20 Hidden Android KitKat Tips and Tricks

20 Hidden Android Kit Kat Tips and Tricksarkrishna

20 Hidden Android KitKat Tips and Tricks

Android Tips and Tricks arkrishna

Android 4.4 KitKat may not be the latest and greatest version of Google's operating system (that's Android Lollipop 5.0), but it still ships on plenty of new Android handsets and exists on the vast majority of phones already out there in the wild.

Whilst it may currently be the most popular edition of Android, there are still plenty of KitKat tips and tricks that you may not know about. We've handpicked 20 worth knowing:

Turn on Android 4.4 Developer Mode

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Whilst you may have easily found Developer Mode in earlier versions of Android, in KitKat Google has hidden it away to prevent most 'normal' users from tinkering too much. To access some of the other tips and tricks on this page, you're going to have to

have it enabled, so this is the first trick we recommend following.

Simply go to Settings > About Phone, and tap the 'Build Number' section seven times. This will then unlock the developer menu, which allows access a plethora of geeky extras.

Limit Background Processes to Improve Battery Life

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Should you find that your phone's performance is starting to dip, you can reclaim some of that lost speed by accessing the developer options and tap on the 'Process Stats' option.

In this menu you can control how many background processes your phone is allowed to simultaneously perform. If you cut them down, you should see a performance and battery life improvement.

Get in-depth stats about KitKat Processes

If you are interested in knowing what's going on under the hood of your Android KitKat device. The 'Process Stats' menu also shows you performance and usage stats of any background, foreground and cached processes. You can choose a custom duration for the statistics, toggle the display of different stats types and decide which system processes to show or hide.

Switch to the ART Runtime in Android 4.4

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By default Android uses Dalvik runtime, which is referred to as a 'just in time' compiler. Essentially that means it takes care of app operations as and when they are required. ART (Android RunTime) is an 'ahead of time' compiler that allows your apps to be compiled in a ready-to-run state before you even launch them, making the whole process of launching and using apps significantly smoother. The only hiccup? It's not enabled by default so you will need to enter the developer menu and tap the 'select runtime' option to turn it on.

After turning on, your handset will reboot and it will take a little time for your phone recompile all your apps, but afterwards you should find your smartphone performs better and uses less battery.

Exit from 'Immersive' Mode in Android 4.4

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One of the features introduced in Android 4.4 is the 'immersive' mode, which removes all of the on-screen interface so as to give you a full-screen view of your current app. Apps that support immersive mode will already remove UI elements automatically, but if you need to get them back, simply swipe down from the top of the display and the notifications bar will re-appear - very handy for checking notifications or settings whilst in the middle of a game.

Enable Lock Screen Widgets in Android KitKat

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Whilst widgets were introduced in Android 4.2, in Android 4.4 they are not enabled by default. To turn them on, you will need to head to your device Settings > Security then tick the 'Enable Widgets' box. Once you have done this, you can simply swipe from left to right on your lockscreen and tap the "plus" icon to add widgets. Choose from Gmail, Calendar and Google Keep, amongst others.

Access all Storage Devices through Google's File Manager

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In KitKat, Google introduced its own new file manager that comes with support for Google Drive and many third-party cloud storage, which makes picking a file much easier and more universal. Whilst this is all fine and dandy, you can also use this file manager to manage both internal storage and external storage such as micro SD cards and USB-hosted storage

To unlock full storage access, you need to head into the file manager's settings menu, and enable the option labelled ‘display advanced devices’; there's also an option to display file sizes, too.

After you enable this extra device access, you will see a menu for your Internal storage (and potentially your micro SD card, if supported) in the 'open from' navigation drawer. Tap it, and you will now be able to select any file you like from the device’s file system.

Switch Between Default SMS Apps in Android 4.4

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If you have a handset with a stock version of Android KitKat, you are persuaded into using the Google Hangouts app instead of the standard messaging app as your default SMS app. This doesn't mean that the stock SMS app is now totally redundant, it is hidden but available in the vast majority of handsets, and if you know where to look, you can choose the default SMS or switch to one of many third-party options that are available.

Find this option under ‘wireless & networks’ menu in your phone's setting. Tap it and an option box will appear which allows you to choose your default SMS app.

Enable Face Unlock in Android KitKat

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Most Android users are now very familiar with the pattern unlock that has been an Android staple for some time now. In Android 4.4 there are a number of ways to unlock your phone, but the most eye-catching of all is Face Unlock. By scanning the geometry of your face using the front camera, your phone can decide whether you are the one trying to unlock your phone.

Turn it on by finding the 'Face Unlock' feature in Settings > Security > Screen lock. The phone will then ask to scan your face a number of times in order to setup correctly.

Once setup you can improve the Face Unlock capability by scanning your face in a variety of lighting conditions, or choose to require an eye blink to prove that someone isn't trying to get into your device using a picture of you. You'll find these extras in Settings > Security once you have initially setup Face Unlock.

Cast your Android KitKat Screen to a Chromecast

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With Android KitKat 4.4.2, Google added a casting option to many Android devices. What this lets you do is send the video and audio from your phone to a Chomecast.

