Set Up Your Lock Screen.
Android phones all have different types of secure lock screens. Most phones will now prompt you to do so during setup, and you should comply. PIN, pattern, and password are the defaults. Most devices now include fingerprint security, which is likely to be the quickest way to unlock your device. To change your lock screen, go to the system settings and select the Security tab. Instead, some phones have a separate lock screen menu. To use features like Android Pay and factory reset protection, you must have a secure lock screen.
Bloatware Should Be Disabled Or Uninstalled.
Most phones come with some pre-installed apps that you won't want to keep. Fortunately, they can now be dealt with. Some pre-installed bloat can be uninstalled manually through the Play Store or through the app settings menu. Anything that is part of the system image, on the other hand, is not removable. You can disable it by going to the app menu in the main system settings and looking for the app in your list. There will be a "Disable" button at the top that will remove it from your app drawer and prevent it from running in the background.
Locate Your Phone.
We've all misplaced a phone from time to time. Perhaps it was hidden in the couch cushions or on the kitchen counter. Don't waste time looking for your phone the next time; instead, use Google's "Find my device" tool (previously known as Android Device Manager). This is accessible via the web from a mobile device or computer. Log in to your Google account and select your lost phone from the drop-down menu. Google reaches out and shows you its location. You can also ring the phone even if it is set to silent. If the worst happens, you can remotely wipe the phone to protect your data.
Bubble Chat.
You're well-liked, aren't you? Perhaps you're receiving so many messages from friends, acquaintances, and well-wishers that it's difficult to keep up. Not to worry, Android supports Chat Bubbles beginning with version 11. This feature was supposed to be included in earlier versions, but it was postponed. The idea is that you can instruct chat apps to display small bubbles for each chat thread rather than keeping everything in the notification shade. They're similar to Facebook chat heads, but they work with almost any app. Most phones require this feature to be enabled, which can be found in the notification settings.
Select Do Not Disturb Mode.
Right now, Android's notification settings are a little perplexing. Not only do OEMs frequently change the terminology, but Google has also changed it several times in recent updates. The settings for this feature can be found in your volume popup when you hit the toggle, or by going into the system notifications settings (usually Sound and Notification). On most devices, it will be referred to as Do Not Disturb. In this menu, you can configure when DND is activated automatically, what is blocked, and whether any contacts can ring through anyway.Do Not Disturb on Pie devices also hides your notifications by default. If you still want to see what's going on in the notification shade, make sure to change that setting.
Digital Wellness.
You may find yourself spending too much time on your phone at times, but Android has some tools to help you avoid this. The Digital Wellbeing suite (Android 9 and later) shows you which apps you've been using for how long and how to avoid doing so in the future. The settings menu organises apps on a chart and allows you to set a time limit for apps you want to reduce. The chart also tracks notifications and unlocks. As bedtime approaches, a "Wind down" mode gradually fades the screen to grayscale.
Ensure That Your Photos Are Automatically Backed Up.
Nothing is worse than losing or breaking a phone only to discover that your photos aren't backed up. You can avoid this by opening the Google Photos app and following the on-screen instructions to enable auto-backup. The default setting is "high quality" with unlimited storage. Your photos will be compressed, but they will look surprisingly good. You can save the original image to your Drive storage space if you want to. You get 15GB for free and can purchase more.
"OK Google" Voice Recognition.
Google search is at the heart of every Android phone, and you can launch it at any time by saying "OK Google." This works automatically on the home screen and in the search box, but if you go into the search settings, you can get OK Google to work everywhere. Go to Voice > Voice Match in the search settings. Simply enable "Access with Voice Match," and the phone will ask you to say "OK Google" a few times to learn your voice. You can now use the hotword from any screen while the device is awake. Some devices support this even when the screen is turned off, while others only work when the device is turned on.
Alter Your Home Screen.
The device maker creates a custom UI for the majority of Android devices (eg. Samsung Experience launcher). The home screen is included. This is an important aspect of the experience, and the default home is frequently ineffective. Installing an alternative, such as Nova Launcher or Action Launcher, can make your device much more user-friendly. These apps allow you to change the icons, assign navigation gestures, organise apps, and much more. To switch between your installed home screens, simply go to the Home menu in the system settings.
The Google Assistant.
Did you configure OK Google? If so, you have two options for interacting with the Google Assistant. Use OK Google or long-press the home button to access Assistant. Then simply start talking. For a few months, this feature was only available on the Pixel, but it has since been rolled out to all Android phones running Marshmallow or higher. Google Assistant understands context and natural language better than Google's previous voice search feature, and it can be integrated with third-party services such as IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings, and Nest. It's great for home automation and web searches, and it can even read you the day's news.
Apps On The Web Play Store Can Be Managed.
