10 Must Know Useful Android Tips And Tricks

Whether you are a newbie for android and eager to try out every available option you see on the screen, or familiar with the system, including the annoyances that plague you on a daily basis, tips and tricks to get around a system is always helpful. I am here to help you with that.

In this post, I will be featuring 10 Awesome and use android tips and trick that may improve your experience while using your Android device. Do note that the steps may vary a little from one Android phone to another due to the differences in the build and the OS version and also sometimes from mobile-to-mobile, but if you play around with it, the next step isn't too far off.

1. Disable App Notifications

If you are tired up by annoying app notifications that just keep coming and If you don’t know already, these app notifications also drain your phone’s battery. If you want to turn them off, and you are on Jelly Bean 4.1 and above, here’s how you can do it:

1. On any of your unwanted notifications in your notification bar, long press on the notification for a message box to appear.
2. Tap on App Info > Untick Show Notifications > OK.

2. Disable Mobile Data

Whenever you don’t need to stay connected with internet, disabling the Mobile Data can help you keep your smartphone battery from draining too quickly and can also increase your battery life. Turning off mobile data is as easy as:

1. Going to Settings > Data Usage.
2. Disable Mobile data by toggling the setting from ON to OFF.

3. Set Mobile Data Limit

If you want to keep track of how far your usage is from your monthly mobile data limit? If you have ICS and above, there is a feature which lets you keep track of how much of the quota you have left. Its easy , just follow the steps below : 

1. Head over to Settings > Data Usage.
2. Set your data limit by dragging the orange line to reflect your monthly quota.
3. Set your data usage cycle based on when your "month" starts and ends, and you’re done.

You will be alerted once you hit the limit you have set. Note that the tracked data usage of your phone may vary slightly than your carrier’s tracking.

4. Add Multiple Google Accounts

You need a Google account to use an Android phone but did you know you can choose to run more than one Google account on your Android device. This is convenient if you use more than one account for several of your Google services. To add multiple Google accounts follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Add account.
2. Select Google and setup your New or Existing Google account.
3. Once added, choose what you want to sync with the account.

Repeat all the steps above if you want to add more accounts.

5. Disable Automatic App Updates

Prefer to read through app permissions and manually pick which app updates to adopt? You can, but first you need to disable your automatic app updates. Here are the steps:

1. Open Play Store and head over to Settings.
2. Tap on Auto-update apps.
3. Choose Do not auto-update apps.

If you want to enable the auto updates, follow the same path and choose Auto-update appsat any time or via Wi-Fi (available for certain Android devices only).

To update your apps manually, just open Play Store, and on the main page swipe in from the left and tap on My apps. You can tap on apps with pending updates and update them manually, or if you like to update them all at once, just tap on Update All.

6. How To Check For Android System Updates

For Android users that are using stock ROM, you may want to look for new updates to your system. To check for updates:

1. Go to Settings > About phone/tablet.
2. Tap on System updates.
3. Tap Check now to look for system updates.

7. Changing Default Apps

If you have already set some default apps for particular tasks (e.g. using Chrome for opening web links) but wish to change this:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. Swipe right and look for the All tab.
3. Select the app you want to remove as default.
4. Tap on Clear defaults.

8. Organize Homescreen Shortcuts With Folders

Once you have a lot of apps installed, your home-screen might be filled with app shortcuts. Unlike the app drawer, the apps on your home screen are not arranged alphabetically. So, you might want to create some folders for your homescreen shortcuts.

1. Assuming you have more than a handful of shortcuts already on your homescreen, long press on any of the shortcuts and drag it onto another shortcut.
2. A circle should now appear around the apps, indicating that a folder has been created.
3. By tapping on the newly created folder, a mini window will pop up with your apps in it.
4. You can drag and drop additional apps into the folder if you like. You can also rename the folder by tapping on the text area at the bottom of the mini window.

9. Disable Animations

Here’s a tip on how to make your Android device run a bit smoother and faster: disable its animations. You will need to have access to Developer Options which can be found under Settings or About device.

Note: For some phones, you may need to go to Build number and tap on it repeatedly until you see "You are now a developer!". Developer options are now enabled.

