7 Easy Ways to Make Your Android Phone Less Annoying

I once took a music-recording class taught by a studio veteran who told the class he found mixing tracks on a computer more than stressful than the analog days. I was skeptical; working with digital files was more than stressful than having to literally cut-and-paste reels of tape together?

But he explained that before computers came forth, he was at to the lowest degree occupied doing something. Today he just hits a push button and sits around waiting for the reckoner to render a mix; those small bits of idle time tin can feel similar an eternity. In 2022, we expect instant gratification, so pocket-sized barriers between u.s. and what we want—no matter how miniscule—become tiny little stressors.

This may all sound like #FirstWorldProblem preciousness, just these frustrations tin can snowball and add some existent stress to your mean solar day. Fortunately, there are ways you can mitigate some of these modest annoyances to make your day just a little bit calmer. Namaste. Here are seven quick and painless things that Android users can exercise right now* to make their devices a scrap less annoying.

*Note: In that location are many versions of Android; Android 7.0 Nougat is the latest (Android 7.1 for Google Pixel users). Even if you lot accept the most up-to-appointment version, your version of Android may work differently than someone else's device. These tips were tested on a Galaxy S7 Edge and Nexus 6 tablet, both running 7.0 Nougat.

1. Disable Bloatware Apps

Android Bloatware Disable

Hither are some facts that should be completely unrelated: 1) AT&T is my wireless carrier. two) AT&T acquired DirecTV in 2022. iii) I am not a DirectTV subscriber. However, a DirecTV remote app came preinstalled on my phone. And I can't delete it! Welcome to the globe of undeletable bloatware!

Bloatware is a blanket term used to describe preinstalled apps that accept up space and resources on your phone. These apps—many of which you'll never e'er use—come up courtesy of your telephone'due south manufacturer, carrier, and Google itself (plus a few licensed 3rd-party apps thrown in for good measure). If you look through the apps on your telephone, you'll about certainly observe a bunch of apps you never downloaded and will never use. While bloatware is not unique to the mobile historic period (it'south long been a bane on PCs), it'due south most insidious on phones because computational resource are necessarily in curt supply.

Without rooting your Android device, you can't really delete these apps (if you don't already know what rooting means, then it's probably not for you). However, most Android setups allow y'all to "disable" them—while these apps aren't gone from your system, you won't see them and they won't tap into your phone's groundwork resource.

On most Android devices, you can long-press on the app icon to prompt the disable option (you'll notice that in that location'south no "delete" selection such every bit you would observe on an app you downloaded from Google Play). Alternatively, you can admission private app options including disable by going to Settings > Applications and tapping on the app.

#Poof. (Sorta.)

two. Turn Off 'Auto Brightness'

Android Brightness Control

Have you always noticed your screen all of a sudden dimming or brightening all by itself? No, y'all're not existence punk'd by the globe'southward lamest ghost; that's automobile brightness at piece of work. This feature automatically adjusts your screen'due south effulgence depending on its surround, e.g. information technology dims the screen to complement the brilliance of a fancy candlelit dinner, only volition brighten style upwardly if you're outside picnicking on a sunny mean solar day.

Desire to run into it in action? If it's on your device, comprehend upward the light sensor on your phone for a few seconds (it's usually on the peak of the front-facing side of your device) and your screen should recoup accordingly.

In theory, the feature is great. If you primarily utilise your telephone in similarly lit indoor environments, then you might non even realize you take it. I, however, have institute it tends to overcompensate a flake too much (and too suddenly) in either direction—and I'm not the just one. "The only phone that did it well was the Note 7, simply that one exploded," co-ordinate to our mobile analyst Ajay Kumar

Automobile brightness is on by default on nearly Android systems. If you lot don't accept whatsoever problems with it, then let it exist. However, if you've found it to exist a little flake jarring, you tin turn information technology off past going to Settings > Brandish. In some versions of Android, this screen effulgence setting will be available in the pull-downwards shade (but more on that later). With motorcar brightness turned off, you tin can choose a static lighting setting of your liking and manually move as necessary (simply keep in heed that a brighter screen burns upwardly more juice).

iii. Enable ' Practise Not Disturb'

Android Do Not Disturb

WAKE Up! WAKE UP! WAKE Upwardly! Some schmo yous went to loftier schoolhouse left a comment on your lastest Facebook update!

