Android How-Tos
How To: New to Android? Here's How to Get Started & Get the Most Out of Your Device
Whether you're just getting your first Android, or are already on your fifth annual cycle of picking up the latest flagship, there is always the question of what to do after booting up your device for the first time.
How to Make Money on Android: 15 Apps That Give Rewards & Cash Back for Doing Almost Nothing
With the amount of time we spend glued to our smartphones, they could be considered a second job (if only we got paid). I spend a large part of my day scrolling through Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, and countless other apps, and burn through hours and hours without even noticing.
How To: Get Rid of Annoying Discover Stories in Your Snapchat Feed
In an attempt to increase advertising revenues, Snapchat introduced Discover back in January of this year, a feature that brought a handful of prominent media partners, such as CNN, ESPN, and Vice to your feed, along with their tailored news stories and videos.
How To: Cortana for Android Has Leaked & Here's How to Install It (Update: It's Now on the Play Store)
Cortana, Microsoft's personal assistant for its Windows Phones and Windows 10, will soon be released for Android. That is, officially released. It's hard to keep a good thing locked away, and to that end, Cortana for Android has been leaked, thanks to APK Mirror.
How To: 6 Unique Android Launchers That'll Get You to Ditch Your Stock Home Screen
I'm often reluctant to use a home screen launcher other than the stock one on my Android. Once you're well acclimated with something, complacency sets in, welcoming change with much resistance. Well, my friends, I have seen the error of my ways...
How To: Encrypt & Hide Files, Photos, & Videos on Android
If you have some photos, videos, and documents that you want to keep completely hidden and encrypted on your Android device, Andrognito is the app you need. We showcased this app in the past, but since then, CODEX has rebuilt it from the ground up with new and improved features.
How To: Remove TouchWiz on Your Galaxy S6 for a Clean, Stock Android Look
When the Galaxy S6 hype-train was building momentum ahead of the phone's release, many reports had Samsung cutting back on its much-maligned TouchWiz skin. In the end, these reports were either highly exaggerated or entirely fabricated, because while not as egregious as previous devices, Samsung's signature bloated UI and duplicate apps are definitely present on the Galaxy S6.
How To: 21 Apps You'll Need When Switching from iPhone to Android
So you finally decided to make the switch from iOS to Android, huh? Well first off: welcome to the world of tomorrow. And secondly: good call, mate.
How To: Use Smart Switch to Update Your Galaxy S6—Even It's Rooted
In the past, updating a rooted Samsung Galaxy device has always involved the complicated process of downloading the proper firmware for your variant, installing device drivers, then sideloading the update with Odin.
How To: 10 Ways to Trick Your Android Phone into Using Less Data
Ever watched Netflix on your phone only to realize an hour later that you forgot to turn Wi-Fi on? That's a whole lot of data used.
How To: 10 Essential Xposed Modules Every Rooted Android User Needs
There are many reasons to root Android, but for me, the most important one is to have the Xposed Framework. Xposed gives you access to hundreds of modules, which take away the need to manually modify core system files to add new features and functionality to your Android device.
Android Security: 13 Must-Know Tips for Keeping Your Phone Secure
These days, that pocket-sized computer we call a smartphone is home to your entire digital life. But with the onset of mobile payments and online banking, the line between your virtual world and the physical realm is becoming increasingly blurred.
How To: Global Find & Replace, Undo, & Redo Finally Comes to Android
Make no bones about it—having an "undo" option is a freaking godsend. Whether you accidentally deleted an entire essay, screwed up the shading on a Photoshop job, or sent an email that wasn't quite ready, having the option to undo a click or button-press can definitely be a lifesaver.
How To: Update Makes It Easy to Remove S Finder & Quick Connect from Your Galaxy S6's Notification Tray
Sure Samsung toned down TouchWiz on their latest flagship devices, but there was one issue (albeit minor and mostly cosmetic) that really irked me: those damn "S Finder" and "Quick connect" buttons in the notification tray. Only the T-Mobile S6 variants shipped with an option to remove these two buttons, so AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and other non-T-Mobile users were stuck with them taking up space in the notification panel. If you didn't mind rooting your device, there was a way to remove them b...
How To: Improve Sound Quality on Android: 5 Audio Mods for Better-Sounding Music & Videos
Whether I'm in my car or making dinner, I always have music playing. And since I don't like to keep my headphones on me at all times, I end up using my Android's built-in speakers a good portion of the time.
How To: Top 7 Free Wallpaper Apps for Android Phones & Tablets
Out of all the questions that we receive from our readers and viewers here at Gadget Hacks, the most frequently asked one is "What wallpaper is that?" On occasion, our wallpapers may be personal or images from the web, but for the most part, they come from dedicated wallpaper apps.
How To: The Ultimate Guide to Deleting Apps & Bloatware on Android
As Android owners, we ultimately have to look at our device and ask the difficult question: "Where the hell did all these applications come from?"
How To: Completely Banish Google from Your Android Experience
Update (February 2019): The methods below will help on older Android versions, but we've recently revisited this topic. So if you have a newer Android phone and you want to get rid of Google, head here.
How To: Bypass T-Mobile's Tethering Limit for Free
T-Mobile's "Uncarrier" initiative has done wonders for my wallet and my data usage. Before I had to deal with being throttled down to 2G speeds after passing my data limit, but thanks to their unlimited data plans, I'm free to use as much LTE data as I possibly can. The only downside is, when sharing data through a mobile hotspot (tethering), T-Mobile imposes a 5 GB limit (which was recently upped to 7 GB for some).
How To: Master Pokémon & Win Every Game Using Your Android
Saying that I was obsessed with Pokémon as a child would be a serious understatement, and even though I'm not the Pokémon fanatic I once was doesn't mean I don't love playing still. However, I do often find myself dumbfounded by all of the new features and characters in each generation.
How To: Fix Touchscreen Issues on Your OnePlus One with These Quick & Easy Tips
While the OnePlus One is a great value, you could be plagued with a touchscreen issue or two. The most common problems come in the form of ghost touches and touches not registering with apps.
How To: Turn Your Phone's Screen On Just by Waving
The Samsung Galaxy S6 includes a pretty nifty feature known as "Gesture wake up," which lets users wave their hand over their locked display to wake it, making those periodic notification checks from the lock screen a lot more simple than having to press the power or home key every time.
How To: The One Android Setting You Must Change Before Traveling Abroad
With all the stress that goes into booking flights and lodging, packing (and not forgetting) everything you'll need, finding pet sitters, and everything else that goes with a trip overseas, there's the added stress of staying connected while abroad.
How To: Get Back Missing Toggles in Your Galaxy S6's Quick Settings
If you've recently noticed that you're missing Quick Settings toggles on on your Samsung Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge—specifically ones for Mobile data, Private mode, and Mobile hotspot—you aren't alone.
How To: Stop Spammy Notifications on Your Phone
Have you ever had one of your Android games post a notification in a lame attempt to remind you to play? This is becoming a common practice these days, and to me, it's about as annoying as a Best Buy blue shirt when I'm just trying to check out the latest TVs.
How To: Share Paid Android Apps for Free (Legally)
Last year, Apple debuted a feature that allows families to share iTunes and App Store purchases across their various accounts. Us Android users, on the other hand, have to buy separate copies of apps for each of our accounts—well, at least from an official standpoint.
How To: The Must-Have Keyboard Feature You Never Knew You Needed
In addition to sharing emojis and GIFs, most of us also probably share various types of links through email or text, whether it be for a Google Maps location, a bar or restaurant on Yelp, or an awesome song on Spotify.
How To: Top 5 Android VoIP Apps for Making Free Phone Calls
The telecommunications industry has come a long way since Ma Bell opened the first telephone exchange in the late 1800s. With the advent of fiber optics and wireless broadband technology, we no longer have a need for a dedicated phone connection, as today's data networks can carry much more than a simple voice conversation.
NetEase Music: The Free Service That Will Get You to Leave Spotify
We recently lost Grooveshark, the free music streaming service that supplied users with a huge catalog of free music anytime, anywhere. Since its shutdown, I have been scrambling to find a half-decent alternative, and my expectations were more than exceeded when I found NetEase Music.
How To: What's Draining Your Android's Battery? Find Out & Fix It for Good
When it comes to smartphones, the biggest complaint voiced by most users is battery life. Sure, it's unrealistic to expect your Android device to run for weeks without a recharge, but many folks struggle to even make it through the day without having to top off their battery.
How To: Max Out Your Clash of Clans Village Faster on Android
It would be an understatement to say that Supercell hit it big with Clash of Clans. The game has topped both Google Play and the iOS App Store for years and shows no signs of ever slowing down.
How To: Install Firefox OS on Android Without Any Rooting or ROMs
As it stands, Firefox OS isn't a very popular third-party operating system for Android devices, especially when compared to others like CyanogenMod, but Mozilla developer Fabrice Desré is attempting to change that.
How To: Hide Photos & Other Files on Android Natively Using This Easy Trick
Have you ever noticed that some Android gallery apps display every last photo that you have stored on your device? This is particularly annoying when most stock gallery apps don't provide an option for hiding certain folders from your filmstrip view. Then there are music players that load up ringtones and video players that queue every video on your device, regardless of whether you want them there or not.
How To: Test Your Samsung Phone by Using Secret Code *#0*#
Besides obvious features like a touchscreen and biometric sensors, the modern smartphone comes with an array of state-of-the-art hardware in the form of various sensors that help your device sense the environment around it. And if you have a Samsung handset, chances are, you have a handy feature built in that enables you to check if these sensors are functioning 100 percent.
How To: Use Samsung's Hidden Video Editor on Any Galaxy Device
Editing a video by trimming or adding audio is fairly simple on Galaxy devices, but if you want to include other clips or transition animations and really get those creative juices flowing, you might find the standard editing tools limited—unless you know how to unlock Samsung's hidden video editor.
How To: Use Hound on Android Without an Activation Code
SoundHound's new virtual assistant application, Hound, is gaining a lot of buzz in the tech world—especially after a demo video showed just how awesome it works (it has amassed over 1.6 million views in under a week).
How To: Reduce Lag & Boost Performance for Games on a Galaxy S6 or Note 4
Since the days of Android Jelly Bean, Samsung has implemented an energy preservation feature known as dynamic voltage and frequency scaling, or DVFS for short. What this essentially does is limit or adjust the frequency of the microprocessor to conserve power and prevent excessive heat from being generated.
How To: Get Android M's New Clock App on Any Device Right Now
Android M doesn't even have an official name yet, but that doesn't mean you can't test out of some of its new features today.
How To: Disable Heads-Up (Pop-Up) Notifications in Android Lollipop Without Root
Android Lollipop, introduced an array of new features and aesthetics that pleased many loyal users. One of those additions being the new heads-up notifications. Taking subtle inspiration from iOS, these notifications are visually appealing and can be easily dismissed or expanded, but they do require that you take an action before they go away immediately. Of course, you can always wait 10 seconds for them to disappear, but that can be really annoying if you're in the middle of a game or editi...
How To: Get Android M's New App Drawer on Any Device Right Now
Android M, the successor to Lollipop, is almost here. If you have a Nexus, you can install a preview of Android M using either the Fastboot method or Nexus Root Toolkit. For those of you without a Nexus, you can still get a piece of M on your device right now by installing the new app drawer.