Under enabled Developer options, look for Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale. Then, turn them off (disable) them one at a time.

10. How To Turn Off Auto-Correction

Is it that you hate the fact that your phone is going English teacher mode on you? Turn off auto-correction for peace of mind when texting. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Language & input.
2. Tap on the settings icon next to the keyboard that you are using, e.g. Google Keyboard.
3. Look for Auto-correction and tap on it.
4. Select Off to turn auto-correction off.

Remote Screen sharing and conroling in windows without any software

Remote sharing is nowadays on its peak, people use remote sharing to provide live support or for sharing screens. Most of us always use third party software’s for sharing or controlling remote systems using software’s like Teamviewer or Radmin etc.  Today i am going to teach you guys how to connect any two or as many as windows PC through remote without using any third party tool like team viewer etc. So lets learn how to share screens without any third party tool.As we all knows Windows OS is  full of hidden programs that are only limited to developer or geeks. Today we are going to learn about MSRA (windows remote assistance) executable. MSRA is windows inbuilt remote assistance program using which you can control remote pc’s, share remote screens, provide remote support and much more. Lets learn how to use MSRA for remote sharing.

Steps to Share or Control Remote PC using MSRA:

1. First of all click on startup and type command “MSRA” and press enter as shown below:

Type msra in search option

2. Now you will see screen like below having title “Windows Remote Assistance” , there are two options displayed:

• Invite someone you trust to help you : Choose this option if you want to share your screen with someone.
• Help someone who invited you : Choose this option if you want to control someone others PC remotely.

Click on Option a “Invite someone you trust to help you” to share your screen:

Select shown option to continue

Once you click the above option then you will see below panel with multiple options:

Options displayed for Windows remote assistance

Now you can see three different options :

• Send this invitation as file : On clicking this option you can save the invitation file and send it to anyone from which you require help. After saving the file another window will open containing the password. You have to provide that password to person whom you want to connect to your machine.

• Use email to send an invitation: You can send invitation directly via email but it requires email client on your machine to send email like outlook etc.

• Use Easy connect: Another method to directly connect two PC is using Easy connect but this require some basic settings at your routers end i.e. If the computer has IPv6 disabled or is behind a NAT router that blocks Teredo traffic, the Easy Connect option will be unavailable.

Now once you have send the  remote assistance invitation file to user, he can connect to your PC by double clicking the invitation file and then entering the password.

Note: You need to enable remote assistance service.

3. Help someone who invited you : By clicking this option you can provide help to anyone who has done the above task. You will need two things : Invitation file and password to connect remote PC.


Woohooo… Did you know there is another smart option by which you can directly connect to any PC using IP address? If not, well lets learn that too. Yup we can also provide windows remote assistance support using IP address too. Here are options.

1. First of all click on startup and type command “MSRA” and press enter.
2. Now you will see screen where two options are displayed, Select “Help someone who invited you”.
3. After that you will see some option, click on the bottom one “Advanced connection option for help desk” as shown below :

Select advanced connection option for help desk

After clicking option you see below panel to enter IP address:

Enter IP address or computer name

After entering IP address press Next to connect to IP address. That’s all.
Hope you all enjoyed the learning. If you have any queries ask me in form of comments.

Ultimate Guide to Android Rooting, Custom ROMs & Apps

Android and iOS are the most popular mobile operating systems on the market. Both offer a variety of apps and settings but, eventually reach their limits at a certain point. Rooting or Jailbreaking your phone (or tablet) will offer you thousands of tweaks, skins and new apps that you should not miss out on.

Android Launchers and lock screen widgets are great tools to customize your Android experience without rooting your device. You are also able to root your device and customize it with a launcher and widgets afterwards. If your Android device is rooted but you don’t want flash a custom ROM, Xposed Framework might be the perfect solution for you. You are, however, also able to add new features to your custom ROM with Xposed.

This guide will use the Google Nexus 4 as an example but most of the things also apply to other Android devices. Some might require more work while others can be rooted quite easily, but in the end it’s no rocket science.

