12 apps I urge non-techies to install on their Android phones

The Android apps that come preinstalled on a telephone 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 that may meet your wants. Secondly, they’re normally from the producer itself, which implies they’re tightly built-in into the broader framework of your telephone.

Nevertheless, as is commonly 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 wish to put in.

Each time I’m tasked with fixing somebody’s telephone or providing strategies, I all the time assessment their put in apps and recommend 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 supply further 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 units, which makes this course of considerably difficult. In these moments when your complete household isn’t gathered collectively on the year-end tech assist symposium, higher often known as “the vacations,” TeamViewer will come in useful.

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

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

Whereas Google Chrome is the default browser on Android, it’s not significantly user-friendly for newcomers. Sure, it’s straightforward to make use of, but it surely lets advertisements via like a sieve and doesn’t dim net 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 may be difficult 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 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, assist for nearly each video platform, together with TikTok, built-in video ad-blocking and Sponsorblock, and background playback assist.

You might have to set it as much as go well with its important consumer greatest, 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 keep 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 exploit a Samsung telephone 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 go once I fly and my loyalty card holder once I’m at my favourite shops. And, in fact, I exploit it to simply pay for gadgets whereas retaining my bodily card protected and sound. I can also’t start to rely the moments Pockets has saved me once I unintentionally left my money and playing cards at house.

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 begin their cell funds journey with it.

Fb continues to be utilized by tons of of tens of millions of individuals day-after-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 advertisements and instructed posts, the choice to obtain content material, and tremendous fast load occasions. Customers can even alter the standard of the content material in order that it masses extra effectively on slower networks.

The app incorporates a surprisingly easy setup; nonetheless, 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 speak safety. Password administration is the quickest means a non-technical consumer can enhance their on-line privateness. Neatly storing all of their important unlock and account information 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, but it surely additionally means they’re far much less prone to neglect that grasp password.

The very best password supervisor is Bitwarden. It may be accessed on varied platforms, makes autofill a breeze on Android, and may be personalized with relative ease.

Once more, I recommend establishing Bitwarden for the meant consumer, together with creating an account and strolling them via greatest password etiquette. However as soon as they’ve grasped the ins and outs, they’ll be capable to get pleasure from autofill throughout Android and another gadget.

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 probably the most approachable for non-techies.

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

Authenticator apps is usually a nuisance to arrange, so that you’ll probably want to help the meant consumer in getting began. Nevertheless, 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 gadget to a different a chore. Whereas my household normally 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 information from one gadget to a different over a Wi-Fi community a breeze. It’s good for household gatherings, simply acknowledges different units on the community, and works swiftly. I exploit it to bounce recordsdata from my telephone to my PC or different units day-after-day.

Localsend will should be arrange on the consumer’s gadget, however after every little thing is in place, sending recordsdata to them shall be as straightforward as “Open Localsend, and faucet Settle for.”

Google Photographs is normally preinstalled on Android units these days, however this wasn’t the case on my dad’s newer gadget. The significance of Photographs might be identified 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 house on provide is prone to be enough, making it an ideal set-it-and-forget-it answer.

Photographs can be simple to arrange, however the meant consumer could should be walked via the assorted different choices accessible inside the app itself.

Nevertheless, 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 value putting in too.

My dad and mom use YouTube so much and frequently sit via what finally ends up being hours of advertisements each month. I don’t need them to waste their time or unintentionally faucet on an errant and probably malicious advert of their video searching travels. As a companion to YouTube, I recommend they set up Tubular.

This open-source YouTube frontend bypasses advertisements, affords quite a few high quality changes when Wi-Fi or mobile sign energy is low, and doesn’t require Google Play Companies 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 assorted points of the app.

In one other case of “why wasn’t the app put in on my dad’s telephone?” Information by Google is the proper file administration software for individuals who want a Swiss pocket knife. It makes looking for particular recordsdata extraordinarily straightforward, sensibly categorizes recordsdata by kind, after which affords per-folder views inside, and consists of priceless add-ons, comparable to PDF assist and a safe Protected Folder for delicate paperwork.

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

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

Gboard does every little thing higher. It consists of extra sturdy autocomplete, spelling correction, and fluid swipe typing. Many of those options appear marginally necessary to non-techies till they’re truly put into use. It’s a case of when you’ve tried it, you’ll be able to’t return.

Switching keyboards isn’t troublesome 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 all the time 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 suggest to your non-technical family and friends for his or her units? Let’s focus on within the feedback part beneath.