The so-called GriftHorse campaign used clever techniques to avoid detection in Google Play for nearly a year. So, we will dedicate this post to Your online security.

We just got the news that Google bans 151 Android Apps. Fake Android apps are spotted on the Google Play Store. This massive scamming campaign has plagued Android since November 2020.

Avast has been reporting on a scam campaign named UltimaSMS in recent weeks. According to the company 151 apps were part of the premium SMS scam campaign.

There are variety of apps you should avoid. Because the scam masks itself as a legitimate tools, like photo editors and camera filters to games and even QR code scanners. But they do have a hidden agenda. And that is to sign up users for expensive SMS services.

Apps like “Handy Translator Pro”, “Heart Rate and Pulse Tracker” and “Bus – Metrolis 2021” are just a few of them. Looking rather benign and even useful, but they do act as a front for a malicious code to execute in the background.

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The Scam Flow

Once the application is installed on Your Android device, it will flood the victim with notifications. Prompting the user to “confirm” their phone number and claim a prize. Now here is the twist. A claim page would load through an in-app browser, thus keeping the application code clean and impossible to be detected as malicious. So the app code is clean, but the page that is loaded via your browser is a whole different story.

Once the user would enter their number, the attackers would sign them up for a monthly recurring charge of about $42 through the so called premium SMS service. But the money doesn’t go towards any service of any kind. It goes directly to the crooks.

With a conservative estimate of 10 million potential victims the criminals cashed in hundreds of millions of dollars. A staggering amount for a potentially unsolvable problem. The attackers were able to string these known approaches together in a way that was still extremely effective.

List of Malicious Android Apps

Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro

VideoMixer Editor Pro

FX Animate Editor Pro

Battery Animation Charge 2021

Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers

RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background

AppLock X FREE

NewVision Camera

Ultra Camera HD

Wi-Fi Password Unlock

Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots Unlock

Colorful Call Screen & Phone Flash

Waterdrinker Reminder

GT Sports Racing Online

Magic Fonts and Keyboard 2021

All Language Photo and Voice Translator Al

Crime City: Revenge

Reface Ultra

Projector HD/AR Video Editor

LivePhoto Animator

Ludo Masterpiece Online

Mobile Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App, Scan to PDF

Magic Mix Cut – Super Video Editor

Future Scanner FREE 2021

Pro Video Downloader 2021

AmazeTranslate

Football Masters 2021

New Body Shape Editor

Call Voice Recording 2.0

Pro Tuber Ad Blocker for Video

Fitness Ultimate 2021

Wallpaper XYZ Pro

Jon Prosser, who is known to provide solid leaks, revealed that the foldable device will have top-notch specs. It will come with three cameras on the back and an under-display selfie camera on the front. This information is not a rumor from us but from Jon Processor himself. He also claimed that the display will have an under-screen selfie camera. Also, it is expected that this device will run Android 11 and with One UI 3.5. The operating system should be optimized for touch screens because it has a flexible display instead of using physical buttons or notches to help users navigate through their phones easily. So, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 is definitely what we’re waiting for.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 Design & Features:

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 might share a similar design, features, and specifications with the company’s recently previous foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The phone will feature a folding screen that would reveal a large main display on one side and a smaller one on the other. The device is rumored to come with a futuristic design with a Gorilla Glass film on the front and back. It will come up with a foldable display but unlike the Fold 2 which has a removable cover for hiding its dual rear cameras, this device will feature a foldable display just like the design of Samsung’s phones. It is also said to have 120Hz on its 6.23-inch solid screen. The device is also rumored to come up with the Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology for its display. It is powered with Snapdragon 888 along with an Octa-Core processor. As usual, It doesn’t support any external memory support. We expect this device to come up anywhere around 4400 mAh to 5000mAh Battery support.

(Updated article) There are now more rumors in the air than before. Recently, Prominent leaker Max Weinbach had claimed that Galaxy Z Fold 3 & Galaxy Z Fold 3 shall be announced on August 3, Which was later confirmed not true from a report straight from South Korea by SamMobile. Meanwhile, The Publication Yonhap news had added strength to Jon Prosser’s claim saying that Galaxy Z Fold 3 & Galaxy Flip 3 shall launch in the second half of the first or second week of August. They also added, “Samsung’s H2 flagship launches usually happen on Fridays, It is more likely to launch on August 27 rather than August 3.”

We’ll update this article once we know more about our talking devices, Samsung galaxy Z Fold 3 & Samsung galaxy Flip 3. Stay tuned!

What is Android Rooting?

Rooting is the process of obtaining full admin access also known as root access to your Android device.

This topic was very popular couple of years ago when bad Android software was the norm. Manufacturers and carriers would pre-install useless apps that wasted data, storage and battery life. And as you can imagine the user experience was bad all around.

Although, Android does allow you to uninstall or disable most of the bloatware apps, you can take it a step further with root.

Now don’t get me wrong. Root is not used only to delete unwanted bloatware from your smartphone. Rooting your Android OS opens it up to a world of customizations.

Users would often perform rooting with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on their devices.

Android root control is just like having full admin access on your Windows PC, Mac or your Linux computer. Root access on your phone gives you the permissions to change anything on it. And rooting is how you get complete access to everything on your Android operating system.

As time passed by, Android became more and more refined rendering the rooting process obsolete. But there are still many valid reasons why you would like to root your Android smartphone.

Top 10 Reasons to Root your Android Phone in 2021

Android is one of the most open, versatile, and customizable mobile operating systems out there. And it is getting better and better with each new release. Therefore, rooting your phone in 2021 may not be for you. But you would be surprised with what you can accomplish with just a little bit of work.