Android Rooting Terms You Should Know

Before we get started, I would like to explain a few terms because the terminology can get complicated and confusing. This will help you to understand other device specific guides. I’ll try to keep it short and not go into (technical) details.

Bootloader

The Bootloader is your phone’s software foundation. It’s basically what runs before your operating system starts (like a PC’s BIOS). As many manufactures don’t want you to modify your phone’s OS, it needs to be unlocked before you are able to root your phone or install custom ROMs (explained later).

Brick

This is something you don’t want to happen to your Android device. Like the name already implies, a bricked phone (or tablet) can only be used as a paperweight or nice decoration for your apartment. Bricked devices are irreversibly damaged and won’t work anymore. This can, for instance, happen if damaged ROMs are installed or wrong firmwares are flashed. Always make sure to read instructions and verify checksums (a set of numbers that identify the file) to make sure nothing goes wrong. If you’re lucky and your device is only soft-bricked, meaning that it does not boot but still turns on, you might be able to get it back to life.

BusyBox

Android, being based on Linux/Unix, offers a limited amount of UNIX commands (which most users won’t need anyways). BusyBox will implement more commands that are necessary for some root apps to work properly.

Custom ROM

A custom ROM is a modified version of the Android operating system. Tweaks, additional features, different themes or an enhanced performance are usually included. Custom ROMs also offer the possibility to use a newer, unreleased, version of Android on your phone that might usually not be available for your device because of restrictions from manufacturer or providers.

Fastboot

Fastboot is a diagnostic- and engineering tool which offers you several features such as launching in recovery mode or flashing image files.

Kernel

The kernel is the brain of your phone that controls how the system and hardware interact. It’s basically the lowest level of your operating system that manages memory and hardware.

NAND partition

NAND stands for “Negated AND” or “NOT AND” and describes the hard drive partition that stores all system relevant information like the bootloader, recovery mode or the kernel.

NANDroid backup

A NANDroid backup is a complete system backup of your Android device. This backup can be restored later and might save your phone after flashing a faulty ROM or theme.

Radio

The radio is responsible for sending and receiving voice and data. Using an optimized radio can improve your phone’s reception or increase battery life.

Recovery Mode

Recovery mode offers you the possibility to perform system-level tasks (like formatting, defragmenting, etc.), backing-up your devices or install custom ROMs. Android offers a limited stock recovery function. More sophisticated recoveries like ClockworkMod Recovery, 4EXT Recovery and TWRP Recovery offer additional features and are easier to use.

Root

Rooting will give you full administrator access of your device. It might also void your warranty (depending on the device and your place of residence), so make sure to handle your device with care after rooting it. You are always able to revert this process by simply flashing a stock-ROM (the original ROM installed by your phone’s manufacturer). Doing this will also “restore” your warranty.

S-OFF

S-OFF means that the NAND partition of your Android device is unlocked. This mostly applies to HTC phones.

Superuser

Rooting your phone will create a new “account” with complete administrative permissions. This superuser account is used by some apps and functions.

Xposed Framework

Xposed Framework is an app that can be installed on a rooted Android device which offers custom ROM like features on stock Android.

Understanding Custom ROM Versions

As Custom ROMs are constantly improved, they usually come in four different categories: Nightly, Milestone, Release Candidate and Stable. This is what you can expect in every stage:

Nightly

Nightly versions are usually generated every 24 hours and can be highly experimental and unstable. Especially early versions of a new custom ROM can have many bugs and missing features. If you want to have the latest features while risking instability – go for nightlies!

Milestone Snapshot

Milestone Snapshots are basically nightly versions that have reached a certain milestone. They can be regarded as being quite stable, but may include certain bugs and issues. Since they are only created every few weeks (or months), they won’t have the latest features that might be included in the nightly versions. If you are looking for the latest features while having a rather stable system, check out milestone snapshots.

Release Candidate

Release candidates, as the name already implies, are one of the last builds before the stable version of a custom ROM is released. RCs are mostly stable but might have a few minor issues. If you’re looking for something stable and ready for daily use, I would recommend to go with release candidates!

