Android Recovery Mode

Security-minded users can reduce the risk of phishing by enabling Advanced Protection on important Google accounts, requiring a U2F security token to log in. Using these keys isn't intuitive on most popular smartphone platforms, and you can find yourself locked out if you don' ...more

Back in November, Essential opened the Android Oreo Beta Program for all users of their PH-1 flagship. We even wrote up a full guide on how to install the beta, if you're interested. They followed the Oreo beta with a Reddit AMA, where they mentioned the second beta software w ...more

After months of leaks and rumors, Google has finally unveiled the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. If there were such a thing, the Pixel would be the one "true" Android flagship — so even if you don't plan on buying a Pixel 2, you'll want you learn more about this milestone device. La ...more

Legacy Games, developer of mobile games for children, has just updated Crayola Color Blaster, an augmented reality Android adventure for Google Tango devices, with new content. "Paint My Dragon," a new storyline available as an in-app purchase ($2.99), brings dragons, ogres, ...more

Whether you're riding the subway on your way home from work, or stuck in the backseat of the car on a long road trip, there are times when you need to entertain yourself without a mobile data connection. A good mobile game would pass the time perfectly, but not every game work ...more

Mobile gaming still isn't on par with video game consoles or PCs, but we've come a long way from Snake. Modern games running on the latest smartphones boast downright impressive graphics—even more so when you consider how compact the system has to be in order to fit in people' ...more

For some strange reason, Google left several of the Pixel's best software features disabled by default. One of the more interesting tweaks that fall into this category is a gesture that puts your fingerprint scanner to use after you've unlocked your phone. This gesture is cal ...more

Now that Google has announced its new Pixel smartphones, folks who rushed to buy an iPhone 7 might be experiencing a bit of buyer's remorse. The new Pixel and Pixel XL are packed to the brim with cutting-edge features and top-notch hardware, and Google seems to be taking direc ...more

Most smartphone games are clichéd and mundane, but every now and then a mobile game will appear with a new concept or idea that sets it apart from all the rest. While other developers continue to regurgitate the same old "winning" formulas, developer Sebastian Goszyla is chang ...more

Before you head to class, work, or sleep, you're probably doing the same thing over and over again—toggling off system settings like Wi-Fi, sound, data, or brightness, depending on the circumstances. Schedules and routines can help increase efficiency, so while you abide to a ...more

I'm sure you've been here before: sitting on an airplane, bored out of your mind, and you forgot to install a few games or download a movie before your flight departed. No worries, though. If you have the latest Chrome Beta installed on your Android, there's a fun little mini- ...more

There are those who hold their phone or set it down when they're not using it, and others, like myself, who pocket it. If you're like me and are rocking the pants pocket fade, then you'll love the new Android app I found. It's called Pocket Lock, by developer PaeP3nguin, and ...more

Pie controls are navigation soft keys that can be displayed by swiping up or from the side of your screen, allowing you to navigate, search, call up the power menu, take screenshots, and a lot more. Not only are pie controls functional, they make using Immersive Mode a breeze ...more

The Android 4.4.2 KitKat update is available via firmware upgrade for the international GT-N7100 variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, about a month after we saw its first leak. The update is available via Kies in France, with and OTA update soon to follow. Details courtesy of ...more

Today, a server-side update to Google Search added the ability to take pictures and videos directly from voice commands in Google Search. Simply say "take a photo/picture" or "record/take a video" from Google Search, and your camera app will automatically open up, either in ca ...more

There's a lot of cool features rumored to be included in next year's HTC One 2 (M8), the follow up to the flagship HTC One smartphone, including a fingerprint scanner, Android 4.4 KitKat, and Sense 6.0, but it's just too far away to get really excited about yet. Besides, that ...more

There are hundreds of sites that host high-res wallpapers for your Android's home screen, but most of us stick with the same old drab stock wallpaper because we're too lazy to go hunt for new ones. If you like the backgrounds that Google Now boasts in the Google Search app, t ...more

There's something missing on your brand new Samsung Galaxy S4, and if you're a softModder like me, you know exactly what it is already. If you don't know, keep reading, because you should—anyone who wants a better Android experience should. The Developer Options The hidden " ...more

If you have the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (I9100) and are sick and tired of waiting for the Jelly Bean update to hit your device, you're in luck—XDA-Developers member izap has leaked what appears to be the final version of Android 4.1.2 for the S2. The up ...more

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite has gained quite the fan base since its launch, but not without a few bumps along the way. Niantic, the game's developer, has a long-running history with trying to block all root users on Android. The methods will vary for each game, but this time a ...more

