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407 'how-to' stories August 2011 - August 2022

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A collection of tutorials, tips, and tricks from the 9to5Google team helping you fix and get the most out of Android, Google Assistant, Chromebooks, Android TV, and more.

back tap samsung galaxy phone

How to set custom ringtones on your Samsung Galaxy phone

Andrew Romero Aug 29 2022 - 1:15 pm PT

Whenever you buy a new phone, no matter what it is, odds are the first thing you’ll do is find all of the customization settings and get them set up just right. Well, for many people, a ringtone is an important aspect of a phone. This guide will take you through setting up custom ringtones on your Samsung Galaxy phone.

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How to use the Galaxy Flip 4’s cover screen with always-on display

Andrew Romero Aug 29 2022 - 10:24 am PT

galaxy z flip 4 cover screen

One of the biggest strengths of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the cover screen. Notifications, time, and other widgets allow you to catch important info without opening up the entire device. This guide will take you through using that Galaxy Z Flip 4 cover screen with always-on display so that you don’t miss a thing.

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screenshot galaxy watch

How to take a screenshot on Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4

Andrew Romero Aug 25 2022 - 10:25 am PT

There’s a lot you can do with Samsung’s line of Galaxy Watches, and sometimes you want to share that with others in a screenshot. There are plenty of reasons to capture what’s on your Galaxy Watch, so it’s a good idea to know how to execute a screenshot just in case. This guide will take you through how to take a screenshot on the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5.

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Bedtime mode on Pixel

How to enable and configure Android 13’s Bedtime mode on Pixel

Andrew Romero Aug 24 2022 - 8:41 am PT

Bedtime mode has been a staple of the Pixel series for generations, and Android 13 has only made it better. With the Pixel being the first device series to get Android 13, Bedtime mode has a couple of new features worth exploring. This guide will take you through them and help you enable them for your device.

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Galaxy Watch 5 Google Wallet

How to use Google Wallet with your Galaxy Watch 5

Andrew Romero Aug 23 2022 - 10:35 am PT

The Galaxy Watch 5 is a great smartwatch for your Android device, and since it runs Wear OS, it works well with some of Google’s most important apps. One of those is Google Wallet – formerly known as Google Pay. This guide will take you through installing and setting up easy access to Google Wallet on your Galaxy Watch 5.

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How to set automatic backups for Google Photos

Andrew Romero Aug 22 2022 - 1:05 pm PT

Situations in which you lose all of your precious memories and photos are very rare, although it can happen. In those cases, it’s extremely beneficial to have backups of all of your Google Photo images stored somewhere safe. This guide will take you through creating automatic backups for Google Photos using Google Takeout, so you never have to worry about losing your pictures.

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reset Pixel Buds Pro

How to reset your Pixel Buds Pro

Andrew Romero Aug 22 2022 - 7:20 am PT

Google’s latest Pixel Buds Pro have a lot of tech inside them, but sometimes features like ANC, auto-pause, and even fast pair just stop working. The easiest way to fix these issues is with a simple factory reset. This guide will take you through how to reset your Google Pixel Buds Pro.

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Alphabetize data Google Sheets

How to alphabetize data in Google Sheets

Andrew Romero Aug 18 2022 - 6:00 am PT

Google Sheets, much like Excel, is a great tool for storing and organizing data in a legible and comprehensive way. But what good is data if it’s all over the place? This quick tutorial will give you a step-by-step guide on quickly alphabetizing data in Google Sheets.

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Change your language per app: How language settings work in Android 13

Andrew Romero Aug 16 2022 - 8:07 am PT

In Android 13, you can now switch which language apps use on an app-by-app basis. This new per-app language setting gives you the power to decide which app displays in different languages, completely dependent on your needs. This guide will take you through the steps for changing your language per app in Android 13.

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Control Google Home devices without unlocking your Pixel – Here’s how

Andrew Romero Aug 15 2022 - 10:00 pm PT

Android 13 has introduced an improvement to Android 12 that allows you to control Google Home devices from the Pixel lock screen shortcut without unlocking your phone. Here’s how to do it.

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Import passwords to 1Password

How to import passwords to 1Password from Google Chrome

Andrew Romero Aug 15 2022 - 9:35 am PT

Generally, people don’t often use more than one password management app. With security apps like that, users tend to pick one and stick with it. If you happen to be moving to 1Password, you’ll want to export passwords from other sites like Google or LastPass, bring all of your credentials with you, and import to 1Password. Fortunately, it’s easy and this guide will walk you through it in no time.

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Import passwords to 1Password

How to get 1Password 8 on Android

Andrew Romero Aug 9 2022 - 2:00 pm PT

A brand new version of 1Password is here and it’s called 1Password 8. This new update is only accessible through a full install of a new app, but that’s the most difficult part about moving things over. The rest is very easy. Here’s how to get and install 1Password 8 on your Android device and keep all of your data from 1Password 7.

