How to turn off motion photo on your Android phone
Don't like moving images? You can disable them on your phone
Readers like you help support Android Police. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.
latest
How to disable biometrics from your home screen
Use Android's Lockdown mode to quickly deactivate biometrics and hide notifications from the lock screen
Face and fingerprint biometric authentication has become a standard feature on all devices, even on our favorite budget Android phones. They introduce an additional layer of security without adding extra steps when accessing your device. After all, unlocking your phone by looking at it or scanning your fingerprint is more convenient. But there are instances where you want additional security and need to turn off biometric unlock on your phone quickly. Instead of fiddling with the settings menu, take advantage of Lockdown mode in Android to achieve this and bolster your phone's security.
8b58.jpg)
Most premium phones are still costly, and screens haven't stopped breaking. If you're afraid of repair costs or misplacing pricey devices, carriers and smartphone manufacturers offer protection plans that help you get a quick replacement or repair without draining your funds. Choosing the right one depends on how much coverage you need and your budget. This guide covers the available options so that you can choose the best insurance plan for your phone.
Top 7 Google Pixel 7 tips and tricks you should try today
The Pixel 7 has a lot of great features to make your smartphone experience even better
There are a lot of Android phones available, but Google's Pixel phones have been perennial contenders for our favorite Android phones. The Google Pixel 7 series of phones continues this trend with the premium Pixel 7 Pro, the mid-range Pixel 7, and the budget Pixel 7a. Pixel phones' standout features are their stellar camera and useful software, making for one of the best Android experiences. Here are seven tips and tricks for the Pixel 7, whether you recently got your phone or are a long-term user looking to maximize your experience.
15 simple ways to transfer files from your Android to your PC or Mac
File transfers are way easier than you'd think
Although the top Android phones have a minimum of 128GB of storage as standard, it may not be sufficient for everyone. Perhaps you'd like to back up photos to free up storage space or move music to your desktop that you downloaded on your phone. Because of Android's open and transparent nature, there are many ways to do it. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, a third-party app, or a local wireless connection.
While most of us rely on text messages for conversations, answering phone calls can be a nightmare for many. And what's worse is if the person on the other end is a telemarketer or scammer. Whether you're trying to shield yourself from annoying callers or spammers, it's easy to select the block option and reject their calls for good.
How to get rid of the Google Discover page on your Android phone
You can only read so much Discover clickbait
Google's Discover page is a key part of an Android phone's homescreen. It is the leftmost homescreen panel on most phones and a great source to discover new content and stay up to date with the latest world happenings and topics that interest you. Google Discover was initially a Pixel-exclusive. However, the homescreen panel has become a part of most premium and budget Android phones. If your phone doesn't provide access to Discover from the homescreen, you can access it from the Google app.
Does your new car support wireless Android Auto?
Our compatibility list for cars with untethered infotainment
Android Auto, Google's smart driving companion software, is an invaluable tool for drivers. It allows you to seamlessly pair your phone to your car's infotainment screen and stay connected while on the road, all with a familiar, easy-to-navigate interface. While many vehicles that offer Android Auto require a wired USB connection between your car and phone, many newer models offer a wireless alternative to access the interface.
How to turn your phone screen grayscale across Android and iOS
Here's how to easily turn on your phone's grayscale
Many of us don't use the standard screen settings on our smartphones and apps, adjusting the brightness as frequently as we toggle the vibrate and silent notification features. Grayscale is a good example of these screen customizations, overlaying a black-and-white filter over a mobile device's interface. Accessibility is important in mobile development, especially when it comes to visuals, so it's important to know about the less obvious options. Follow these steps to activate the grayscale filter on the best bargain phones from Android, Samsung, iOS, and Google Pixel.
Smartphones are personal objects. We carry them around all day and use them to manage the minutiae of our lives via calendars, contacts, and social media. Even if you buy a new phone every year, you at least arrange your apps or use a unique background, but why stop there? Why not change the font as well?
All Android phones come with the Google app and Google Assistant preinstalled. Ideally, that should be enough for your digital assistant needs, especially considering that the Big G's solution is one of the best around. However, budget and high-end Samsung Galaxy phones come with Bixby — bundled with One UI — on top of Google's defaults.
