Four Android features almost NO ONE knows about – including App Pausing and Guest Mode

YOUR Android smartphone is packed full of clever tricks – but they’re not all immediately obvious.

We reveal four of the best hidden Android hacks, including skills that will make it easier to use going forward…

There are plenty of Android tricks to learn

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There are many Android tricks you can learnCredit to Google

Swift app switching

Most people don’t realize that one of the most useful Android tools is the quick app-switching gesture feature. This is similar to the Alt-Tab shortcut in Windows.

The app works by allowing users to quickly return to their most recently used apps by simply moving your finger to the right at the bottom of the screen. You can either flick right to return to another step of your app history or to move in the opposite direction.

You’ll have to make sure you’ve got Android’s current gesture system enabled, though, and not using any on-screen navigation buttons.

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Apps are available faster

A hidden feature called App Shortcuts is another clever hack that can help you save time and improve your efficiency.

App Shortcuts provides a direct link that will take you to certain functions within your smartphone’s apps. This makes it much easier to search for files and functions on your phone.

It allows you to access specific actions and areas within an app without opening it.

To make use of this clever feature, simply press and hold your finger down on any of your apps’ icons for about a second and the options will pop up in a drop-down menu.

In Google Docs, for example, you can open a brand new document or use the app’s search function without having to launch it and waste more of that all-important battery power.

Use Guest Mode

Have you ever had a family member or friend who wants to use your phone briefly for something and you’ve been a little concerned they might see something personal that they shouldn’t?

Android’s Guest Mode is the answer to this very problem. Guest Mode, which is basically an incognito setting for your entire phone’s operating system, transforms your phone into an unlocked device. There are only the essential pre-installed systems apps available. All of your personal apps and accounts are safe under the hood.

To use Guest Mode, open the System section of your settings and tap ‘Advanced’Then, follow by ‘Multiple users’Switch the switch at top to the ON position. Once you’ve completed this step, swipe down twice from the top of your screen and select your user profile picture before hitting the ‘Add guest’ option.

To exit, repeat the previous steps but tap the ‘Remove Guest’ option.

Please note, however, that Samsung is the only Android operator that has decided not to make use of this feature, so if you’re the owner of a Galaxy smartphone, you won’t be able to take advantage of Guest Mode.

Select apps can be paused

App Pausing allows you to selectively disable certain app notifications for a specified time.

To enable it, hold down on any app icon on the home screen and look out for the hourglass symbol. Tap that and the app’s icon will become greyed out, indicating that it’s in paused mode.

This function is not available in Google’s Android version. That’s right, so you’ll only be able to find it if you’re using a Pixel phone or Android One device, unfortunately.

Top Phone and Gadget hacks and tips

Four Android features almost NO ONE knows about – including App Pausing and Guest Mode

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