7 Hidden Android Gems You Didn’t Know Existed

As a long-time writer on Android smartphones, I have accumulated various tips and insights that enhance the user experience. However, I often stumble upon lesser-known features embedded within intricate menus and varied Android interfaces.

Once I uncover these functionalities, I can’t help but share my revelations about optimizing Android usage. Today, I’m eager to highlight some of the more beneficial hidden features that deserve wider recognition.

While app settings provide permission details, Android has a user-friendly privacy dashboard that simplifies this information at a glance. It tracks and displays permissions accessed by apps in the last 24 hours via a helpful chart. Users can also identify which permissions were accessed specifically.

This feature has proven invaluable for me, allowing me to revoke unintentional permissions. For instance, I discovered that Twitter had access to my contacts—a permission I never remembered granting. It also highlighted other apps unnecessarily accessing my contacts.

To find the privacy dashboard, navigate to Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy dashboard. Samsung users may need to go to Settings > Security and privacy > Permissions used in last 24 hours, although this version lacks the detailed chart.

When asked to connect to someone’s Wi-Fi, people usually share the network name and password. However, there’s a more efficient method: generating a QR code for easy sharing.

The exact steps can vary by smartphone brand. Some devices display the QR code automatically when opting to share the network, while others require selecting it as a sharing method. Generally, you need to access Wi-Fi settings to open sharing options.

For instance, on Samsung Galaxy devices, you can find this option under Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, and then select the cog icon alongside the active network for a QR code option.

Scanning a QR code is just as easy; simply access your Wi-Fi settings and select the scan icon, eliminating the need for third-party apps or tools.

I often carry multiple phones—either for reviews or for gaming. Instead of using numerous SIM cards, I rely on a single data SIM inserted either in my main device or a portable router.

This setup led to excessive data consumption since my phones treated the hotspot like a standard Wi-Fi network, quickly exhausting my limited data plan. Although I could set data limits for the hotspot, it didn’t address issues like one phone consuming all data for system updates.

To resolve this, I discovered how to set a metered connection. This feature prompts your device to treat the network like a mobile connection, limiting its data usage. While this option might not be available on all devices, it can be enabled on many.

For example, on Samsung Galaxy devices, go to the Wi-Fi network settings, click on the View more dropdown, and select Metered network to activate this feature.

Navigating Android can often resemble wading through a labyrinth of settings and menus. Even though the search function aids in locating features, some settings remain elusive, sometimes lost within unique Android skins.

However, one effective trick is to use Quick Settings icons to directly access features. Holding down on these icons not only toggles the feature but also takes you directly to its settings page, saving time digging through menus.

For instance, instead of merely activating Do Not Disturb, holding its icon allows users to access scheduling options. Similarly, the Eye Comfort icon directly leads to warmth adjustments and other settings, facilitating a more streamlined experience.

In a world filled with shortcuts, the power button can often feel compromised. Instead of its primary function of turning the device off, it frequently activates virtual assistants, overshadowing its intended purpose.

Fortunately, users can usually adjust the power button’s function through settings, though the exact location varies by device. For example, Samsung Galaxy models include this under Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press, allowing users to switch it to another assistant or navigate to the power menu.

On HONOR devices, this adjustment is found under accessibility settings, and if users struggle to find it, searching “power button” in settings can streamline the process.

Upon first setting up a device, users often receive a default Quick Settings panel filled with icons for functions they may not frequently use.

However, users have the option to customize this panel, bringing frequently used features to the forefront and uncovering new shortcuts depending on installed applications. For example, apps like Home Assistant and TickTick can offer tailored Quick Settings options.

To modify Quick Settings, access the panel, click the pencil icon, and select Edit or Add Tile to rearrange or add new shortcuts. Users can even drag and drop icons to reorder them as needed.

Notifications once served as helpful reminders about essential updates but have turned into an incessant stream of engagement prompts. This becomes particularly bothersome with apps that send unwanted notifications, drowning out those that are actually valuable.

Take Uber Eats as an example; I appreciate notifications for my order updates but find promotions irrelevant. Notification channels provide a solution by allowing users to disable specific types of notifications from an app while keeping others active.

Each app can utilize notification channels, but some developers do not comply adequately. While it is mandatory to categorize notifications per the Android 8 standard, many apps fail to facilitate proper management.

For those apps that do, access the notification settings via Settings > Apps > Manage apps > [App name] > Notifications. Here, users can navigate through channels under Notification type.

Samsung users might find difficulty accessing this since default notification channel management isn’t enabled. To do so, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings and enable Manage notification categories for each app. Then, specific notification channels can be managed per app as described earlier.

If unsure about which channel correlates to a notification, waiting for one to appear is often the simplest approach. Users can hold down or swipe left on the notification to access the associated settings.

While not flawless, this method can significantly enhance notification control.