how-to

404 'how-to' stories August 2011 - March 2022

A collection of tutorials, tips, and tricks from the NewGeekGuide team helping you fix and get the most out of Android, Google Assistant, Chromebooks, Android TV, and more.

Get some automation going with Rules on your Pixel – Here’s how

Andrew Romero Mar 23 2022 - 11:25 am PT

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Many an Android phone have hidden features that don’t get the limelight all too often. One of these features, in my opinion, is Rules. What are they? Well, let’s dig in and find out how to use Rules on the Pixel.

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How to delete the last 15 minutes of your Google search history

Andrew Romero Mar 21 2022 - 12:22 pm PT

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Recently, Google added the ability for users on mobile to delete the last 15 minutes of their Google search history with one single tap. This guide will take you through how exactly you can do this on your device.

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Upgrade the look of your Google Keep notes with colors and backgrounds – Here’s how

Andrew Romero Mar 18 2022 - 1:24 pm PT

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There’s nothing less productive than staring at lists upon lists that are all the same shade of gray. Fortunately, Google Keep now lets you change how your notes look to help you keep things organized and visually pleasing with colors and backgrounds. Here’s how.

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How to check your internet speed from Google’s homepage and other sites

Andrew Romero Mar 16 2022 - 1:30 pm PT

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There are a lot of great ways to check and test your internet speeds. Maybe you’re trying to figure out your internet connection’s download and upload speeds to ensure your network is working correctly, or perhaps you just want to show your friends how fast your internet is for some reason. One great way to check your speeds, if you want, is to use Google. Of course, there are other options too. Here’s how.

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Using Takeout to export your Google Photos – What you need to know

Andrew Romero Mar 14 2022 - 12:57 pm PT

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If you’ve been using Google Photos for any amount of time, you know that photos can stack up fast. That’s why you need to know how to export Google Photos safely if you ever need to move to a different service, like Apple’s iCloud. This guide will explain how you can use Takeout, a service by Google, in order to export your images.

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How to easily manage individual app notifications in Android

Andrew Romero Mar 10 2022 - 12:35 pm PT

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Being able to manage and customize your notifications on a device is a key part of being able to enjoy the experience. On Android, you have a few different options for managing notifications to fit your needs. This guide will walk you through how you can get those notifications in check.

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How to enable Lockdown on Google Pixel – and why you might want to

Andrew Romero Mar 8 2022 - 11:15 am PT

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Lockdown is a feature on Google Pixel meant to protect your phone if someone tries to access it without permission — something no one wants, but some people have experienced, unfortunately. This guide will go through exactly how to enable the feature.

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What’s the Quick Panel on Samsung’s One UI 4, and how can you customize it?

Andrew Romero Mar 4 2022 - 1:53 pm PT

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Samsung’s One UI 4 brings a lot of customization to Galaxy devices, including the ability to change up the Quick Panel. So what is the Quick Panel, and what can you do with it? This guide will take you through the details step by step.

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What you need to know about Assistant ‘Snapshot,’ the spiritual successor to Google Now [U]

Andrew Romero Mar 4 2022 - 12:05 pm PT

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Android has a lot of features that have the potential to make things a little easier. Sometimes, those features are a little out of the way and hidden. One prime example is the Google Assistant Snapshot feature. This guide will take you through what Snapshot is and how you can use it.

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How to enable or disable Live Captions in Android 12

Andrew Romero Mar 3 2022 - 12:33 pm PT

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Live Captions is one of those features you never really realized you needed until it was available. In essence, it captions every bit of audio that your device plays for easy accessibility. This guide will take you through how to enable it or disable it on your Android 12 device, as well as a couple of tips and tricks.

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Here’s what you need to know about using Google Password manager

Andrew Romero Feb 28 2022 - 1:01 pm PT

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Google’s Password Manager is an ecosystem-wide service for users of Google Chrome and Android. Password Manager saves the credentials you use most and helps you log in easily while on Google Chrome. This guide takes a look at whether Password Manager is safe, walks you through how to use the feature, and highlights unique aspects of the service.

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How to use Android 12’s new Internet quick settings tile

Andrew Romero Feb 24 2022 - 11:55 am PT

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Quick settings in Android 12 is a quality-of-life feature that can streamline a lot of your device’s operations. For instance, the Internet quick settings tile has a lot to offer, in terms of use and function. This guide will take you through how to use Android 12’s Internet quick settings tile to do things like connect to networks or even share your internet via QR code.

