Errymath: android

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<span class="author"><span class="label">By</span>
  
    <a class="linkTargets-processed" href="https://www.popsci.com/authors/david-nield">David Nield</a>  
</span><br />
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Android phones 
come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but within, they all run the
 same basic operating system. That Android code includes settings that 
let you tailor your smartphone to your needs. In this guide, <a href="https://www.popsci.com/" target="_blank">we collected</a> 24 lesser-known customizations for you to toy with.<br />

Before we start, a quick caveat: Although the same Android code runs 
all of these phones, manufacturers often modify the operating system by 
slapping a software skin on top. Our instructions specifically apply to 
the current stock version Android, 8.0 Oreo, which you'll find on 
Google's latest Pixel phones.
 However if you own a phone that runs a different version of Android, 
you can still apply these settings—you just have to rummage around a 
little more to find them.<br />

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<h2 class="in-content-skip">
1. Increase font size</h2>
You don't have to squint and strain your eyes when viewing Android screens: Open the Settings app and choose <strong>Display</strong>, followed by <strong>Font size</strong>,
 to make adjustments. Drag the pointer along the slider to make changes,
 and check the preview window to see what the end result will look like.
 Once you set the Android font size, most apps will apply it.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
2. Make sure you can find your phone</h2>
Worried about losing your phone? To maximize your chances of 
recovering a missing device, make sure to activate Android's built-in 
tracking system: Open Settings, go to <strong>Security & location</strong>, and tap <strong>Find My Device</strong>. After that, if you should misplace your phone, head to <a class="linkTargets-processed external" href="https://www.google.com/android/find" target="_blank">this page</a>
 in any browser and log in to your Google account. You'll be able to 
view your handset's location on a map, among other options. For more 
details, check out our guide to finding a lost phone.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
3. Tweak the Quick Settings panel</h2>
Drag two fingers down from the top of the screen, and you'll open 
Android's Quick Settings panel, which provides immediate access to 
settings such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and flashlight mode. These shortcuts 
are useful, but you can make them even handier by customizing which ones
 show up and the order in which they appear. Open the panel, tap the pen
 icon on the lower left, and you'll be able to add shortcuts and drag 
the icons into a new arrangement.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
4. Reduce data usage</h2>
Android includes a built-in system to limit how much data background 
apps can gobble up (at least when you're not connected to Wi-Fi). This 
mode will affect different apps in various ways—for example, in a 
browser, images might not show up unless you tap on them. To switch on 
this handy feature, open Settings and pick <strong>Network & internet</strong>, then <strong>Data usage</strong>, then <strong>Data Saver</strong>.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
5. Stop new apps from creating shortcuts</h2>
By default, when you install an app, it automatically appears as a 
shortcut on one of your phone's home screens. This allows you to quickly
 launch a new app, but it can also clutter up your interface. To disable
 this default, perform a long press on any blank part of a home screen. 
When a menu pops up, choose <strong>Home Settings</strong> and turn off the <strong>Add icon to Home screen</strong>
 option. Note: This setting used to appear in the Play Store app, but in
 Android 8.0 Oreo, you can now access it from any home screen.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
6. Rotate the home screens</h2>
Within an app, you can turn your phone to switch the view from 
portrait to landscape or vice versa. But the home screen doesn't come 
with the same default—you have to turn this option on. Return to the <strong>Home Settings</strong> screen discussed in the previous tip. Here, you can choose whether or not the home screens rotate with the phone by turning <strong>Allow Homescreen rotation</strong>
 on or off. Note: You won't be able to access this option (it will 
appear grayed out) if you've locked the orientation of your phone. To 
restore this ability, you must unlock your screen orientation: Open 
Settings, go to <strong>Display</strong>, and change the <strong>Auto-rotate screen</strong> option.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
7. Project your phone on a bigger screen</h2>
Android now comes with built-in casting, so you can mirror the screen on any monitor or television equipped with a <a class="linkTargets-processed" href="https://www.popsci.com/advanced-chromecast-tricks">Chromecast device</a>. Although many apps have their own Chromecast buttons, you can also project any screen or app from the Settings. Just go to <strong>Connected devices</strong> and select <strong>Cast</strong>.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
8. Change app permissions</h2>
How much of your personal information can any individual app access? 
You can see exactly which permissions an app has been granted by going 
to Settings, tapping <strong>Apps & notifications</strong>, and picking an app (or hitting <strong>See all</strong> to view the full list). Then, to view and edit that app's access, tap <strong>Permissions</strong>. For example, you might allow an app to access your contact list but not your location.<br />

