Hot Android How-Tos
How To: Solve Math Problems with Google Lens' Homework Mode
Since launching Google Lens as a a Pixel-exclusive feature in 2017, Google has not only expanded the availability of the tool to Android and iOS, but also built upon its functionality. Now, in addition to translator, tip calculator, personal shopper, and tour guide, Google has added math tutor to the job description for Google Lens.
How To: Use Your Phone's Camera as an Augmented Reality Viewfinder to Find Places in Google Maps
Alongside the launch of Android 11, Google added a new feature to Live View, the augmented reality mode for walking navigation in Google Maps, that helps you find friends in AR. But even if you're not trying to meet up with somebody, you can easily access the AR mode and orient yourself to any location.
How To: Install Dirty Unicorns on Your Pixel & Get Custom ROM Features Without Losing Motion Sense & Active Edge
If you've ever been into custom ROMs, you likely know the Dirty Unicorns name pretty well. It's been synonymous with unique features and awesome tweaks when compared to stock. Recently, Dirty Unicorns has returned again in a big way with some neat features for Android 10.
How To: Replace Your Alarm with Your Favorite Song or Playlist on Android
Waking up to buzzing alarm clock is so 20th century. Wouldn't it better if the first sound you heard in the morning was your favorite song? Whether it's a track to get you motivated or something to put a smile on your face, a song can do wonders for your mood and help you start the day right.
How To: Disable the Pull-Down Quick Settings Menu on Your Pixel 4's Lock Screen
On Android, there is a vulnerability that Google doesn't seem to want to fix — anyone can open the Quick Settings panel on your lock screen. GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, all toggles accessible in this menu, are vital tools for locating your phone in case it is ever stolen. But thanks to Xposed, you can eliminate this potential risk.
How To: Create & Boot from a Magisk Core-Only Image to Fix a Bootloop Without Custom Recovery
Bootloops are a risk inherent to rooted devices — with great power comes great destroyability, after all. While custom recovery sometimes provides a quick fix when you flash the wrong Magisk module, with TWRP becoming more challenging to implement thanks to Android 10, the solution is a bit more complicated nowadays.
How To: This TWRP Alternative Lets You Manage Magisk Modules & So Much More on OnePlus Devices
TWRP has been the king of custom recovery on Android for years now, thanks to device compatibility and core features. But there's a new player in town — at least, for OnePlus devices — and it's got a lot of useful features that might finally get you to ditch TWRP.
How To: Make a Button That Opens Your Favorite Google News Topic in 1 Tap
Fake news was one of the main driving factors for Google News taking its current form. It offers verified sources to ensure more accuracy in your news feed to help control the spread of false information. Something you may not know, however, is that you can view your favorite Google News topics from your home screen with a single tap.
How To: Disable Automatic Updates on Your Rooted Android Phone
One of the things you've likely gotten used to if you have a rooted Android phone is not installing OTA system updates in a typical fashion. Depending on your version of Android, you might not actually be able to swipe away that nagging update notification at all. Thankfully, there's a way to prevent your system from automatically checking for OTA updates.
How To: Quickly Answer Calls on Your OnePlus by Lifting the Phone to Your Ear
We've seen some Android phones in the past make answering calls as simple as lifting the phone to your ear. Although it's not a highly mentioned feature, you can enable this setting on your OnePlus device in a few taps and stop having to fumble with an on-screen slider or button.
How To: Resize Picture-in-Picture Mode Videos in Android 11
Picture in Picture mode is one of Android's best multitasking tools. Ever since its introduction in Android 8.0 Oreo, you've been able to watch videos in a floating window while you use other apps. In Android 11, this feature is getting its first real upgrade.
YSK: Gboard Lets You Copy & Paste Multiple Items
Touchscreen typing has always presented its own unique challenges, so a phone's copy and paste capabilities are more important than you might think. Gboard users should know about a useful feature in this category: extended clipboard history.
How To: Remove the Screen Recording Icon from Android 11's Status Bar
After teasing the feature in Android 10, Google finally added proper native screen recording to Android 11. But when you start a capture, you'll see a small red indicator in your status bar as long as recording is ongoing, which can really distract from your video. Thankfully, it can be removed with a little ingenuity.
