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Android shortcuts are direct connections or quick actions that can be used to navigate to particular features or content within an app. They save you time by allowing you to conduct actions or gain access to information without requiring you to explore the app’s user interface. Long-pressing an app icon on your home screen or in your app drawer, then dragging that icon to the position of your choice, will allow you to create a shortcut on your Android device. You may edit Android shortcuts to some level; some apps may additionally have specific shortcuts available in their settings or widget menus.
In general, you can customize Android shortcuts. Certain applications will let you select certain actions or pieces of content to include in their shortcuts. In addition, you can organize and arrange shortcuts on your home screen or in folders according to your preferences by using the organizational tools available to you. Shortcuts are available for many apps on Android; however, this functionality is not supported by all apps. In order for shortcuts to be accessible, it is necessary for developers to include support for them within their apps.
Shortcut Maker
With Shortcut Maker, you can quickly create shortcuts to your most used Android apps, website links, files, and other phone settings, as well as a variety of other places. It’s good to be able to make a shortcut for pretty much everything you use frequently on your phone, even though you can’t access these shortcuts from anywhere on your device. However, you can’t use these shortcuts. In addition to that, you may personalize the shortcut icon.
You have the option to personalize the text that appears under the shortcut, select a picture from your own gallery to use as the icon for the shortcut, or alter the size and form of the icon. The only in-app purchases that can be made through this app are voluntary contributions to the makers of the app. It is not necessary to make any kind of purchase in order to access any of the app’s functions; nevertheless, donations are always welcome and greatly appreciated by the developers.
Launch Your Camera
When you only have a second to open the camera on your phone and take a picture, there is a method that will open the camera quickly. Double-tap the Power or Home button on many Android phones. Most newer Android smartphones should be able to use this short cut. On many Motorola phones, you have to turn on movements and then twist your wrist to start the camera.
If your phone has Android Marshmallow or a newer version, you can open the camera from the lock screen. You can take a picture without unlocking the phone if you tap, hold, and swipe the camera button. When the camera app is closed, the lock screen comes up on the phone. No one can see your private data or mess with your gadget.
Notification Taskbar
Another helpful technique to keep your most often used apps close at hand is to make use of the Notification Taskbar app. This Android software will only permit you to add shortcuts to other apps that you use frequently. You will not be able to add any custom website links or any other content than apps to your home screen. You can have one row of anywhere from four to six apps tied to your swipe-down notification taskbar, depending on your personal style.
Although this may not provide you with a lot of room to work with, the most of us just utilize a few applications on a regular basis. And because it is such a basic software, even with it running in the background it won’t put too much strain on your battery life. Because of the app’s user-friendliness, even those who are uncomfortable with technology should not be concerned about using the Notification Taskbar software; it is quite simple to operate.
Time Savers and Gestures
There are different ways to use gestures to handle Android depending on the device and operating system. Swipe down once with one finger to see notifications, and swipe down again to see quick settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Airplane Mode. This works on all Pixel and Nexus devices as well as many third-party premium phones.
If your phone has Android Nougat (7.0) or later, the Overview button between the Home and Back buttons lets you switch between two apps quickly. If you press the Overview button once, the apps you have open will be shown. If you double-tap the Overview button, the last app you used will show up. This makes it easy to switch between apps. To use split-screen mode, press and hold the Overview button for a few seconds.
Assistive Touch
If you want to constantly be able to see your shortcut hub on top of all of your apps while using Android, one of the best options you have is to make use of the Assistive Touch floating shortcut. You should see an icon that is square and light gray overall, with a white circle in the middle, just like the icon for the Assistive Touch app. If you click on this, it will bring up the menu of shortcuts on your computer.
When you initially tap the gray square icon, you have the option to modify the appearance of your initial menu that appears. After that, you’ll be able to modify it even further from there. Within the Assistive Touch settings, I modified the Favorites menu by adding nine applications. When I open my menu and select the Favorites button, it will now bring up the menu with the nine individualized apps that I have created so that I can reach them quickly.
Google Assistant Voice Commands
Most new Android phones feature Google Assistant. Open the Google search app, click Settings, then Voice to activate Google Assistant OK Google or Hey Google on any screen. OK Google and activate Google Assistant in the Voice screen. Google Assistant is available when the phone is locked or on. Google Assistant can help you find answers online.