Here are the top 10 reasons why you should consider rooting your Android phone

     1. Battery Improvements

Chances are that your phone manufacturer or carrier pre-installs applications on your new smartphone. Apps that you would not normally use. This bloatware is running in the background draining your battery. Although some of them could be easily removed, others might need a root access to do so. There is also the possibility to hibernate an application that you rarely use. This in turn would prevent battery consumption in the background.

Having root access to your Android device will provide you with an option to hibernate such apps. Or you can simply delegate that responsibility to a third-party software. Either way, hibernation is a great option for apps that you don’t use frequently.

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• How to check your Android Phone’s Battery Health
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2. Remove any application from you Android device

Manufacturers and carriers constantly install software on your brand-new Android phone whose usefulness is reduced because of the excessive disk space and memory it requires. We’ve already mentioned that it is consuming your battery in the background as well.

I usually remove such applications right from the start. They are useless. Android does allow you to uninstall or completely disable most of the bloatware apps, but sometimes that is not the case. Rooting your phone will give you that option to completely remove any application from your Android smartphone.

     3. Custom Android ROMs

Android ROM file contains executable instructions of an Android OS and affiliated apps. It is basically a system image. On your phone you already have it installed. But you also have an option to choose a custom Android ROM that comes from a third party. So, a custom ROM is nothing but a custom version of Android for your device.

Just like you can change OS version on your PC, you can do that on your phone as well. But you will need root access and permissions. This is probably the biggest reason why you would like to root your Android device. Installing a custom ROMs such as LineageOS, CarbonROM and Paranoid Android is something a lot of users do. Mainly because they are not completely satisfied with the software on their device. Custom ROM can give you a completely new experience as well.

     4. Android Customization

If you are into customization then you have chosen wisely. Android provides users far more features and customization options than any other OS out there. Customization is a huge deal in the Android community as well. Even without rooting your phone, Android allows you to change all kinds of things. Then there are apps that you can find on Google Play Store that takes customization a step further.

Add rooting, and nothing is off limits.

You can change the boot logo, install custom system font, use different lock screen and so much more. Another way to take customization process to the max is to install a custom ROM. But do note that Android already provides rich customization features out of the box or through root access, so installing a custom ROM for customization purposes only might not be the best idea.

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• Best Android Wallpapers Source
• Android 12 Preview
• Android 12 Update

     5. Overclock Android Phone

Overclocking is an old practice. It involves “overclocking” the processor so that it operates faster than what the manufacturer intended. In all honesty this is something that a user would do a long time ago. Usually with underpowered old devices. This one isn’t really necessary nowadays. But still, to overclock your CPU a root permission is required. Either way, if you decide to boost up your phone speed, gaining a root access is a must. But please note that this could negatively impact battery life and device health.

     6. Android Automation

Tasks that require manual toggling can be automated. Stuff like turning off GPS, switching between networks, or turning the display off can be automated if you have root. One of the most popular apps on Google Play Store for automation is Tasker. It doesn’t generally require you to have root access, but you can do a lot more if you have it.

     7. Magisk

Magisk is a tool that allows you to use root access. It is also a new root authorization system. It was developed in 2016 by XDA developer topjohnwu. Magisk is an alternative to the long-standing SuperSU, but it’s much more than just a root method.

Magisk is known as the “no change system” root method. It is actually a way to change the system without actually changing it. Changes are safely stored in the boot partition rather than replacing the actual system files. This is the most important feature of this tool. The changes may not be detected by Google SafetyNet, as the original system files remain unchanged.

The great thing about Magisk is that it makes it easy to customize your phone. Developers can create modules and other users can easily apply them on their device.

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• What is Magisk? How to Install and Use?

     8. More powerful Apps

Root gives applications the ability to do more. Change things on a higher system level. But anytime you choose to do so, obviously it comes with a certain amount of risk. That is because a rogue app with root access can do a lot of damage to your phone. But there are apps that can do so much more by gaining root access. To see what is out there, simply navigate to Google Play Store and search for “root”. You will be pleasantly surprised by all the various applications. From CPU speed booster to Root Uninstaller, Fontster, Color Changer, Kernel Manager and so much more. Please note that before using these applications your phone must be rooted.

     9. Root Backup for Android

With or without a root access you can back up a lot of your files and folders. Rooting your Android phone will allow you to back up everything. Even system preferences and entire applications. You can see how backing up system and application preferences will come in handy. Instead of setting everything up all over again, you can simply restore them with a click of a button.

Having a restore point on your PC makes live so much easier. This is because if anything goes wrong you can revert back your PC to exactly how it was set up at the time of the backup. NANDroid is an application that offers the exact same functionality for Android phones. Titanium Backup is also a very good Android application that basically does the same thing. But both of them require root access.

     10. Ad Blocking

If you have installed any free application for your Android phone, chances are you were bombarded with ads. But they are necessary. Ad revenue a lot of times is the only source of income for an Android developer. Even though there are in-app purchase options or a premium version of the app you are using, most of the users do not pay for that. If the ads are placed correctly, they will not bother the user. But most of the times, that is not the case. As a result, users want to remove them.

Android OS-wide ad blocking is possible. But only on a rooted device. While it is possible to block ads without rooting, with the usage of a VPN, there is even a better option. With applications like AdAway, any time an app requests an ad, AdAway will direct them to an IP address which does nothing.

Rooting your Android smartphone can help you block OS-wide ads.

Root Manager Client

Android OS is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel. As well as some other open-source software. The root is the username or account that by default has access to all commands and files on a Linux operating system.

