Android Police

Leo Thom-How-To Writer

Leo Thom

How-To Writer

About Leo Thom

Leo is a How-To Writer with Android Police. He is a lifelong Android user and tech hobbyist with an educational background rooted in Public Health. His writing experience ranges from app guides to essays on health and well-being. In his spare time he enjoys immersing himself in natural spaces, making music, and playing games with his friends.

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How to quickly set an alarm on your Android phone

Set and customize your alarms with ease and maybe wake up on time

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Alarms are important for staying on top of things, whether jumpstarting your morning routine or monitoring your latest culinary creation. Setting up an alarm is a breeze, and several apps can help you with this task. Android's default app, Clock, is an excellent place to start.

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What is Google Stack?

Your friendly neighborhood document organizer

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Creating and sharing documents has changed a lot in the last few decades. File cabinets are becoming a thing of the past, but document management is more important than ever. It's helpful to use the tools that let you access your records on your phone and computer, especially if you store documents in the cloud.

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How to make your favorite song your ringtone on Android

Might as well make answering your phone a little more fun

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Every device nowadays comes with incredible customization options. This includes aesthetic customization with cases and straps and internal personalization with custom wallpapers and ringtones. Stock ringtones pre-installed on your new Android smartphone sound good enough. That said, they cannot make the phone sound unique to you.

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How to back up your old Android text messages

Free yourself from old texts

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It's important to back up your data if you're planning to reset your phone or move on to a new device. You'll also want to back up your SMS to make sure you retain important texts for later reference. It's easy to back up text messages on the Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and other Android phones. Once that's done, you can restore your old texts on your new phone.

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How to make Google Chrome the default browser on your phone or PC

Tired of trying to remember your bookmarks? Make Google Chrome your default browser on every device

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Surfing the web is one of life's pleasures, but not all browsers deliver the ideal experience. While Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge have their benefits, Google Chrome rises above the rest with unparalleled speed, simplicity, and security. With features like tab sharing across devices and support for a range of languages, Google Chrome makes browsing personalized and seamless.

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How to reset a Philips Hue smart bulb

Sometimes you just need to see the light and start over

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Philips Hue products are among the best smart bulbs on the market, thanks to their reliability and ease of use. However, like any smart home product, they can run into issues, and resetting them might do the trick. In addition, you might want to reset them to pair them with another hub, as this is the process you'll follow to reconnect them. There isn't a real pairing mode with Hue lights, and your best bet is to remove them from the hub they're connected to.

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How to clear app cache on Android & why you should

It's not placebo, and it does have its uses

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Over time, you might notice that your phone feels sluggish and apps take longer to load. Many users try to free up storage on their phones by clearing their app cache. Meanwhile, others believe that you should let the Android operating system deal with it. So, what should you do? Does clearing your cache even do anything?

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How to set up Digital Wellbeing on your Android phone

Sometimes too much of a good thing can cause distractions

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Androids and iPhones are great for keeping in contact with loved ones, watching videos on YouTube, and scrolling through social media feeds. There's a good chance the average person has a smartphone glued to their hand at any given time. Some may call it an addiction, while others mention the fear of missing important notifications. If this is something you're worried about, Android has a tool called Digital Wellbeing, which is meant to help you set limits for your device usage.

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How to create an iCloud account

Don't miss out on Apple's most useful service

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In today's interconnected world, having a cloud storage setup is essential for storing and synchronizing your data. Apple's iCloud service is one of the most popular cloud storage services. Setting up a new iCloud account is simple whether you use an iPhone or one of the newest Chromebooks. Use the following steps to set up a new iCloud account, depending on the device you use. Don't hesitate to get started with one of the most useful Apple services available.

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Google Collections: How to share places, photos, links and more

Google is serving bookmarks and blogs in a single feature

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Google Collections is a nifty web browsing tool that can save you the headache of combing through your Google search history. It allows you to save links, images, and more in conveniently organized virtual folders. Think of it like a powerful bookmarking tool that's hooked to your Google Account.