Does the above scenario sound familiar? There'southward some data you don't necessarily need waking you from your slumber at 3 a.1000. on a Tuesday. Fortunately, Android provides a style out of this: Do Not Disturb. You can schedule Exercise Not Disturb via Settings > Sounds and vibration > Practice non disturb. Here, you can tell your phone to forgo all notifications during a specific fourth dimension, even phone calls.

Of course, in that location will be notifications y'all'll want at all hours of the day. In the Exceptions setting, you lot tin can set up the characteristic to e'er allows calls and letters from particular contacts (say, all those designated equally "Favorites"), from "priority" apps, or even from callers who have repeatedly tried to reach you lot (the type of calls yous go far an emergency state of affairs).

4. Manage Your Notifications

Android Notifications

I sincerely hope this isn't news to you, merely yous tin manage which apps are allowed to transport yous notifications. Mayhap you didn't demand to know that that dumb mobile game y'all downloaded six months ago and barely played has a great new avatar y'all tin purchase. This is about the most important setting you tin can chief for a meliorate Android feel.

Get to Settings > Notifications > and you can toggle all app notifications on/off or individually. Alternatively, long-press on an app icon to get direct to that item app'south settings.

five. Rearrange Pull-Downwardly Buttons

Rearrange Android Slide

1 of the things I appreciate virtually about Android is the pull-down shade (sometimes known every bit the "notification shade"). But slide your finger from the top of your screen down and you'll detect oft-used settings in bully one-touch button form (i.due east. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Location).

One of the coolest upgrades in Android seven.0 Nougat is the ability to choose which icons are included in the shade for easy access. Perhaps you're like me and don't really use things like Wi-Fi calling or NFC, but like having the power to quickly set your phone to vibrate, toggle Location on/off, and access the flashlight—all with a single tap. In Nougat, you can rearrange which buttons appear in the shade by tapping the hamburger in the elevation-right corner of the shade > edit (or, conversely, your system may accept a pencil "edit" icon in the acme correct). Don't accept Nougat withal? Don't sweat it. You will. At some betoken. Possibly?

6. Tailor Screen Lock Settings to Your Lifestyle

Android Lock Screen

You didn't set up a security login on your telephone? So anyone who gets their easily on your telephone can just jump correct in if they wanted to? ARE YOU A CRAZY PERSON?! Gear up that shiz upwardly! Like, correct now. Seriously, stop reading this right now and go set it upwards. We'll still be here waiting.

Washed? Okay. Doesn't it feel good to protect yourself with the minimal safeguards?

Requiring a password, fingerprint, or some other form of biometric adds a small barrier between you lot and your digital world, but it'due south so worth information technology. Nevertheless, security and convenience don't have to be enemies—for case, you can set your phone to not require a login for a fix amount of fourth dimension after information technology goes to sleep.

An informal poll of the staff here at PCMag didn't produce a consensus as to the ideal time period between apply that a telephone should require a login. Some find no problem logging dorsum in each and time they open up their telephone. I, on the other hand, use my telephone in spurts, and so I use a total 15-infinitesimal window of idol time betwixt log-ins. That way, if I'thousand suddenly struck by inspiration for one of my renowned idea-sneezes of pure celebrity afterward finishing reading an article on my phone, I can nothing right back into Twitter to share it with the globe.

Find the lock time that works for your lifestyle. Go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Secure lock settings > Secured lock time > cull the fourth dimension that works for you. Alternatively, your telephone may take a "Smart Lock" setting (nested under "Secure lock settings"), which keeps your telephone unlocked when information technology registers you are in a "trusted" location (i.e. it tin can tell when it's at your habitation via location services, or if it is continued to a trusted device like your motorcar via Bluetooth). In this instance, yous'll too only have to trust the users around yous.

seven. Never Use the In-App Camera

Like to post selfies to Instagram or Snapchat? Sure, we all similar to show off our fabulous new dos or that fourth dimension we met that celebrity at that thing. You might have noticed that the in-app camera on these apps are kinda… defective? I don't exactly know why this is. Only I do know that in that location is a very simple workaround! Y'all can take photos with you phone'south stock (and probably superior) telephone app and upload to these social networks after the fact.

Got your ain little everyday Android fix? Drop it in the comments.