Best Android Shortcuts: Hidden Features You Need to Know
Android's Hidden Efficiency Boosters
Modern technology excels not merely in expanding capabilities, but in accelerating processes. Android offers a wealth of built-in shortcuts designed to streamline your digital life.
Quick Actions with a Single Tap
Many Android features can be accessed with remarkable speed. For instance, a single tap can initiate a call to a designated contact.
Convenience is further enhanced through features like automatic phone unlocking based on location. This allows for seamless access when at trusted places like home or the office.
Instant Access to Essential Apps
The Android operating system prioritizes rapid access to frequently used applications. The camera, for example, can be launched almost instantaneously to capture fleeting moments.
Furthermore, app searching is optimized for speed, enabling users to quickly locate desired applications even when pressed for time.
Unlocking Android's Potential
Despite their utility, many of these time-saving shortcuts remain undiscovered by Android users. Exploring these features can significantly improve the overall user experience.
Here's a look at some of the most effective, yet often overlooked, shortcuts integrated within the Android platform.
- One-Tap Contact Access: Quickly dial frequently contacted individuals.
- Smart Lock: Maintain an unlocked phone in familiar locations.
- Rapid Camera Launch: Instantly capture photos and videos.
- Expedited App Search: Locate applications with minimal delay.
By leveraging these built-in functionalities, Android users can unlock a new level of efficiency and convenience in their daily interactions with their devices.
Quick Camera Activation: A Double-Tap Solution
Many users experience the frustration of missing fleeting photo opportunities. By the time a phone is retrieved, unlocked, and the camera application is initiated, the desired moment has often passed.
This can be particularly disappointing, resulting in poorly timed images that serve as a reminder of the lost occasion.
Fortunately, a solution exists for those utilizing contemporary Android devices running Marshmallow (Android 6.0) or later.
Instant Camera Launch via Power Button
A quick double-press of the power button, even while the phone is in a sleep state, will immediately activate the camera application.
On Samsung Galaxy devices, the functionality is triggered by a double-tap of the home button instead.
This shortcut provides near-instantaneous access to the camera, minimizing the risk of missing crucial shots.
It’s worth noting that some manufacturers, such as Motorola, may implement alternative activation methods.
For instance, certain Motorola phones allow camera launch through a double wrist-twist gesture.
With this feature, the camera is prepared for use in a fraction of a second.
Locate Apps Rapidly with Search
When a device hosts a substantial number of applications, locating a specific app can be more efficiently achieved through a search function rather than manual scrolling. Google has integrated a convenient feature within the Google Now Launcher—the default launcher for Nexus devices and also downloadable via Google Play for other Android phones—to provide swift access to the app drawer's search capability.
This method streamlines the process of finding desired applications. It eliminates the need to navigate through extensive lists.
Accessing the App Drawer Search
To initiate the search, a long press on the app drawer icon from the home screen is all that’s required. The app drawer will then instantly appear with the "Search Apps…" field highlighted and the on-screen keyboard activated.
This shortcut offers a time-saving alternative to the conventional method of opening the drawer and subsequently selecting the search box.
Further Information: Customizing and Reordering Android's Quick Settings Panel
Utilize Quick Replies to Inform Callers of Your Unavailability
This functionality was initially introduced with Android 4.0, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. However, its continued existence is often overlooked, particularly by new users. It provides a swift method for communicating the reason you are unable to answer a call.
This is achieved by sending a pre-written text message; simply swipe upwards on the incoming call display and select your desired response. Several default options are available, such as “Unable to speak at the moment. What’s happening?” and “I will return your call shortly.”
On devices running the stock version of Marshmallow, access the dialer application and tap the three-dot menu located in the upper right corner. Then, select “Settings” followed by “Quick responses.” From there, you can modify the default messages.
For stock Lollipop (version 5.0 and higher) phones, the procedure is similar. Within the dialer’s Settings menu, tap “General,” and then select “Quick responses” at the bottom of the list.
The location of this setting can vary depending on the device manufacturer, with some placements being more intuitive than others. For instance, on recent Samsung software versions, Quick Responses can be found under More > Settings > Call blocking > Call-reject messages.
It’s important to note that the option may not always be labeled explicitly as “Quick responses,” but it will almost invariably be located within the dialer application’s settings.
Streamline Access: Utilizing Smart Lock for Convenience and Security
For many Android users, a feature offering both ease of access and robust security remains underutilized. Smart Lock provides a method to maintain your device’s unlocked state under defined conditions. This can significantly improve user experience without compromising data protection.
