Foldable phones are expensive, so I get why you would be nervous about breaking their flexible internal screen — especially after the horror stories that plagued the first-generation models. But as someone who has used folding phones for the past couple of years, I can tell you firsthand that those screens are more durable than you think.

Giving your old phone to a friend or family member is a great way to get some extra life out of a device you no longer need. But before you hand it over, consider more than deleting your photos and removing a few apps. Your phone may still contain personal information, remain connected to your accounts, or have hardware inside it that you don't want to accidentally give away.

Google is releasing its second Pixel Drop for September, and it's big news if you need to get in touch with loved ones — or just can't get enough of Hogwarts. The new update for Pixel phones delivers VIP contact updates and a set of Harry Potter themes, among other perks.

Android's default keyboard, Gboard, ships with clever predictions and slick design, but it also ships with a permanent connection to Google's servers. HeliBoard, a free and open-source alternative, actually makes a pretty good case for a replacement.

Knowing where you actually are can sometimes be a problem when you're traveling. But that drawer phone gathering dust can outperform a purpose-built GPS unit, for the price of an app and a little setup time.

The unstoppable rise of foldables has slowed the homogenization of smartphones with new form factors and designs, but early in the foldable era, dual-screen smartphones (two separate displays connected by a hinge) seemed like an alternative to traditional slabs.

No matter where you park or how many precautions you take, cars get incredibly hot, especially when left in direct sunlight. Sometimes, you have no choice but to leave your phone baking in the car, but what happens to its battery while you're gone might make you think twice.

My current phone is the most expensive one Motorola sells — the Razr Fold. But I've fallen in love with many more adorable Moto phones over the years: a Moto E, a Moto G, a Moto G Stylus, and a Moto Edge. Some of these were very cheap, but they punched above their weight, and it's possible to jazz them up even further still.

Google Lens tends to get catalogued as a way to figure out how to identify plants or translate a menu while traveling. That's true, but it can do a lot more than that. You don't need to wonder about stuff or run vague Google searches to figure it out; Google Lens is basically Google search on your phone.

You want your phone to last as long as it can on a charge, but you should pause before you swipe away those background apps — closing them might cause your phone to use more power, not less. It's counter-intuitive, I know, but here's why.

Wired Android Auto is about as plug-and-play as it gets. The moment you plug the USB cable into your phone, everything connects in less time than it takes your engine to warm up a little before you roll off. However, annoyingly, it always seems to turn on Bluetooth too, but why does that keep happening when you’re using wired Android Auto?

I used to think Android Auto had only one job: help me get where I’m going. Once I parked, I’d usually forget about it. I’d rather call my friend and start gossiping, recheck my article, or just stare out the window. But lately, I’ve realized I was wasting those little pockets of free time.

Android Auto is great and easy to use, especially in wireless mode. You hop in the car, the phone connects, and you're good to go. However, that doesn't help with all the settings, controls, playlist selection, and other things that distract you on the road or make you sit in the driveway for a few minutes before leaving. That's why I built a one-tap shortcut that changes everything at once.

For the most part, Android phones aren’t made with microSD card slots anymore. That doesn’t mean you can’t still use one with your phone. There are a handful of ways to do this — some good, some extremely awkward. Let’s go over them.

Android's NFC reader does more than tap to pay. Held against the right tag or accessory, it can do a ton of stuff. Here are just some things you can do that will immediately improve your experience.

Got an old Android phone sitting unused in a drawer? By installing an open-source ROM, you can bring it bang up to date and give it a whole new lease of life. That's what I did with my old Motorola phone. Here's how it went.

The notification pull-down bar on Samsung Galaxy phones has changed quite a bit over the last few years, and not for the better. If you feel like your notifications aren't the same, out of order, and just seem a bit weird lately, you're not alone. The last two One UI updates changed the look and order of alerts, but one quick change in settings can fix it.

I've had problems with Android notifications arriving late for years. Usually, it's not a huge deal—if someone needs me urgently, they'll just call instead of texting me.

If you care about protecting your privacy online, you've probably seen an ad for VPNs. You likely also know to seek out private messaging apps like Signal and Proton Mail. But there's another change you need to make in order to protect your phone's web traffic from prying eyes, and it's a relatively simple fix.

It can be painful to change password managers on your phone, not to mention insecure — you might have to download files that expose your passwords in plain text, and recreate all your passkeys. Google now claims to have fixed this with a new "transfer experience" that helps you switch password managers on Android, including passkeys.