Stable

Stable versions are (obviously) the most stable versions around, with all or nearly all problems fixed. Some stable ROMs may still include some smaller issues or certain things not working. Stable versions are definitely the safest way to go, but it might take months before a new stable with new features or fixes is released.

Official, Unofficial & Combined Releases

It is also important to say that custom ROMs are often available as official and unofficial releases. Later use the source code of the official release (if publicly available) and adapt it to devices not supported by the main developers. Unfortunately, this often leads to a delay. In addition to that, many developers combine features of different custom ROMs.

How to Fully Backup Your Device Without Root

If your Android device is not rooted yet, you won’t be able to perform NANDroid backups. I wouldn’t suggest to root your tablet or phone without having a proper backup, because there is always a chance of error and you don’t want to brick your device.

Simple ADB Backup let’s you create a full backup of your device without root access and is the perfect solution for users without root access. The free program also offers a restore function and runs on Windows and Linux.

If you’re already rooted, make sure to check out our guide on performing a NANDROID backup.

How to Root Your Android Device

The rooting process differs from device to device which makes it impossible to give general instructions on rooting here. I’ve linked guides for some of the most popular devices below. Using the terms described earlier should make the rooting process easier for you. If your phone or tablet is not on the list, you most certainly can find a guide on the XDA-Developers forums.

Google Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung Galaxy S5
HTC One
LG G2
Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Always make sure to perform NANDroid backups of your devices to be able to restore your phone or tablet to a working state. I would also recommend to validate checksums and carefully read through the instructions to avoid bricking your device.

Custom Recovery Mode

The standard Android recovery mode is very limited and does not offer many features. That’s where replacement recovery modes like the Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) and ClockworkMod Recovery (CWRM) come in place. They offer the possibility to flash custom ROMs which is not possible with the stock recovery mode. Other features include a file browser forupdate.zips, adb shell and Nandroid backups.

It does not really matter which replacement recovery you install, just go with the one that suits you most. In some rare cases the root script or custom ROM installation only works with either TWRP or CWM.

TWRP – Team Win Recovery Project

Team Win Recovery Project‘s custom recovery offers an easy and touch driven user interface. It includes all typical recovery features needed to install custom ROMs, kernels, other tweaks and many more. You are also able to backup and restore your device using TWRP.

CWM – Clockworkmod Recovery

ClockworkMod Recovery is one of the most popular custom recovery modes. It also includes all advanced recovery features like installing custom ROMs and other files, as well as a backup and restore function. You can control the CWM UI via touch or key-input.

Custom ROMs

Custom Roms offer you a variety of new features, tweaks and visual enhancements. The best source to find a working one for your device is the XDA-Developers forum. Many custom ROMs are based on the three big releases: CyanogenMod, AOKP and Paranoid Android. The easiest way to find the best custom ROM for you is to compare their features or simply test them for a few days. To make your start easier, I’ve written a few words about the major custom ROMs below.

CyanogenMod

CyanogenMod looks very similar to stock Android, but offers several enhancements and tweaks. Besides increased system performance and reliability, it includes many interface enhancements and integrated features.

CyanogenMod Features

• OpenVPN integration
• Lockscreen gestures
• Expanded quick settings
• DSP equalizer
• Theme support
• Wi-Fi, bluetooth, and USB tethering
• CPU over- & underclocking

Latest CyanogenMod Version

Currently there are five stable version and one version with snapshot status available:

1. CyanogenMod 7 – based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread
2. CyanogenMod 9 – based on Androif 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwhich
3. CyanogenMod 10 – based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
4. CyanogenMod 10.1 – based on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
5. CyanogenMod 10.2 – based on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
6. CyanogenMod 11 – based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat

At the moment, there is no stable 4.4.2 KitKat version of CyanogenMod. The snapshot releases are pretty close to being stable so I would advise you to check them out. A quite unique feature of CyanogenMod is it’s installer which makes installing the custom ROM quite easy. Besides flashing the ROM it will also root your Android device and will guide you through the whole process. Unfortunately, the installer is currently only available for Windows.

CyanogenMod is available for the majority of popular Android devices. You can find a list of supported devices on the CyanogenMod website.

