TechPhonesAndroid Phones5 Android features you never use but shouldMake your life easier with these Android featuresWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechPhonesAndroid Phones5 Android features you never use but shouldMake your life easier with these Android featuresWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Make your life easier with these Android features
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
Chances are, if you don’t have aniPhone, you’re using one of thebest Android phones. That’s great news because Google’s operating system is the glue that helps us all be familiar with almost any non-Apple phone available. There are a lot of handy features that go unloved, let’s change that.
The operating system is rumoured to be releasing its 15th iteration very soon so I thought I’d bring you my top tips for making the most of anyAndroidphone (and tablet). Of course, some devices likeNothingand Samsung use their own Android ‘skins’, but these features should be available on the vast majority of Android devices.
1. Smart Lock
No, we’re not talking about something foryour front door. This is a feature that has saved me so much time. Think about it, how many times a day do you input your pin, or fingerprint onto your phone? When out and about it’s important to have such protection, but at home or in a trusted office it’s just a faff.
That’s where Smart Lock (sometimes called Extend Unlock) comes in. You can set a specific location where your phone won’t require a passcode or fingerprint ID to be unlocked. It doesn’t seem like a big deal but It’s a feature that saves me untold bother. You’ll find it in the settings app of your phone.
2. Force peak refresh rate
(Image credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto)
(Image credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto)
If you use your phone for gaming and/or streaming video, you’ll obviously want the smoothest picture possible. Stuttering images can be incredibly frustrating and really take you out of thatNetflixshow or intense game. Luckily if you’re willing to sacrifice a little bit of battery life, you can force your phone to use the best possible refresh rate it can.
Watching a video on 60 Hz compared to 120 Hz is definitely noticeable, and could be uncomfortable for your eyeballs, especially if it jumps around. You’ll need to access the developer options and then simply toggle the ‘Force peak refresh rate’ slider to on. Easy peasy.
3. Work Profile
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Here you can set it so certain apps can’t send you notifications when your work profile is paused, leaving you free to unwind without constantly checking emails or Slack. Having your work profile switched on will help you avoid distractions like social media.
4. Live Translate
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
This is one of the most ‘woah, we live in the future’ moments you’ll have with your phone. If you open upGoogleLens then select ‘Translate’ you can point your phone’s camera at writing in any of the 100+ languages to recieve a live translation superimposed over it. For reading signs or restaraunt menus on holiday, this is an absolutely essential feature that gives me a sci-fi feeling every time I use it.
5. Night Light
Not something that keeps monsters out of your bedroom, but in fact a tool that will drastically improve your eye comfort and health. If you use your phone in the night or before bed then it can be pretty uncomfortable to look at and the blue light can make it hard to drift off to sleep.
Enabling Night light in the settings menu dims your screen and gives it an amber tint, making reading on it much more comfortable and hopefully helping you get to sleep easier.
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