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<h2 class="in-content-skip">
9. Control battery use</h2>
Android now optimizes apps so they won't drain the battery as much. 
For example, your email app can still run in the background, checking 
for updates, but it does so less frequently. However, you can exempt 
certain apps if you want them to always run at full throttle. Open 
Settings and tap <strong>Battery</strong>, then the menu button on the top right, then <strong>Battery optimization</strong>. Next, hit the <strong>Not optimized</strong> link, then <strong>All apps</strong>. Finally, select an app and pick the <strong>Don't optimize</strong> option.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
10. Wake your phone with your voice</h2>
You don't have to touch your phone to gain access to Google 
Assistant. You just need to adjust your settings. Open the Google app, 
tap the menu button (three horizontal lines on the bottom right), and 
then hit <strong>Settings</strong> followed by <strong>Voice</strong>. Choose <strong>Voice Match</strong>,
 and then the phrase "OK Google" will work at any time, even when your 
device is locked. In fact, you can use voice recognition to unlock your 
phone this way.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
11. Free up more memory</h2>
If you're running Android 7.0 Nougat or later, you can take advantage
 of Smart Storage. If your device is struggling for free space, this 
feature will automatically delete local copies of photos and videos that
 have safely been transferred to Google Photos. To enable it, open 
Settings, tap <strong>Storage</strong>, and turn on the <strong>Smart Storage</strong> toggle switch.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
12. Adjust lock screen timing</h2>
Why bother reducing the time your phone takes to automatically lock 
the screen? Less down time makes it less likely someone will swipe your 
handset before it locks itself. This will also reduce battery drain, 
because the screen will stay lit for a shorter period. From Settings, 
head to <strong>Display</strong>, tap <strong>Advanced</strong>, and choose <strong>Sleep</strong>. Then you can pick a time-out period that works for you.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
13. Customize notifications from specific contacts</h2>
To help you instantly identify who's calling—and to decide whether or
 not to pick up—you can assign certain contacts unique ringtones. Your 
default ringtone will remain the same—change it in Settings, under 
Sound, via the <strong>Phone ringtone option</strong>. To change 
notification settings for individuals, launch the Contacts app, tap on a
 contact name, open the menu (three dots on the top right), and choose <strong>Set ringtone</strong>. Then you can select a specific sound from a list.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
14. Change volume levels separately</h2>
You might not want to play your podcasts at the same volume as your 
ringtone. To adjust those separately, launch Settings and open the <strong>Sound</strong>
 menu. Here, you'll find volume sliders for media, alarms, and 
ringtones. You can also access individual volume settings by pressing 
the physical volume button, which will make one slider appear on screen,
 and then tapping the down-pointing arrow to the right. This will open a
 drop-down menu where you can see all three volume sliders.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
15. Unlock your phone in your car</h2>
Once you're securely seated in your car, you might want your phone to
 unlock itself. This would let you open a map without entering a code, 
and would allow any passengers to put on your favorite tunes. Android 
can do this by recognizing your car stereo as a "trusted" Bluetooth 
device, one that proves you're in possession of your phone. From 
Settings, head to <strong>Security & location</strong>, then <strong>Smart Lock</strong>, then <strong>Trusted device</strong>. Finally, work through the simple setup process, and then your phone will unlock when it's in the presence of your car stereo.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
16. Turn on Wi-Fi automatically</h2>
Keeping your Wi-Fi off
 while you're out and about increases your phone's security and 
preserves its battery. But in the presence of a strong, trusted Wi-Fi 
network, one that you've used in the past, Android 8.0 Oreo can 
automatically turn your phone's Wi-Fi back on. From Settings, tap <strong>Network & Internet</strong>, then <strong>Wi-Fi</strong>, then <strong>Wi-Fi preferences</strong>. Finally, turn on the <strong>Turn on Wi-Fi automatically</strong> toggle switch.<br />