AOKP

AOKP It describes itself as “Android infused with magical Unicorn bytes” – that should be awesome, right?

AOKP Features

• Added UI features and settings
• LED notification light options
• Performance tweaks
• Custom toggles
• Vibration patterns
• Flip phone to silence ringtone
• AOKP Ribbons
• Silent / Vibrate mode on face down
• New lock screen features

If you’re into customization, AOKP offers tons of features. I especially like the custom vibration patterns: You can simply set a vibration pattern for, say, Emails, Hangouts and WhatsApp messages and can “feel” which type of message you just received (if you carry your phone in your pocket  ).

Latest AOKP Version

There is currently one Milestone release available for 44 devices:

AOKP MR1 Milestone 2 – based on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

The AOKP team is still working on an Android 4.4.2 version. Nightlies are available on the AOKP website.

AOKP Availability

The AOKP custom ROM is currently available for 44 different devices. You can find a complete list on the AOKP website.

ParanoidAndroid

ParanoidAndroid is completely different to AOKP and CyanogenMod and one of the “newer” custom ROMs out there. It’s currently my favorite custom ROM as it’s fairly close to stock Android while adding cool features like Peek and Hover.

ParanoidAndroid Features

• Floating notifications & multitasking
• Hidden Navigation PIE mode
• UI customization
• Gesture controls
• CyanogenMod themes support

I’ve been running PA for the past for months and really love it. It’s stable, fast and battery life is great. I can highly recommend this ROM.

Latest ParanoidAndroid Version

There are no real stable ParanoidAndroid releases available. Beta versions are released on a weekly basis and are really stable.

ParanoidAndroid Availability

ParanoidAndroid is officially only available for Google Nexus and OPPO devices on the PA website. Luckily, other devices are unofficially supported and can be found here.

SlimRoms

SlimRoms focus on offering a clean and slim Android experience. When I first installed it on my Nexus 4 I was surprised on how much screen space can be available on a 4″ display.

SlimRoms Features

• Complete dark skin including black Google apps
• Updated recent screen for improved multitasking
• Access most important apps from everywhere with new notification drawer
• Updated camera features

Latest SlimRoms Version

The latest version is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

SlimRoms Availability

SlimRoms is available for a variety of devices, focusing on Nexus, the Galaxy range and LG phones. You can find an overview here.

Flashing Custom Kernels

Kernels are the brain of your Android device and communicate between software and hardware. Therefore, they are responsible for managing things like CPU / GPU clocking speed, screen sensitivity / colors or voltage. By using a custom kernel you can not only improve battery life, but also increase system performance.

Many custom ROMs already come with their own kernels. This is done to implement software communication of the custom ROM with the hardware of the device and also to ensure a better performance. Nevertheless, you are often also able to flash custom kernels to custom ROMs. If you decided to stick to a rooted version of stock Android, flashing a new kernel can offer you additional performance with the convenience of a stock OS.

Always make sure to check compatibility of the kernel with your ROM and device, because flashing a wrong kernel can brick your phone!

There are different ways to flash a custom kernel to your device like flashing in recovery mode or using an app. I personally use franco.Kernel in combination with CyanogenMod on my Nexus 4 and couldn’t be happier. I’m able to check for kernel updates using an app. The same app also offers downloading and auto-flashing the latest version to my phone.

My experience with franco.Kernel so far is great: Heat-issues are fixed, the display colors look more like the AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and I have roughly 50% more battery life.

Apps

Rooting your Android device will offer you many benefits. Besides the features mentioned above, you can also install great apps that require to go deep into the system. Using them with an un-rooted device is not possible. Below I’ve listed a few apps that I like and use on an everyday basis. Feel free to share other apps in the comments section below!

Titanium Backup

Titanium Backup is a great backup tool for Android devices that offers tons of features. It provides the possibility to backup your data, settings and apps. Scheduled backups are also available. The paid pro version offers lots of great features like syncing backups with cloud-based storage providers such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Box.