How To: Turn Your Pixel into a Dead Man's Switch That Texts Your Emergency Contacts if You Don't Arrive in Time
Google's feature drops for Pixel devices have added fun and useful new abilities, such as AR effects for Duo, Call Screen automation, scheduling Dark Mode, and Quick Access Wallet for Google Pay, that are exclusive to the company's line of smartphones.
How To: The One Android Feature You Must Enable Before Protesting
Before you go out to protest, understand what you are facing. Sometimes these demonstrations become infected with looters and rioters, which could mean interaction with law enforcement and potentially arrest. And if your phone is on you, it can be used as a tool against you.
How To: Type Faster with One Hand Thanks to This Hidden Gboard Feature
When using your right hand, Gboard's one-handed mode will help you type faster with a single thumb. But not all of us hold our phones the same way — some of us prefer our left hand or hold our phones higher or lower than where the keyboard is positioned. But with the latest version of Gboard, you can change this.
How To: Use Samsung's New Quick Share Feature to 'AirDrop' Large Files
Despite Samsung's long running support for Wi-Fi Direct, most users still struggle to transfer files between their devices. Whereas Apple has AirDrop, Samsung's previous solution wasn't so obvious. With the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung hopes to correct this with "Quick Share," a file transfer system that still uses Wi-Fi Direct but makes it easier to use.
How To: Remove the 'Connected to VPN' Notification on Your Samsung Galaxy Device
If you're using a VPN app to block ads or secure your Galaxy's internet connection, Samsung has decided you need yet another non-dismissible notification from One UI to tell you about it. Not just a status bar indicator like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but a full-size alert that can't be dismissed. The entire time your always-on VPN is running.
How To: Disable the Post-Screenshot Toolbar Overlay on Your Samsung Galaxy
With Samsung's One UI version of Android, it's easier than ever to take a screenshot and quickly edit the captured image. However, the downside to that convenience has manifested itself in an overlay ribbon that can also get in the way.
How To: There's a Secret Way to Reopen an App You Just Closed in Android 11
You no longer have to worry about accidentally closing an app with Android 11. The latest version introduced a new gesture that lets you bring back an app you inadvertently dismissed from your recent apps list.
How To: Enable Bedtime Mode on Your Android Device
Apple added a Bedtime Mode to its Screen Time tool for curbing smartphone distractions. Google's version of Screen Time, called Digital Wellbeing, actually predates Apple's, but a recent update is finally bringing in Bedtime Mode.
How To: Activate Developer Options on Your Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra
The first thing any Android power user does with their phone is unlocked the Developer options. The hidden menu has many low-level tweaks, such as forcing Dark mode on all apps, speeding up animations, or enabling hidden Quick Setting tiles. And most modifications require nothing more than hitting a toggle.
How To: 8 Ways Your Samsung Galaxy Phone Can Help You Be Productive When Working from Home
For those not used to it, working from home can be a difficult transition. Everything around you can be a distraction, and distance from your boss and coworkers means less pressure and incentive to get things done. So it's not surprising to see a major drop in productivity during a period of self-quarantine, but your phone can help you stay on track instead of sidetracking you.
How To: Remap Your Galaxy S20's Power Button to Launch Any App or Action
With the Galaxy S20, Samsung has officially removed the Bixby button from its flagships. While it was a controversial key, in its later days, it did give us the ability to launch an app or custom action at the press of a button. There's still a way to do something like that, but now, you'll have to use the power button instead.
How To: Pause Music with Your Pixel's Motion Sense Radar Gestures
When Google first launched the Pixel 4, it was and still is the only phone in existence that uses a radar system for motion gestures. Yes, that radar — the same kind of motion-sensing technology used in the military for years — is available on our phones. The Pixel 4 did come with a gesture to let you change songs without touching the phone itself, but you can now pause your music just the same.
How To: Install Android 11 on Your Pixel Without Unlocking the Bootloader or Losing Data
Android 11 won't be available as a beta update for Pixel devices until May 2020. Until then, the only way to try the latest Android version is by manually installing it. Usually, this means carrier models are left out since their bootloaders are locked, but there's still a way to get it done.