Gaining root access on Android phone is also similar to running Windows as an administrator. Rooting your Android phone gives you a full access to the system directory. But you can also change the way Android OS operates.

Rooting with Magisk

Usually rooting is accompanied by installing a client like Magisk.

This way when an app requests root, you have to approve it using the root manager. But Magisk is not just a gate keeper. It is backed up by a huge developer community. This community develops modules for Magisk. So, if you would like to change the system theme on your phone, manually back-up data, boost the device CPU and much more, with root you can do that.

Why Magisk?

Android is shipped with Google SafetyNet. SafetyNet provides a set of services that helps protect apps against security threats. Including device tempering. As a result, it blocks certain apps from working properly, when it detects that the system has been tempered with.

Although SafetyNet is an important security measure, it can be overly aggressive. As a result, if your phone is under root, certain application might now work properly. Well, Magisk allows users to have root access and still use apps like Google Play or Netflix without a problem.

What’s even better is that Magisk is described as a “systemless” root manager. This is because the changes are stored in the boot partition rather than directly modifying the system. So, whatever happens you can easily go back to an unrooted system. And since the original files remain unchanged, modifications can go undetected by Google SafetyNet.

To avoid having problems when rooting your phone, use a client like Magisk. Basically, it will allow you to have root access and prevent from Google SafeNet blocking some of your installed applications.

Magisk Manager

But Magisk offers a lot more than what we described. Root is just one of the many modules you can install. Magisk is backed up by a huge development community. They create modules which are installable modifications for easy customization of your Android phone. You can choose from a lot of different modules such as ad-blockers, emoji replacements, CameraAPI2 enabler and much more.

You can find these modules in the Manager app from the slide-out menu.

Is it safe to root your Android Phone?

Rooting your Android phone comes with great benefits. But it also comes with a major drawback. It is a double-edged sword. Root access allows you to change anything. But root access also allows malicious software to exploit your device. In other words, root access compromises your phone, from a security standpoint.

For this reason alone, most Android phones are not designed to be rooted. SafetyNet is the first line of defense when it comes to a device that has been tampered with or compromised by hackers. Applications that handle sensitive data like payment processing, refuse to work under root mode.

Applications like Magisk supports hiding root, but that won’t always work. Google works very hard to secure your Android phone. So Magisk is in a constant game of cat and mouse with Google.

Should you root your Android phone?

Rooting a phone is a user’s choice. You always have to weigh in the benefits versus the drawbacks. With root access you gain a lot in terms of control, access, customization and automation of your Android smartphone. But you lose the built-in security.

Rooting your phone might also void your warranty as well. Technically you opt out of official updates by doing so, because it is very difficult to install them.

So, should you, do it?

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Root or Not to Root

Couple of years back it was very easy to root Android. But now it is not so much. Gaining root access to an Android device is a little bit harder than it once was. This is because all exploits that lead to rooting your phone are the same security holes that are used by malware to take over a device and steal data. So naturally, with each Android update Google patches those security issues. As a result, rooting your phone is getting a little bit harder with each new Android update.

Bottom line, rooting is fun. Being able to customize your smartphone leads to better personalization of the device. Or at least it brings it one step closer to whatever you have envisioned. Task automation and system-wide ad blocking is also a good enough reason for me to root my phone. But I would suggest thinking about what you are potentially giving up from.

Conclusion

With Android 12 official release just around the corner, Google gives you even less reasons to root your phone in 2021. Android 12 brings the biggest design change in Android’s history. From the colors to the shapes, light and motion, making Android 12 more expressive, dynamic and personal.

Eventually if you decide to root your phone, make sure you know what you are doing. If you are not very familiar with Android’s tools and how to fix issues with a command line, you probably shouldn’t be rooting your phone. Because when something goes wrong, and it will at some point, it is all up to you to fix it.

Google is announcing the latest beta for Android 12 today at Google I/O. The new OS has an entirely new design based on a system called Material You.

As time is passing by, we are getting more and more information on the new Android 12 OS. From the previous post we did notice that the UI features big bubbly buttons, shifting colors and smoother animations.

We haven’t had any significant Android UI update for a long time. So, we can safely say that this is the biggest design change in Android’s history. This time around Android exudes confidence in its design. Making everything much larger and little more playful.

As with every big change, there will be users to welcome this new Android 12 UI change. But I also expect to get some negative critique from users who prefer more information density on their display. To be honest at first, I wasn’t a fan. But the more I tested and the more I spent time using Android 12 Developer Preview, I started falling in love with this unique and clean design.

Android’s interface has also been given an overall redesign with new widgets, a fresh look for larger quick settings tiles and a simpler settings menu.

Although we are only talking about the new design, there are other functionality features that have been tossed around on the web by the developers. But they are fairly minor. The new design is what got the people excited and what matters at the moment.

There are however “under-the-hood” improvements as well. As a result, the OS is smoother, and animations are more responsive. Everything about the interface is a little faster and more efficient.

The first beta version is available now, and the official release will likely roll out in August or September.

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Android 12 and Google I/O

Google I/O 2021 has kicked off on Tuesday, May 18.

The keynote started with the mantra: Building a more helpful Google for everyone with the goal of being helpful in moments that matter.

Google unveiled a huge number of announcements. Of course, one of the central topics was the new look coming to Android but a bunch of other features to Google Workspace productivity suite and a new AI.

Google I/O Recap

• Android 12 has a radical and bubbly new look
• Google is making workspace more interconnected
• New Lambda AI Language Model
• Google and Samsung are merging Wear OS and Tizen
• Project Starline creates a 3D model of a person sitting across from you
• Google is building a camera that’s more inclusive of skin tone
• Google Photos will be able to make animated photos from still shots
• Google Photos will let you store photos in a locked folder
• Change a site’s password right from its password manager
• Google Maps AR Live View Tool will show more information
• A Privacy-Friendly sandbox for ML is added in Android
• Support for Digital Car Keys so you can unlock your car with your phone
• Debut of a health tool to identify skin conditions using your camera

Android 12 Beta Supported Devices

Each year, Google Pixel phones are among the first to gain access to the beta update of the latest Android version. This year is no different. But alongside Pixels, there are 10 more brands that will be able to use Android 12 Beta.

Although OEMs are providing Android 12 Beta for their select devices, these builds are clearly not meant for everyone. Companies like OPPO have explicitly mentioned that this initiative is only meant for developers.

Therefore,  proceed with caution as these software builds have tons of bugs.

· Google

• Pixel 3
• Pixel 3 XL
• Pixel 3a
• Pixel 3a XL
• Pixel 4
• Pixel 4 XL
• Pixel 4a
• Pixel 4a 5G
• Pixel 5

· Xiaomi

• Mi 11
• Mi 11 Ultra
• Mi 11X Pro
• Mi 11i

· OnePlus

• OnePlus 9
• OnePlus 9 Pro

· ASUS

• ZenFone 8

· OPPO

• OPPO Find X3 Pro

· Realme

• realme GT

· SHARP

• SHARP AQUOS R6

· TECNO

• TECNO CAMON 17

· TCL

• TCL 20 Pro

· Vivo

• iQOO 7 Legend

· ZTE

• ZTE Axon 30 Ultra

· HMD Global

• Nokia X20

Hey guys, so this will be the official promotional video for Android 12.

The video reveals that Google is finally making a change to Android look and feel after years of relatively conservative tweaks.

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• Check your Android Phone Battery Health
• MIUI 13 Update

Here are the most significant parts of this Android 12 visual refresh:

• Rounded Corners
• Fluid Look with loads of transitions and effects
• Revamped call and message notifications
• Time is also expected to appear differently on Android 12
• Redesigned Settings Menu
• Updated Volume Controls
• Option to manually group notifications
• Another addition is a counter for unread notifications next to the clock when the device is unlocked
• Brand new music widget
• Redesign of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles
• New clock widget
• New weather widget

All in all Android 12 comes with a beautiful new experience, but Google is also adding several new privacy features to apps with the goal to give users more transparency and control. What those privacy and security protections entail exactly will remain to be seen.

We also know that Google is working on an alternative to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature. It also mentions cross device functionality meaning that all your devices will work better together. This suggest that there will be closer integration with smart phone products and wearables.

On the Android 12 promo video there is possibly a suggestion of how the next Pixel will look as well.

Another interesting note around this brand new Android 12 OS is that the unofficial name for it is Snow Cone. Although Google ditched its desert naming scheme for Android, Google engineers still follow the tradition.

Android 12: Developer Preview 3

This is the currently latest release: Developer Preview 3 (Android 12), so anything we talked about in this post could be changed with the next update.

According to the timeline the first beta version of Android 12 should be released sometime this month.

Android 12 Preview: Conclusion

The clip shows updated notification and quick settings visuals, a refreshed keyboard design, a new pill-like style for status bar notifications, an entirely revamped lock screen with a huge clock, a cool ripple animation, and lots of round corners. There’s also a bunch of more obscure shapes and motion that seem like they’re meant to convey greater customizability through theming, which we’ve been expecting.

Other related articles to Android

• How To Connect Windows 10 to Android Device
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How convenient is the AirDrop feature Apple offers? Having that instant connection between MacOS and iOS operating systems enables users to transfer files by means of close-range wireless communication.

And it is a key feature Windows and Android devices are missing.

A typical Android user would upload files on their Google Drive and then download them on their Windows OS. Or vice versa. Upload files from their Windows machine, just so that they can download them from the Google Drive onto their Android smartphone.

The other option is to connect Windows 10 to Android device with connection cable provided by the phone manufacturer. But that cable is usually lost within the first couple of months, or it is never there when you need it.

Easy transfer of files between a PC and Android smartphone is something that everybody needs. And finally, Microsoft recognized the demand for such application.

So, is it possible to connect Windows 10 to Android device so seamlessly like Apple does?

Short answer is Yes.

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But this is not just a simple photo transfer application. Microsoft describes it as a productivity enhancer tool. And they would be within their own rights to call it that. But it’s true.

The ability to answer or make calls from your Windows PC, send, and receive messages without picking your phone, or displaying all your Android notifications on your Windows is definitely a productivity booster for me.

In this article we will introduce Your Phone application, how to install it and how to use the features that it offers.

So, let’s get started.

Introducing “Your Phone” application to connect Windows 10 to Android Device

Microsoft finally developed Your Phone application for Windows 10. This application allows the user to connect Windows 10 to Android device.

The app is very useful for transferring files between two connected devices. But you can also send SMS messages and make phone calls from your computer. Your Phone also comes with a cross-device copy and paste feature, allowing users to send copied text and images to and from the Android and Windows device. But this feature is limited to Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra and the Z Flip.

Once you have Your Phone app installed you can receive all your smartphone notifications on your Windows PC. This is a very nice productivity enhancer because it stops you from picking your phone every five minutes to check a notification. This is possible because all your Android notification will be synced with Windows notification center, so that you can deal with them on your PC.

Let’s face it, it is way better sometimes to interact with your mouse and keyboard on your Windows machine compared to the small keyboard on your Android device.

Microsoft has been developing this feature for two years now, and is actually super useful, yet very few people know about it.