An IMEI or International Mobile Equipment Identity number is a 15-digit unique number assigned to mobile phones and smartphones that run on the GSM network. When you purchase an Android smartphone, such as one of the Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones, you'll notice that the original packaging has a white sticker detailing its IMEI number. You can also find this number in the phone's software using several methods. In this guide, we explain what an IMEI number is, why it is important, and how you can find it for your phone.
How to create and access your Verizon voicemail
Start accepting voicemails on your smartphone within minutes
Voicemails came from the earlier days of landlines and answering machines but are helpful for smartphones. Because you may not always be around to take a call when you receive it, having someone leave a recorded message to view later is beneficial. Even the best budget Android phones give you access to all the voicemail features you'll need. You can use various methods to check and manage your voicemails after you create your dedicated voicemail number. In this guide, we go over how you can access the voicemail feature on your Verizon Wireless smartphone.
How to find downloads on your Android phone or tablet
Managing your downloaded files has never been easier
Throughout the day, we download several photos, videos, and other files on our Android smartphones. While Android does a great job of showing us the file when it finishes downloading, it's hard to find them later if you don't know how to locate downloads on your Android device. Also, while you might want to keep some of the downloaded files for the long term, you should delete most downloads when you no longer need them. But you can't do that if you don't know where Android saves these downloads.
If you plan to buy one of the best Samsung phones soon, you may want to safeguard it with a sturdy case and screen protector. While that serves to a great extent, attaining a 100% shield is impossible for the clumsy ones among us. Even if you're not, Samsung Care Plus gives you peace of mind that your pricey phone is protected. While many people skip it due to the extra fees, it's a lifeline if your new Samsung phone suffers damage. It's especially useful for devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, which while practical, has a fragile screen.
Picking up one of our favorite 5G-compatible phones is a great way to improve your connectivity, but even the best phones can't always maintain a perfect connection. Your location, carrier, or phone plan can affect signal strength, but determining the exact cause can be challenging.
Bluetooth hearing aid compatibility: Which phones have it
When you buy hearing aids, make sure you have a compatible phone to get the most out of them
More and more people have some form of hearing impairment in this increasingly loud day and age. Chances are your hearing also isn't the best if you stumbled upon this guide. You may remember hearing aids as bulky devices sitting behind your ears that are barely good enough to make people hear again, but this is far from the truth today. Most hearing aids support some form of audio streaming. Still, for most of them, you must have a compatible phone.
How to use the secret trackpad on your Android phone
Text editing on a small screen has never been easier!
The virtual keyboard is one of the essential parts of your smartphone experience. You rely on it for texting, creating to-do lists, drafting long LinkedIn posts and emails, and editing quick documents in Google Docs. While smartphone keyboards have evolved in recent years with auto-predictions, AI features, a clipboard, and more, you can't escape mistakes and errors while typing on a small keyboard on glass.
How to use your phone's manual camera settings
Got a specific photo look in mind? Manual camera settings might be the way to go
Mobile photography is generally a simple experience for the user. Just point and shoot. But even the best phones can fail to capture a scene the way you would expect. However, on many Android devices, it's possible to dial in the look of your photos with manual camera settings. Those settings aren't always easy to understand. We compiled this list of common manual camera settings, what they do, and how to use them to get the perfect shot.
These days, most high-end and midrange smartphones boast top-notch 4G and 5G wireless data capabilities, providing seamless web browsing at remarkable speeds and eliminating the need for constant Wi-Fi connectivity. Samsung's incredible smartphone lineup is no exception. While your connectivity isn't affected whether you're at home or abroad, your carrier data plan may not cover browsing outside your home country, causing roaming charges to escalate quickly. Preventing your phone from utilizing data on a foreign network becomes crucial to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Capturing screenshots can preserve important information, such as concert tickets, flight details, or critical messages. In the past, taking screenshots on Android phones required a separate app, but a built-in option has been available for some time. When Android 12 was released, this feature was enhanced, making it easier to take a screenshot on any device and capture scrolling screenshots. Additionally, many Android manufacturers offer unique shortcuts to simplify the process further. If you're feeling overwhelmed, our guide will help you take screenshots on most Android phones and tablets updated to recent OS versions.