5 hidden Android options I want I knew about sooner

It is well-known that Android gadgets provide a big selection of options and settings to discover. With Android 16 now accessible and Google frequently engaged on new options, it is simple to miss among the extra helpful and fascinating options which have been a part of Android for some time.

Though options like Live Updates and Adaptive Battery are spectacular, listed below are 5 helpful Android options that I imagine are sometimes missed and that I want I had found earlier.

I’ve examined all of those on each my Galaxy S25+ and Pixel 8a, so you’ll be able to strive them on any Android machine you personal. You do not want any further apps both, as all of those options are constructed instantly into Android’s settings menu.

1

Hold your cellphone unlocked at house

Lengthen Lock retains your cellphone unlocked in trusted locations

One in all my favourite options on Android is known as Extend Lock (previously often called Sensible Lock). It has a quite simple premise, and what it does is maintain your cellphone unlocked in trusted areas. For instance, you’ll be able to set Lengthen Lock to unlock your cellphone while you’re at house. This makes it simple to rapidly decide up and use your machine at house with out getting into a PIN or utilizing biometrics.

After all, utilizing this characteristic requires trusting these you reside with, but when you do not have prying eyes at house, it is a helpful instrument. As quickly as your cellphone leaves the handle or map space you set on Lengthen Lock, it instantly requires a PIN or biometrics to unlock once more.

Lengthen Lock additionally provides two further choices: On-Physique Detection and Trusted Gadgets. On-Physique Detection retains your cellphone unlocked when you’re strolling with it, and Trusted Gadgets unlocks it when related to a close-by trusted machine, like your smartwatch. Personally, I solely use the trusted location setting, as I discover it extra dependable and safer.

To check out Lengthen Lock your self, comply with the steps under:

1. Go to Settings > Safety and Privateness > Extra Safety and Privateness.

2. Scroll down and faucet Lengthen Unlock.

3. Enter your machine PIN.

4. Choose Trusted locations to arrange an space the place your cellphone stays unlocked.

2

Always remember a notification

Notification historical past helps you recall notifications you’ve got dismissed

I’ve finished this about one million occasions on my cellphone: I get a notification, I take a look at it, swipe it away, after which fully overlook about it. Fortunately, that is why Notification historical past exists. Because the identify of the characteristic implies, it retains a historical past of all of the notifications you’ve gotten acquired. So, should you by chance delete a notification you need to learn, you’ll be able to examine your Notification historical past to see what it was, slightly than being left at the hours of darkness.

The very best half is that enabling Notification historical past solely takes a number of seconds and saves you a variety of complications. This is find out how to allow it:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications.

2. Choose Notification historical past.

3. Toggle on Use notification historical past.

4. Your notifications will now be saved to this menu.

3

Pin an app to your display to guard your privateness

Cease prying eyes from seeing an excessive amount of in your cellphone

One other helpful Android safety characteristic that I imagine is not talked about sufficient is App pinning. First launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014, this helpful characteristic means that you can pin a single app to your display so it will possibly’t be simply swiped away. So, should you’re handing your cellphone over to a child, member of the family, or pal to have a look at, and you do not need them to pry into something in your machine, this prevents that by locking one app to the display.

If you pin an app to the display, you’ll be able to solely exit it by swiping up and holding the house bar, or by holding down the triangle and sq. buttons for a number of seconds (relying on the kind of gesture navigation you’ve gotten enabled). You may also allow PIN safety, so if the individual taking a look at your cellphone now is aware of find out how to exit App pinning, your PIN is required as an extra step to flee it.

To check out App pinning, comply with these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Safety and privateness > Extra safety and privateness.

2. Scroll down and choose App pinning.

3. Toggle on Use app pinning.

4. Moreover, on the identical display, you’ll be able to allow or disable Ask for PIN earlier than unpinning.

5. To pin an app, go to Overview, faucet the app icon, and select Pin.

4

Share Wi-Fi through QR code

By no means fear about typing your lengthy Wi-Fi password once more

It is the query everybody hears when family and friends go to their house for a very long time: “What’s your Wi-Fi password?” In the event you’re uninterested in handing out your Wi-Fi password like sweet on Halloween, this Android characteristic makes it very simple to share it rapidly with out the trouble of typing your lengthy and presumably complicated password on their cellphone by sharing your Wi-Fi through a QR code. So, if somebody is visiting, they will scan the code in your cellphone, and voilà, they’ve entry to your Wi-Fi.

The very best half is, you do not even must allow something for this setting to work. Simply comply with these steps, and you will be sharing your Wi-Fi through a QR code like a professional:

1. Go to Settings > Community and Web.

2. Choose your Wi-Fi connection, which brings up a Community particulars web page.

3. Beneath the identify of your Wi-Fi, you will see three choices: Overlook, Disconnect, and Share.

4. Tapping Share will generate a QR code that you may share with others to connect with your Wi-Fi.

5

Open Google Pockets immediately

The ability button is extra helpful than you assume

Lastly, I discover this characteristic important on my Android machine: opening Google Wallet with a double-press of the ability button. Launched lately in Android 16, it makes funds extra handy — no must open your cellphone and faucet Pockets in Fast Settings. Simply double-press the house button, and Google Pockets launches immediately for contactless funds after unlocking your cellphone.

For Pixel customers, this can be a new characteristic with Android 16. Presently, it is restricted to Google Pockets and the digital camera app on Pixel gadgets, however I hope Google will increase this performance to all apps sooner or later. For Samsung Galaxy customers, the choice to pick out any app to open with a double-press of the ability button has been accessible for some time. So, you probably have a Galaxy cellphone, you’ll be able to select Google Pockets or another app you favor.

That stated, this is find out how to open Google Pockets in seconds in your Android machine:

1. Go to Settings > System > Gestures.

2. Choose Double-press the ability button.

3. Toggle on Use double press.

4. Choose Pockets.