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 frequently engaged on new options, it is simple 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 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 possibly can strive them on any Android gadget you personal. You do not want any extra apps both, as all of those options are constructed immediately into Android’s settings menu.

1

Preserve your telephone unlocked at dwelling

Lengthen Lock retains your telephone unlocked in trusted locations

Considered one of my favourite options on Android known as Extend Lock (previously referred to as Sensible Lock). It has a quite simple premise, and what it does is preserve your telephone unlocked in trusted areas. For instance, you possibly can set Lengthen Lock to unlock your telephone whenever you’re at dwelling. This makes it simple to rapidly decide up and use your gadget at dwelling with out getting 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 dwelling, it is a useful instrument. As quickly as your telephone leaves the deal with or map space you set on Lengthen Lock, it instantly requires a PIN or biometrics to unlock once more.

Lengthen Lock additionally affords two extra choices: On-Physique Detection and Trusted Units. On-Physique Detection retains your telephone unlocked whilst you’re strolling with it, and Trusted Units 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 Lengthen Lock your self, observe 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 telephone stays unlocked.

2

Always remember a notification

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

I’ve accomplished this about one million occasions on my telephone: I get a notification, I take a look at it, swipe it away, after which fully neglect 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 could have acquired. So, should you by chance delete a notification you wish to learn, you possibly can test your Notification historical past to see what it was, fairly than being left at the hours of darkness.

The perfect half is that enabling Notification historical past solely takes just a few seconds and saves you a whole lot of complications. Here is tips on 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 screen to guard your privateness

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

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 useful function permits you to pin a single app to your display screen so it could possibly’t be simply swiped away. So, should you’re handing your telephone over to a child, member of the family, or pal 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.

Whenever 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 just a few seconds (relying on the kind of gesture navigation you could have enabled). You may also allow PIN safety, so if the individual your telephone now is aware of tips on how 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 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 dwelling 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 function makes it very simple to share it rapidly with out the effort of typing your lengthy and presumably complicated password on their telephone by sharing your Wi-Fi by way of a QR code. So, if somebody is visiting, they will scan the code in your telephone, 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 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. Below the identify of your Wi-Fi, you may see three choices: Neglect, Disconnect, and Share.

4. Tapping Share will generate a QR code which you could 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 function important on my Android gadget: opening Google Wallet with a double-press of the ability button. Launched just lately in Android 16, it makes funds extra handy — no must open your telephone and faucet Pockets in Fast Settings. Simply double-press the house button, and Google Pockets launches immediately for contactless funds after unlocking your telephone.

For Pixel customers, it is a new function with Android 16. At the moment, it is restricted to Google Pockets and the digital camera app on Pixel gadgets, however I hope Google will broaden 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, you probably have a Galaxy telephone, you possibly can select Google Pockets or some other app you favor.

That mentioned, here is tips on how 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.