With each new Android model comes a flurry of fancy recent options. Some of them instantly remodel the best way we work, whereas others simply quietly fade away with out making a lot noise.And then there are the options that fall someplace in between — options that appear helpful, perhaps even pique our curiosity once we first hear about ’em, however then get misplaced within the shuffle and forgotten as time wears on. Especially when mentioned options are out of sight and by no means apparent, they’re all too simple to miss and abandon.Well, as we stay up for the launch of one more new Android model — Android 14, now accessible in an early beta and anticipated to land in earnest someday this summer season — think about this your pleasant reminder: These hidden Android options, added into the working system at numerous factors over the previous a number of years, are nonetheless there and nonetheless extremely helpful. And you do not want any kind of shiny new software program to see ’em.Take a second to rediscover these timeless treasures and remind your self what you’ve got been lacking.Hidden Android characteristic No. 1: Fast app-switchingOne of probably the most helpful options to come back into Android in ages can be one of many least well-known and discoverable. I’m talkin’ in regards to the Alt-Tab-like quick app-switching perform that was first launched approach again in 2016’s Android 7 and stays one in all my favourite Android shortcuts to at the present time.[Psst: Love shortcuts? My free Android Shortcut Supercourse will teach you tons of invisible time-savers for your phone. Get your first lesson now!] You may be forgiven in case you forgot about it — or perhaps by no means even knew about it within the first place — ‘trigger truthfully, there’s completely nothing that’d clue you into its existence. And it is developed a good quantity over time, too, which makes the chances of shedding observe of it even higher.So here is the way it works: First, in case you’re utilizing Android’s present gesture system — with no on-screen navigation buttons and only a skinny little line on the backside of your display screen — flick your finger towards the proper wherever alongside that bottom-of-screen space. That’ll snap you again to your most lately used app sooner than you possibly can say “frugal Google bugle filled with tasty kugel” (which, to be truthful, is not one thing you possibly can say particularly shortly). From there, you possibly can click on flick towards the proper once more to return one other step in your app-using historical past or flick to the left to snap again within the different path. You may do much less of a flick and extra of an arching swipe — shifting your finger upward, ever so barely, as you slide towards the left or the proper on the underside of the display screen — if you wish to get a greater have a look at the apps within the checklist earlier than making the change. JR The farther you swipe and the upper you go, the extra apps you will see — all within the order of once you final used ’em. JR If you are still utilizing Android’s older three-button navigation system, concern not, for you are able to do this, too — a part of it, anyway: Just double-tap the Overview key (the square-shaped icon subsequent to Back and Home) anytime to shortly zap between your two most lately used processes.Hidden Android characteristic No. 2: App shortcutsSpeaking of app-related shortcuts, Android has an exceptionally environment friendly system referred to as — reasonably fittingly — App Shortcuts. These splendid little suckers are utterly hidden out of sight, although, they usually’re consequently ignored as a rule. But Goog almighty, can they be helpful. You can consider App Shortcuts as direct hyperlinks to particular features inside apps in your cellphone — methods to get to particular person actions or areas inside an app with out having to undergo the standard technique of opening it up, searching round by its menus, and tapping a number of instructions to achieve your vacation spot.To look by your App Shortcut choices, press and maintain your finger down on any app’s icon — both on your house display screen or in your app drawer — for a couple of second. The choices range from one app to the subsequent, however you are sure to search out some incredible prospects. For occasion:
With Google’s Messages app, long-pressing the app’s icon helps you to soar straight into a wide range of lately used message threads.
With Google Docs, you possibly can hop straight into a brand new doc or to the service’s search perform with out having to first open the app and poke round.
With Google Drive, you will get direct hyperlinks for looking out, importing a brand new file, and even scanning a bodily doc together with your cellphone’s digicam.
And with Google Calendar, you possibly can create a brand new occasion, a brand new job, or a brand new reminder proper from that hidden long-press menu.
