5 hidden Android options I want I k...

It is well-known that Android gadgets supply a wide selection of options and settings to discover. With Android 16 now accessible and Google regularly engaged on new options, it is easy to miss a number of the extra helpful and attention-grabbing 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 may attempt them on any Android gadget you personal. You do not want any further apps both, as all of those options are constructed immediately into Android’s settings menu.

1

Maintain your cellphone unlocked at house

Lengthen Lock retains your cellphone unlocked in trusted locations

Certainly one of my favourite options on Android known as Extend Lock (previously often called Good Lock). It has a quite simple premise, and what it does is hold your cellphone unlocked in trusted areas. For instance, you may set Lengthen Lock to unlock your cellphone while you’re at house. This makes it straightforward to rapidly choose 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 device. 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 Units. On-Physique Detection retains your cellphone unlocked when you’re strolling with it, and Trusted Units unlocks it when linked 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 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 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 have dismissed

I’ve performed this about 1,000,000 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 title of the characteristic implies, it retains a historical past of all of the notifications you might have obtained. So, for those who by chance delete a notification you need to learn, you may examine your Notification historical past to see what it was, moderately than being left in the dead of night.

The perfect half is that enabling Notification historical past solely takes a number of seconds and saves you plenty of complications. Here 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 permits you to pin a single app to your display screen so it could possibly’t be simply swiped away. So, for those who’re handing your cellphone over to a child, member of the family, or good friend to take 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.

Once you pin an app to the display screen, you may 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 might have enabled). You too can allow PIN safety, so if the particular person your cellphone now is aware of the best way to exit App pinning, your PIN is required as a further 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 screen, you may 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?” If you happen to’re bored with 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 probably 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 perfect 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 title of your Wi-Fi, you will see three choices: Neglect, Disconnect, and Share.

4. Tapping Share will generate a QR code you can 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 gadget: opening Google Wallet with a double-press of the facility 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 digicam 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 facility button has been accessible for some time. So, when you’ve got a Galaxy cellphone, you may select Google Pockets or another app you favor.

That mentioned, 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 facility button.

3. Toggle on Use double press.

4. Choose Pockets.