Last time we talked about the homescreen and how to customize it. This time we’re diving into Android settings!
There are two ways to easily access your settings. You can either tap the “gear” icon that says settings.
Or you can swipe your finger from the very top of your phone down the screen to show your notification and quick settings menu.
See frequently accessed settings or tap the small “gear” icon to get into your settings menu.
Settings can be used to change the way your device behaves. For example, many devices have a screen that’s setup to turn off in 30 seconds or less. This can be really annoying! You can change the length of time your screen stays on in your settings. Here are some instructions how to do that!
Here are some commonly accessed settings, what they do, and how to use them:
Wi-fi and internet: this lets you connect with different wi-fi connections in your area to gain internet access (here’s how). If your phone plan has cellular data included – your phone connection accesses the internet – you can see how much data you’ve used, which apps are using the most, and grant or revoke access for certain apps to your data connection (here’s how).
Security & lock screen: this lets you make alterations like changing your PIN/pattern (here’s how), the way you unlock your phone, or adding a fingerprint if you’ve got a fingerprint reader (here’s how). Security is always a balance of convenience and personal preference.
Privacy: these settings determine how much information is shown on your lock screen and they can grant or remove app access to different phone functions like location, camera, microphone, etc. When you install a new app it often asks for permission to use different phone functions. Some apps request permission to access data that doesn’t help the app function better. Some apps won’t be able to function without the appropriate permission – for example Google Maps won’t be able to find your location if you deny it location permission.