How To: Enable 20x Zoom on Your OnePlus Camera App
OnePlus has always pushed the boundaries with specs. They give their phones the premium treatment, which, yes, includes the camera nowadays as well. But even though they have become pretty solid in the photography department, it could always be better.
How To: Stop Incoming Calls from Taking Over Your Galaxy's Entire Screen
With all the things you can do with your Galaxy, it's easy to forget it's still a phone at heart, and incoming calls that take over your entire screen serve as a rude reminder of this fact. Thankfully, Samsung handsets like the S10 and Note 10 come with a setting built-in that aims to keep these interruptions to a minimum.
How To: You Can Open a New Firefox Tab in a Split Second with This Trick
Anytime you want, you can long-press the home button on an Android phone to bring up the Google Assistant. Or if you're using Android 10, you can swipe in from one of the bottom corners. But if you don't use Google Assistant that often, you can change the app that opens with these gestures and get a lot more usage out of it.
How To: Your Eyes Are All You Need to Keep Your Galaxy's Screen On
Having your phone's display suddenly dim and black out while reading is an annoyance we've all had to live with. If you have a Samsung Galaxy like the Note 10, however, there's a simple setting you can enable to take care of this problem once and for all.
How To: Unlocked Bootloader? This Trick Makes Your Phone Boot 10 Seconds Faster
When your bootloader is unlocked, your phone shows a screen that tells you the bootloader is indeed unlocked and how software integrity can't be verified. But if you're the one who unlocked the bootloader in the first place, all this message does is slow down the bootup process dramatically.
How To: 7 Ways to Use Android's Digital Wellbeing Feature to Improve Your Stress Levels
It seems like each day our phones become more integrated into our lives. School, work, shopping — so many tasks either require a phone or heavily benefit from one. But our phones are a double-edged sword that can easily distract us and harm our mental health as well.
How To: One UI 2 Can Automatically Crop Screenshots on Your Galaxy
When an app like Instagram won't let you save an image, your best bet is to take a screenshot. But then you're stuck with the rest of whatever was on your screen, so you have to go in and crop it down to just the image. Starting now, your Samsung device can do this for you automatically.
How To: Navigate to Home or Work in 1 Tap with Google Maps
Even if you're totally familiar with all the routes you can take to go home or work, you'll still want to use Google Maps to find the fastest route in current traffic conditions. If you're on Android, there's an extremely fast way to do this.
How To: Get to the 'App Info' Page for Any App Faster
When an app is acting up, the first thing you should do is head to its App Info page. Here, you can force stop the buggy app or delete its data and cache. It even lets you manage permissions and notifications, quickly uninstall the app, and more. So you should definitely know about the easy new way to get to this page.
How To: Use Samsung's Hidden Screen Recorder on One UI 2
One of the more low-key functions to arrive with the Note 10 was the ability to easily record your screen system-wide. Thankfully, this long-awaited feature will finally make its way to popular Galaxy devices like the S10 and Note 9 thanks to One UI 2.
How To: Install GravityBox on Android 10 for All the Customization Options You Could Ever Need
GravityBox is a name that many know as the module to rule them all when it comes to customizing your Android device. Ask any of the longtime modding pros, and they'll tell you about the good old days during the Xposed era. The community was booming and full of great ideas, and there were never any shortages of fun modules to try. Thankfully, it still lives on even years later.
How To: Change Your Default SMS App & Improve Your Texting Experience
One of the best things about Android is being able to control everything you want, from your wallpaper down to the default apps you use for every action. Changing the default SMS app from the one that came with your device can drastically alter your messaging experience. Many SMS apps have loads of themes to pick from while also offering other features you can't find anywhere else.
How To: Set a Different Ringtone for Individual Contacts So You Know When Someone Important Is Calling
Have you ever walked around in public and heard the same handful of default ringtones over and over again? How do these people know who's calling without looking first? It's tough to tell when they all sound the same, but there is something crafty you can do to help with that. Using a different ringtone for certain contacts will allow you to differentiate between them instantly.
How To: Use the New Hands-Free Soli Gestures on the Google Pixel 4
One of the major additions in the Google Pixel 4 is the new Soli chip. It's the miniature radar sensor that powers Motion Sense, a new way to interact with your phone without touching it. There are a few new gestures you'll need to learn to take advantage of Motion Sense, so let me break them down for you.