you how to turn a Galaxy Note 10 or 10+ into an iPhone 11 Pro Max. And while I'd usually agree with you, hear me out. How can you know you don't like something until you try it? So here is your way of trying out an iPhone using your Galaxy Note 10.
How To: 5 Unique Customization Ideas for Your Galaxy Note 10+
I've been using the Galaxy Note 10+ as my daily driver for a while now. I love it, but as with any phone, it loses its pizzazz after a while. But since it's an Android phone, there's always a way to add fresh features and functionality to the UI.
How To: Keep Spotify from Constantly Closing on the Note 10
So you're listening to Spotify on your Note 10+ and you pause it for a second to talk to someone. A minute or so passes, and you press the play button on your wireless headphones ... but nothing happens. That's because Samsung already killed the Spotify app. Here's how you can prevent this.
How To: Edit a URL with Chrome's New Address Bar on Android
Chrome has just introduced some new UI elements for web exploration. The new URL bar is not intuitive. But once you get to grips with it, you will be so much more efficient in your address bar editing, pasting, and navigation.
How To: Use Android 10's New Swipe Gestures [Demo GIFs]
Android 10 has some super cool gestures that let you navigate your device with intuitive swipes. But did you know this headlining feature is not enabled by default? To get the most out of Android 10, you'll have to turn on gesture navigation.
How To: Enable 'Flip to Shhh' on Your Google Pixel & Quickly Turn on Do Not Disturb Mode
The Pixel's "Flip to Shhh" feature may not be groundbreaking, but it is useful. Third-party apps are copying it for other phones because it's so convenient. But it's not enabled by default and it's fairly hidden in the settings. So to take full advantage of your Pixel's feature set, you should learn how to use Flip to Shhh.
How To: Add a Profile Picture to Your Lock Screen on Android 10
Android 10 lets you personalize your device by adding a profile picture to your lock screen. Not only will it add your picture or avatar to your lock screen, but it will also add it to the Quick Settings menu. It's a nice touch of customization that makes your device feel like your own.
How To: Can't Log into Hotel Wi-Fi? Use This App to Fix Android's Captive Portal Problem
Public Wi-Fi networks that have a captive portal sign-in screen can sometimes be broken on Android. This seems to happen randomly and on some devices more than others. You'll get the "Sign into Wi-Fi network" notification, but it just doesn't work. If that's happening to you, you'll be glad to know an app can help fix the issue.
How To: Turn Off All Tracking Sensors on Android 10
Apps can collect a lot of data. Even if they don't have permission to access your GPS or camera, they can still read other sensors and learn a lot more than you'd think. Your gyroscope could be used as a keylogger. The light sensor could read your visited links. But if you're on Android 10, you don't need to worry about this.
How To: Bring Back Notification Snoozing in Android 10
I'm a notification minimalist. When I get alerts, I want to deal with them ASAP. If the time is not right and I want to reference the notification later, snoozing was always the best course of action. But in Android 10, Google tucked away snoozing, so here's how to get it back.
How To: Set Nicknames in Your Facebook Lite Chats
Facebook Messenger Lite is more than just a battery-friendly version of the full-fledged Messenger app for Android. It's still packing some pretty neat features and it's so much snappier than its bloated counterpart. All of the essentials are present, down to the ability to give your contacts nicknames.
How To: Send Audio Messages with Facebook Messenger Lite
Facebook Messenger Lite is an official, de-bloated version of Facebook Messenger for Android. It's snappier and it's a lot more battery-friendly, but this is because there are fewer features complicating everything. One feature they didn't leave out, however, is the ability to send audio messages.
How To: Become a OneDrive Beta Tester & Get New Features Before Everyone Else
OneDrive has some really cool features, like being able to lock your files with a fingerprint. If you want to be on the forefront of these new features, you can sign up to the OneDrive beta testing program to get new feature before anyone else.
How To: Enable Dark Mode in Google's New Gallery Go App
Galley Go is a new lightweight app made by Google that provides a simpler alternative to Google Photos. While it's a lighter app, it still includes dark mode. You just have to turn it on to help boost battery life and save your eyes at night.
How To: Get Android 10's New Gestures on Any Phone
Lover it or hate it, Android 10 is a big improvement over Android 9 Pie. Based on previous versions, most flagships released in the last two years will get Android 10, but the question is when. So while you wait for those cool new gestures, how about I show you an app that gives you a nearly identical experience?
How To: Get Quick Access to Your Favorite Apps with a Swipe-Up App Drawer
I go back and forth between two home screen apps: Nova Launcher and Action Launcher. While I prefer the aesthetics of Nova, I like Action's Quickpage feature since it puts some of my favorite apps just a swipe away. But now, I've found a way to replicate this feature on Nova (or any other launcher), and it works even better.
How To: Schedule Texts to Send Later in Telegram
Sometimes you may need to send a message out at a specific time. Say a thought strikes you late at night, but you don't want to wake anyone up. You could do this by waiting to sending it at your desired time — or, you could schedule your message at a precise time.
How To: Enable Google Drive's Dark Mode on Any Android Phone
Lots of Google apps are getting dark mode. Google Drive has had it on Android 10 for a few months. But it hasn't been accessible to all Android users until now. With the latest update, there's a manual dark mode switch you can turn on regardless of what OS version you have.
How To: Make Android 10's Dark Mode Turn on Automatically at Night — No Root Needed
Android 10's new dark mode is a pleasure to behold for longtime users. Ever since OLED panels became widespread, we've been clamoring for the feature. But now that we have it, there's a new problem: it doesn't turn on automatically based on time of day. Thankfully, a simple app can turn dark mode into a true night mode.
How To: Fit More Emails on Your Screen at One Time in Gmail
Gmail recently added a feature to dynamically change how much information from emails is shown on the main screen. The more info you choose to display, the fewer emails will fit on the screen. But if you're not a fan of these email previews, you can disable them and fit more messages on the main screen.
How To: Get the Pixel 4's Leaked Camera App on Older Pixels
XDA recently reported on a leaked version of the upcoming Pixel 4's camera app. By testing the app, they were able to find upcoming Pixel 4 features like a new Night Sight mode that can photograph stars. Well that leaked version has leaked itself, so now you can install it on your own Pixel phone.
How To: Sync Chrome's Clipboard from Your Desktop to Your Android Phone & Back
Recently, Android Police highlighted one of the downfalls of Android 10's new privacy protection: the fact that it broke the ability for apps like Pushbullet to sync your clipboard across devices. While third-party apps can potentially find a way around this, there's no guarantee. But have no fear, Google is here to the rescue.
How To: Force-Enable Dark Mode in Gmail for Android Right Now
Dark mode is finally rolling out for Gmail on Android. But this is a Google product, so you already know it'll be a while before the server-side update hits most devices. Sideloading the newest APK doesn't work, neither does switching accounts. But if you're rooted, you can enable dark mode by modifying a simple XML.
How To: Stop Trying to Diagonal Swipe — There's an Easier Way to Open Hamburger Menus on Android 10
With the back button gone in Android 10, the new back gesture forced Google to change the way you access side navigation menus. The new angled swipe that you have to do to access the hamburger menu isn't the easiest, so you'll likely go back more times than you want. Well, there's an easier way.
How To: There's an Easy Way to Stop Random Popup Ads on Android
"Why do I keep getting popups on my phone when I'm not even doing anything?" I see this question asked all the time. The answer? You have a shady app on your phone and it started showing full screen ads. But people either don't know this (so they don't know they just need to find and uninstall the problematic app), or if they do know it's a bad app, they don't know which app is causing it.