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<h2 class="in-content-skip">
17. Change notification priorities</h2>
Oreo also lets you prioritize different types of notifications from a
 given app. In Gmail, for example, you might choose to receive a noisy 
alert for important emails and a less obtrusive one for regular updates.
 Open Settings, tap <strong>Apps & notifications</strong>, and pick a specific app or tap <strong>See all</strong> to view a full list. Different apps will offer different categories of alerts, so choose <strong>App notifications</strong> to view them and configure different sounds for each.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
18. Quickly switch between apps</h2>
Jumping immediately from app to app is not, strictly speaking, a 
setting—but it still makes a very useful shortcut. A single tap on the 
Overview button, which is the square icon in the navigation bar, brings 
up a view of all your open apps as tabs. However, if you double-tap on 
the button, you'll immediately jump from your current app to the one you
 were previously using.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
19. Change emoji mode</h2>
You can view emojis on the default <a class="linkTargets-processed external" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.inputmethod.latin" target="_blank">Google keyboard</a>
 for Android by tapping on the emoji button to the left of the space 
bar. But did you know you can pull up emojis with different skin colors 
or genders by pressing and holding on an individual icon? This works on 
most emojis depicting people or body parts, such as a thumbs up.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
20. Show emergency information</h2>
If someone should discover your phone after you've been in an 
accident, having your key medical information show up on the lock screen
 could save your life. To do this, open Settings, choose <strong>Users & accounts</strong>, then tap <strong>Emergency information</strong>. You can provide details like allergies and organ donor status, as well as emergency contacts.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
21. Move the cursor more delicately</h2>
Using only your clumsy fingers, you probably have a hard time 
highlighting specific sections of text. If you're using the default 
Google keyboard, then this neat trick will make it easier to move the 
text cursor just one or two characters at a time. Launch any app where 
you can write and edit text, such as your SMS program, and tap in a text
 box to pull up the keyboard on screen. Then, instead of moving the 
cursor within the text box itself, place your finger on the space bar. 
Tap and drag left or right on the spacebar to move the text-editing 
cursor in the same direction.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
22. Tweak the color range</h2>
A phone's "color gamut" controls the range of colors that you see on 
screen—a wider gamut means colors will appear more vibrant, but also 
less natural. You can adjust the gamut in Settings by going to <strong>Display</strong>, choosing <strong>Colors</strong>, and choosing <strong>Natural</strong>, <strong>Boosted</strong>, or <strong>Saturated</strong>.
 Depending on the make and model of your phone, you may see different 
options listed here. Play around with them to find the color scheme that
 works best for you.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
23. Snooze notifications</h2>
To clear a cluttered notification menu, you can drag individual 
alerts to the left, and they'll disappear. But what if you want to clear
 those distractions now, but revisit them later, when you have time to 
deal with them properly? Snoozing notifications is a fantastically 
useful feature only available on phones that run Android 8.0 Oreo. Drag 
any notification to the right, and a clock icon will appear. Tap the 
clock, and you can choose to snooze the alert for 15 minutes, 30 
minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours. Once the time has expired, the notification
 reappears as if it's come through for the first time.<br />

<h2 class="in-content-skip">
24. Get help from Cortana</h2>
When it comes to various AI assistants, everyone has a favorite. If 
you prefer Microsoft's digital helper to Google Assistant or Bixby, you 
can install <a class="linkTargets-processed external" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.cortana" target="_blank">Cortana for Android</a>. You can even make it the default app that appears when you hold down the Home button: Open Settings, go to <strong>Apps & notifications</strong>, and then tap <strong>Advanced</strong>, <strong>Default apps</strong>, <strong>Assist & voice input</strong>, and <strong>Assist app</strong>.<br />
<br /></div>

24 hidden Android settings you should know about

By David Nield Android phones come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but within, they all run the same basic operati...

Errymath

24 hidden Android settings you should know about

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