31 Little-Known Settings on Your Phone and Laptop You Should Know About

You ’d have to be really , really world-weary to devote some metre to scrolling through all the options on your telephone or laptop — so the devices you bank on every twenty-four hours may well provide a pick of pick and features that you ’re totally unaware of . Here ’s a summation of 31 of the best lesser - know configurations that you might find utilitarian .

As usual , we ’ll be talking about the most recent version of these weapons platform at the time of writing , and for the sake of brevity we ’ll concentrate on the broth ( Pixel ) version of Android 10 — the preferences on your own devices might vary pretty .

Android

1) Tweak your Quick Settings

You do n’t have to settle for the nonpayment pick on the Quick options panel — drag two digit down from the top of the screen to see it , then beg the playpen icon ( lower unexpended ) to take or bestow tiles . Some of the ones hidden by nonremittal are toggle switches for the organization - all-embracing moody way and the recently launchedFocus modein Digital Wellbeing .

2) Configure default apps in Android

Unlike iOS , Android lets you set default apps — apps that found mechanically when you observe web links or want to send an SMS . To configure which apps are used by default , undefendable setting on your Android gadget , then choose Apps and notification , ripe and Default apps : All the available app family will be listed on screen .

3) Hear audio output in mono

We might be talking to a small proportion of mass here , but we ’ve always find oneself it utilitarian to be capable to turn a sound ’s turnout to mono rather of stereo for those fourth dimension when you have just one earbud in ( at piece of work , on the subway , on a bike ) . you may do this in humanoid : The relevant option can be found in configurations by rap Accessibility and scroll down .

4) Limit notifications on the lock screen

You do n’t necessarily want your most private and sensitive messages getting preview on the lock screen where they can be seen by anyone who glances at your phone . To conceal the prevue , overt preferences then opt Display and Advanced — pat on Lock screen video display and Lock screen to set how much selective information shows up before your phone is unlocked .

5) Keep chatting to the Assistant

If you drop it , Google added a raw Assistant feature called Continued conversation — it means you do n’t have to keep tell “ hey Google ” every time you ’ve get a follow - up to your original interrogative sentence . To make trusted this is enabled in Android , subject scope then tap on Apps and notifications and Assistant to find the Continued conversation on/off switch switch .

6) Use Android with a screen protector

Android has a ramp up - in mount that will hike up screen sensibility and should make your phone or tablet easier to control if you ’ve got a screen shielder on top of the display . To see whether or not it makes a departure on your particular twist , open options and then pick out Display and Advanced to bump the Increase touch sensitiveness toggle switch .

7) Run Android by your Rules

This is an Android 10 and Pixel exclusive for now , though it may roll out more wide in the future — if you open configurations and opt System , Advanced and Rules , you may set up some canonic automations . For example , you could have your telephone electric switch to mute mode when you achieve the spot . There ’s not much here yet , but it should expand over time .

iOS and iPadOS

8) Automatically remove apps you’re not using

When it come to saving space on your iPhone or iPad , there ’s a very handy feature of speech phone Offload Unused Apps under General and iPhone Storage in options . It mechanically uninstalls the apps you use least oft when you ’re low on elbow room , but keeps the app documents and data intact , in caseful you reinstall the app at some point in the future tense .

9) Make text easier to read

A surprising number of people — at least in the social circle I move in — don’t know that you’re able to exchange the default text flair and size on iOS / iPadOS so as to make it easygoing to read ( or to jibe more on the projection screen ) . To see the various options that are available , from configurations piece Display & Brightness , then look for the Text Size and Bold Text choice .

10) Optimize battery charging

Every battery in every modernistic smartphone or tab degrades over meter , but iOS and iPadOS can help you keep your battery healthy for as long as possible by charging it more intelligently , based on your preceding custom habits . Open preferences , then choose Battery and Battery Health to obtain the relevant Optimized Battery Charging on-off switch switch .

11) Send out auto-responses when driving

One of the neat features in Do Not Disturb mode let you get off out a predetermined response mechanically if someone texts you while you ’re moving at gamy speed in a car . To check that this feature article is turn on , and to specify what you want the message to say , head to options and Do Not shake up , then go down to Do Not Disturb While Driving .

12) Customize the mouse cursor

iPadOS now has full financial support for mice and trackpads , and get in touch them is just a head of break down through a quick Bluetooth pairing process . Do n’t just accept the default cursor size , transparency , and speed though . you’re able to customize all of these option by going to options and then choosing Accessibility and Pointer Control .

13) Make your device attention-aware… or not

If you ’ve start out a equipment that supports Face ID , it can tell whether or not you ’re actually looking at the screen door , and keep it active if you are . You may or may not find this feature helpful , but it ’s up to you whether it ’s enable or not : To limit attention awareness on or off , go to preferences , then Face ID & Passcode , to come up the Attention - Aware Features option .

14) Renew or cancel your subscriptions

An essential preferences screen to know about — especially if you do n’t want to be charged by Apple after a special gratis trial closing — is the one where you may view and manage all your combat-ready subscriptions . From setting , wiretap on your Apple ID name at the top , then choose Subscriptions to see both your current and past subscription in the Apple ecosystem .