ROM Manager

When you constantly switch between custom ROMs, ClockworkMod’s ROM Manager is one of the essential apps to get. Besides flashing ClockworkMod recovery, it will help you to organise and install your custom ROMs and backing-up your Android device. The paid premium version includes additional features like automatic backups, web connect and incremental ROM downloads.

AdAway

I struggled a little bit when deciding to either include AdAway or not, because it’s great for users but bad for app publishers and marketers. Google removed it from Google Play but you can still get it on the AdAway website. Like AdBlock Plus on your computer, the app modifies your Android devices hosts file to prevent apps and browsers to display advertisements. This will not only improve your app usage experience, but also increase battery life and decrease mobile traffic. Be fair and purchase paid versions of apps or donate a small amount to developers to make sure they will keep on programming great apps!

Google has recently begun to remove certain apps that violate their distribution agreements from Google Play. If you’re still interested in installing AdAway, please refer to the AdAway website.

Cerberus anti theft

Cerberus anti theft is a great app that brings many security features to your phone. You can, for instance, control your phone remotely from the Cerberus website, locate and track it as well as display messages on the screen. Remote wiping and taking pictures of the thief are also on the huge list of features.

This app will work on non-rooted devices, although the root version implements and essential feature: Cerberus can be installed wipe-proof which means that a thief won’t be able to simply uninstall the app or notice that it’s running in the background.

Touch Control

I love my Nexus 4, but sometimes it’s really annoying that I have to hit the physical buttons to unlock the screen. Touch Control allows you to wake up and lock your device by using gestures: Simply double-tapping the display will wake up the display. A swipe from right to left will lock the screen when the device is running. A great app that increased my Nexus 4 user experience big time.

Greenify

Greenify is a great app to improve battery life and system performance because it puts selected apps in hibernation mode. Not having tons of apps stored in RAM or running as system processes will make your Android device faster and increase your user experience. Please refer to full review for more information.

Frequently Asked Rooting Questions

1. How can I restore stock Android?

To get back stock Android, simply flash a stock ROM suitable for your device. This way you’ll get an unrooted, stock Android version with restored warranty.

2. What happens to my settings, contacts and apps when I install a custom ROM?

It’s always recommended to wipe your device before installing a custom ROM for the first time. If your Google account is linked to your phone, contacts, emails and apps will automatically be downloaded after launching the custom ROM and logging in to your Google account. You can backup your settings with apps like XYZ.

3. How can I upgrade a custom ROM?

Most custom ROMs offer a update function, some directly integrated to the OS, others using a specific app. You can also use ROM Manager to update certain custom ROMs.

4. Is it possible to just root a phone and not install a custom ROM?

Yes, simply use a stock ROM and root it. If you update it, your root-access will be gone, though.

5. Do I need to go step-by-step to upgrade my Android device or can I directly go to the latest version available?

You can usually simply flash the latest ROM and are good to go. Custom ROM updates usually come in a full package, meaning that you have to download the complete ROM to update it. The downloads are usually about 100-200 MB.

6. Is there a special order to flash a ROM or kernel?

I would suggest flashing the ROM first as they often include their own custom kernels. Afterwards, boot your phone with the custom ROM, go back to the recovery mode and flash the kernel. Also make sure to check whether your custom kernel is supported by the ROM.

7. Can I update or change certain parts of Android without flashing a ROM?

Not in terms of getting a newer Android version. However, you should have a look at Xposed Framework as it brings many custom ROM features to your Android installation.

8. Do I have to downgrade my phone to flash ROM XYZ?

No – as long as your bootloader is unlocked and you have a custom recovery installed. With some devices, you need to downgrade to be able to do that. Custom ROMs usually don’t require a certain Android version because everything OS-wise is overwritten anyways.

9. Is there a custom ROM for my phone / tablet?

I would recommend to head over to the XDA developers forums and perform a search query there. If you’re using one of the popular devices there are usually many custom ROMs available. You can always check out Xposed Framework to add some more features to your Android device if no custom ROM is available.

Final Words

Do you have any questions about the rooting process, custom ROMs, tweaks or apps? Do you maybe want to share other great apps that I might have forgotten? Feel free to do so in the comments below!

Are you interested in more Android related guides?
Have a look at our Android knowledge database.