12 apps I urge non-techies to put in on their Android telephones

The Android apps that come preinstalled on a cellphone have a number of benefits. For one, they’re already there — you don’t want to go to the Play Retailer and sift by quite a few choices to search out one that may meet your wants. Secondly, they’re often from the producer itself, which suggests they’re tightly built-in into the broader framework of your cellphone.

Nonetheless, as is commonly the case in life, what’s best isn’t at all times one of the best, and that is very true for smartphone apps that non-tech-savvy customers would possibly make use of. These customers would possibly profit extra from a extra approachable or supportive product that you simply or they would want to put in.

Every time I’m tasked with fixing somebody’s cellphone or providing ideas, I at all times evaluate their put in apps and counsel enhancements that will make their lives slightly simpler. This features a listing of apps that they will arrange themselves, others that will require some hands-on help from me, or direct replacements that provide extra performance or improved usability.

Right here’s the listing of apps I urge non-techies to put in on their Android telephones:

Lots of the apps I point out on this listing require some intervention by an skilled or technically-minded consumer earlier than the smartphone proprietor can use them. I’m conscious that not everybody has bodily entry to those gadgets, which makes this course of considerably difficult. In these moments when the whole household isn’t gathered collectively on the year-end tech assist symposium, higher generally known as “the vacations,” TeamViewer will come in useful.

When put in on each the host and management gadgets, this distant assist app permits you to troubleshoot or set up apps on the consumer’s behalf. This consists of file transfers, permitting you to ship APKs out of your machine to the consumer’s machine for later set up.

Importantly, the host machine should set up the TeamViewer QuickSupport app, whereas the management machine requires the total TeamViewer app.

Whereas Google Chrome is the default browser on Android, it’s not notably user-friendly for newcomers. Sure, it’s simple to make use of, but it surely lets adverts by like a sieve and doesn’t dim internet pages in low mild. Most of its issues stem from its lack of assist for extensions. My private choice is Firefox, however I’m conscious that it too could be sophisticated for some customers.

Are there any alternate options? Microsoft Edge is a greater answer in case your non-techie consumer additionally makes use of the browser on Home windows. It additionally features a broader extension library, permitting for correct standalone ad-block and darkish mode assist.

Then there’s Banana Browser, which I consider is one of the best browser for video content material. This might function an alternative choice to a number of social media platforms, together with YouTube and TikTok. It consists of its personal media participant, assist for nearly each video platform, together with TikTok, built-in video ad-blocking and Sponsorblock, and background playback assist.

It’s possible you’ll have to set it as much as swimsuit its predominant consumer greatest, however as soon as it’s up and operating with all of the settings toggled and levers pulled, it shouldn’t require common upkeep.

It took me a very long time to undertake cell funds, however now I can hardly keep in mind what it was prefer to stay with out them. Whereas some telephones supply a preinstalled app that takes care of those duties — I exploit a Samsung cellphone with Samsung Pay preinstalled — I’ve opted for Google Pockets as a substitute for a number of causes.

I exploit it for extra than simply cell funds; it doubles as my boarding move after I fly and my loyalty card holder after I’m at my favourite shops. And, in fact, I exploit it to simply pay for gadgets whereas conserving my bodily card secure and sound. I can also’t start to rely the moments Pockets has saved me after I by accident left my money and playing cards at dwelling.

Better of all, I’d argue that Pockets is the simplest app on this listing to arrange. It’s so user-friendly that I’d encourage each non-techie to start out their cell funds journey with it.

Fb remains to be utilized by a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of individuals every single day, however the official app has grown massive and sluggish. Enter Nobook. My most popular Fb portal, this light-weight different eliminates all of the disadvantages of the full-fat app, together with rampant adverts and advised posts, the choice to obtain content material, and tremendous fast load occasions. Customers may modify the standard of the content material in order that it hundreds extra effectively on slower networks.

The app includes a surprisingly easy setup; nevertheless, it’s supplied by GitHub, so I like to recommend that an skilled consumer carry out the preliminary steps for non-techies.

Now, let’s speak safety. Password administration is the quickest approach a non-technical consumer can enhance their on-line privateness. Neatly storing all of their important unlock and account knowledge behind a service that requires a single password means they’ll solely ever have to do not forget that one password. This not solely permits non-techies to make use of extra advanced passwords, but it surely additionally means they’re far much less more likely to neglect that grasp password.

