Your Android cellphone has a treasure trove of hidden options.
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Part of the attraction of utilizing an Android cellphone is the wide range of {hardware} and software program choices. For occasion, the expertise you get from a Google Pixel cellphone may be very totally different from what a Galaxy S21 affords, and you then add OnePlus into the combination and the expertise diverges much more. That stated, the core Android expertise stays practically the identical. All three producers use Android, sharing the identical options — a few of that are hidden. And now that Google has launched the first developer beta of Android 12 (which you’ll set up when you like residing on the sting), the staple Android options are solely getting higher, and there are positive to be extra hidden options.
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Take display screen recording for example. It’s a characteristic that you could be not even understand Google added with the rollout of Android 11, however it’s there, simply ready that can assist you exhibit your gaming expertise. Also, the power to make use of two apps on the identical time isn’t solely one thing iPhone customers can solely dream about however it’s additionally downright helpful and constructed into your Android cellphone (this characteristic is not new, a minimum of for Pixel telephones) — you simply should know the place to look. One of my favourite hidden options known as Smart Lock, a device that retains my cellphone unlocked when I’m at residence, then reverts again to requiring my fingerprint or PIN code once I go away. It’s handy and it permits me to maintain my cellphone safe when I’m not at residence. Keep in thoughts, the options beneath might not look or work precisely the identical on each cellphone, and that is as a result of totally different Android machine producers like to make use of distinctive interfaces. My recommendation? Use the search bar on the high of the Settings app when you’re struggling to discover a characteristic. You can lastly document your display screen with an official Google device.
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1. Have Android 11? Use the built-in display screen recorder Instead of taking a screenshot to point out off your new all-time excessive rating or seize a notification or app difficulty, use Android 11’s new built-in display screen recorder. Google launched Android 11 final September, however as is often the case with main Android updates, it is as much as the device-maker to roll out the replace. Once your cellphone is up to date to Android 11, you will discover a new Screen Record button within the Quick Settings panel. Swipe down from the highest of your display screen to entry the panel; you’ll have to swipe to the left to view extra settings choices, or you possibly can faucet the edit button to maneuver Screen Record to the entrance panel. Once you activate Screen Record, you will be requested if you wish to seize audio, both simply the sound made by the app you are utilizing or each the machine and audio captured by the microphone — useful for strolling somebody by troubleshooting or organising an app. To cease recording, faucet the Screen Record notification. The video shall be saved to your cellphone’s gallery or digicam roll, the place you possibly can then edit and share it. Take management of alerts and notifications.
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2. Quiet the notifications that may wait Tired of each single notification inflicting your cellphone to bleep or boop? Tell your Android cellphone whenever you need an app to provide silent alerts by long-pressing on the alert till you set off a immediate, asking in order for you the notification to be marked as an Alert or Silent. Alert will permit the apps’ notifications to play sounds and present up on the lock display screen, whereas Silent mode will mute the alert, however nonetheless make it seen in your notification tray. Live Caption is large from an accessibility standpoint.
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3. Add captions to any video or podcast Live Caption is a formidable, but comparatively new characteristic that is slowly making its approach to extra units. When energetic, it provides real-time captions to any video, podcast or voice be aware in your cellphone. It does not matter if the video you are watching is muted — Live Caption will nonetheless transcribe it for you. Since it was first introduced final 12 months, Google has expanded its Live Caption characteristic past the Pixel cellphone lineup to included Samsung’s newest telephones, together with the Note 20 and the OnePlus 8 sequence. There is not an official checklist of supported units, so far as I can inform, and your cellphone should be operating Android 10 to ensure that it to work. To activate Live Caption (or examine in case your cellphone is supported), open the Settings app and seek for Live Caption. The Live Caption toggle is in a special place on the Pixel 4 ($794 at Amazon), Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8 ($599 at Amazon). After turning on Live Caption, anytime you start taking part in a video — even when you go away the amount turned off — a small black field will present up in your display screen giving real-time captions of no matter’s being stated. Obviously, these aren’t captions ready by a human prematurely, to allow them to be much less correct at occasions, however it’s nonetheless very well executed and a characteristic that each cellphone ought to have, not simply Android. You can study extra in regards to the characteristic and how you can use it in our full information (together with how you can restrict profanity). Split Screen is simple to make use of on an Android cellphone.