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How to encrypt your WhatsApp backups on Google Drive

Add an extra layer of protection to your back ups

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WhatsApp is renowned for its end-to-end encryption functionality, which ensures a secure chatting experience between the sender and recipient. This encryption method safeguards conversations on the Meta-owned platform, making it nearly impossible for a third party to access them.

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10 best BeReal tips and tricks

Get comfortable with the most authentic social media platform on the market

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If you're not a fan of dishonesty in social media, you may have heard of BeReal. The BeReal app grants access to a unique social media platform where the focus is sharing authentic moments. BeReal offers a refreshing alternative to the carefully curated world of social media. The app helps you connect with friends whether you use the newest Google Pixel or take pics with a potato.

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How to block a phone number

An important tool for setting digital boundaries

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Knowing how to block a number on your smart device is important when you receive too many unwanted and unsolicited calls and messages. Whether it's corporate spam or someone you don't want to hear from, blocking that number can bring much-needed peace of mind. Knowing how to block a number is handy whether you use an Android or Apple device.

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How to use Synology Drive as a Google Drive alternative

Synology Drive has got what it takes to replace Google Drive, given you’re okay with the upfront cost

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If you have a large team working in your office, Google Drive may not always be the right collaboration tool. To make sure your important work files are stored on a server you control and are readily accessible without needing to rely on an erratic internet connection, look at an offline solution. And it looks like Synology may have the perfect replacement for you.

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How to flip or rotate an image in Google Docs

An important tip for those with image-heavy documents

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Google Docs has earned its place in the top tier of cloud-based document editors. It's true that Docs is mainly known for its text editing. But this word processor can also be a handy tool for working with images. Google Docs isn't quite on par with programs like Photoshop, but it's more than sufficient for simpler tasks like flipping and rotating images.

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How to drop a pin in Google Maps

Unlock an even handier world of wayfinding with these top tips

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Google Maps is one of Google's greatest tools. The app is primarily used for navigation, exploration, and discovery. Google Maps is often named among the best apps available on Android because of its simple interface and diverse features. It's even a highly rated app in Apple's iOS App Store, where many iPhone users pick it over Apple's Apple Maps app.

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How to listen to Amazon Prime Music on your mobile device

Start your music streaming journey with Amazon Prime Music

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Amazon Prime subscribers have access to several useful Amazon services. This includes Prime Video, free same-day delivery (in eligible zip codes), and shipping benefits. Amazon Prime members can also stream over two million ad-free songs and hundreds of playlists via Prime Music. Amazon's music streaming service is available on all major platforms and integrates neatly with Amazon Echo devices. Setting up and listening to Amazon Prime Music on your mobile device is a simple process.

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11 simple tips and tricks for your Google Nest Hub

Get more out of your Google smart display

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Google's Nest Hub smart displays can be easier to use than your smartphone or PC. The integrated voice commands make using the Nest Hub an intuitive experience. Still, learning about less obvious features is difficult when there's no graphical user interface. Google shows tips and tricks on the Hub's homescreen, but they don't go into much detail.

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How to verify your YouTube account

Gain access to key features on YouTube through verification

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There are plenty of ways to improve and legitimize your online presence. Verifying your YouTube account is an essential step in that process. Verification gives your channel credibility and unlocks various features that can help you on your YouTube journey.

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Google One: The AP guide to Google's premium cloud storage service

Running out of Google Drive storage. Google One offers a lot of storage and some other awesome perks

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Not too long ago, 64GB seemed like plenty of smartphone storage, but years of photos and other digital content has put a major squeeze on on-device storage. Cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsofft OneDrive have become increasingly popular as they let you quickly store and all of your files while using very little smartphone storgage.. There's a broad spectrum of these storage services, each offering a unique set of features. Some give you a clean place to store files, while others package many features together.

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