The checklist goes on from there, so take the time to faucet round and discover what shortcuts your particular apps have to supply. And once you discover a shortcut that appears particularly helpful for the best way you’re employed, keep in mind this further invisible trick: You can pull any shortcut out of an app’s long-press menu and put it straight on your house display screen for even simpler one-tap entry. Just press and maintain the shortcut you need after which drag it into any open house on your house display screen. JRGood to know, proper?! Hidden Android characteristic No. 3: Live CaptionGoogle’s Android 10 launch launched an surprising gem into the working system — one thing that has the potential to be far more helpful than you’d count on at first look. It’s referred to as Live Caption, and it is technically an accessibility characteristic for folk who’ve a tough time listening to.The profit in that situation is clear, however Live Caption may turn out to be useful for virtually anybody on a day-to-day foundation — as a result of what it successfully does is can help you see what a video or podcast is saying with out having any audible sound enjoying out of your cellphone. I’ll usually flip it on briefly after I need to “listen in” to some method of multimedia whereas I haven’t got headphones helpful and am in a scenario the place blaring sound out from my cellphone’s audio system would not precisely be optimum (a novel thought for somebody to have nowadays, I understand).In such moments, all I’ve gotta do is faucet just a little field that reveals up beneath the quantity controls at any time when any type of media is enjoying on my machine — and holy moly, wouldya have a look at that? JROnce that button’s pressed, each phrase uttered within the video or audio clip reveals up on my display screen so I can learn it while having the precise sound turned all the best way down.And y’know what? Let’s take this hidden-feature idea a step additional, ‘trigger there are literally two extra easy-to-miss prospects inside this method. Once you’ve got received Live Caption activated and also you’re seeing captions in your display screen, you possibly can double-tap the caption field to make it greater — or press and maintain your finger onto the field to maneuver it round wherever in your display screen. Whee!If you are utilizing a cellphone with Android 10 or greater and you are not seeing that Live Caption choice as a part of your quantity controls, head into your system settings and seek for Live Caption there. You’ll most likely want to search out the related part and flip a toggle into the on place inside it to activate the characteristic — and, relying in your machine (hello, Samsung folks!), you may also should activate a second toggle in that very same space to ensure the Live Caption choice really reveals up as a part of your quantity panel.On Samsung telephones, you will additionally should develop your quantity panel (by tapping the little three-horizontal-box icon inside it) to search out the Live Caption choice.No matter what kind of cellphone you are utilizing, although, keep in mind: Live Caption will solely present up and work when some method of sound is actively being performed.Hidden Android characteristic No. 4: Share menu pinningThis subsequent tucked-away deal with was first added into Android approach again within the 2016 Nougat period however then taken away for some time and solely introduced again with 2021’s Android 11 launch. (Goodness gracious, Google: You’re makin’ me dizzy!)It’s the flexibility to customise the order of apps in your cellphone’s system-level Share menu — which suggests you possibly can then hold your personal most often used sharing locations on the high of the checklist for straightforward ongoing entry. Hip, hip, hoorah!The characteristic is sadly difficult by the truth that numerous apps, together with a lot of Google’s personal utilities, now use customized share interfaces as a substitute of counting on the system normal (grumble, grumble, grumble). But for any app that is really doing issues in a smart approach and utilizing the usual Android share menu, take word: So lengthy as your cellphone is operating Android 11 or greater, you possibly can press and maintain your favourite fingie onto any merchandise inside that sharing checklist to pin it to the highest. And it’s going to then keep in that spot for all future sharing, anytime the usual system menu is used.To see for your self, go spotlight some textual content inside an e mail in Gmail and choose “Share” from the menu that comes up. Then press and maintain that excellent little pointer of yours down onto any app you see within the checklist of sharing choices — and, ta-da: JRYou’ll see the command to pin it. You can pin as much as 4 totally different sharing targets, if you would like, they usually’ll all seem in alphabetical order in a particular row on the high of that menu.Hidden Android characteristic No 5: App pinningAn oft-overlooked characteristic launched all the best way again in 2014’s Android 5 launch (mmm, Lollipop…) is just a little somethin’ referred to as app pinning. It helps you to lock one particular app or course of to your display screen after which requires you to unlock your machine earlier than anything may be accessed.The concept is definitely fairly wise: Say you are passing your cellphone off to a pal, a co-worker, or some method of rabid jungle chicken — perhaps to allow them to see a doc, have a look at one thing on a web site, or peck out a fast name while their very own tiny bird-phone is not helpful. Take two seconds to pin no matter app is related to that objective to your display screen, and you’ll relaxation simple understanding the remainder of your stuff will stay safe and inaccessible till the cellphone’s again in your personal paws.To use the characteristic, first search your system settings for app pinning — or, in case you’re utilizing a Samsung cellphone (the place issues are all