Multiple methods can be used to update OnePlus phones, but if you're rooted with TWRP installed, you might want to try this one out for yourself. The update method outlined in this guide works like a charm while maintaining your root status after an OTA update. One of the best ...more

Absentmindedly or accidentally deleting your favorite Spotify playlist — which you spent hours or even days meticulously crafting — may seem devastating because there's no obvious way to bring it back. However, there is a hidden setting in the popular streaming service that ca ...more

ViPER4Android is a revolutionary audio equalizer for Android, something that I personally can't live without. That's the reason why porting V4A to the LG V20 was the first thing I did when I got the phone. There are two variants of ViPER4Android: FX and XHiFi. XHiFi is an olde ...more

Google's own devices have always been the first to get new Android features — but unlike the Nexus series, last year's Pixel phones have a handful of exclusive tweaks that were never intended to trickle down to other devices once the newer Android version rolled out to them. T ...more

There's one thing that I've always liked about iPhones, and that's their centered digital clock in the status bar at the top of the screen. On Android, it's always on the right side by default, and there's no easy setting that lets you just change it to the center position. Bu ...more

While its hardware may already be a little outdated compared to newer flagship phones, the OnePlus One is still a great value thanks to the dedicated community that continues to develop ROMs for it. Cyanogen 12 and Oxygen OS are the two most popular ones, but neither offers th ...more

Despite CyanogenMod actively working on their CM 12S Lollipop-based ROM, OnePlus has opted to develop their own ROM, and after a few setbacks, OxygenOS is finally out. The OS is the result of OnePlus wanting to ship their devices without needing an outside company to create a ...more

When installing flashable ZIPs and custom ROMs, we always hear the same old adage: "Make a full NANDroid backup first." Trouble with this is that you don't always need an entire system backup, since many mods only apply to specific folders on your device. And while custom reco ...more

Amazon released the Kindle Fire HDX back in late-2013, and if you picked one up or received one as a gift, you've probably had a good amount of time to get to know your tablet. What you may not know is that, lying underneath Amazon's OS, is the AOSP code-base, i.e., Android O ...more

If you've ever used a computer, you're surely familiar with the concept of a Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash Can (Mac). To sum it up, files that you've deleted are not actually gone from your storage, they've just been moved to a different location. You can then restore the fil ...more

The international hit Xperia Z2 may be headed to Verizon if a posted, and quickly erased, image is any indication. Take this information with a grain of salt—I certainly am—but this could be Sony's entrance into the non-GSM realm. The image above was posted to Sony's Xperia Go ...more

Many of you are ready to capture the litany of 4th of July fireworks that will litter the night sky, but if you're using a phone to capture the burst of fire in midair, it can get a little tricky. Don't worry, though — you'll be fine if you use these tips. While pro and semi- ...more

Nearly two years ago, Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, confirmed that the company would no longer be locking bootloaders. Whether or not they've actually lived up to this claim is debatable. Any phone bought from a wireless carrier comes locked. Only the new HTC One Developer Edition s ...more

One aspect of Android's interface that remains clunky is its gesture- or button-based navigation bar, mainly because app developers aren't fully utilizing the tools available to them. But a new feature Google is working on may finally make your nav bar more uniform across your ...more

You've probably connected your Android device to dozens of Wi-Fi networks since you've had it, and your phone or tablet remembers each of them. Whether it's a hotspot at home, school, work, the gym, a coffee shop, a relative's apartment — or even from a friend's phone — each t ...more

Since the Razer Phone's announcement in 2017, we've seen a new subgroup of phones emerge. Gaming phones are now a thing, leading to companies like ASUS creating phones that are thoroughly optimized for the mobile gaming experience. And with their second iteration, they perfect ...more

When your iPhone goes missing, it's serious business. Depending on your usage, your whole life might be connected to your iPhone, not the least of which includes debit cards, credit cards, and Apple Pay Cash stored in Apple Pay. While it's nearly impossible for someone to use ...more

Smartphones and other Wi-Fi enabled devices send radio signals called probe frames to locate nearby wireless networks, which makes them easy to track by listening for their unique MAC address. To show how this kind of tracking works, we can program a NodeMCU in Arduino to snif ...more

Perhaps you've thought about rooting your OnePlus 5, but thought again when you heard SafetyNet would prevent you from using apps like Google Pay, Pokémon GO, or Netflix. Those are valid struggles when you root using traditional methods. There are no such worries when using Ma ...more

Besides the Apple vs. Samsung competition, few battles are as vocal as the battle between the best Pixel and best iPhone. This year, it's the Pixel 3 XL and iPhone XS Max, two phones that are equipped with minor hardware updates from their predecessors, though both showcase si ...more