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Nest Aware’s smart sound detection: How it works and why you might want to try it

Andrew Romero Aug 4 2022 - 8:09 am PT

2nd Generation Nest Hub smart display

Security doesn’t always have to come in the form of cameras and door sensors. In fact, your Nest Hub or speakers can play a big role in keeping you safe with Nest Aware’s smart sound detection benefit. Here’s how it works and why you may want to invest in it.

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Do the Pixel Buds Pro have an app? How to control multipoint, ANC, and more

Andrew Romero Aug 1 2022 - 6:05 pm PT

Google’s newest earbuds, the Pixel buds Pro, are undoubtedly a good pair of buds. As the name implies, using the Pixel Buds Pro with a Pixel just makes sense, though the latest earbuds from Google are still a fantastic option for other Android devices. Interestingly enough, depending on what you use, there may be no need for an app.

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Chromecast Google TV

View your Nest cameras right from your Chromecast with Google TV: Here’s how

Andrew Romero Jul 28 2022 - 5:00 pm PT

In a recent update to Chromecast with Google TV, users can finally view their new Nest camera’s live view right from the TV. This feature allows you to see what’s going around your home right from the couch without skipping a beat. Here’s how you can do it on your Chromecast.

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chromecast with google tv

Updating your Chromecast with Google TV: How to do it and why updates are so rare

Andrew Romero Jul 28 2022 - 11:59 am PT

Google’s latest Chromecast with Google TV doesn’t get full system updates all that often. Even with this being the case, it’s still important to check for system updates every once in a while. This guide will help you understand a little more about Chromecast’s update system and give you a full step-by-step look at checking for updates manually.

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google pixel 6 pro

Why your phone is overheating and what you should do about it

Andrew Romero Jul 27 2022 - 1:45 pm PT

Let’s face it: summer is here and in full force. We’re at the warmest time of year when your phone is going to come across some high temperatures. So, what should you do to avoid overheating your phone, and if it happens, how can you combat it? This guide will provide some helpful tips for keeping your Pixel cool and avoiding overheating.

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You should recycle your old Android phone: How and where to do it

Andrew Romero Jul 27 2022 - 10:11 am PT

It seems like it doesn’t need to be said, but you should never just toss your old Android phone in the trash. Whether or not you can get money out of it, it’s always a good thing for an old phone to be recycled and repurposed into a new one down the road. This guide will give you some options to recycle your old Android phone – and who knows? You may even make some cash from it.

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Magic Eraser on Pixel 6 series: What you can do with it and how

Andrew Romero Jul 25 2022 - 1:45 pm PT

Magic Eraser and Camouflage in Google Photos are fantastic features on the Google Pixel 6a, 6, and 6 Pro. While it isn’t perfect, it can make your photos that much better by removing unwanted background objects or muting them. This guide will take you through how to use it, and what might be going on if you don’t see it in Google Photos.

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google wallet android

COVID-19 vaccine cards on Google Wallet: How to find and add them

Andrew Romero Jul 25 2022 - 10:35 am PT

Google Wallet is Google’s latest update to the company’s touchless payments management system. In addition to bank cards, Google Wallet is also capable of holding your other passes, including digital COVID-19 vaccine records. This guide will dig into finding out if you can access an officially supported one and how to add it to your Google Wallet app.

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Google Drive has the best document scanning tool already on your phone: Here’s how to use it

Andrew Romero Jul 22 2022 - 11:06 am PT

There are an absolute plethora of document scanning tools and apps out there, and most of them work just fine. One of the better ones we’ve happened across is probably already installed on your Android device; that scanning stool is right inside Google Drive. Here’s how to use it.

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Transfer Whatsapp Android to iOS

Transferring WhatsApp from Android to iOS: How to move all of your chat data

Andrew Romero Jul 21 2022 - 1:00 pm PT

WhatsApp has been beta testing the ability to move chat history and data from Android to iOS via the Move to iOS app for a while now. Yesterday, WhatsApp announced the full release of that feature to users wanting to transfer their WhatsApp data to a new or reset iPhone from an Android device. This guide will take you through the steps to transfer your WhatsApp data from Android to iOS on your iPhone so you can do it yourself.

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Install update Google Wallet

Google Wallet: How to install it on your Android device

Andrew Romero Jul 21 2022 - 8:20 am PT

Google Wallet is finally here with some streamlined changes that have felt a little overdue. This guide will take you through how to install it from scratch or update your existing Google Pay app to Google Wallet.

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Google Photos: How to check an image’s data

Andrew Romero Jul 20 2022 - 12:43 pm PT

Google Photos is all about keeping memories organized and right within reach at any time. In Google Photos, every image has a slew of data captured along with the picture itself. That includes the date, time, and even location. This guide will take you through how to access that image data for every picture in Google Photos.

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