Your Phone also has other integrated features, but they are also limited to a group of devices. We will update this article once they are broadly available.

An instant access to everything you love on your phone is at your fingertips after you install the Your Phone application. This article will show you how to install Your Phone application and sync your Android device to Windows OS.

Install Your App guide

Before you start the installation process, please make sure to check if you have the app installed.

1. Open the Start menu

2. Try searching for Your Phone

If Windows does find the app, it means you already have it installed and you can skip this step.

Otherwise, please go to the Microsoft Store link to download the application on your computer.

Once you have the web site opened, you can click on the Get button located on the right side. This action will try to open Microsoft Store application on Windows, so make sure click on the Open button on the following pop-up window.

Give it a few minutes while Your Phone app is downloaded and installed. When this process finishes you can continue on the next step.

How to launch and setup Your Phone app

Before you connect Windows 10 to Android device you must first setup Your Phone application.

1. Go to Google Play Store on your Android device and search “Your Phone Companion – Link to Windows”

2. Install the application on your phone

3. Open the application

There are two ways to connect Windows 10 to Android Device. You can sign in with Microsoft if you have an account there or simply scan a QR code on the PC. Let’s just scan a QR Code.

1. Click on Is there a QR code on your PC? from your smartphone

2. Make sure that you allow the app access to the phone camera

3. Launch Your Phone application from your Windows OS

4. You will be asked to link a new device Android or iOS

5. Select Android and click Continue

6. Next you have to choose Open QR Code

7. Position your phone QR scanner over the Windows QR code

8. Make sure to allow Your Phone access to the desired features

And Windows 10 is linked to your Android device.

But you can also link your Windows 10 to Android Device by signing into the same Microsoft Account.

After you select Android as a linking device, you will be prompted to sign into your Microsoft Account. So, you can use Your Phone app to sign in and then download and open the mobile application. There you will be given the opportunity to sign with your Microsoft Account as well. To successfully sync the Windows 10 to Android device, make sure you are using the same account on both ends.

The next step is already described. All you have to do is allow the necessary permissions needed to connect Windows 10 to Android device via Your Phone app.

Now that we successfully connected Windows 10 to Android Device, we can start using the application. In the next couple of sections, we will set up and explain how all features work.

Get Notifications from your Android device to Windows 10

First productivity booster that we are going to talk about is Notifications. This is pretty easy to explain. All the notifications you receive on your Android phone will pop up on Your Phone application. The notifications are shown as part of the Windows Notification Center as well.

There will be a little indicator on the notification itself, telling you it is from Your Phone.

Sometimes having two notifications (on your phone and on Windows) is a little bit redundant and annoying. But because notifications are part of the Windows Notification Center, you can easily turn off certain notifications from popping up.

To receive notifications on your Windows machine you would need to do some setting up. So, let’s get started.

1. Open Your Phone application on Windows
2. Navigate to the Notification tab
3. Click on Open settings on phone button
4. On your Android phone you should see a Notification Access screen
5. Toggle on the Your Phone Companion

You have successfully enabled the notifications feature. From now on you will get notifications on your phone as well as on your Windows OS.

Make and Receive Calls from your PC

All Android users can benefit from this feature. Once you give appropriate permissions as described below, you will be able to make and receive calls from your Windows PC.

How cool is that? But make sure to use headphones. This is because you will experience a feedback loop.

Audio feedback is the ringing noise sometimes present in sound system. It is caused by a signal which travels in a continuous loop. This will happen when your PC is acting as your phone and the mic is hearing the speakers.

So, get yourself a nice pair of headphones and give this feature a try. Having the opportunity to answer or make a call while working on my PC is priceless. Finally, I don’t have to fumble for my Android device, and walk away from an important work.

To connect Windows 10 to Android Device in order to receive and make calls you have to follow these steps:

1. Open Your Phone application on Windows and navigate to the Calls tab
2. On you Android device Turn ON your Bluetooth
3. On Windows click on the Get Started button
4. Your Phone application will ask you to send a permission to allow to make calls from your PC
5. Accept it and you are done

Send and Receive Messages from Windows

Your Phone application will automatically retrieve messages from your Android phone once it is connected. You can read incoming text messages and read responses right from your PC. There is no additional configuration that this feature needs.

Texting from your Windows PC is easy. It is just like sending an email. All you have to do is click on the Messages tab on the left sidebar. This will open the messages window. Here you can see all your current text messages. In case something is missing, try clicking on Refresh button.

To respond on a received message, click on that message and start typing a response in Send a message text box.

Your App allows you to scroll through your text message history. That is if you wish to read an older message. Contact Pictures you set on Android phone will sync to the Your Phone PC app.

Transfer Photos to your Windows PC from your Android phone

Once you have Windows connected to Your Phone application, transferring photos is very easy.

To view your Phone Gallery simply click on the Photos tab on the right side of the application. All images present on your phone will load up.

From there you can drag and drop photos directly on your PC, or you can do Right-Click and choose “Copy” or “Save As” option from the menu.

If you want to open up the photo in Your Phone image viewer, just Left-Click on the photo. The application will provide you with several options: “Open”, “Copy”, “Save as…”, “Share” or “Delete”.

Transferring images from your phone to Windows PC and vice versa has always been a hassle. Especially if you don’t have your phone cable.

I would usually use my Google Drive account to upload/download photos from and to my Android device. It was a real hassle.

Every single mobile screenshot in this article went through this photo transfer process to get from phone to PC for editing and publishing.

Mirror Your Android Phone Screen to Your Windows PC

If you are living on the cutting edge of phone tech, Your Phone app has an additional feature for you.