One of the best password supervisor is Bitwarden. It may be accessed on varied platforms, makes autofill a breeze on Android, and could be custom-made with relative ease.

Once more, I counsel establishing Bitwarden for the meant consumer, together with creating an account and strolling them by greatest password etiquette. However as soon as they’ve grasped the ins and outs, they are going to be capable to get pleasure from autofill throughout Android and some other machine.

Multi-factor authentication is a should, however oddly sufficient, Android doesn’t come preinstalled with an authenticator app. Whereas there are many choices, together with my present possibility, Authy, Google Authenticator might be probably the most approachable for non-techies.

The app shops 2FA codes throughout the scope of 1’s Google account, that means that even when a cellphone is misplaced, the codes stay safe.

Authenticator apps generally is a nuisance to arrange, so that you’ll doubtless want to help the meant consumer in getting began. Nonetheless, when 2FA is in play, it’ll improve that consumer’s digital safety perimeter from a flimsy picket fence to a moated fortress wall.

Fast Share is a irritating service that makes transferring recordsdata from one machine to a different a chore. Whereas my household often opts to switch recordsdata utilizing WhatsApp, it isn’t at all times sensible for bigger video recordsdata. That’s the place Localsend is available in.

It has its limitations, however Localsend makes transferring massive items of knowledge from one machine to a different over a Wi-Fi community a breeze. It’s good for household gatherings, simply acknowledges different gadgets on the community, and works swiftly. I exploit it to bounce recordsdata from my cellphone to my PC or different gadgets every single day.

Localsend will must be arrange on the consumer’s machine, however after every part is in place, sending recordsdata to them shall be as simple as “Open Localsend, and faucet Settle for.”

Google Images is often preinstalled on Android gadgets these days, however this wasn’t the case on my dad’s newer machine. The significance of Images might be recognized to virtually each Android Authority reader at this level, however briefly, it simplifies backing up photos to a secondary supply — Google’s storage. For non-techies snapping comparatively small-sized photographs, the 15GB free area on supply is more likely to be ample, making it an amazing set-it-and-forget-it answer.

Images can also be simple to arrange, however the meant consumer might must be walked by the assorted different choices obtainable throughout the app itself.

Nonetheless, for these moments when the consumer desires to view the place their WhatsApp photos are saved, a less complicated app like Google Gallery is nicely price putting in too.

My mother and father use YouTube quite a bit and commonly sit by what finally ends up being hours of adverts each month. I don’t need them to waste their time or by accident faucet on an errant and probably malicious advert of their video searching travels. As a companion to YouTube, I counsel they set up Tubular.

This open-source YouTube frontend bypasses adverts, provides quite a few high quality changes when Wi-Fi or mobile sign energy is low, and doesn’t require Google Play Providers or a Google account to make use of.

Because it’s hosted on F-Droid, it does require some hands-on set up time from an skilled consumer. You’d additionally have to stroll the consumer by the assorted facets of the app.

In one other case of “why wasn’t the app put in on my dad’s cellphone?” Information by Google is the right file administration instrument for individuals who want a Swiss pocket knife. It makes looking for particular recordsdata extraordinarily simple, sensibly categorizes recordsdata by kind, after which provides per-folder views inside, and consists of invaluable add-ons, corresponding to PDF assist and a safe Secure Folder for delicate paperwork.

As I discussed, Information by Google is often put in on fashionable Android gadgets by default, particularly in the event that they don’t have a file administration app made by the producer itself. Nonetheless, in some circumstances, you will have to seize it on your non-techie companion.

Now for a advice from my Android Authority colleagues. Once more, Gboard is ever-present on many Android gadgets, together with Pixels and some other product that makes use of a near-stock Android interface. Nonetheless, this isn’t at all times the case. On Samsung gadgets, as an example, Samsung Keyboard takes priority, despite the fact that it pales compared to Google’s keyboard.

Gboard does every part higher. It consists of extra sturdy autocomplete, spelling correction, and fluid swipe typing. Many of those options appear marginally essential to non-techies till they’re really put into use. It’s a case of when you’ve tried it, you possibly can’t return.

Switching keyboards isn’t tough on Android, however there are a number of steps concerned, so this would possibly require a hands-on or distant session to arrange the brand new system. Better of all, in the event that they don’t like Gboard, they will at all times change again to the default keyboard with out a lot fuss.

That’s it for my listing, however what about you? Which apps do you advocate to your non-technical family and friends for his or her gadgets? Let’s talk about within the feedback part under.