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How to use Google Stack to scan and organize documents
A Google app that transforms papers into PDFs in a snap
Gone are the days when you relied on big, bulky machines to scan documents. Now, thanks to smartphones, you can use their cameras to scan and keep important documents, such as tax forms, bills, and contracts, on the go. When you use a camera smartphone to scan documents, they are scanned at the highest quality, and you can access those important documents from your pocket. If you don't own (or want) a multifunction printer, this guide is for you.
Android comes with a handy mode called Do Not Disturb built into the software. This allows you to turn off all notifications or only some notifications for a set amount of time. You can also let Android System Intelligence handle turning Do Not Disturb on or off by setting a schedule. It's one of our favorite parts of Android.
How to use Shizuku for ADB rootless mods on any Android device
Modding your device without root access just got a lot better
In the earlier days of Android, modding a device was a popular hobby that offered more user control and new features not found in stock Android. However, with every new major release of Android, we get more options and features that make modding even less likely for the average user. Today, you can customize one of the most affordable Android phones without jumping through extra hoops. You can still mod your device for more power using Shizuku, and we show you how in the guide below.
How to set up Emergency SOS on your Android phone
Setting up emergency SOS features only takes a minute, but they could be vital in a crisis
Although it's not one of the fancy features, settings up Emergency SOS features should be high on the priority list on your new budget Android phone. While the exact array of features varies between manufacturers, Emergency SOS provides a way to call your emergency contact without doing much more than pressing your power button a few times.
How to share a Wi-Fi network password on Android
No more playing 'pass around the router card' at gatherings
Using a safe and secure Wi-Fi password is important for your safety. You don't want a hacker or a passerby to log in to your home's Wi-Fi network and use it for conducting illegal activities online. But then, a complex password becomes a problem when you invite friends or family members over to watch a match or for a get-together. Someone asks for the Wi-Fi credentials, and you stare blankly at them, trying to recall the password. Well, you don't have to try that hard. The best Android phones make Wi-Fi password sharing a breeze.
How to customize your Android 12 & Android 13 phone's Material You theme
Superb smartphone software styling in a snap
Material You was one of the flagship features of Android 12. A reboot of Material Design, it's a way for Android users to effortlessly customize their phones without relying on third-party launchers or wallpapers. It was also one of the many features improved on in Android 13, so if you recently picked up one of the best Android phones, Material You should be one of the first things you play with.
6 Google Pixel 6 tips and tricks: Make your phone even better
Got a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro? These are the superpowers you've been missing.
Hey! You! Yes, you — that unusually smart and shiny-headed human reading this story.
When will my phone be updated to Android 12?
2021's Android upgrade is slowly coming to more devices every month
We're well into the age of Android 12 and if you own any of the devices that have already been updated, you can count yourself lucky. For the rest of us with relatively new phones, there's only one question: when will I get it? We've dug for the answers, all you need to do is click through to find them out.
How to set an Android app's notifications to silent
Because not all notifications are equally important
One of Android's key strengths as a platform lies in how it handles notifications. As an Android user, you get a lot of control over your alerts, so you can make sure the less important stuff doesn't get in the way. By default, most notifications will arrive with a sound and/or vibrate, depending on your phone's current alert settings. You can use Do Not Disturb (or Priority Mode in Android 13) to silence all your notifications for a period of time, but that's a drastic option. Thankfully, you can set individual notifications from specific apps to silent — they won't ring or vibrate, and they'll also be moved down to a less prominent place in your notification shade. This guide will show you how to set any notification to silent so you won't be bothered by annoying app notifications any longer.
How to uninstall the Android 13 Developer Preview
Here's what to do when you're finished testing the preview
With Google's recent release of the Android 13 Developer Preview, it's that time again for the adventurous users to try out an early build. As its name states, this preview release is mainly for developers, but anyone can install it on their Pixel device. Of course, as an unfinished product with potential user-facing bugs, many users will be looking for a way to go back to Android 12 soon enough. When you're ready to return to a stable public build, this guide has everything you need to know about the installation process.
The Paranoid Android team made a huge comeback last year with their Android 12-based Sapphire Alpha builds. Initially, the ROM was available for a handful of phones before its availability expanded to more devices from OnePlus and Xiaomi. Now, more than four months after the initial build of Sapphire Alpha dropped, the Paranoid Android team has released the first beta build of their ROM for the OnePlus 9 series.