Thanks to the partnership between Microsoft and Samsung, people with new Samsung device can use the Apps feature.

Because I connected my Samsung Galaxy A5 I don’t see it. But if you use any of the S10 series, or S20, note 9, Note 10, Note 20 and all the Samsung foldable phones, you should be able to see the Apps tab.

This feature allows you to open any app from your Samsung device directly on your PC. You can even Right-Click the app and pin the app on the task bar for faster access.

One thing to I have to remind you about is to allow screen sharing. So, give that permission and then your entire phone is now on your PC. You can navigate the screen with your mouse, or if you have a touch screen is even better. Touch screen options is there to provide a more seamless and intuitive way for working your Android phone from Windows PC.

This feature also allows you to use Cloud Clipboard which provides a way for you to copy text from your Windows PC and paste it onto the shared screen of your Android phone. This is an incredibly useful feature to have.

The main idea behind this is to provide the user with running multiple Android apps side by side. But we will check out that feature when it is published.

What’s next for Your Phone

This application is far from finished. Make sure to stay tuned for the newest updates.

Microsoft is working hard to bring a lot more features to your Windows PC.

Conclusion

You Phone application is designed to bridge the gap between your Android smartphone and your Windows 10 PC. The app gives you instant access to things like text messages, photos, phone calls and much more.

Although this article describes the typical scenario an Android user might get, same goes for iOS as well. But keep in mind that there is limited support when it comes down iPhone connection to Your Phone app.

For Android user, if you have a phone running on Android 7.0 or later, you will experience much more functionality.

Make sure to install Your Phone on Windows 10 and install the phone mobile app from the play store before trying to sync the devices.

How to connect Windows 10 to Android device article shows you how to set up notifications, messages, and photos features.

Any notifications you get on your smartphone will appear in the Your Phone App. You will receive them through the Notifications Center built into Windows, so you never miss anything.

Next, we have text messages. This is currently synced to your smartphone text messages. And let’s face it, it is much easier to type in a message using the PC rather than on a small phone keyboard. I love the fact that I can easily check a confirmation or verification message straight out of my Windows 10.

With Your Phone app you can sync up to 2000 photos from your Android device. This allows you to open and browse images directly from you Windows. This was a huge lifesaver for me because now I don’t have to upload my files to Google Drive or any other service. I can fetch my photos directly from Windows and straight to editing.

Once you’ve given permission you will be able to see all your recent calls displayed in the application. Your Phone also provides an option to make phone calls as well. But if someone rings you, you can actually answer the call on your Windows PC.

Just make sure to wear headphones. If you have your phone next to your PC, you might experience a harsh sound, or you will get that feedback loop.

Your Phone application is still under development. There are features available only for a certain Samsung phones. But I do believe Microsoft will work on implementing the same functionality for all Android devices. And that includes the Android screen sharing option.

The primary idea behind the Apps feature is to allow you to have multiple Android applications open in several different windows on your PC. The problem right now is that when you click on another Android application it opens up in the same window on your PC. But eventually the idea is to be able to launch multiple Android apps and have them running side by side on your Windows PC.

This feature will enable you to pin the Android applications on your task bar or even your start menu.

When Microsoft introduces these new functionalities into Your Phone App, we will make sure to present them to you.

Make sure to check out other Android related posts:

• How to check your Android Battery Health
• Check the latest Samsung Devices
• Best Android Wallpapers Source

Wallpapers have been around since the first issue of the Android OS. Although it doesn’t have any particular functionality, it is there for aesthetic reasons. Android devices do provide a way to personalize your smartphone. One of those is the wallpaper.

It does nothing, yet it is very important. It is important because the wallpaper represents something meaningful to us. Something unique.

I have seen a variety of backgrounds. People use pictures from their kids, friends, or pets as wallpaper. Others use abstract graphics or amazing photography shots from different places. It is a way to disconnect from the day-to-day life, reach new locations with our minds and remove stress.

Android 12: Developer Preview 3

I have used the same wallpaper for over a month now on my Android phone. And it was time to make a change. But this time instead of slapping something from the play store I decided to see what’s out there.

Just a single google search and I was provided with thousands of Android Wallpapers results. There are a lot of amazing artists that provide people with unique and beautiful backgrounds.

But one artist really caught my eye. So, I decided to write about their wallpapers design.

So, are you tired of using the same old Android wallpapers for your home and lock screen? Let me share with you a web site called Walls by JFL. It is a gold mine for finding beautiful backgrounds.

If you are the owner of an awesome Android phone begging for a face lift, this is the article for you.

Connect Windows 10 to your Android Device

Have you ever wondered how can you transfer photos and files easy and seamlessly between your Windows 10 machine and your Android smartphone?

Your Phone is considered to be one of the best productivity enhancement tools developed by Microsoft and not many people know about it.

We have a complete article on how to set it up and how to use it. So, make sure to check it out on the following link.

What is Wallpaper?

Wallpaper is the image shown behind the icons on the home screen. Usually it is just a simple, fixed size raster image. The exact size of the background image depends on your device.

The home screen is the first thing you see when you unlock your Android phone. It provides the user with access to various applications via the icons placed there. Behind those icons there is a personalized background image called a wallpaper. Although it has nothing to do with the functionality of your Android device, a wallpaper is an important part of the overall look and feel of a smartphone.

Wallpapers are just a personalized decorative digital image applied to the home and lock screen.

I am one of those people who is constantly searching for an appropriate wallpaper for my phone. It needs to evoke an emotion, memory, or something beautiful to look at.

Android Wallpapers Source

Every single time when I am interested in a new wallpaper, I go out to google and try to find the perfect one that fits my mood. Only this time I spent a lot more time searching for a lesser-known artist.

