How-To Geek - Mobile

This open-source app reveals what Google tries to hide about your Android apps

Bertel King — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:00:14 GMT

Android may have begun as a mobile operating system, but it has blossomed into much more. Unfortunately, system administrator tools are still playing catch-up, and certain information about apps is harder to access than it is on desktop PCs. Fortunately, there’s an app you can install that will tell you everything you want to know, and it happens to be open source.

I stopped worrying about Samsung Galaxy storage after finding this one camera setting

Cory Gunther — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:16 GMT

Smartphones have more storage than ever these days, but running out of space still happens all the time, especially with the powerful cameras on newer Galaxy phones. My Galaxy S26 doesn't have a microSD slot, like most flagship Samsung phones, and whenever I record a long video or want to shoot in 4K or 8K, I worry. But after finding one little setting, it's no longer a concern.

What's better than a gimmicky phone-sized eReader? An eReader phone

Bertel King — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:00:15 GMT

I increasingly find myself drawn to digital books, though how enjoyable they are depends entirely on the device that I read them on. With the rise of phone-sized eReaders, I decided to pit one up against another reading-focused option, a book-centered phone.

I stopped caring about benchmarks when I switched to Pixel phones

Joe Fedewa — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:00:15 GMT

In the Android world, performance is king. Leaked benchmarks bring praise or ridicule to phones that have never been touched. Everyone wants the latest and greatest Snapdragon chip. As a long-time Pixel user, I've never been concerned with any of this.

Your Android phone's battery has a limited lifespan: Here's how to check it

Joe Fedewa — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 13:00:14 GMT

Day in and day out, there's one thing keeping your Android phone ticking: the battery. You may already know that your charging habits determine the battery's long-term health, but this is not some mysterious metric. It's a thing you can actually find and track.

Samsung's new AirTag rival works with more than just Galaxy phones

Jon Fingas — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:00:14 GMT

Samsung is refining its item tracking tag to challenge Apple's AirTag on its home turf. The company has introduced the Galaxy SmartTag 3 with support for both Galaxy phones and iPhone in addition to a few leaps in design and functionality.

4 Gemini tips and tricks I use in Android Auto

Sanya Shah — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:30:14 GMT

Android Auto is a bit of a double-edged sword. It makes driving easier in plenty of ways, but throw Gemini into the mix, and suddenly there’s a lot more you can ask your car screen to do. It’s not just “play this” or “text that” anymore. Gemini can actually have a conversation with you.

Scratch turns anyone into an app maker, even if you've never written a line of code

David J. Buck — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:00:14 GMT

Raspberry Pi users should be familiar with a program called Scratch. I've been doing more and more work with it lately, and I realized that, as I've moved away from spending time with streaming and doomscrolling, I've gotten more into making things with my various devices. Scratch is quite fun to use, and I wanted to share a few easy projects/mini apps you can make with it in less than a few hours.

Android Auto's hidden developer menu unlocks 7 features Google doesn't want you to find

Jorge A. Aguilar — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:00:14 GMT

Most Android Auto users never look past the main settings screen because it feels like the app was built ready to go. Google and car manufacturers keep the interface locked down on purpose, and it's honestly great for daily driving. However, if you get into the developer menu by pressing the "Version and permission info" text about 10 times in the app's settings menu, you'll get way more tools to use. It looks a little rough, but the developer settings hold plenty of cool features that can make things smoother.

Android apps can soon charge you by usage—here's how it works

Jon Fingas — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:30:27 GMT

Android apps will soon get to charge you based on how often you need them. Google is rolling out usage-based billing in the Play Store, letting developers meter your access to services.