When you consider hidden tips and little-known options on Android, the Google Play Retailer most likely is not the primary place that involves thoughts.
And why would it not? The Play Retailer looks as if a easy utility — a spot the place you go once you’ve bought one thing you need to obtain or an app replace you are particularly keen to hunt out.
However like so many areas of Android, the Google Play Retailer holds loads of secrets and techniques for quicker, smarter, and customarily more practical telephone maneuvering. A few of ’em are time-saving shortcuts, whereas others are out-of-sight bits of superior insights or management over your Android app arsenal.
All of ’em, although, are stuff you’ll marvel the way you remained woefully unaware of all this time — and issues that’ll make your Android expertise meaningfully simpler in small however important measures.
Able to see what you’ve got been lacking?
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Google Play Retailer secret No. 1: A speedy app set up shortcut
As a rule, most of us head into the Play Retailer to discover a new app — by looking or maybe simply stumbling onto one thing attention-grabbing in one of many storefront’s recommendations — proper?
Nicely, this is a useful little step-saver few Android-appreciating animals are knowledgeable about:
From wherever within the Play Retailer — the primary display, a class display, or perhaps a search outcomes record — you’ll be able to merely press and maintain your finger onto any app’s identify or icon to put in it proper then and there, with out having to first open up its information web page after which poke round to search out the usual “Set up” button.
See?
JRAnd now that you understand, you may by no means be unaware once more.
Google Play Retailer secret No. 2: The quick app detour
Talking of app-related shortcuts, the subsequent time you need to get to the Play Retailer web page for an app already in your telephone — to test for an replace, mayhaps, or peek in on some method of associated information — press and maintain the app’s icon on your property display or in your app drawer after which faucet “App information.”
Relying on what sort of telephone you’ve gotten, you may both see an choice to open its Play Retailer web page instantly on the display that comes up otherwise you’ll need to faucet “Superior” to disclose the “App particulars” possibility.
However both approach, you may zip over there in a metaphorical hop, skip, and shake — no looking or digging round required.
Google Play Retailer secret No. 3: Your bulk uninstall buddy
It is at all times good to wash home on occasion and eradicate any apps you are not actively utilizing. However uninstalling a bunch of stuff will be time-consuming and cumbersome — no less than, till you understand this subsequent Google Play Retailer trick.
Open up the Play Retailer in your telephone, then faucet your profile image within the upper-right nook and choose “Handle apps & machine.” (Or, an additional bonus trick: Press and maintain the Play Retailer icon in your app drawer or on your property display and choose the “My apps” shortcut that pops up there to avoid wasting your self a number of steps and skip straight to the identical vacation spot.)
Subsequent, faucet the “Handle” tab on the prime to see a listing of each app put in in your telephone this minute — then faucet the outlined field subsequent to any app you need to uninstall. Maintain going till all of the apps you need to eradicate are chosen, then search for the unassuming little trash can icon within the upper-right nook of the display.
JRSee it? Faucet that dangerous boy and faucet it good, and each final app you chose will despatched a-packin’ on the identical time — no clunky one-by-one plucking required.
Good to know, eh?!
Google Play Retailer secret No. 4: Added app insights
If you would like a serving to hand determining which particular apps could be good to eliminate — or in the event you’re simply inquisitive about your app-using habits — this subsequent Google Play Retailer secret is simply the factor for you.
On that very same “Handle apps & gadgets” display throughout the Play Retailer, faucet the road towards the highest of the display that claims “Not too long ago up to date.”
And hey, how ’bout that? That surprising faucet goal pulls up a hidden menu that allows you to type your apps by measurement — a major metric, if native cupboard space is a priority — together with how typically you truly open ’em.
JRFaucet the “Least used” possibility, and you will see your apps sorted by order of after they have been final accessed. That is a wise place to begin for contemplating which apps could be prime candidates for elimination, although needless to say some system-level instruments and apps that run within the background with out express opening could seem excessive up in that record, even though you are truly nonetheless counting on ’em.
Google Play Retailer secret No. 5: Your hidden app historical past
Whereas we’re in that space of the Play Retailer on Android, make your self a psychological observe: Proper in that very same part lurks an extremely helpful strategy to discover a full record of each app you’ve got ever put in that is not already current in your present machine.
It is a improbable strategy to rediscover one thing you’d put in earlier than — whether or not weeks in the past and even years previously — and get it again in your present machine with none brain-exhausting excavation.
So this is the trick: On that very same “Handle apps & machine” display we have been simply starin’ at, in that exact same “Handle” tab, faucet the field towards the highest that claims “Put in.”
And identical to that, you may discover a tucked-away choice to shift your view and give attention to apps out of your previous that aren’t presently current.
JRFrom there, you’ll be able to faucet any app within the record to open its information display after which set up it — or you’ll be able to take a cue from our earlier tip and test the field alongside all the apps you need to convey again. When you take that route, simply search for the downward-facing arrow icon on the prime of the display as soon as you’ve got made your choices to put in every thing you picked in a single fell swoop.
Google Play Retailer secret No. 6: A easy share shortcut
Sharing apps will be clunky, whether or not we’re talkin’ about sending stuff from one machine you personal to a different or passing alongside an distinctive title out of your telephone to a colleague, cousin, or another type of companion.
Nicely, get this: I only in the near past stumbled onto a spectacular system for easy sharing of apps between any two Android gadgets. It is constructed proper into the Play Retailer, but it surely’s out of sight and out of thoughts — and odds are, except you subscribe to my Android Intelligence e-newsletter and discovered about it with me a number of weeks again, you’ve got most likely by no means observed it.
So let’s repair that, we could? Within the Play Retailer in your Android telephone, faucet your profile image after which choose “Handle apps & gadgets.” And this time, search for the innocuous little “Share apps” part on the backside of the subsequent display that comes up.
Faucet the “Ship” button inside it, and you will as soon as once more end up watching a full record of all of the apps put in in your telephone. Faucet the field subsequent to any apps you need to share, then faucet the triangle-shaped Play Retailer icon that reveals up within the upper-right nook of the display.
JRThe Play Retailer will stroll you thru precisely what to do on the receiving machine to get your chosen apps shared over and out there. When you observe by way of and approve the switch on each side, the apps might be on the opposite telephone and able to use in a flash.
Google Play Retailer secret No. 7: The embarrassing app eraser
Earlier than we name it a day, there’s another little-known Play Retailer possibility that is nicely price tucking away in your noggin for future reference.
When you occur to identify an app in your historical past that you simply’d reasonably not bear in mind — for any cause possible (and don’t be concerned, I will not ask!) — head again into the “Handle apps & machine” space of the Play Retailer in your favourite Android machine, faucet the “Handle” tab, after which faucet the field towards the highest of the display that claims “Put in.”
Faucet the field subsequent to any apps you need to obliterate, then faucet the trash can icon with an “x” inside it as soon as you’ve got made your choices.
JRThat’ll completely take away any chosen apps out of your Play Retailer historical past and cease ’em from being related together with your account in any approach. It is virtually as in case your previous interactions by no means even occurred.
Ahh — if solely the remainder of life could possibly be so easy.
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