Six tips to make your Android phone unique

While Apple Inc. has gradually opened up iOS to allow users to change parts of the look and feel of the iPhone, Alphabet Inc.’s Google’s mobile OS has long allowed users to customize the lock screen, app layout, themes, and more. Methods of adjustment are given. And the update Android 12 released in October has new customization tools.

“We think of the phone as your digital living room,” says Tristan Upstill, Google’s vice president of engineering at Android.

Android’s flexibility and license to run on a vast assortment of phones have helped it become the most used mobile software worldwide. Google launches the latest software and features on its Pixel phones, though models from Samsung and some Chinese tech giants dominate the market.

Whether you just got a new Pixel 6 or Galaxy Z Flip 3 from Samsung or you just updated the software on your old phone, there are many ways to make your device stand out. You just need to know where to find them. Here are some tricks to try:

personalize colors

If your phone is running Android 12, you can find Material You, which changes your device’s accent color to match your wallpaper. To access it, long-press on an empty space on your Home screen, tap on “Wallpapers & Styles” and scroll down to “Themed Icons”. Then, turn it on.

Once activated, you’ll notice that your keyboard, home screen icons and other elements automatically change tone to pair with your background photo.

Tinker with default apps

On an iPhone, SMS text messages will only go to the Messages app, even if you wish they could be centralized in your Facebook Messenger app, for example. Meanwhile, Android users have long had the freedom to change which apps automatically open for text messages, web browsing and phone calls and can swap out their default digital assistant, Caller ID, and home screen apps. .

You’ll need to download your favorite new app first. Then, go to your device Settings > Apps > Default apps. Tap the app category you want to change, and then tap the app you want as your default. This is handy if you want to use Amazon’s Alexa as your main voice assistant or customize your call screen with a calling app like Drupe.

change your launcher

One of the easiest ways to customize your Android is to change your launcher, or home screen app, which changes the way your phone looks and behaves.

There are various launcher options in the Play Store, so you can set the smartphone home theme to reflect your needs and personal style.

For example, the Microsoft Launcher app rearranges your home screen to emphasize productivity by combining your calendar, sticky notes, and to-do list on one page. Other launchers, such as Nova Launcher, allow creative effects and animations.

Search Launcher in Play Store, download the option that seems suitable for you and set one as your default app.

switch lock screen

Android users can personalize what they experience when their device is turned on.

The lock screen, where you usually enter a PIN or fingerprint to unlock your device, can be completely overhauled with widgets, pictures, and new features.

Downloading the Lockscreen Calendar – Schedule app, for example, lets you manage lists and schedules from your lock screen. DIY Locker enables Android users to add photos of friends or family to their pattern code.

Once you have opened the app, it will tell you how to install it and what permissions it needs to run.

use one hand

Smartphone screens are getting bigger, not smaller, and sometimes you need two hands to do a task with one hand. Apple and Samsung have built in features that let you access things on the screen more easily, and now Android 12 gives more phones that capability.

When the mode is enabled, if you swipe down in an app, the usable screen area close to your thumb slides down. You can swipe up to put things back where they were. To enable it, go to Settings > System > and toggle on One-handed mode.

add guest user

Unlike iPhones and iPads, you can also add other users to your Android device, and they can create their own personal space.

To create new users, open your device settings and search for “users”. See the Multiple users option, turn on the setting, then choose whether to allow your guest to send text messages or make phone calls, or restrict those activities.

From there, let your guest set up a profile using their Google Account. Doing so allows one to download apps and adjust settings. If no one has a Google Account, you can also choose a more limited guest profile.

And when that person hands the phone back to you, you can swap back to your administrator account on the lock screen and enter your password. Think of it like switching profiles on Netflix.