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4. Use two apps on the identical time One of my favourite options in Android is with the ability to have two apps on the display screen on the identical time. It’s helpful when I’m taking a look at a Google Doc and sending an e mail, or when I’m trying up a recipe and sending the ingredient checklist in Messages. But if you have not executed it earlier than, it is not instantly clear how you can put apps in split-screen mode. Tap the app switcher button, or when you’re utilizing Android’s gesture navigation, swipe up from the underside of the display screen to enter the multitasking view and faucet on the app icon on the high of an app’s card or thumbnail adopted by Split Screen. The first app will slide to the highest of the display screen, and the multitasking view will take up the underside part of your display screen. Either choose one other app from the multitasking view or launch an app from your own home display screen or app drawer. Not each app will help split-screen mode, and the one approach I can determine to inform if an app will work on this mode is solely to attempt opening it. Watch a video and browse Twitter on the identical time? Go on, I’m listening.
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5. Watch a video and use an app concurrently Similar to split-screen mode is Android’s Picture-in-Picture characteristic: Using it couldn’t be less complicated, you simply should know it is there. I like to observe my favourite Twitch streamers whereas I browse Reddit or examine my emails. To set off PiP, begin watching a video after which return to the house display screen. Really, it is that simple. Once you allow the app, if it helps PiP mode, the video will present up as a small window in your cellphone’s display screen. You can drag it round, resize or shut it. You may use PiP with getting turn-by-turn instructions in Google Maps, which makes it simple to see which cease you might want to get off at whereas navigating the subway in a brand new metropolis. To view an inventory of apps put in in your cellphone that help this characteristic, open the Settings app, and go to Apps & Notifications > Special app entry > Picture-in-picture. This can be the place you possibly can go to disable PiP for an app. For instance, if you do not need Google Maps persevering with to point out you turn-by-turn instructions after you’ve got left it, and would reasonably the app fully shut down, then disable this characteristic for Google Maps. Turn on Smart Lock to maintain your cellphone unlocked at residence.
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6. Use Smart Lock to maintain your cellphone unlocked whenever you’re residence Another one in every of my favourite hidden options can maintain you from having to enter your PIN or scan your fingerprint everytime you’re residence or at work. You can set it to maintain your cellphone unlocked whenever you’re in a selected location. You may set it to maintain the cellphone unlocked when it detects you are energetic, like whenever you’re strolling round whereas holding the cellphone pressed to your face or talking over Bluetooth on wi-fi headphones. Open Settings > Security > Smart Lock and enter your PIN code when prompted. From there, you possibly can decide which side of Smart Unlock you wish to use and when. Just take into account that if in case you have Smart Lock set to maintain your cellphone unlocked at residence, which means anybody you reside with will be capable of get into it. Notification Log in your Android cellphone is usually a lifesaver.
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7. Recover by accident cleared notifications Ever faucet the button to clear your notification tray, solely to note an provide you with a warning wanted to learn on the final second? I do know I’ve. Thankfully, there is a hidden Notification Log that may present you a operating tally of each alert and notification you’ve got acquired for the previous few days. The solely approach to entry it’s by a house display screen widget. Long-press on any empty spot in your display screen, then choose Widgets from the menu. Find the Settings choice, then choose Notification Log. The subsequent time you miss an alert, faucet the widget and you may see an inventory of all your alerts. If your cellphone does not have a Notification Log, give the Unnotification app a attempt. Android 10 makes it a breeze to share Wi-Fi networks with a QR code.
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8. Quickly share your Wi-Fi community creds with friendsGiving your Wi-Fi community password to a pal or member of the family is usually a trouble, particularly if it is a lengthy, complicated sequence of numbers and letters. Or you might be hesitant handy over your credentials as a result of it is a password you employ some place else — I get it. Granted, having folks over or visiting a pal’s house is one thing most of us are avoiding proper now, however because the CDC points new steerage for totally vaccinated folks, and issues start to return to regular, it is positive to come in useful. Thankfully, beginning with Android 10 you possibly can show a QR code in your cellphone’s display screen that may permit anybody who scans it to hook up with your Wi-Fi community. You can scan or create a QR code in your machine by opening the Settings app and choosing Network > Wi-Fi. If you are sharing your community credentials, faucet on the community title after which Share. If you are connecting to a Wi-Fi community, faucet on the QR Code icon subsequent to Add Network. This characteristic additionally turns out to be useful when you’re organising a brand new cellphone and do not wish to undergo the method of copying your password. Now that you have mastered Android’s hidden options, be sure you’re fully acquainted with extra of Android’s staple options, like privateness settings and a devoted darkish mode. If you’ve gotten Android 11, ensure that to take a look at among the Android 11 options we completely love. And here is what to stay up for with Android 12.
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