Hot Android How-Tos
How To: Get the Note 4's Weather Widgets on Your Galaxy S5
Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 is a beautiful device worthy of all the critical acclaim it has received thus far. But aside from the S Pen features, most of the Note's user interface has a great deal of overlap with the Galaxy S5 that we all know and love.
How To: Root the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Sprint, T-Mobile, & International Variants)
Whenever a new Android device is realized, the first thing I figure out how to do is to get it root access. Generally speaking, rooting has never been easier, with many one-touch methods like Stump and Towelroot available. But as manufacturers and carriers increase security with each new product, there is one tried-and-true root method that continues to work on most Samsung devices—Chainfire's CF Auto Root.
How To: Fix Scrolling Lag in Apps on Your OnePlus One
The hardware running your One is nothing short of powerful, but the people at OnePlus can't control how developers choose to utilize that power—or rather, not utilize it. Most popular developers have removed all signs of lag from their apps, but others still have archaic lines of code that can make your shiny, new device feel like a first-generation smartphone.
How To: Change Fonts on a Per-App Basis for Android
As much as app developers would like to simplify things with icons and visual cues, text is still a huge part of a smartphone's interface. Much of our media consumption is text-based, and while Google's Roboto font is a beautiful typeface, a little variety here and there certainly wouldn't hurt.
How To: Boot Linux from Your Android onto Any Mac or PC
Linux may not be the most popular consumer operating system out there, but what it lacks in consumer app variety, it definitely makes up for in flexibility and security. And if you've ever tinkered with a Linux distro, you know how easy they are to install—most of the time, I skip standard installation and boot directly from a CD.
How To: Get Total Control Over Android's Volume Slider Precision
On most Android devices, the various volume levels are comprised of either 7 or 15 steps between minimum and maximum. For voice-call volume, alarms, and notifications alike, 7 presses of a volume button will bring you all the way from silent to full-blast. With media controls, you get 15 steps between mute and max.
How To: Bypass Android's File Type Restrictions on Bluetooth File Sharing
Bluetooth has been a staple on every Android smartphone ever since they began taking over our lives. Despite the fact that every device seems to have the ability to share files with one another, there is a limit to the types of files that can be shared between them.
Important: Back Up Your Galaxy Note 3's EFS & IMEI Data for Emergency Restores
The options for customization are virtually endless when you're rooted and have an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery. However, there is always risk involved when flashing new mods or installing new ROMs. I always make backups in case something happens, but when I'm testing certain mods out, I sometimes get a damaged EFS partition.
How To: Boost Performance & Battery Life on Your Galaxy S5 with These "Build.prop" Hacks
The build.prop file in an Android device is home to many system-level values and settings. Everything from screen density to video recording quality is covered in this file, and people have been editing these entries to get new functionality and better performance since Android has existed.
Blue Screen of Death: Prank Your Friend's Precious Android Phone with Fake Viruses
It's time for another mobile prank. The classic pranks and practical jokes are always great, but let's hit your friends where it really hurts—their precious (and expensive) smartphones. And what better way to scare the shit out of them than making them believe their phone's been infected by malware?
How To: Install a Custom Recovery on Your Bootloader-Locked Galaxy Note 3 (AT&T or Verizon)
The bootloaders on the AT&T and Verizon Wireless variants of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 still cannot be unlocked, despite the $1,400+ bounty that arose late last year. Nine months later and still nothing. But just because we can't "unlock" the bootloader doesn't mean we can't get around it.
How To: Rotate Your Favorite Wallpapers on Set Schedule for Any Android Device
When it comes to wallpapers, I'm no monogamist. I have a lot of wallpapers that I'm committed to, but they don't always get their fair share of time with me—and that's where the problem lies. I'm too lazy to go out of my way to make sure they all feel loved. I'd rather them to come to me when it's their turn, and thanks to Wallpaper Changer, they can do just that.
How To: Stop Nosy Friends from Viewing More Photos on Android Than You Intended
You have a cool picture that you want to show someone, but when you hand your phone over, they start swiping through all of your photos. Surely, you've encountered this scenario before. I definitely have.
How To: The Flat-Out Easiest Way to Create a Nandroid Backup on Android
If you have a custom recovery installed on your Android device, the first thing you should have done as soon as you finished installing it was to create a Nandroid backup. But if you didn't, I'm not here to judge—I'm here to show you a much easier way.
How To: The Easiest "One-Click" Root Method for Your Samsung Galaxy S3
Rooting an Android device used to be a nightmarish labyrinth of .zip files and command prompts, confusing seasoned modding veterans and newbies alike. Thankfully, the process has gotten simpler over the years, with various "one-click" rooting tool kits surfacing and working for nearly every major Android flagship on the market.
How To: Root Any Galaxy Note 2 Variant in No Time with One Easy Click
While AT&T and Verizon may not have had a chance to screw Note 2 owners with unrootbale devices—mainly because they've screwed us over by not issuing KitKat updates—it's safe to say that they can in the future. And while Sprint and T-Mobile subscribers have been able to root, the various methods can make the process somewhat confusing, especially for first-timers.
How To: Reduce Lag & Boost Performance for Games on Your Nexus 5
Aside from the newer HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5, the Nexus 5 still has one of the fastest processors on the market today. However, despite its superpowers, some graphically intensive games can still have a bit of lag to them during gameplay.
How To: Get Your HTC One M7 Ready for a Different Mobile Carrier
Whether it's spotty data coverage, bad customer service, or a high monthly bill, at some point many of us consider changing carriers. The problem is, we often don't want or need to change our devices. Since it's now legal to unlock devices to bring to new carriers, getting devices switched over is doable, but it's pain going into carrier stores and dealing with their constant upselling.
How To: Unlock the Bootloader & Root Your HTC One M8
As with most OEMs, HTC would like you to think that you can do virtually anything with your new HTC One M8, but as a softModder, you know that isn't true. To actually unleash the full potential of that device, you need access to the whole system, not just the parts that HTC deems okay for you to mess with.
How To: The Easiest Way to Back Up, Restore, & Sync Files Between Your Computer & HTC One
If you've just upgraded to an HTC One M8, chances are you've got some media files you want transferred over from your computer or previous phone. Even after you've done that, there will be times when you want to transfer content back to your computer for safe keeping.
How To: Fix a Soft-Bricked HTC One by Flashing a New ROM via ADB
Flashing ROMs can be a tricky process, and sometimes you can end up leaving yourself without a ROM at all, often referred to as a soft brick. If you accidentally wiped your internal memory before a flash or forgot to download the ROM before wiping your system partition, don't worry, there is always a way to get your phone back up and running.
How To: Set Your HTC One to S-OFF Using Firewater on Any Computer
You've unlocked your bootloader and rooted your HTC One running KitKat, but there's still one lingering aspect of security you've yet to rid yourself of—S-On—the extra security measure HTC implemented into Sense.
How To: Activate Modules After Installation in Xposed Installer
Created by by XDA developer rovo89, the Xposed Framework allows you to quickly search for, download, and install new modules that allow various forms of customization for your Android device.
How To: Bypass the SD Card Restrictions in Android 4.4 KitKat on Your Galaxy S4
One draw that Samsung's Galaxy S line has had over the Google Nexus 4 and 5 and the HTC One (though the M8 appears to be following suit) is expandable storage. Pop a microSD card into the slot and you have extra storage for music, photos, and even apps themselves in some cases.
How To: Set the Volume Buttons to Instantly Control the Flashlight on Your HTC One
Since the introduction of LED flash to smartphones, there have been hundreds of flashlight apps flooding Google Play, since most Android phones do not have built-in flashlight apps, including the HTC One.
How To: Install a Custom Recovery & New ROM on Your Bootloader-Locked Samsung Galaxy S4
Third-party ROMs like CyanogenMod are the ultimate form of customization for softModders. Hard-working developers offer us alternate Android experiences to replace our often bloatware-riddled stock ROMs.
How To: Install ADB & Fastboot in Mac OS X to Send Commands to Your HTC One
If you're looking into rooting your device yourself, you're going to need ADB and Fastboot on your computer.
How To: Install Firefox OS (& Other Experimental ROMs) On Your Nexus 5 Without Any Risk
You probably already know by now that a custom Android ROM can change your user experience and give you what feels like a new OS on your device, and there's no shortage of them out there to try out.
How To: Back Up Your Nexus 7 Without Rooting or Adding a Custom Recovery
At some point, we all need to back up our device. Maybe it's time to take it in for repairs or maybe you're just cautious and paranoid. Maybe you're trying out a new ROM on your Nexus 7—then you definitely need to back up. The most secure way would be to use a custom recovery like ClockworkMod or TWRP, but if you're not rooted or planning to root, then you'll need an easy alternative.
How To: Give Your Friends Custom Voicemail Greetings & Unwanted Callers the Slip on Your Nexus 5
For my money, one of the greatest improvements brought about from the smartphone revolution is the advent of visual voicemail. No longer do we have to slog through dial menus or trudge through every single message to get to the next. We can just look at our messages, right there on our screens, organized neatly like emails or text messages.
How To: Get Rid of the Annoying Low Battery Alert for Good on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
If you use your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 consistently throughout the day, you're more than likely to encounter the low battery warning on occasion—anytime you dip below 15 percent remaining. While the low battery warning may be a convenience for some, it can also be a nuisance for others (like me), as it continues to appear intermittently after dropping from that 15 percent. In this softModder tutorial, I'm going to show you how to get rid of that annoying low battery alert for good.
How To: Get the Android 4.4 KitKat Launcher & Google Now on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
For now, the redesigned and fresh-faced Android 4.4 KitKat is exclusive to the new Nexus 5, though it will be rolling out to other Google (Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10) and Google Play Editions (Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One) devices in the next week or two.
How To: Root Your Samsung Galaxy S4 (Or Almost Any Other Android Phone) In One Easy Click
For new Android users, rooting an Android phone can often be an intimidating process, especially since there are so many different ways to gain root access, depending on your model and firmware version.
How To: Get the iOS 7 Home & Lock Screen on Your Samsung Galaxy S3 or Other Android Device
Big bad Apple recently announced its next iterations of iPhones and the world went crazy—as usual. Displaying an array of cool colors and futuristic features, the new iPhone 5S and 5C will both be rocking iOS 7, a sleek, modern operating system that gets rid of the old icons and glossy finish for a more flat and contemporary design.
How To: Get "Metro-Inspired" App Icons on Your Samsung Galaxy S4 for a Sleek-Looking Home Screen
The stock Android app icons that come with your Samsung Galaxy S4 can vary wildly in shape and size, as they will with any out-of-the-box Android device.
How To: Zoom In & Out Using Only One Finger Instead of Two on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Due to its enormously awesome size, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 usually takes two hands to maneuver through photos and texts, write emails, and get directions on the map.
How To: Unlock Your Bootloader, Root Your HTC One, & Install a Custom Recovery (Using TWRP)
As you may have noticed, many of our tutorials cover topics that require you to have root access. When your phone is rooted, backing up apps doesn't require you to connect to your computer, and installing custom ROMs lets you get more useful settings. Rooting also lets you get rid of the Sense-style menus and status bar, and even upgrade to a newer version of Android.
How To: Flash a Custom ROM onto Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Enhance Your Android Experience
The new Samsung Galaxy S4 just received an update to Android 4.2.2, so why is it that my Galaxy Note 2 is still running an older version of Jelly Bean? It felt like yesterday that my device was finally updated to 4.1.2, but why even bother since 4.2 has been around since last November?
How To: The Definitive Nexus 7 Guide to Bootloader Unlocking, Rooting, & Installing Custom Recoveries
Rooting, bootloaders, custom ROMs, CyanogenMod, ClockworkMod... it's all pretty confusing, isn't it? You're not the only one having trouble with this. Many users in the Nexus 7 SoftModder forum have been scratching their heads at these many terms.
How To: Install an NES emulator on an HTC Evo 4G smartphone
Want to play the original Super Mario Bros. on your HTC Evo 4G phone? Whether you're the owner of an HTC Evo 4G Android smartphone or just covet one, you're sure to enjoy this Evo owner's guide from HTC Evo Hacks, which presents a complete, step-by-step walkthrough of how to install a classic NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) emulator on your phone. For complete details, take a look!