Google includes the Play Store client on Android devices, but there is also an online version of the Play Store. This may seem obvious to some, but not everyone considers using the web-based Play Store. You can do everything you can do on your phone here, but faster. Apps and games can be purchased and pushed to Android over the air. Multiple installs can be queued up in a fraction of the time it takes on Android. If you have more than one device on your account, you can choose where the app is installed.
Notification History.
Because Android makes it so simple to manage your notifications, you may accidentally swipe something away. You can always find out what that item said if you've enabled notification history. This feature is disabled by default for privacy reasons. You should be fine to enable this feature under the Notifications setting menu as long as your device is secured with a lock screen option. You can access that menu at any time and see recently dismissed notifications at the top. Notifications from the previous day are organised by app below.Be aware that some of those lists may take some time to load and may cause your device to hang for a few seconds. Furthermore, this feature is only available in Android 11 and later.
Swiping Keyboard Input (Most Devices).
While tapping with your thumbs is acceptable as an input method, most phones also include swipe input. Try it out by dragging the letters across the screen for each word. The accuracy varies depending on the device, but you can also install a different keyboard that may be more suitable for you. Others prefer SwitfKey, which has a plethora of settings, over Google's Gboard.
Make Use Of Power-Saving Modes.
All Android phones have some form of power-saving mode, sometimes two or three. On most phones, these settings can be found in the battery menu (usually just Settings > Battery). For example, Samsung provides a regular power-saving mode that dims the screen and slows the CPU, as well as an ultra power saver that restricts the device to only a few essential applications. Most phones, including those from Google, include basic power-saving modes, such as the former, which can be activated automatically when the device reaches a certain battery level. This is something you should definitely consider.
Dark System Theme.
Many apps (particularly Google's) have bright white designs. Beginning with Android 10, there is a system-wide dark theme that can change the colour of those apps and parts of the system UI to a nice, muted black. It can be found in the Display settings or, more conveniently, the quick settings. Some phones also allow you to schedule the dark theme to turn on at night and off in the morning. Only apps built for the theming API will work, but the list is growing by the day.
Control Default Apps.
Many Android actions will prompt you to select a default app, but what if you decide you no longer want that default? Most phones now have a dedicated default app settings menu in the app settings, but you can always clear those defaults by finding your default apps in the main app settings menu. When viewing an app's information page, there will be a link near the bottom to view and clear the defaults. This allows you to choose a new default the next time you perform an action.
Enable Developer Options.
Some of the more advanced tools are hidden in a special Developer Options menu that you must enable to access things like animation speed, USB debugging, and app standby. To enable Developer Options, locate the build number in the "About phone" menu at the bottom of the system settings. If you tap it seven times, you'll get a message saying you're a developer. The development options are now located at the bottom of your main system settings.
Button For Rotation Lock.
Rotation lock can be finicky, flipping the screen around if you tilt the phone too far. You can change the rotation setting in Android 9 Pie and later to lock it in portrait mode while still having access to landscape mode. Begin by turning off auto-rotate in the settings. Then, the next time you turn the phone sideways, look for the rotation button at the bottom of the screen. Tap that, and the phone will remain in landscape mode until you rotate it back. When you press the button again, it returns to portrait mode.
Service For Autofill.
If you have Android 8.0 or higher on your phone, you will never have to type in a password again. You'll have to do it less often. To enable autofill for usernames and passwords, go to your input settings and select the advanced menu. You can enable Google's autofill service, which is linked to Chrome, by default. This feature is also supported by third-party apps such as LastPass and Dashlane. Simply tap in a login field in almost any app, and your autofill app will add the corresponding username and password.
Screencasting.
Have you got a Chromecast or an Android TV? If this is the case, you can do more than just stream video to it. Android devices can mirror their entire display onto your TV, and the process is nearly foolproof. There is a Cast icon in the Quick Settings on stock-ish Android devices like Pixels (and a few others). To begin mirroring your display, tap that and select an output device. On other phones, simply install the Google Home app and use the screencasting feature — it will appear on the page for any supported Chromecast or smart display.
Offline Maps Should Be Saved.
Google Maps supports offline map saving, and the feature was recently enhanced to be more powerful. It's not easy to come by, though. Find the area you want to save offline, then tap in the top-right search bar. Close the keyboard and scroll to the bottom to find the download option. The app will display an outline of the area that will be downloaded as well as an estimate of how much space it will take up. Streets, basic points of interest, and the ability to use turn-by-turn navigation will be included in the offline data.
And A Lot More...
After reading all of this, you should be an Android expert. But this is only the beginning. There's a lot more to discover in Android, and each device is unique. So, don't be afraid to explore the settings' deep, dark corners and see what you can find.