And I finally found it.

Walls by JFL is the perfect place to pick your next wallpaper. It is a Google site, hosting one of the best Mobile/Tablet & Desktop/Laptop wallpapers. The web page links you to a shared Google Photos group where you will be able to download a ton of gorgeous walls for free.

All the content is available in High Resolution and Multiple Formats to accommodate different Devices and Screen Sizes. You will find vectors, edited photographs, amoled backgrounds and gradients. No matter what kind of background you prefer this photo album will most likely have it.

The site also offers wallpapers for desktop as well.

Walls by JFL also offers Premium Wall Packs that contain 8 high quality wallpapers in 4K resolution and formatted 9:19 aspect ratio. It costs only 1 USD to purchase a premium wallpaper pack for your Android device.

Don’t forget that by purchasing a premium pack you support an amazing artist dedicated to creating amazing backgrounds for any device.

There I was able to find amazing patterns, pastels, gradients, and vector wallpapers for my Samsung device that runs on Android. The cool thing is that I also found a matching Desktop Background for my Laptop as well.

The home page is pretty straightforward. It gives you the option to choose between two types of wallpapers. For Mobile and Desktop/Widescreen devices.

Then you have your Free and Premium Packs as well. Even if you have no intentions in buying a premium wallpaper, the site gives you an amazing variety of free packs to choose from.

Download Wallpaper for Android Phone

To select your next beautiful wallpaper design for your Android smartphone you can google “Walls by JFL” or simply navigate to their google site page.

1. Navigate to https://sites.google.com/view/wallsbyjfl/home

2. From the home page select Mobile

3. Next you can select Free or Premium pack

4. Review the categories and focus on the one you are interested

5. Then you can simply click on the design pack you like

6. Download the Android Wallpaper

If you are viewing the free wallpaper pack, you will be redirected to a shared google drive folder. From there you can choose a background for your Android smartphone and download it.

For the premium pack you will be redirected to PayPal. Make the payment of 1USD and then you will be able to take the wallpaper pack you chose.

It’s the same procedure if you wish to change your PC background as well. Only this time click on the “Desktop” menu. There are so many beautiful, inspiring, and amazing wide screen wallpapers to choose from. You can scroll, download, and test what fits for your desktop. I had a really hard time choosing my desktop background, because of all the amazing walls this designer creates.

Set your Android Phone Wallpaper

Once you have chosen and downloaded the wallpaper you like, it is time to set it on your Android device. Since the wall is downloaded as an image, the process is actually very simple.

1. Open up your Android Phone’s Gallery Application

2. Find the downloaded wallpaper you want to use and open it

3. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner and select Set as wallpaper

4. You will be given the choice between using this photo as wallpaper for your home screen, lock screen or both

Best Android Wallpapers

After browsing for a while, I was able to compose a list of my favorite walls. Here are some of my top wallpaper picks for Android.

Unsplash Aerial v1

Throughout history, people have long been fascinated to see the world from above as birds do. Aerial photography seems to have the remarkable ability of turning our perception of everyday life into something richly aesthetic. So why not transfer that pleasing feeling onto our smartphone.

This pack contains simply breathtaking aerial photographs that I have been using for my Android Home Screen Wallpaper. I have to admit I am a little partial to aerial wallpapers. So, I hope you will like and appreciate this pick as much as I do.

Sticky Notes

The designer has created an astonishing walls pack called “Sticky Notes”. This abstract pack has a free use of color, shape, and form to communicate intents that are left to the viewers interpretation. Abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery and art. That is why this wallpaper would be a great background for your Android device.

If you are a person that appreciates the individual elements of art, then this is the perfect set for you.

From the sticky notes pack I downloaded the following wallpaper and it matches perfectly my current theme I have chosen for my Android phone.

Sharp Lines

Line as an artwork can be used in many different ways. It can be used to suggest shape, pattern, form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm, movement, and a range of emotions. Our selection of artworks illustrated below have been chosen because they all use line in an inspirational manner.

If you are into this type of background art, then this folder contains very pleasing and alluring sharp line wallpapers.

Like I have mentioned earlier, this site contains a lot aesthetic computer wallpapers as well. You can open the web site from your computer, navigate to the Walls by JFL web site and select “Desktop” wallpapers.

You will be redirected to a Google Drive Folder containing tons of wide screen desktop backgrounds to choose from.

Most of us owns a PC or laptop and we use it to work, study, watch Netflix etc. As a result, it is important to personalize the one thing we stare at all day long. So, don’t worry Walls by JFL got you covered with computer wallpapers as well.

For my PC I chose a very nice and calming looking background. I love it.

I was able to download it and set it as my Desktop Wallpaper.

Conclusion

If you want your computer or phone to feel more like Your device, you might want to consider changing your wallpaper.

The wallpaper is the image that appears behind the icons on your computer’s desktop or Android device home screen. The wallpaper is beneficial only for its aesthetic appearance on your device. It has no other functionality than that. But it is pretty important in my opinion.

This is because we are using our smartphones every day of our life. And the wallpaper has to be something meaningful to us. Some people use pictures from their kids or friends. Others want to use the smartphone wallpaper as the means to disconnect from the day-to-day life. Reach new locations with their minds and remove stress.

This means that changing the smartphone wallpaper does come down to the mood you have and how much you enjoy that wallpaper in the first place. It can be a very relaxing and fun thing to do.

But the bottom line is, since we spend so much time looking at our screens, we should at least make them look great.

Other Android Tutorials:

• How to check Android’s phone battery health

As time goes by, your phone battery health degrades. After a few years of usage, the battery won’t hold as much charge as it did when it was new.

