Using a mobile device for our daily tasks today is a necessity associated with the challenges of modern society. Smartphone manufacturers have evolved a lot and have taken on the task of delivering us a mobile that is not only aesthetically beautiful, but well used, it allows us to increase our productivity several times, making it easier for us to perform daily tasks very quickly. For this, they have implemented functionalities that enhance precisely that Productivity . We are talking about the Shortcuts. At present we can find the Android mobile operating system in almost 90% of the devices in the world. This makes phones with this type of operating system themain target devices of our article. In it we will teach you the best Android shortcuts to use in your daily life.
In our article today we will suggest several of the shortcuts that in our opinion can decisively contribute to the improvement of your quality of life as a user of a modern Android device. We will address how to apply the use of shortcuts to capture photos quickly. We will explain its usefulness in sending messages or making phone calls immediately without going to the application or shortcut search engine. Tips on how to enable and configure the Google Assistant and their respective voice commands for a hands-free experience will also be very helpful.
It is important to note that all of our suggestions about the best Android shortcuts to use are applicable to modern smartphones, although we recommend those with Android version 6 or higher, in this case regardless of the manufacturer.
Camera launch shortcuts
Capturing a moment for posterity with your mobile device’s camera will often depend on how quickly you are able to get it up and running. Thanks to the first shortcut that we will mention, it has been possible to capture moments that have become viral on the internet. To achieve this, you can choose to double-press the power or home button on your phone, which will work on most modern Android devices. There are some Android phone models like Motorola that allow you to do this by enabling gestures on the phone and then turning your wrist.
From Android version 6 (Marshmallow) or higher, smartphones will have the possibility to unlock the camera directly from the unlock screen. To do this you must, while holding down the camera icon, drag it up which will enable the camera and you can take a snapshot without unlocking the device. After reviewing the image, Android will make sure to maintain total privacy of your photos, requiring an access ID if you want to access the rest of the images on your device.
Unlock your device
One of the most useful shortcuts, especially in the field of security, is definitely Google Smart Lock. Thanks to this wonderful option, we will be able to worry a bit about the need to keep all our mobile blocked all the time. For this we can go to the geolocation services that Google already provides us by default and configure the places where we have enough confidence to disable unlocking. But that is not all! We will also have this option when we are paired with a device that we fully trust, be it a car system or a smart watch. Also, it is usually used as a password store which can be very useful in case we forget them.
Gestures and time savers
Although Android maintains uniformity and stability in the implementation of the use of control through gestures, the latter may vary depending on the operating system or the device where this type of shortcut is implemented. However, on almost any Android device, you can see notifications just by looking at your finger swipe down. Another common practice is to swipe down twice instead of one and immediately access the quick options menu, where you will have the possibility to activate or configure Wi-Fi, mobile data, Bluetooth, etc.
Shortcuts from Marshmallow
In versions like Marshmallow (6) or higher we can find the typical search option within the system applications section. However, for older versions you will need to double-click on the app drawer to achieve the same goal. If you are new to the world of Android we will tell you that this “application drawer” was formerly located above the start button, at the bottom of the device.
From Android Nougat
However, Android continued its evolution and already in version 7 (Nougat) or higher we can find the General Description button through which we can immediately exchange the focus to the application we want. Usually this button is located next to the Home and Back buttons at the bottom of the mobile. By tapping on this button, you can access the applications you have recently opened. If you choose to double tap you will be able to access the most recent previous application. The latter will allow you to alternate between the originally open application and the previous one, which is usually very useful if we want to access information in another application.
However, the best way to obtain information from two applications simultaneously is through the split screen, for which we will use the shortcut of holding down the overview button while enabling split screen mode.
Android Pie
With the arrival of Android Pie (9), most of the mobiles introduced changes in their configuration to eliminate the general description button mentioned above. Instead of using this button, a more practical method is used in which by simply sliding up the screen you will be able to see all the applications open on your Smartphone. If you want to open the application drawer now with the gesture of swiping twice you would have access to it.
Internet shortcuts
One of the most used and useful shortcuts on the internet is when you want to update the web page you are browsing. To do this, you simply have to slide your finger on the screen downwards, generating an automatic refresh on the web in question.
Lastly, there are also many shortcuts to get information about various aspects of Android. One of the most used is when we want to know basic information about any of our installed applications. To do this we press and hold on the application in question and then among the options offered by the context menu select information the application where they can access their own application settings and all information associated with it.
Shortcuts for phone calls, messaging and internet
Some of the most popular shortcuts around are the use of Widgets. These special shortcuts allow many kinds of benefits such as creating shortcuts for favorite applications, contacts, or functionalities.
We can also perform many automated tasks such as the use of the Contacts widget . Which will facilitate the automatic dialing of one or more preferred contacts.
The widgets used to access the bookmarks of browsers such as Chrome and to a lesser extent Opera or Mozilla are widely used as well. This will greatly facilitate quick access to the information you consult on a daily basis.
As Android has evolved, numerous functionalities have been incorporated to favor accessibility. A typical case would be when we want to reuse the functionality of answering and ending calls. This is achieved within the phone’s settings in the Accessibility option and then in Answer and End calls where you can use the Home key to answer calls or the Power key to end it.
Google Assistant voice commands
Nowadays it is very rare to find an Android mobile phone that does not have the Google Voice Assistant, which is one of the best shortcuts if you cannot or do not want to use your hands to perform actions on your phone. To activate this useful shortcut go to the Google search application and within its settings select the Voice option . Once inside this option, select Accept Google .
Once the Voice Assistant is activated, you will have two options to use it. First, when the phone is on and secondly when it is locked. The possibilities of using this assistant are very promising, favoring online purchases or inquiries through the Internet.
In general, this type of shortcut is very beneficial when you use it when you drive, do housework that you cannot abandon at the moment or simply when you do not have motivation to write.
As you have seen, the best Android shortcuts to use are usually very useful and we find them daily in our daily lives. We hope that our article has better contributed to your general understanding.