Send an SMS, call a friend, set a reminder, or get directions on Google Maps using voice commands. Entertainment fan? Ask Google Assistant about Oscars past and present, including predictions and best dressed. Google Assistant, powered by Duplex on the web, can securely add your contact and payment information when you check out, making online food ordering even easier.
Advanced Reboot Menu
If you enjoy customizing Android devices by using Fastboot, Bootloader, and Recovery, then you absolutely need to be familiar with this shortcut. It will make a significant impact on how you interact with and operate your device. To boot into advanced reboot mode, you will not need to push any commands through ADB or touch any complicated combinations of hardware buttons if you use this shortcut.
Navigate to the Settings menu and select “About Phone” to turn it on. After that, activate the Developer Options by repeatedly tapping the “Build Number” button seven times. After that, navigate to the “System” or “About Phone” page and select the “Developer Options” option. To begin, turn on “Advanced Reboot” by toggling its switch. Now, anytime you press and hold the power button, you will be presented with options to directly boot into Bootloader, Recovery, or Fastboot. These options will appear whenever you press and hold the power button.
Mi Control Center
Try out the Mi Control Center app if you’re not happy with the control center that comes pre-installed on your phone. It is a very contemporary control center that is also very tidy and can be readily personalized. The fact that it does not entirely take the place of your notification bar is another great feature of this app. Instead, you can access your notification bar by swiping down from the top of the screen on the left side of the screen, and you can access your control center by swiping down from the top of the screen on the right side of the screen.
In addition to that, if you wanted to use both of these apps, it would interact quite smoothly with the Notification Taskbar app. You have the ability to modify the appearance of your control center and switch which primary settings apps are displayed there. Therefore, if you know that you never really use the airplane mode on your phone, you may switch it out for something that is more useful, such as a button that takes screenshots or your clock.
Google Assistant Guest Mode
If someone else is using your Android device or you want extra privacy, use Google Assistant’s Guest Mode option. When this setting is enabled, Google will not save any communications between you and Google Assistant in your account and will not include any of your personal information, including contacts or calendar items, in search results.
Simply uttering the phrase “Hey Google, turn on Guest Mode” will activate the feature. Saying “Hey Google, turn off Guest Mode” will cause it to be disabled. You can check your status by inquiring, “Is Guest Mode on?” if you are unsure.
Create a PWA Shortcut
Spotify, Twitter, and Netflix are three of the most notable websites that have recently begun transitioning to the PWA (Progressive Web App) standard. This transition has been going on for some time. Websites that adhere to the new standard will operate more similarly to mobile applications than they will to traditional websites.
Additionally, it provides a multitude of capabilities, such as notifications, improved performance, offline access, and, perhaps most importantly, a speedy shortcut to visit the website as a standalone application. If you want to create a shortcut for a web app, open the website in Chrome and then press on the menu button that looks like three dots. Simply create a shortcut on your home screen by tapping the “Add to Home Screen” button, which is located in this area. You may now bypass the website and use the web app instead, and it comes equipped with all of the same features.
Quickly Find Your Phone
Does it happen that you forget where you put your Android smartphone? If so, this is a common problem. And to add insult to injury, your phone is set on silent mode? A fast search on Google should be able to help you locate your phone in no time. If you have a laptop or desktop computer nearby, you can just search for “find my phone” and Google will immediately pinpoint the location of the device.
You will also be given the option to make the gadget make a sound, which will take precedence over the vibrate or quiet mode. On the additional device, you will, of course, need to be logged in with the Google account you normally use. You can also search for “find my phone” on a different smartphone; however, in order to do so, you will need to be logged in with the Google account associated with your lost phone.
FAQs
A: Android shortcuts are available on devices running Android 7.1 Nougat and above. However, the availability and functionality of shortcuts may vary slightly depending on the device manufacturer and the version of Android.
A: Yes, you can remove or delete Android shortcuts by long-pressing the shortcut on your home screen and dragging it to the “Remove” or “Delete” choice at the top or bottom of the screen.
A: Android shortcuts can make you more productive by making it easy to get to features, tasks, or content in apps that you use often. They save you time and let you do things in less steps.