13 hidden life hacks for phones you might not know about

Smartphones have long been our closest companions, yet most users only utilize a fraction of their capabilities. Some hidden features can save time and energy, and even protect personal data, but they often go unnoticed, according to OBOZ.ua.

 Airplane Mode can speed up charging

Setting the phone to Airplane Mode while charging turns off the radio modules and stops the phone from searching for the network. This prevents the phone from wasting energy on data transmission, so the battery fills up much faster.

Temporary memory boost

Clear the app cache in the storage settings to free up hundreds of megabytes. Alternatively, switch to lite versions of services, such as Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, and YouTube Go, which take up significantly less space.

A more comfortable keyboard

Gboard and SwiftKey support swipe typing, built-in translation, and instant search, transforming standard text input into a fast, multifunctional tool

'Find My Device' on Google

Just log in to your Google account and enter the "Find My Device" command in the search box. The service will display your phone's location on a map and allow you to block it or call it.

Better camera focus

When shooting video, cover the microphone with your palm to help the sensors focus on the subject faster. Enabling the grid in the settings will help you properly compose your shot.

Additional data protection

System tools or third-party app locks allow you to password-protect messengers or the gallery. This way, your private conversations and photos are protected even if you lose your smartphone.

Fake geolocation

GPS spoofing allows you to change your apparent location in apps like dating services. Use this feature carefully to avoid violating the platform's rules.

You can copy text from photos

Google Lens and Gboard's text scanning mode allow you to select and copy text directly from photos. This is great for quickly saving notes or quotes.

OTG supports external devices

USB On-The-Go (OTG) support turns your smartphone into a mini hub. Plug in a flash drive, mouse, or keyboard, and work with files without a computer.

Automate tasks with MacroDroid and Tasker

These applications can automate routines such as muting the sound at work, turning on Wi-Fi at home, sending SMS reminders, and playing music on schedule.

eSIM and virtual numbers

A digital SIM card makes switching carriers easy. TextNow and Numero offer eSIM services that add a second number for travel or separating personal and business calls.

Screen Magnifier

The Magnifier feature in the Accessibility settings enlarges a selected area of the screen, which is useful for reading small text or viewing details in a photo.

Offline maps

Download the areas you want to navigate to in advance on Google Maps, so you can navigate even when you're not connected to the internet. This is especially useful when traveling and in areas with poor coverage.

Earlier, we wrote about 5 ways to reduce mobile data usage on Android, and a list of apps that kill Android and iOS battery.