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.

The first 24 hours with a new device are always exciting as you set things up and check out new features. But it's after using it for several weeks that you start to find the hidden gems. And while the Pixel 11 series is getting a lot of negative attention for being so similar to the outgoing model, there's a lot that's new. Here are four features I haven't seen mentioned enough.

More than ever, people are trying to get the most out of their phone’s storage. If you want more storage, it will cost you — literally. But what actually happens on your Android phone if you hit the storage limit, or even just get close? I ventured to find out.

I am happy to pay for Android apps, but everyone should be able to do certain tasks regardless of budget. These features once required paid apps, but now you can enjoy them for free — often with a better experience than money can buy. Once you know which apps to download, you too can stop paying for these types of apps.

Android keeps a running list of every Wi-Fi network you've ever joined, and it never expires on its own. Most people are carrying dozens of entries they've long forgotten. That list is more revealing — and more useful to strangers — than it first appears.

Apple just unveiled one of its most important devices of the year, and it's something you can use even if you'd never touch an iPhone. The new AirPods 5 promise significant upgrades to Apple's "default" wireless earbuds, including for Android users — although there are still limitations worth considering on Google-powered handsets.

Android Auto's launcher can get crowded fast, and a cluttered screen is the last thing you want staring back at you while driving. Trimming it down to the essentials makes the whole experience faster, safer, and far less distracting.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve opened Google Maps, typed in my destination, and blindly followed the blue arrow as if it knows my life inside out. Whether I’m rushing to pick my daughter up from her drawing class or trying to find a new restaurant, I usually let Maps take over. But recently, I realized I’ve been using Google Maps the same way I did when I first installed it. It turns out I was leaving several underused features untouched. If you want more from Google Maps, go through the settings below. They might make you realize how much more Maps can do beyond basic navigation.

Android phones are packed with features, but not every one of them is worth keeping enabled. In fact, some can be downright annoying. Here’s a list of settings I always turn off to make my phone work better for me.

Have you ever noticed that the factory reset on any phone does only half the job? Yes, it’s true. So, I never immediately start downloading my apps or restoring everything from my backup once it boots up. Instead, I take a few minutes to go through the settings and make my phone feel like mine again. After all, a factory reset is supposed to give you a fresh phone; why bring back all the clutter and defaults you were trying to get rid of in the first place?