the time arbitrarily renamed for no obvious cause), search as a substitute for pin app.However you get there, when you’re on the proper settings display screen, make sure that the principle toggle for the characteristic is activated and likewise make sure that the toggle subsequent to “Ask for unlock pattern before unpinning” (or “Use screen lock type to unpin,” with Samsung — ‘trigger, properly, y’know) can be within the on place.Then simply open up any app you need and head into Android’s Overview interface (by swiping up from the underside of your display screen with the present Android gesture setup or by tapping the square-shaped button on the backside of the display screen with the outdated legacy three-button nav method). Tap the icon on the high of the cardboard on your present app, and lookie what we’ve got there: a snazzy new Pin choice! JRTap that dangerous boy, and faucet it good. That app will then be locked in place, and to get to anything, you will first should swipe your finger up from the underside of the display screen and maintain it in place for a number of seconds — after which present no matter method of unlocking authentication (PIN, sample, password, appendage, 14 drops of blood out of your pinky toe, and so forth) is acceptable to proceed.If you are still utilizing Android’s outdated three-button nav system, you will as a substitute press the square-shaped Overview button to get to the Overview interface, and you may press and maintain the Back and Overview buttons collectively once you’re able to unpin.Hidden Android characteristic No. 6: Split screenWhile we’re thinkin’ about that little Overview menu, jot this down in your noggin’s chalkboard: That similar space of the working system holds a useful characteristic that I think 99% of Android-carrying creatures utterly neglect about on a day-to-day foundation.The characteristic of which we communicate is Android’s long-standing split-screen mode, which helps you to view two apps in your display screen on the similar time. Depending in your machine and particular Android model, it might be labeled as “Split top,” “Open in split screen view,” or “Splitsy ditsy” (although that final one exists primarily in my very own demented man-brain).Tap the icon on the high of Overview for any app, discover and faucet that screen-splitting command, then resolve which second app you need to share your display screen — and final however not least, bask within the glory of your newfound superpowers. JRNote, too, that in sure conditions, you possibly can really use cut up display screen with two totally different cases of the identical single app. With Chrome, for example, you possibly can view two totally different tabs in your display screen collectively. And with Gmail, you possibly can view an lively e mail draft alongside together with your inbox.And all you’ve got gotta do is keep in mind to do it.Hidden Android characteristic No. 7: Guest ModeBack to the app pinning risk from a second in the past: If you actually need to hold your machine shielded from meddling whereas it is in another person’s fingers and/or claws, take a minute to reacquaint your self with Android’s intelligent and sensible Guest Mode.Guest Mode is principally like an incognito setting on your complete cellphone: You simply flip a change, say “Wowser bowser, hubba bubba” for good measure, after which watch your cellphone shift itself right into a blank-slate state — the place your personal private apps, accounts, and knowledge are all securely tucked away and also you get an out-of-the-box-like expertise, with solely the fundamental preinstalled system apps accessible.No one can get to any of your stuff with out first signing again in as you (and placing in your most popular methodology of authentication), and nothing finished in that setting ever has any influence in your normal smartphone setup. It’s a fairly highly effective type of privateness safety, would not ya say?It is not, sadly, accessible for the Samsung homeowners amongst us, as Samsung has for no obvious cause opted to take away this normal working system component from its software program — however for everybody else, observe these three fast steps:
Open up the System part of your cellphone’s settings.
Tap “Multiple users” — or in case you do not see that as an choice, first faucet “Advanced” after which search for it. (If your system settings menu construction is simply utterly totally different, attempt looking for visitor mode inside the settings space.)
On the display screen that comes up, make sure that the toggle on the high is about within the on place.
And then, everytime you need to faucet into your snazzy new Guest Mode choice, swipe down twice from the highest of your display screen to open your Quick Settings, faucet your consumer profile image (which might be only a generic particular person icon within the lower-right nook of the panel), after which faucet the “Add guest” choice on the display screen that comes up.When you are able to exit out of Guest Mode and get again to regular, simply open up the Quick Settings panel once more, faucet that consumer profile image once more, and choose “Remove guest” from the menu that comes up. That’ll erase and reset all the things that was finished in that short-term profile and take you again to your personal normal setting (as soon as you’ve got put in your PIN, sample, or passcode or used your most popular appendage to show that you just’re really you).Stay tuned for half twoWe’ll sort out one other set of remarkable out-of-sight Android options price discovering in a second a part of this assortment later this week, so hold your eyes peeled for that.And once you’re able to unleash the awe-inspiring energy of all your cellphone’s invisible shortcuts, scoot your approach over to my flavor-filled Android Shortcut Supercourse. It’ll provide you with six full days of eye-opening smartphone sorcery — utterly free, from me to you.
Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc.