If you’re new to Android, Chrome, or anything related to Google, it can sometimes be a little difficult getting yourself familiar with the platforms. That’s why we created Basics!
Whether you’re looking for help changing your wallpaper, adding apps to your home screen, removing apps from your home screen, or just want to know how to set an alarm, we’ve got you covered.
All of our Basics guides can be found below, in the order they were published.
While many in the Android and Google-fan communities used and loved (well, sometimes loved) Hangouts for messaging others from mobile and desktop, Google is now shifting the app’s focus to enterprise. In its place is Allo, which only started working on the web this week. Although we can’t help you get Hangouts back, we can help you make Allo look similar to the Hangouts web client…
First announced at I/O 2017, Google Home is now capable of placing outgoing phone calls. The best part about it is that if you use either Google Voice or Project Fi, you can have Home show your actual number on outgoing calls instead of the default unlisted option. Here’s how to do it…
When Google launched its smart assistant-powered speaker, many were surprised by how great the device’s speaker actually sounds. This made Home perfect for listening to music, but there was no way to connect to it over Bluetooth for those who wanted to play audio stored locally on a device. Thankfully, Google has now added that functionality…
Any smartphone or tablet owner knows the difficulty of cleaning away fingerprints and smudges. While simply wiping it down with your shirt works to an extent, it isn’t the best tool for the job. Below is a list of items that should help remove fingerprints and clean away any nasty germs…
YouTube 2.0 for Android TV brought a major design overhaul to the app, but many users are complaining about a lack of functionality following the update. For instance, the updated app no longer allows users to log in if they have a “brand account,” meaning one not tied to a Google+.
Until Google pushes out an update to fix this problem, here is how to roll back and remove the YouTube 2.0 update…
An update for Bixby on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ began rolling out to U.S. based customers this morning which brings the voice assistant to all. With the official launch of Bixby, Samsung has also added the ability to change between female and male voice assistants. Here’s how…
OnePlus has just released the OnePlus 5, the company’s flagship smartphone for 2017. This year, the company decided to change up its hardware design language but didn’t change much in the software department. One thing OnePlus did do is add some functionality to the handset’s screenshot functionality…
As we reported earlier today, the latest version of Google Play Music (7.9.4920) started rolling out yesterday and once installed, many users are seeing the app crashes when the phone or tablet is connected to a Bluetooth device. Thankfully, there is an easy but tedious temporary fix until Google pushes a new build of Play Music that has fixed this problem…
One of the highlight features coming to Android 8.0 is support for picture-in-picture. Although Android O is still being beta tested and isn’t expected to be fully released until later this year, it hasn’t stopped developers from building the functionality into their apps. The latest app to get updated with PiP is Google’s very own Chrome web browser…
There is a hidden section within Android that provides developers with different tools to help them debug apps and so much more. Regular users tend to enable these Developer options so that they can turn on USB debugging, allowing them to control the device using a computer. If you’ve ever enabled the Developer options but now want to hide then, the steps below will show you how to easily do so.
Knowing how to capture a screenshot is something that all LG G6 owners should know how to do. While LG allows users to capture a screenshot using Android’s default method using the physical power and volume buttons, there is also a way to take one using the G6’s Capture+ software which can be easier to use for some.
Love it or hate it, when you use Google Cast to cast content to your big screen, a notification usually pops up on every Android device on the network. While this is great because it allows you to quickly pause, mute, or stop the media from playing, it also allows troublesome roommates and significant others to mess with you. Now, Google is allowing you to turn these notifications off.
At I/O 2017, Google announced that it would be rolling out the second Developer Preview build of Android O and along with it, the O Beta Program. Just like with Android Nougat’s Beta Program, you enroll in the program online and shortly after, Google will send an OTA update to your registered device. Here’s the how to enroll and unenroll in that program…
Google Home is pretty good at hearing what you say, but sometimes, especially when using “Hey Google,” it doesn’t hear you. If your Home isn’t in a place where you can see the LEDs, you won’t have any clue that the device didn’t hear you. Thankfully, there’s a way to fix that.
With the removal of Samsung’s trademarked physical home button from the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the procedure for taking a screenshot has slightly changed. Thankfully, Samsung is now using the standard Android method, but the company has also included several other ways to capture sections of your smartphone’s display…
One of the core functionalities of any smartphone, including the BlackBerry Keyone, is taking a screenshot. Thankfully, BlackBerry decided to stick with the normal Android method when taking a screenshot, using a combination of the power and volume buttons…
As an added convenience, TCL has added an additional hardware button to the right side of the BlackBerry Keyone. Called the Convenience key, that button can be programmed to launch an app, quickly call someone in your phonebook, or even send a quick text message.
Out of the box, the BlackBerry Keyone has a very stock Android look and feel, albeit with some small tweaks. Other than the added BlackBerry security features and applications, one of the biggest differences of the Keyone compared to the stock Android interface is the recent app section’s layout. Thankfully, there is a way to change it…
To help you combine all of your different messages, calendars, and contacts, BlackBerry has built something called the Productivity tab into the Keyone. To make the tab useful, it’s located just a swipe away on the edge of the Keyone’s display. But it doesn’t have to be…
Samsung’s new launcher on the Galaxy S8 takes a cue from Google by dropping the traditional app drawer for one that you access via a swipe. It’s an interesting, but nice change. However, it may be a bit weird for some users to adjust to. Luckily, you can swap back to the traditional option if you’d like to; here’s how to enable the app drawer button on the Galaxy S8.
Samsung has never taken security lightly, and that’s immediately apparent on the Galaxy S8. Not only does Samsung’s latest flagship pack support for a fingerprint, but it supports two other types of biometric authentication. So, here’s how to set up fingerprint, iris scanning, and face recognition on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.
Samsung’s new launcher on the Galaxy S8 is new and pretty, but it’s still not for everyone. It lacks Android features, like app shortcuts, and has an app drawer that not everyone will fall in love with. Thankfully, this is still Android, so you can opt for something different. Here’s how to change your homescreen launcher on the Galaxy S8.
Android O’s Picture in Picture mode will be a welcome addition when third-party apps fully support it later this year. Fortunately, those on the Developer Preview can start using the feature right now in YouTube with a fast and simple tweak.
