5 settings I modify on a brand new Android cellpho...

When you observe me on-line, you in all probability know me as an iPhone consumer, given how typically I write about Apple. I do attempt to hold present with Android, although, and I’ve truly owned a number of Android phones over time — even now, I’ve a OnePlus phone as a backup and check system. If I had my approach, iOS could be open-source, similar to Android.

Each platforms have their quirks, so it is vital to tweak settings earlier than you’ll be able to actually get going. This is what I might advocate doing everytime you decide up a brand new Android cellphone — placing apart any brand-specific choices you may want to alter.

1 Developer Choices to open up superior settings

Not strictly mandatory, however…

As a tech journalist, I am typically exploring options that push the boundaries of a cellphone. As a daily consumer, you do not have to, however some Android options — together with one on this record — merely will not work for those who do not change on Developer Choices. Fortunately, it is not a fancy process.

On most Android units, the method ought to appear like this:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Faucet About Cellphone.
3. Discover Construct Quantity, and faucet on it seven instances. You will see a pop-up message when Developer Choices are enabled.

As soon as that is executed, you’ll be able to go to Settings > System > Developer Choices at any time, however do not change something you have not learn up on. Google is severe concerning the mode being supposed for app builders. Just a few settings might doubtlessly cripple your system for those who’re not ready.

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2 Night time Mild and Darkish Theme

Save your sleep, imaginative and prescient, and battery life

For no matter cause, most if not all smartphones nonetheless default to themes that aren’t solely eye-searing at evening, however drain your sleep and battery ranges. Vibrant lights usually tend to hold you awake, after all. To elucidate the battery problem, most flagship telephones now use some type of OLED display screen. OLED panels can shut off particular person pixels to attain true black, so the darker onscreen photos are, the much less energy they eat.

To allow Android’s Darkish Theme:

1. Go to Settings > Show > Darkish theme.
2. If you would like Darkish Theme on completely, flip the toggle.
3. Alternately, faucet Schedule, then select Activates at customized time, Activates from sundown to dawn, or Activates at bedtime. For the final one, you may have to allow Bedtime mode on a cellphone with Android 13 or later.

If sleep is your overriding concern, you may additionally wish to activate Night time Mild. Very similar to Night time Shift on iPhones, this skews your display screen away from blue mild, in principle, making it simpler to sleep. Medical questions apart, I discover heat mild comforting earlier than I hit the hay.

To make use of Night time Mild:

1. Go to Settings > Show > Night time Mild.
2. When you do not wish to allow Night time Mild manually each night, decide Schedule.
3. Select Activates at customized time or Activates from sundown to dawn. I want the previous, since I do not need Night time Mild affecting the look of my apps earlier than I am about to crawl into mattress.

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3 The Snooze button for notifications

Get centered with out dropping monitor

Google / Pocket-lint

You’d suppose this is able to be accessible by default, however if you wish to briefly snooze push notifications to enhance your focus, you are out of luck (as you’ll be able to see) except you manually allow the Snooze button.

You are usually meant to make use of Do Not Disturb, however forgetting to disable that may sow chaos, particularly if a associate or boss is making an attempt to achieve you. The Snooze button allows you to deal with issues on a quick, per-app foundation, say if you do not need Chrome bothering you throughout work, however nonetheless need Messages to get by.

Use this information:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Superior settings.
2. Toggle Present snooze button or Permit notification snoozing.
3. Once you get a push notification, faucet Down arrow > Snooze to mute an app for various lengths, often between quarter-hour and two hours.

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4 Quicker cellphone animations

Operate over type

Newer telephones are typically fairly snappy regardless, however you’ll be able to enhance the responsiveness of any system by rushing up OS animations. They’re largely beauty, so there’s little hurt in shortening them to get again to navigating Android.

1. Go to Settings > Developer choices.
2. Underneath Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator length scale, tweak settings. Select .5x to extend pace.
3. You too can select Animation off, however this may be visually jarring.

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5 Passcode unlock with out hitting OK

Fixing a small however repeated inconvenience

One factor iOS will get proper is mechanically unlocking your iPhone everytime you enter the fitting passcode, whereas Android usually makes you hit “OK” earlier than persevering with. That sounds minor, particularly since you may usually be utilizing fingerprint or facial recognition, however it’s an pointless hurdle except you are apprehensive about somebody brute-forcing entry.

Observe these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Lock display screen > Display screen lock kind.
2. Choose PIN.
3. Select a six-digit PIN (passcode) you’ll be able to keep in mind, with Verify PIN with out tapping OK chosen.

The choice will not work for those who select a shorter PIN, presumably as a result of that is too straightforward to guess or brute-force.

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