3 days ago
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I've been using Android since mentation 1.5, truthful it's not often that a diagnostic catches maine disconnected guard. You tin ideate that erstwhile I bash travel crossed an unfamiliar Android feature, it's an breathtaking moment.
For much casual (or newer) users of Google's mobile operating system, determination are astir apt respective hidden gems waiting to beryllium discovered successful Android, and immoderate of these tin beryllium handy.
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I've curated 5 somewhat hidden Android features that I judge each idiosyncratic should astatine slightest cognize about.
Let's dive into those features.
1. Share Wi-Fi via QR code
You whitethorn not springiness this diagnostic a 2nd thought, but let maine to acceptable a country for you. Say you're having visitors for the holidays and privation to assistance them entree to your Wi-Fi network. Instead of making the password nationalist (so anyone tin usage it), you could stock the Wi-Fi credentials via QR code. Not lone does this attack simplify the process of adding different instrumentality to the network, but it does truthful with a motion to security.
Open Settings > 'Network and Internet' > Internet, and pat the web you privation to share. At the apical of the resulting page, pat Share and verify it's you via biometrics oregon password/PIN.
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A caller leafage volition unfastened with a QR codification for the selected Wi-Fi network. Present the QR codification to whoever you privation to scan it with their phone, a process that automatically adds the web to their device. You could besides screenshot the QR code, people it out, and marque the printout disposable (so you don't person to manus your telephone astir for radical to scan).
Sharing Wi-Fi via QR Code makes the process truthful overmuch easier.
2. Enable 'Developer options'
Android's 'Developer options' paper isn't conscionable for developers. Anyone tin alteration it and summation entree to a big of features, immoderate of which are precise handy.
With Developer options enabled, you tin configure the maximum fig of Bluetooth devices allowed to link to your phone, unlock your bootloader, alteration automatic strategy updates, alteration USB debugging, edit the graphics operator settings, unit highest refresh rate, and overmuch more. Developer options should beryllium enabled if you privation powerfulness user-level power implicit Android.
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To alteration the feature, spell to Settings > About Phone, scroll to the bottommost of the page, and pat 'Build number' 7 times. Once you've done that, you'll find 'Developer options' successful Settings > System. Tap that introduction to uncover the caller options.
You'll find tons of caller configuration options here.
3. Text translation
If you're traveling extracurricular your country, you mightiness request assistance translating text. Fortunately, Android is rather susceptible of translating substance via the camera app.
This is an awesome feature. Let's accidental you person a paper oregon immoderate different accusation you privation translated. Unlock your Android telephone and pat the Lens icon successful the Search bar. Point your camera astatine what you privation to construe and pat the Translate button.
Android volition automatically construe the substance and show it arsenic an representation (almost precisely however it's laid retired successful the archetypal document). You tin past presumption the translated text, transcript it to your computer, instrumentality a screenshot, oregon hunt for the translated text. You could usage this diagnostic for conscionable astir immoderate concern wherever you request substance translated automatically.
As a bonus, there's besides the authoritative Google Translate app, which tin perceive to voices and construe from 1 connection to another. If you question to countries and don't talk the autochthonal language, this app should beryllium considered a must.
Translating the substance from the Howl's Moving Castle soundtrack. On the near is the original, and connected the close is the translated text.
4. Use Extend Unlock
When astatine home, I don't request to fastener my telephone due to the fact that I'm not acrophobic that idiosyncratic volition drawback it and bargain my information.
Where carnal threats to your telephone are minimal, see making entree easier by enabling Extend Unlock (which utilized to beryllium called Smart Lock) and adding your location arsenic a Trusted Place.
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To bash this, spell to Settings > 'Security & privacy' > 'More information & privacy' > Extend Unlock. You'll beryllium prompted to verify that it's you and past beryllium presented with a statement of Extend Unlock.
On the adjacent page, you tin configure Extend Unlock for on-body detection, trusted places, oregon trusted devices. Tap 'Trusted places' and, connected the resulting page, adhd a caller trusted place. Once you've done that step, whenever you get astatine your trusted place, your telephone volition beryllium unlocked automatically until you permission that location.
Note that this attack tin pb to information issues, particularly if you person guests successful your home. With that successful mind, usage this diagnostic judiciously.
Use Extend Unlock with caution.
5. Set your aesculapian information
Android allows you to store important aesculapian information, specified arsenic name, height, weight, gender, humor type, day of birth, organ donor status, gestation status, medications, address, and aesculapian notes. If you ever request this feature, you'll beryllium gladsome you took vantage of it.
To adhd your aesculapian information, spell to Settings > 'Safety & emergency' > 'Medical information'. On the adjacent page, adhd immoderate accusation you deem important. There are 2 caveats to this feature. First, exigency responders request to cognize astir the diagnostic to usage it. Second, those aforesaid responders would person to beryllium capable to unlock your telephone to entree it.
To get astir that issue, pat 'Change setting' astatine the bottommost and, connected the resulting page, marque the accusation available, adjacent erstwhile your telephone is locked, during an exigency call. To entree this feature, pat Emergency astatine the bottommost of the dial pad (for the unlock screen) and past pat View Emergency Information.
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Even with these hurdles, it's an important diagnostic to person disposable should you request it.
Add lone the accusation you deem indispensable for aesculapian emergencies.
6. Gboard clipboard
You mightiness not cognize this fact, but the Android keyboard (Gboard) has immoderate awesome clipboard features. Once enabled, you tin transcript substance and images (holding them connected the clipboard for up to an hr earlier forgetting them), prevention and edit clips (so you tin reuse them later), pin clips (by touching and holding them), and more.
You person to alteration the Gboard clipboard manually. Otherwise, Android volition usage the traditional, built-in clipboard. I overmuch similar the Gboard clipboard due to the fact that of the extended features. You alteration the clipboard by opening the keyboard (from wrong immoderate app), tapping the clipboard icon, and past tapping the On/Off slider until it's successful the On position.
The Gboard clipboard is truthful overmuch amended than the default.
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