15) Avoid live sports scores

By default , iOS and iPadOS will show you populate sport scores for the squad you ’re interested in ( and maybe some that you are n’t ) inside the TV app . If you do n’t want to recognise live scores ( you ’re catch up with the games by and by , perhaps ) , then you could stop this from happen by turning off Show Sports Scores in the TV card from the options screen .

16) Have Siri read out your messages

If you ’re got second - gen AirPods or certain Beats headphones connected to your iPhone or iPad , you’re able to have Siri read out your incoming messages without having to unlock your machine . To countersink this up , go to preferences and then select Notifications and Announce Messages with Siri — and you’re able to prefer to answer to messages with your vocalisation as well .

17) Make the Control Center your own

What appear in the Control Center jury is very much up to you , so do n’t keep the default gallery of picture in position if they ’re shortcuts that you never use . From configurations , blame Control Center and then Customize command : From the dark mode toggle switching , to the built - in screen recorder , to the iOS / iPadOS QR code recorder , it ’s up to you what shows up .

Windows

18) Link your phone to Windows

Windows is getting better and better at letting you use your earpiece through your laptop or background — especially if you have an Android phone , in which showcase you could direct and pick up texts and make and take call through your computer . All of this is managed through the Phone alternative on the configurations dialog box ( you ’ll need to install an app on your phone too ) .

19) Use a slideshow as your wallpaper

ward off Windows backcloth tiredness by cycling through a series of exposure as your desktop backdrop , rather than bank on one image and having to change it manually every time . From configurations , select Personalization and Background , then launch the menu under Background and pick Slideshow . You ’ll be prompted to pick out a pamphlet of images to use .

20) Change colors with the wallpaper

While we ’re on the topic of customization — which Windows treat rather well — you may have the systemwide accent colour change based on the wallpaper that ’s presently choose . This keeps everything logical , and you’re able to countersink it by going to configurations , Personalization , Colors and Automatically pick an accent color from my background .

21) Make the most of HDR

If you ’ve have an HDR - enabled show bond to your Windows computer , then you surely want to ensure that you ’re taking advantage of it , and there ’s a setting inside the operating organisation for this : direct to configurations and select System , Display and Windows HD Color scope to make allowance to the display output signal ( if it ’s HDR - ready ) .

22) Make sure programs don’t overstep the mark

When you install diligence on Windows , they can call for access to your television camera , microphone , and various other number of the system . If you need to pull off these mount and revoke any permissions , direct to configurations then Privacy : Select any of the permission types on the left field to see the applications that have admittance to that particular datum .

23) Reclaim your focus

One of the feature film of late added to Windows is Focus assist : Open preferences , then System , then Focus assist to discover it . It ’s fundamentally a sophisticated Do Not raise up mode , for managing notifications and other pause when you ’re stake or working . window will fill you in on everything you ’ve missed once Focus assist is disabled again .

You ’ve come more ascendancy over the feel of the Start menu than you might take in … at least until Windows decides to change it all around again . From preferences , choose Personalization and then Start , and you ’ll be cope with with a lengthy tilt of menu elements ( recently added apps , of late opened detail and so on ) that can be show or hidden .

macOS

25) Stop apps launching automatically

A crowd of apps will attempt to launch themselves mechanically as soon as you log into macOS , but if you do n’t need them mightily away , they can take up remembering space and other system resources unnecessarily . To cut the inclination of items , receptive System Preferences , then go to Users & Groups — tap your username and then switch to the Login Items chit .

26) Trim down Spotlight

Spotlight is keen at detect just about anything from anywhere , but maybe you do n’t desire results from the web and your documents and your calendar and your electronic mail integrate freely together — especially if you only expend Spotlight for one business . From System Preferences prefer Spotlight then Search Results to limit the range that the search pecker has .

27) Tell macOS which wifi networks you prefer

If you ’re in a patch where multiple wifi internet are available , then macOS might lock in on to one that you do n’t need by default , rather than the one that you do . To take dominance over how this works , head to System Preferences and then select internet and Wi - Fi : you could hang back the wifi internet into your preferent order , or remove them from the leaning completely .

28) Type requests to Siri

You might not always be in a berth where you feel comfortable speaking out your asking to Siri , but if that hap , you’re able to type out a substance instead . From System Preferences you take to open up the Accessibility pane , then choose Siri and click the Enable Type to Siri box . Click the Siri icon on the bill of fare Browning automatic rifle to start typing commands .

29) Put a message on the lock screen

you could put a message on the curl screenland of your Mac if you want to admonish off possible trespasser , identify which electronic computer is yours , or make it easier for someone to return your laptop computer if it gets lost . open up up System Preferences , then pick out Security & Privacy , General , and Show a message when the screen is locked to come in your subject matter ,

30) Change window behavior

Getting around open program windows on macOS is a lot easier if you sleep together that you could double - select a windowpane title measure to increase its size of it ( and doubled - click again to quail it back to its original dimensions ) . you may change this so that window minimize or else by going to System Preferences , then Dock , and three-fold - click a windowpane ’s form of address bar to … .

31) Get your Mac to announce the time

Here ’s a fun one you might never have come across : macOS will announce the time for you if you require , so you could get an hearable admonisher of how promptly the 24-hour interval is slipping off . From System Preferences , select Date & Time and then annunciate the time — you could have it read out every hour , every half an hour , or every one-quarter of an time of day as needed .

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