Cut at the root
Theme your phone, no root required
61
Just as root has become less needed for more critical functions on Android (like tethering), root has become less and less needed to theme your phone as well.
Ara Wagoner
Ara Wagoner is a Writer at Android Central. She themes phones and pokes Google Play Music with a stick. When she's not writing help and how-to's, she's off dreaming about Disney and singing show tunes. If you see her without headphones, RUN. You can follow her on Twitter at @arawagco.
All Posts by Ara Wagoner
Antivirus and password managers and data protection oh my
T-Mobile gets into the insurance game with Premium Device Protection Plus
8
Our lives are on our phones, so it makes all the sense in the world that we want to protect them. T-Mobile wants to sell you that protection with a basket of security services for a monthly fee.
Dual-listening
Using Dual Audio on the Samsung Galaxy S8
8
The whole splitting earbuds with your girlfriend thing seems romantic, but it's awkward. It's cramped. It's also gross because you're sharing nasty earbuds. There's a better way to share your listening. It's called Dual Audio. Here's how it works.
That's no moon theme
Transport your phone to a galaxy far, far away with these Star Wars themes
18
Did you forget? May 4th is Star Wars Day! We find your lack of theme disturbing.
Awesome Walls Vol. 2
Get your Guardians of the Galaxy wallpapers
6
We're gonna get funky with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 this weekend, and before we crank up Awesome Mix Vol. 2, we want to get some of that awesome on our home screens. I. Am. Groot.
One volume for all
Bluetooth volume on the Samsung Galaxy S8 not working properly? Try this!
8
Bluetooth volumes can vary wildly between devices, so it makes sense that we want to try and even things out. The problem is, that works a lot better in theory than in practice. Thankfully, Samsung gives us the option to use what's best for us.
Can you hear my question now?
Verizon tops carrier customer support showdown
48
Having good network coverage and device policies are important for a carrier to be sure, but when things go wrong, you want a network that'll help you make them right again. That network is Verizon.
Still The One
Nova Launcher review
80
Nova Launcher’s been around for over five years now, and it’s still one of the most widely-used and recommended launchers in the Android ecosystem. Here’s why.
Put some green on your screen
Wall Weekly goes to the garden
2
Green is a color very near and dear to our hearts. It's the color of our beloved mascot, the color most associated with Android, and a color associated with life itself. Green is a color of growth and renewal, and here are some green wallpapers!
Back It Up!
You should back up your launcher. Here’s how!
31
When you’re setting up a new phone, you have to put everything back the way you like it on your home screen. But what if you could put everything back the way it was on your old phone with just a few clicks? Enter launcher backups.
Bust a moto mod
Moto produces short, groan-inducing rap promo
16
Motorola has been trying to market itself as hip for a while, but it's especially been on a tear the last few months. To that end, Motorola has put out a short rap video to remind us that it was the original mobile phone maker.
Music Makes Walls Better
Feel the music with these melodic wallpapers
4
Music is a universal language, an outlet of emotion and intimacy that goes beyond humanity to nature itself. Music is something that I would not be standing here without, and putting that love on your wallpaper can help remind us to turn it up!
It’s Complicated
Android Wear 2.0’s most desired — and most elusive — feature
36
Android Wear 2.0 brought system-standard complications, enabling any watch face to draw in data and actions from other apps. There’s just one problem: You can't use them on most faces. Yet.
Color Me Pretty
Color By Disney review
3
There are many, many coloring book apps out there, riding the wave of adults who have returned to coloring pages as a way to calm the mind and waste oodles of time. Color By Disney is the Mouse's take on a premium coloring app. With a premium price.
Rollout
OnePlus 3 and 3T seeing another 7.1.1 update
39
Most companies are just giving out easter eggs this weekend, but OnePlus is giving out some Nougaty updates, which beats the pants off some candy.
Wake Me Up
Wake up to your chosen music app with Tasker
32
I had a dream... of waking up to my playlist, just like I did for the decade I was an iPod user. And thanks to the customization and automation functionalities in Android's nerdy depths, I have done it. Here's how dreams come true.
Happy Birthday to me
Ara's favorite Wallpapers
8
Wallpapers are one of the most simple and fundamental theming elements in the digital world. On iOS, a wallpaper is all you can really do to dress it up, but on Android, a wallpaper is the seed of a good theme. Or great ones, in this case.
Big phone, big storage
128GB Samsung Galaxy S8+ will exist, but only in 2 countries
26
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ have so far been announced with one storage option: 64GB. If you want any more than that, you'll need a microSD card... unless you live in one of two Asian countries.
Thanks for getting our hopes up
No, the Huawei Watch doesn't have NFC
18
Unfortunately, the reports are wrong: the original Huawei Watch doesn't have an NFC chip.
Lay it out for me
Laying out your home screen
122
Because Android is awesome, we all have some type of a home screen, because we all have some kind of launcher through which we interact with the system and apps on our phone. How you set things up on that home screen can have a big impact on how you use your phone and how you theme your phone.