Apple's iOS 11 is finally here, and while they showed off several of the new features it brings to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch back at WWDC 2017, they've only just touched the surface of what iOS 11 has to offer. There are a lot of cool new (and sometimes secret) feature ...more

It's truly amazing how far smartphone camera hardware has come in such a short period of time. It took roughly 5 years to advance the image processing capabilities from a pixelated mess to the crisp and clear photos we can take today. This reaches well beyond the megapixel spe ...more

You probably know Lenovo from their low-cost Windows PCs here in the states, but something you may not be aware of is that they also make smartphones. Right now, their biggest market is in China, but a rumored merger with BlackBerry could make Lenovo a contender in North Ameri ...more

Generative AI, or GenAI, is the hottest thing in tech at the moment, particularly for its ability to create content,p including essays, images, and videos. After Microsoft added its own GenAI tool to its Bing web search engine, Google is eager to follow suit, and you can be on ...more

When it comes to finding the exact moment you want to see in a video, the seeking function can be hit or miss depending on the streaming service you're using. On YouTube, though, it just got much better. Released as part of YouTube's 17th birthday makeover in October, along w ...more

For the most part, Google Wifi and Nest Wifi systems take care of themselves. But there are still a few manual features that might come in handy, like being able to check on network activity to see which devices are using the most bandwidth when your connection gets bogged dow ...more

If you're a root user who has played Pokémon GO over the years, then you're probably familiar with the detection methods used to spoil your fun. The game's developer, Niantic, has publicly mentioned their ongoing battle with rooted Android phones and are unwilling to let up. T ...more

Congratulations, you've made it deep into the middle of flu season! If you're reading this, you're either a very smart preemptive sick day prepper, or already in the throes of fighting off a cold or flu situation. Either way, welcome, keep sipping on that hot toddy, we've got ...more

If there's an influential tweet, you can see what people are saying about it by reading its comment thread. But what about quote tweets, aka tweets someone posted on their own timeline that quote the initial tweet? These don't show up in comment threads, but there is a way to ...more

Twitter replies have traditionally acted like public spaces. Once a tweet is out there, pretty much anyone can reply to it. In some cases, that makes for good discussion. In others, it can lead to disaster, abuse, and harassment. Twitter's looking to change that by giving you ...more

While Apple and Google have paved the way for developers to create web-based AR experiences through their respective mobile toolkits, an open source option has entered the space. On Wednesday, A-Frame gained support for the WebXR standard on version 79 of Chrome browsers for ...more

When an app like Instagram won't let you save an image, your best bet is to take a screenshot. But then you're stuck with the rest of whatever was on your screen, so you have to go in and crop it down to just the image. Starting now, your Samsung device can do this for you aut ...more

Fullscreen isn't always fullscreen, especially on your smartphone. As screens get taller and bezels get slimmer, more phones end up with an aspect ratio that doesn't match most YouTube videos. Luckily the video-sharing app has a nifty workaround to fill your screen. First, op ...more

It's always a big deal when the company that makes Android releases a new phone. Google's Pixel series has made a name for itself in three short years behind its camera prowess, but now it's time to start competing with the major players. That said, Google should like how thei ...more

If you're like me, you habitually check the Play Store for app updates a few times a day. Whether it's because I'm hoping a buggy app gets fixed or a new feature gets added (such as dark mode), instead of waiting for that "Updates Available" notification, I want it now. Well, ...more

Chrome has just introduced some new UI elements for web exploration. The new URL bar is not intuitive. But once you get to grips with it, you will be so much more efficient in your address bar editing, pasting, and navigation. I troubleshoot phone software for a living, but I ...more

The Pixel's "Flip to Shhh" feature may not be groundbreaking, but it is useful. Third-party apps are copying it for other phones because it's so convenient. But it's not enabled by default and it's fairly hidden in the settings. So to take full advantage of your Pixel's featur ...more

Your goal in Mario Kart Tour is to beat your rivals and come in first place, but that's never easy when you're also trying to avoid banana peels, red shells, flying bombs, and other items. One item you may be familiar with is Blooper, a squid-like creature found in most water ...more

When you're going somewhere for the first time, it's nice to know what the destination will look like. Street View in Google Maps is the perfect tool for that, though it's always been a little awkward to access. But now, Google added a new overlay that will put Street View con ...more

Editing photos on a phone, while not as good as editing on a desktop, is getting better and better with powerful tools to whip photos into shape. But sometimes you just want a simple edit, like making a color photo black and white. Instead of downloading a separate app to fine ...more