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 out there and Google regularly engaged on new options, it is easy to miss a number of the extra helpful and fascinating options which were a part of Android for some time.

Though options like Live Updates and Adaptive Battery are spectacular, listed here are 5 helpful Android options that I consider are sometimes neglected and that I want I had found earlier.

I’ve examined all of those on each my Galaxy S25+ and Pixel 8a, so you possibly can strive them on any Android gadget 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

Prolong Lock retains your cellphone unlocked in trusted locations

One in all my favourite options on Android is known as Extend Lock (previously often known as Sensible Lock). It has a quite simple premise, and what it does is preserve your cellphone unlocked in trusted areas. For instance, you possibly can set Prolong Lock to unlock your cellphone whenever you’re at house. This makes it straightforward to rapidly decide up and use your gadget at house with out getting into a PIN or utilizing biometrics.

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

Prolong Lock additionally affords 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 gadget, like your smartwatch. Personally, I solely use the trusted location setting, as I discover it extra dependable and safer.

To check out Prolong Lock your self, observe the steps under:

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

2. Scroll down and faucet Prolong Unlock.

3. Enter your gadget 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 completed this about 1,000,000 instances on my cellphone: I get a notification, I take a look at it, swipe it away, after which utterly 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 will have acquired. So, if you happen to by accident delete a notification you wish to learn, you possibly can examine your Notification historical past to see what it was, slightly than being left at midnight.

The most effective half is that enabling Notification historical past solely takes a number of seconds and saves you plenty of complications. This is the best way 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 screen to guard your privateness

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

One other helpful Android safety characteristic that I consider 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 screen so it may well’t be simply swiped away. So, if you happen to’re handing your cellphone over to a child, member of the family, or good friend to have a look at, and you don’t need them to pry into something in your gadget, this prevents that by locking one app to the display screen.

If you pin an app to the display screen, you possibly can 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 will have enabled). You can too allow PIN safety, so if the individual taking a look at your cellphone now is aware of the best way to exit App pinning, your PIN is required as an extra step to flee it.

To check out App pinning, observe 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 screen, you possibly can 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?” For those who’re uninterested in handing out your Wi-Fi password like sweet on Halloween, this Android characteristic makes it very straightforward 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 most effective half is, you do not even must allow something for this setting to work. Simply observe 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. Below 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 facility button is extra helpful than you suppose

Lastly, I discover this characteristic important on my Android gadget: opening Google Wallet with a double-press of the ability button. Launched not too long ago 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. At present, it is restricted to Google Pockets and the digital camera app on Pixel gadgets, however I hope Google will develop this performance to all apps sooner or later. For Samsung Galaxy customers, the choice to pick any app to open with a double-press of the ability button has been out there for some time. So, when you’ve got a Galaxy cellphone, you possibly can select Google Pockets or another app you like.

That stated, this is the best way to open Google Pockets in seconds in your Android gadget:

1. Go to Settings > System > Gestures.

2. Choose Double-press the ability button.

3. Toggle on Use double press.

4. Choose Pockets.