Samsung's One UI 4.1 update is coming to Galaxy S, Fold and A-series devices
Google Duo Live Sharing, Grammarly integration in Samsung Keyboard, and more
Samsung was quick to start releasing the Android 12-based One UI 4 update for its phones and tablets last year, beating out lots of other OEMs with their own A12 releases. The company's already followed that up in 2022 with One UI 4.1 arriving alongside the Galaxy S22 series with some minor tweaks and enhancements. Now the Korean smartphone giant is sharing plans for how this new release will come to existing mid-range and flagship Galaxy devices.
How to use ADB or Flash Tool to manually install Google Pixel updates
You have plenty of choices if you don't want to wait it out
Google releases monthly system updates for Pixel devices with updated security patches to help keep your device safe. These updates can also include new features and critical bug fixes, providing you with the best possible user experience. You don't have to sit and wait for the update to install itself, either; you can also do it manually. Check out the guide below to learn more about all the different ways you can install the monthly system update for your Pixel device.
You can now install Android TV 11-based LineageOS 18.1 on your Fire TV Stick
Not for the faint of heart, though
Amazon's Fire TV Stick lineup is among the most popular streaming dongles out there. Unlike other devices, they do not feature Android TV. Instead, they run a fork of Android maintained by Amazon dubbed Fire OS, with the Alexa integration and app library support being a key highlight. That's not to say the Fire TV interface is perfect, as it's loaded with clutter, filled with ads you cannot turn off, and lacks Play Store support in lieu of Amazon-supported apps and channels. Now, if you are willing to take matters into your hands, you can run Android 11 TV on your 3rd gen Fire TV Stick and the Stick TV Lite, all thanks to an unofficial LineageOS 18.1 ROM.
Stable Android 12L exhibits a status bar glitch that wasn't caught in months of beta testing
Seems to happen on phones with a notch or punch hole camera
No matter how mature software is or whether we call it stable, there are bound to be bugs in anything more advanced than a ‘hello world’ app. If you’re running Android 12L on a phone with a notch or punch hole, there’s a decent chance some of your apps don’t look quite right. A change in the latest version of Android is causing a layout bug in some apps that results in an offset of background colors, action bars, and possibly other elements at the top of the screen.
There’s no doubt that Android 12L was designed with tablets and foldables in mind, but the prospect of running Android on PCs is always looming in the background with any changes that aim to support larger form factors. Google doesn’t appear to be interested in shipping Android on laptops and desktops, but there are several projects run by other developers that aim to do just that. Thanks to Bliss OS founder Jon West, we can see how Google’s re-designed Android 12L interface looks when it’s built to run on a computer.
Joining the Android Beta program used to be pretty straightforward. Users could simply opt in through the Android Beta website and receive each new build until a stable version shipped, then everyone was automatically unenrolled. It was a commitment, but a predictable one. However, things took an unexpected turn when those that had opted into the Android 12L beta were not removed once the final 12L stable build shipped. They began receiving the new Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) betas automatically instead, presumably leaving them to ride out the end of Android 12 with regular beta releases — and any bugs that might come with them. Fortunately, there's a safe way off this train.
With Android 12L, Google wants developers to think tablet-first, not mobile-first
The company is drumming up the hype on its Android Developers YouTube channel
After years of leaving Android tablets languishing, Google has finally stepped things up again with Android 12L, a surprise version bump for Android 12 focusing on enhancements for tablets, foldables, and other big screens. While this release has just launched in stable, it hasn’t actually arrived on any relevant device that could truly benefit from it, but Google is just getting started. The company has shared a YouTube video on its Android Developers channel, talking about how tablets and other big-screen devices are bound to take over laptops in shipment numbers, and how developers should rethink their mobile-first approaches.
Google is rolling out air raid alerts in Ukraine through Play services
Notifications straight to devices without the need for an app or site
Read update
Life in wartime Ukraine includes the frequent wail of air raid sirens ahead of Russian artillery shelling. But as the politics swirling around this situation continues to heat up and the threat assessment expands, Google seems prepared to deploy another in a series of responses to the crisis that could save people's lives.
Apple has recently doubled down on subscriptions with even more diversified offerings in fitness, games, and streaming. After Music, Apple TV+ is probably the biggest stepping stone in its ambitious plans for its services business, though it needed a kickstart to rank in this crowded streaming space. Apple banded together with Hollywood A-listers for its lineup of originals (many of which, like Ted Lasso and For All Mankind, garnered critical acclaim) and even bundled complimentary subscriptions with its products.