Android is hailed as a flexible operating system, allowing users to modify the system to a degree that Apple’s iOS can’t match.
It’s also one of the major reasons many users, including myself, prefer Android to iOS.
While Android has indeed become somewhat boring to me, Google’s mobile operating system has improved significantly since its debut.
It’s become easier to use, more personal, and an operating system with more focus on productivity.
I love how effortlessly productive users can be on Android, but some features are too easy to make me feel good about productivity.
Sometimes, the ease of use goes way too far and triggers the same feeling as cheating.
I don’t complain, as they get the job done and save time. However, the feeling is always there when I use those features.
Here are five Android features that make productivity feel like cheating.
7 time-saving features on Android that helped me reclaim hours every week
These features have genuinely sped up my daily tasks
Share hotspot via QR code
This is perhaps one of the coolest changes Google introduced to Android in the last few years.
If you are connected to a hotspot and want to share the same connection with someone, this is the easiest method.
You don’t need to ask the owner of the hotspot for a password, nor do the hosts need to remember to share the password.
There is no need to type the password to connect to the hotspot, either. Instead, the hotspot provider can share their connection via a QR code on their phone.
All you do is scan the code to connect to the network. You don’t need to type any password or pin after this.
Not only does this give you internet access, but it also allows you to share the same hotspot with another person using the same QR code trick.
The other person can also use the same trick and share the hotspot with their friends.
The entire process is so seamless that it feels oddly simple. However, this doesn’t mean you can share a connection using someone else’s phone without their knowledge.
Sharing of the hotspot via QR code requires Android 10 or later to work.
It won’t work because the host has to verify their identity by scanning their fingerprint before showing the QR code for scanning.
The Wi-Fi setting on your Android phone allows you to both show and scan the QR code, though the steps to finding them could be different across different handsets.
Copy-paste text between Android and Windows PC
Not everything has to be a core Android feature. OEMs and third-party Android developers have the flexibility to do unique things on Android that also impact users on other platforms.
There aren’t plenty of examples of this, but the ability to copy-paste between Android and Windows PC is such a feature.
It isn’t strictly an Android feature, but Microsoft has somehow managed to get it working with the SwiftKey Keyboard app.
If you have a supported Galaxy handset, you can use SwiftKey Keyboard’s Sync clipboard history feature to access a Universal Clipboard that allows you to copy and paste text between your phone and PC via the Link to Windows app (Phone Link on PC).
After you set up the cross-device copy and paste functionality, you can copy something on your phone and paste it on your PC.
You can also go the other way around and copy the text onto your PC and paste it on your Galaxy handset.
When you copy text on your PC, you’ll get a flash notification telling you that text has been copied from [the name of your laptop].
This is a game-changer for anyone who works both on their phone and a PC, and it works so well that it feels like Android and Windows share the same DNA.
In reality, they have different kernels, are not part of the same ecosystem, and aren’t meant to cater to everyone. With such big differences, Android and Windows weren’t supposed to work together this well.
It makes the cross-device copy and paste feel even more like a magic trick that was never supposed to work.
Auto-fill OTP
OTP isn’t the best and most effective way to confirm someone’s identity, but it’s a common practice across different parts of the world.
I’m not a big fan of it, but I like how easy it is for someone to use OTP on the verification page.
The autofill OTP almost takes the human effort out of the equation. You don’t need to remember the code, nor do you need to copy and paste the code.
Instead, Android automatically detects the OTP and injects it into the app’s text field. In some cases, it can ask permission if you want it to auto-detect the OTP.
It feels as fast as Face Unlock or any other biometric verification method that exists because it doesn’t require any intervention, unlike in the case of manually entering OTP in a text field.
While it may feel suspiciously simple, it’s secure because Android autofills the codes only on devices that receive the SMS.
I find this method convenient to confirm my payment while shopping on Amazon. But I also can’t help but feel that it’s unfairly easy.
Notification history
I tried to live without Android and used iOS instead in the past, but it made me love Google’s operating system even more.
One of the features that I missed the most is the Notification history functionality. I use this feature almost daily to check if I missed any important notifications before clearing them all.
It also shows notifications that individual apps pushed to you in the last 24 hours.
I don’t check notifications for each app from the Notification history setting, but I do check out the ones that I receive from online shopping apps. That’s my secret to never missing the best deals.
If I clear them by mistake, Notification history gives me a second chance and allows me to get away with the mistake.
Notification snoozing
Notification snoozing is another underrated Android feature that I use often.
While it doesn’t feel as disruptive as the Notification history functionality, it allows you to temporarily dismiss and bring it back at the time of your choosing.
Instead of fully dismissing the notification, look for the tiny snooze icon in the right corner of the notification. Tap it and choose the time after which you want your phone to display the notification again.
Like in the case of Notification history, notification snoozing allows you to ignore a notification without forgetting about it. Dismiss doesn’t mean it’s gone forever.
It is a smart trick that makes me feel wrong in the most beautiful way.
Android lets you be more productive
Android has a plethora of features that are designed to let users be more productive, but it also depends on which Android skin you use. Some are better than others.
For example, Samsung’s One UI is arguably the best option if you want to get more done with greater focus.
I particularly love the Modes and Routines in One UI because of its automation capability. It just knows when I need to focus on something and changes the settings of the S21 accordingly.
In addition to the built-in system settings, Android also supports numerous productivity apps, which you can download from the Google Play Store.
Overall, Android is a reliable choice if you want to get work done with focus.