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What you need to know about icons in the address bar on Google Chrome desktop

Andrew Romero Feb 23 2022 - 4:55 pm PT

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As browsers go, Google Chrome is one that has a ton of features in plain sight, though it can be easy to forget about them. A few of those features are found right in the address bar. This guide will take you through the many icons you might find on the right of the address bar, as well as what they mean and do.

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How to reboot/restart your Google Pixel

Andrew Romero Feb 22 2022 - 1:15 pm PT

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No OS is absolutely perfect, and if you’ve spent anytime at all on a smartphone, you’ll know that sometimes you just need to reboot your device. This guide will take you through why you might want to reboot, and how to restart the Google Pixel on Android 12.

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Everything you need to know about updating Google Chrome for desktop

Andrew Romero Feb 21 2022 - 2:45 pm PT

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Google Chrome is an ever-evolving browser, which means that it gets updated pretty regularly. Often, these updates improve security to protect you while browsing the internet. This guide will take you through how often Chrome updates, automatic updates, and updating Google Chrome automatically.

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How to set up and manage notifications on the Galaxy Watch 4

Andrew Romero Feb 17 2022 - 11:50 am PT

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One of the biggest draws of smartwatches is their ability to deliver notifications in an easily viewable way. Even so, there are some notifications that just don’t deserve your attention, even when on your wrist. This guide will take you through how to set up and manage notifications on your Galaxy Watch 4.

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How to search like a pro in Google Drive

Andrew Romero Feb 16 2022 - 11:36 am PT

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Google Drive is an excellent tool for managing and storing files. Integrated with the rest of Google’s G Suite – soon to turn into Google Workspace for free users – Google Drive on the web has a lot of potential for productivity if managed right. This guide will take you through how to use search chips the right way in Google Drive.

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Google Pixel phones have a few tricks to improve copy and paste — here’s how they work

Andrew Romero Feb 14 2022 - 2:11 pm PT

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Being able to copy and paste text on your phone is vital to everyday usage. On Google Pixel, there are a few features that make the copy-and-paste process incredibly seamless. This guide explains how to copy and paste text on Google Pixel from just about any app and gives you a few copy-and-paste tips and tricks, too.

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How to check for updates on the Galaxy Watch 4

Andrew Romero Feb 12 2022 - 12:05 pm PT

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Every now and again, the Galaxy Watch 4 gets major updates to improve the already capable Wear OS smartwatch. Of course, in order for you to take advantage of improvements to your Galaxy Watch, you need to ensure the device gets updated. This guide will take you through exactly how to check for updates on your Galaxy Watch.

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Creating and organizing tab groups in Google Chrome, what you need to know

Andrew Romero Feb 8 2022 - 12:10 pm PT

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Opening and closing tabs can get real messy real quick, especially if they aren’t organized and kept up with. Fortunately, Google Chrome has a feature that lets you group tabs together, saving a lot of headaches. This guide will take you through exactly how to create tab groups in Google Chrome.

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How to take a screenshot on Android phones

Andrew Romero Jan 28 2022 - 12:30 pm PT

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There are countless reasons to take a screenshot. You might want to save something from social media, help someone with an app remotely, or circle things on your screen. Bottom line? Taking a screenshot is a basic function you should know how to perform! Read on to learn how to take a screenshot on Android devices, such as the Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and OnePlus.

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How to watch Google Play and Google TV movies offline

Andrew Romero Jan 26 2022 - 3:43 pm PT

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There are a number of reasons you’d want to download and watch a movie from Google Play offline. Fortunately, with the Google TV app on mobile, that feature is built right in, allowing you to watch movies offline anywhere you go. This guide will explain the process of downloading movies as well as where you can find them.

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Google Play Store updated with Material You design

How to use a Google Play gift card and where to buy one

Andrew Romero Jan 25 2022 - 1:58 pm PT

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The Google Play store offers tons of content for all customers – not just Android users. Movies, TV shows, books, and more can be found in the Play Store. A gift card for the Google Play store is a great gift for anyone. So how do you buy one and how can it be used? Read our guide to find out.

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Having issues with Google Pixel’s adaptive brightness? Here’s how to fix it

Andrew Romero Jan 24 2022 - 2:00 pm PT

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In case you hadn’t noticed, the Pixel line of phones – while great devices – are absolutely not without issues. Among those issues tends to be adaptive screen brightness problems, wherein the Google Pixel on Android adjusts brightness under the wrong circumstances. Follow along with this guide to learn how to reset and fix that issue.

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