5 hidden Android options I want I knew about sooner

It is well-known that Android units provide a wide selection of options and settings to discover. With Android 16 now out there and Google frequently 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 strive them on any Android machine you personal. You do not want any extra apps both, as all of those options are constructed instantly into Android’s settings menu.

1

Maintain your cellphone unlocked at house

Prolong Lock retains your cellphone unlocked in trusted locations

One in every of my favourite options on Android is known as Extend Lock (previously generally known as Good Lock). It has a quite simple premise, and what it does is maintain your cellphone unlocked in trusted areas. For instance, you may set Prolong Lock to unlock your cellphone whenever you’re at house. This makes it simple to shortly decide up and use your machine at house with out coming into a PIN or utilizing biometrics.

In fact, utilizing this function 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 handle or map space you set on Prolong Lock, it instantly requires a PIN or biometrics to unlock once more.

Prolong Lock additionally affords two extra choices: On-Physique Detection and Trusted Gadgets. On-Physique Detection retains your cellphone unlocked whilst you’re strolling with it, and Trusted Gadgets unlocks it when linked 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 Prolong Lock your self, observe the steps beneath:

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

2. Scroll down and faucet Prolong 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 have dismissed

I’ve executed this about 1,000,000 occasions on my cellphone: I get a notification, I have 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 function implies, it retains a historical past of all of the notifications you’ve got acquired. So, in the event you by chance delete a notification you need to learn, you may test your Notification historical past to see what it was, somewhat than being left at the hours of darkness.

The most effective half is that enabling Notification historical past solely takes a couple of seconds and saves you plenty of complications. Here is the right 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 function that I consider is not talked about sufficient is App pinning. First launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014, this helpful function means that you can pin a single app to your display screen so it might’t be simply swiped away. So, in the event you’re handing your cellphone over to a child, member of the family, or buddy 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 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 couple of seconds (relying on the kind of gesture navigation you’ve got enabled). You too can allow PIN safety, so if the individual your cellphone now is aware of the right 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 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 by way of 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?” When you’re uninterested in handing out your Wi-Fi password like sweet on Halloween, this Android function makes it very simple to share it shortly with out the trouble of typing your lengthy and presumably complicated password on their cellphone by sharing your Wi-Fi by way of 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 have to allow something for this setting to work. Simply observe these steps, and you will be sharing your Wi-Fi by way of 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: Neglect, Disconnect, and Share.

4. Tapping Share will generate a QR code you can share with others to hook up with your Wi-Fi.

5

Open Google Pockets immediately

The facility button is extra helpful than you suppose

Lastly, I discover this function important on my Android machine: opening Google Wallet with a double-press of the facility button. Launched just lately in Android 16, it makes funds extra handy — no have to 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 function with Android 16. At present, it is restricted to Google Pockets and the digital camera app on Pixel units, however I hope Google will increase 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 out there for some time. So, if in case you have a Galaxy cellphone, you may select Google Pockets or another app you favor.

That stated, here is the right way to open Google Pockets in seconds in your Android machine:

1. Go to Settings > System > Gestures.

2. Choose Double-press the facility button.

3. Toggle on Use double press.

4. Choose Pockets.