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 via quite a few choices to search out one which may meet your wants. Secondly, they’re often from the producer itself, which implies they’re tightly built-in into the broader framework of your cellphone.

Nonetheless, as is usually the case in life, what’s best isn’t all the time the perfect, 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 just or they would want to put in.

Each time I’m tasked with fixing somebody’s cellphone or providing options, I all the time evaluate their put in apps and counsel enhancements which will make their lives a little bit simpler. This features a listing of apps that they’ll arrange themselves, others which will require some hands-on help from me, or direct replacements that provide further performance or improved usability.

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

Most 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 your complete household isn’t gathered collectively on the year-end tech help symposium, higher referred to as “the vacations,” TeamViewer will come in useful.

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

Importantly, the host system should set up the TeamViewer QuickSupport app, whereas the management system 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, however it lets adverts via like a sieve and doesn’t dim internet pages in low mild. Most of its issues stem from its lack of help for extensions. My private desire is Firefox, however I’m conscious that it too might be difficult for some customers.

Are there any alternate options? Microsoft Edge is a greater resolution 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 help.

Then there’s Banana Browser, which I imagine is the perfect 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, help for nearly each video platform, together with TikTok, built-in video ad-blocking and Sponsorblock, and background playback help.

It’s possible you’ll have to set it as much as go well with its major consumer finest, however as soon as it’s up and working 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 bear in mind what it was wish to reside with out them. Whereas some telephones provide a preinstalled app that takes care of those duties — I take advantage of a Samsung cellphone with Samsung Pay preinstalled — I’ve opted for Google Pockets as a substitute for a number of causes.

I take advantage of it for extra than simply cell funds; it doubles as my boarding go once I fly and my loyalty card holder once I’m at my favourite shops. And, in fact, I take advantage of it to simply pay for objects whereas holding my bodily card secure and sound. I can also’t start to rely the moments Pockets has saved me once I by chance left my money and playing cards at house.

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

Fb continues to be utilized by a whole lot of tens of millions of individuals day-after-day, however the official app has grown massive and sluggish. Enter Nobook. My most well-liked Fb portal, this light-weight different eliminates all of the disadvantages of the full-fat app, together with rampant adverts and recommended posts, the choice to obtain content material, and tremendous fast load instances. Customers may modify the standard of the content material in order that it masses extra effectively on slower networks.

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

Now, let’s discuss safety. Password administration is the quickest method 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 keep in mind that one password. This not solely permits non-techies to make use of extra advanced passwords, however it additionally means they’re far much less more likely to overlook that grasp password.

The most effective password supervisor is Bitwarden. It may be accessed on numerous platforms, makes autofill a breeze on Android, and might be personalized with relative ease.

Once more, I counsel establishing Bitwarden for the supposed consumer, together with creating an account and strolling them via finest password etiquette. However as soon as they’ve grasped the ins and outs, they are going to be capable of take pleasure in autofill throughout Android and every other system.

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 choice, Authy, Google Authenticator might be essentially the most approachable for non-techies.

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

Authenticator apps generally is a nuisance to arrange, so that you’ll possible want to help the supposed 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 system to a different a chore. Whereas my household often opts to switch recordsdata utilizing WhatsApp, it isn’t all the time 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 system to a different over a Wi-Fi community a breeze. It’s excellent for household gatherings, simply acknowledges different gadgets on the community, and works swiftly. I take advantage of it to bounce recordsdata from my cellphone to my PC or different gadgets day-after-day.

Localsend will have to be arrange on the consumer’s system, however after the whole lot is in place, sending recordsdata to them will probably be as simple as “Open Localsend, and faucet Settle for.”

Google Pictures is often preinstalled on Android gadgets these days, however this wasn’t the case on my dad’s newer system. The significance of Pictures might be recognized to virtually each Android Authority reader at this level, however in brief, 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 provide is more likely to be adequate, making it an ideal set-it-and-forget-it resolution.

Pictures can also be easy to arrange, however the supposed consumer could have to be walked via the varied different choices accessible throughout the app itself.

Nonetheless, for these moments when the consumer needs to view the place their WhatsApp photos are saved, an easier app like Google Gallery is effectively value putting in too.

My mother and father use YouTube rather a lot and usually sit via what finally ends up being hours of adverts each month. I don’t need them to waste their time or by chance faucet on an errant and presumably malicious advert of their video shopping travels. As a companion to YouTube, I counsel they set up Tubular.

This open-source YouTube frontend bypasses adverts, presents quite a few high quality changes when Wi-Fi or mobile sign power 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 via the varied features 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 proper file administration instrument for many who want a Swiss pocket knife. It makes trying to find particular recordsdata extraordinarily simple, sensibly categorizes recordsdata by sort, after which presents per-folder views inside, and consists of useful add-ons, equivalent to PDF help and a safe Protected Folder for delicate paperwork.

As I discussed, Information by Google is often put in on trendy 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 have to to seize it on your non-techie companion.

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

Gboard does the whole lot higher. It consists of extra strong 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 may’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’ll all the time swap again to the default keyboard with out a lot fuss.

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