How Smart Lock Functions
Essentially, Smart Lock bypasses the typical lock screen requirements—PIN, pattern, or password—when specific criteria are fulfilled. For instance, when your device recognizes it is within a designated location, such as your home, it can automatically unlock. Alternatively, a connection to a trusted Bluetooth device, like a car’s audio system or a wearable smartwatch, can trigger the same behavior.
The system is designed with security in mind. Should these pre-defined conditions not be met, the standard lock screen security measures are immediately reinstated. This ensures your device remains protected when circumstances change.
Personalizing Smart Lock to Your Needs
I personally configure my phone to remain unlocked while connected to my smartwatch. This eliminates the need for constant authentication while the device is nearby. However, should the phone be misplaced or stolen, it reverts to a secure, locked state, safeguarding my personal information. This represents a beneficial balance between convenience and security.
Setting Up Smart Lock on Your Device
To activate Smart Lock, navigate to the Settings application, then select the Security menu. First, ensure a secure Screen Lock is established. Then, return to the Security menu and enable Smart Lock. Several options are available:
- Trusted Devices: Designate Bluetooth devices to maintain an unlocked state.
- Trusted Places: Specify locations, such as home or work, for automatic unlocking.
- Trusted Face: Utilize the front camera for facial recognition unlocking.
- Trusted Voice: Employ voice commands to unlock the device.
- On-body detection: Keep the device unlocked while it is being carried.
While all options offer unique benefits, I find the first two—Trusted Devices and Trusted Places—to be the most practical. Choose the settings that best align with your individual needs and usage patterns. For a more detailed walkthrough, refer to a comprehensive Smart Lock guide.
Initiate Calls or Texts Instantly with Contact Widgets
Frequent contacts are a part of everyone’s life, and maintaining quick access to them is simplified through the use of Contact Direct widgets. These widgets function as 1x1 icons placed directly on your device’s home screen, enabling immediate calls or text messages to designated contacts with a single tap.
Adding these icons to your home screen is a straightforward process. Begin by accessing your device’s widgets menu, which is typically done by a long press on an empty area of the home screen, followed by selecting the “Widgets” option. Navigate through the list until you locate the “Contacts” section.
Widget Options
Within the “Contacts” section, you’ll find two choices: “Direct dial 1x1” and “Direct message 1x1”. Select the desired widget type by long-pressing its icon. Then, position it onto your home screen.
A contact selection screen will then appear, allowing you to assign a specific contact to the widget. Once the contact is chosen, the setup is complete. You are now just a single tap away from connecting with your most contacted individuals.
For users of Nova Launcher, alternative methods exist to achieve similar functionality. Swipe actions can be configured to initiate calls or texts without consuming additional home screen space.
Related: Enhance Android Home Screen Utility with Nova Launcher Gestures
Leverage Voice Commands for Enhanced Speed
Among the features available, utilizing voice control often proves to be the most beneficial yet frequently neglected. While Google Voice Actions are widely known, their full potential is often unrealized.
Prior to implementation, enabling “OK Google” detection from any screen is necessary. This can be achieved by accessing the Google Now application, either through a swipe-up gesture from the home button or a long press, depending on your Android version. Navigate to the menu and select “Settings.”
Within the “Voice” section, choose “’OK Google’ detection.” Toggle the “From any screen” option, and if prompted, complete the voice model setup. This allows activation of Google Now from any application.
Once activated, a wide range of inquiries can be made using voice commands. Examples include:
- What are the closing hours of X business?
- What is the height of person?
- How many quarts constitute a gallon?
- Calculate five percent of 99.
- What is the predicted weather forecast for the weekend?
- When does holiday occur?
- What is the schedule for the next sports team game?
- Identify this song. (while music is playing)
- What is the current time in other place?
The capabilities extend far beyond these examples. Furthermore, voice commands can be used to manage tasks such as:
- Send a text message to friend: “Are you available for lunch tomorrow?”
- Create a reminder to do thing for tomorrow at 11 AM.
- Initiate a timer for X minutes.
- Obtain directions to place of interest.
- Place a call to person or business.
- Play music by Artist on Google Play Music.
- Schedule a calendar event, specifying date, and time.
Consistent use will reveal even more functionalities. Consider setting a reminder to acknowledge the benefits of adopting this feature earlier.
Related: 18+ Useful Things You Can Do with OK Google
This compilation represents a selection of Android shortcuts, not an exhaustive list. Numerous other shortcuts exist, including those facilitated by Nova Launcher. The primary goal is to highlight the most useful shortcuts for improving the user experience.