The process of battery deteriorating over time is normal. However, there are ways to preserve the battery health of your smartphone.

This article will show you how to check battery health on your Android device, to help keep it running as long as possible.

Lithium batteries are widely used in systems that require high energy and power density. Companies are using them as a power source for laptops, tablets, and cell phones.

Battery health can refer to several different things depending on the user and context. But a healthy battery is one that meets the intended application.

A cell phone battery is healthy when it provides sufficient energy to meet the manufacturer’s claim of operational life. As we all know too well with Android based phones, a battery can fail catastrophically, in steps or gradually.

Related Posts:

• Root Your Android Phone
• Android 12 : Developer Preview 3

And big part of smartphones uses lithium batteries. These types of batteries degrade over time. As a result, it affects the charge capacity and the recharge cycle. So, it is a good idea to monitor your Android battery health over time.

This article is written to demonstrate how to check your Android Phone’s Battery Health.

How to check battery health on Android phone?

Android doesn’t provide a built-in way to check your battery health. But some Android phones do let you check the device battery health using hidden menus.

Check Android Phone Battery Health through Dial Pad Code

Android does come with some hidden codes you can dial in to check your battery information. There is a code to display information about the phone, battery, and usage statistics. But please note that this code might not work on your Android phone.

1. Open the dialer
2. Type in the code *#*#4636#*#*

A new menu will pop up. From there select Battery Information to see your battery status. If there is no issue with the battery, it will show battery health as “good”.

Some phones such as Pixel 4 running Android 10 doesn’t include any battery data. Other smartphones will not even execute this code. If you have any problems performing this step, make sure to set the telephone app as the default dialer application.

In any case we are offering a second procedure that will allow you to check your Android Phone’s Battery Health.

Check Android Phone Battery Health through Application

AccuBattery application for your Android phone can track your battery’s health and performance over time. It is a very accurate and simple to use app.

In this article we will use it to check the Android Phone’s Battery Health.

It is available on Android phones via the Google Play App store.

AccuBattery provides a way to show your phone’s current battery capacity and hence, how much your battery has worn out over time.

This app also provides a way to determine the phone’s total battery consumption when each of your installed apps is running in the background. It has improved estimates on how long you can continue to use your phone without charging. It can measure the charging and discharging current of the Android battery. You can also find out what percentage of the time your phone is in deep sleep and the best feature of all it has a historical charging and discharging stats.

AccuBattery is an excellent application that you can install on your phone to monitor battery health. At this moment it is the easiest and most secure way to observe your android phone’s battery status over time.

To check your Android Phone Battery Health with AccuBattery you need to:

1. Launch the application
2. Navigate to the “Health” Tab

This unique feature of AccuBattery will start displaying data of your current battery capacity after a few charging sessions. The data will keep getting more accurate as more and more charging sessions are logged.

During calibration, the app will identify the phone model and look up the associated design capacity.

The charging cycles allow the app to measure the power added to the battery and the level of change. With this information AccuBattery can estimate how much energy can fit into a full battery. But because the charge level is difficult to calculate, AccuBattery would need multiple samples to start showing the correct data.

After a few charges you will be able to see how much the battery has deteriorated in percentage terms. You can see that in the battery health bar.

Another useful feature is the battery wear chart. Each incorrect charging session may potentially damage your battery. So, in order to extend its life, it is good to follow these changes.

If you are running this application for the first time, it is normal to have a blank screen. This screen will get activated once the app gathers enough data points from the charging sessions. If you notice that the battery health is over 100% that’s OK too. Give the app a few more charging cycles to go through and it will calibrate itself.

Please note that AccuBattery isn’t 100% accurate as it doesn’t have direct readings of the battery on a system level. So do keep a 5% margin while counting the current battery health.

AccuBattery makes is simple to check your Android phone’s battery health. It is a good addition to have installed on your device since it provides a lot more than what Android offers on its own. But make sure to give it a week or two after installing and you will have actionable data to analyze.

Tips to prevent Android Phone Battery’s Degradation

Battery degradation happens and it is inevitable. It happens over time. Although you can not stop it, you can prolong the life of your battery by following couple of tips.

• Avoid charging your phone to 100% and discharging it to 0%. This habit is a battery killer.
• Try to keep the battery level at around 40-80% zone. AccuBattery has this implemented as a feature. It will alert the Android user when battery level is at around 80% so that you can plug off your phone from the charger.
• Avoid fast battery charging if possible.
• Keep the phone in a cool ambiance. Especially while charging.
• Use the original charger and cable when possible.
• Avoid overnight charges.
• Use battery saving tips which will allow you to charge less and prevent battery damage.

If you are like me, you are taking care of your phone. If you want to get the maximum out of it, keeping the battery healthy is the key.

Using this application will help you decide when it is time to change your battery. And following these small tips will help keep your battery healthy.

If you do notice serious degradation in battery’s life, then it is time to change it.

Your phone’s battery will be in good shape as long as you don’t drain it constantly. Most phone batteries are manufactured to last through a few years of normal use.

Conclusion

In this article we discussed how to check your Android phone’s battery life. You can do it via Dial Pad Code or by using a third-party application.

The application we are using in this article is AccuBattery and it is one of the best free apps out there. It does take a few charging cycles to start seeing results, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it. The app can follow the day-to-day battery degradation and give you insightful data on the charging and discharging process. The “History” tab allows the user to view all charging sessions.

Overall, this is a very useful app especially to people who are using Android phones and do care about their battery health.

Other Tutorials:

• Tips to avoid memory card problems
• How to check battery health of Xiaomi phone