Android is the most popular mobile OS out there, yet many users don’t realize just how useful it can be. To ensure you can make the most out of your Android phone, here are some must-try tips for leveraging it to the fullest.
Social media is immensely influential, and for some people, it can actually be a disruptive influence. This is because it encourages us to constantly check our phones. Much to the detriment of everything from our personal relationships to our sleeping patterns.
Google is well aware of this, hence why Android has a feature known as Digital Wellbeing. You can use it to set a specific bedtime, at which point your device won’t interrupt you until the next day. It also lets you disable notifications for particular apps, such as social ones, for set periods when you want to focus on a task without disruption.
Your home screen doesn’t just have to feature app shortcuts. Android has supported widgets for a long time, and the latest iteration of the OS has a whole heap of options.
You could add a simple clock, showcase your upcoming events in the Calendar, include a search bar for ease of use, or group bookmarks to your favorite sites.
Because of its popularity, Android is also a prime target for hackers. That means users need to go above and beyond to prevent their handset from being compromised. Luckily, this is easily done with the latest security applications.
You should also learn about indicators that your Android may have been hacked. Indicators include your battery life taking a dive unexpectedly, or performance well below the levels you expect.
Storing every precious piece of information on your phone may be convenient. However, it also means that if the handset is stolen, gets damaged, or goes missing, you’ll lose all of the files you love the most.
Making use of Google Drive to back up your data regularly is a good idea for this reason. Set it up to sync automatically when you take photos. Auto sync means that you don’t even have to think about it.
Swiping down from the top of your phone’s display will reveal a raft of quick access settings that you can interact with on the fly. One of the most useful of these is the Battery Saver function. This does exactly what you’d expect. It prolongs the life of your phone on the current charge by reducing how much energy it consumes.
This does mean turning off certain features, and limiting what applications can do in the background. But for situations when you simply cannot afford to have your Android phone run out of juice, it’s a life-saver.
Google doesn’t rest on its laurels with Android. Instead, it rolls out software updates on a regular basis. Installing these updates as soon as they are available is wise. Not only because it will give you access to new features, but also because it will protect you from potential security vulnerabilities which have been identified and patched.
There’s a point at which all Android phones get put out to pasture. At this point, they cease to receive updates to the software. When this time comes, it’s wise to start looking into upgrade paths. After all, you don’t want to remain exposed to an outdated OS for too long.