For the uninitiated, this is Google’s alternative to Apple TV. You plug it into your TV’s HDMI port and it lets you stream video from services like Netflix. And your phone. Oh, and it only costs £30.

If your phone has the casting option you’ll find it right down at the bottom of the Display menu within Settings. It’s great for video, although not quite so hot for games as there is a bit of lag/delay.

Choose how Android Determines Your Location

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Android KitKat supports three different ways of determining your GPS location: using the on-board GPS chip, only the cellular and Wi-Fi networks, or using a combination of all three. If you persistently use apps that require your location, but don’t require pin-point accuracy, you can switch to the 'Battery Saving' mode to give you a lot of battery life back. If you aren't within range of Wi-Fi or mobile networks, you can switch to 'Device Only' mode to save a little battery whilst using just the GPS chip to determine your location. To change the location mode, open the Settings menu and go to Location followed by Mode.

Speed up Animations in Android 4.4

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Although they may add extra eye-candy, screen animations are actually intended as a distraction whilst the device is loading whatever app or process you have requested. Whilst this was necessary a couple of years ago, newer phones and tablets are significantly faster, meaning these animations are now purely for aesthetics.

With just a few taps, you can speed up Android KitKat considerably. After enabling Developer Mode, go to the developer menu and set 'window animation scale', 'transition animation scale' and 'animation duration scale' to 0.5x. This adjustment will make all animations twice as fast. If you don’t want any animations at all, you can alternatively choose to turn off all three settings instead.

Easily Switch Launchers in Android KitKat

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Android is well known for its customisation potential that allows you to change the entire look and feel of your smartphone. If you're not happy with your phone's stock launcher, you can choose one of many 3rd party launchers available on the Play Store. Although this isn't a new feature, Google has made it easier than ever to switch from one launcher to another in KitKat. After installing an alternative launcher, a new option in Settings called 'Home' will appear. Simply tap it and choose the launcher you want to use, then return to the home screen to marvel at your smartphones new look.

Print Without a Computer in Android KitKat

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Viewing any kind of document digitially is incredibly convenient, but sometimes there is no substitute for hard copy. In previous versions of Android, Google dabbled with printing with the Cloud Print app, whilst HP brought their own app to the Play Store to fill the void. In Android KitKat 4.4, printing is baked right into the OS.

Setup your device's printing abilities by going to Settings > System > Printing. On the next screen you'll see two options for printing: 'Cloud Print' and 'HP Print Service Plugin'. Obviously if you have a compatible HP printer, you'll want to use the latter option, otherwise a number of other printer manufacturers now support the Cloud Print service. Google has a comprehensive list of compatible printers on the official Cloud Ready Printing FAQ.

Talk to Google from Any Screen

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To be able to spontaneously talk to your phone or tablet and have it recognise your every command is a geek’s dream come true. Android KitKat brought with it the option for Google Now voice activation from any screen, for true hands-free automation.

To enable voice activation, go to Google Settings followed by Search & Now. Enter the Voice section and choose ‘OK Google’ Detection. Next, enable From Any Screen and go through the brief setup process. Enjoy your new virtual assistant who’s always listening!

Get an extra Google Play Game

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Here's a fun little hidden extra for you. If you head to the standalone Google Play Games app, you can unlock a special 'Konami Code' achievement simply by following these directions: swipe up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right. You'll then be presented with a popup that displays buttons to finish the code with B, A and Start. If you have successfully entered the code, you'll be rewarded with an achievement called 'All your game are belong to us', which is, of course, a reference to Zero Wing - a Sega Megadrive classic with comically bad Japanese to English translation. Google sure knows how to appeal to the retro gamer in us with this Easter egg!

Another Little Easter Egg in Android KitKat

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This Easter egg has no real use, but is a fun thing to know about. Since Android 2.3 they have hidden a special animation about software you have on your device. To find this little treat, simply go to Settings > About Device and then repeatedly tap on ‘Android Version’ until the screen changes. You’ll be presented with a ‘K’ that spins when you tap on it. Hold it longer and you’ll be presented with another animated screen showing all the sweet flavours of Android that preceded KitKat.

Remotely Locate & Wipe Your Phone in Android

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Losing your beloved smartphone device and all the important information stored on it is a modern-day nightmare, but fortunately Google has you covered with the ability to remotely locate and wipe your phone if you log into your Google account from any other computer.

Before you can use this feature however, it must be enabled – ideally before you lose it. Go to the ‘Google Settings’ application and select ‘Android Device Manager’, then choose the option to ‘Remotely Locate This Device’ and ‘Allow Remote Lock And Factory Reset’.

If you do lose your device and need to wipe or locate, simply go to Google’s Device Manager.

Keep Track of Your Daily Movements

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This one will appeal to fitness fanatics with an Android KitKat handset. Google have included a feature that unlocks the true potential of all those sensors, allowing you to properly track the steps you take each day. It can also differentiate between walking, running, cycling and even climbing.

Whilst the OS itself doesn’t have a stock app to take advantage of all this data, there are apps such as ProteGeo’s ‘Moves’ app that tracks your movement and is able to tell how many steps you have taken, representing it in a visual ‘storyline’ of your daily escapades.

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