The top 16 underrated Android 13 features smartphone users love
As with every passing year, a big Android version update is released, adding new features and functionality to the popular operating system. Android 13, in particular, brings some nice changes and enhancements that thebest Android phonescan benefit from. But as with every annual release of Android, minor or underappreciated features can slip through the cracks. And with new beta builds, you might have more features to look forward to coming soon. They all should get a special mention, especially those hidden in a settings menu or not talked about quite as much.
In this guide, we highlight a handful of these features fromAndroid 13that may be missed at first glance or should be put in the spotlight.
Quick Tap flashlight action shortcut
Quick Tap is an excellent feature introduced with Android 12, which allows you to double-tap the back of your phone to launch an action. Although technically not a new feature in Android 13, Google added an option that most users felt had been missing from day one:a flashlight.
To use the flashlight action for the Quick Tap feature, do the following:
Scan QR codes from the Quick Settings menu
There aremultiple ways to scan QR codeson your Android smartphone, from Google Lens to the built-in camera app. This works great, but you must open an app and make a few taps before you can scan a QR code. In Android 13, Google introduced theScan QR codepanel for the Quick Settings menu with one-tap access.
To scan a QR code, tap the tile once and then scan a QR code. No more opening the camera or other apps first.
Control smart home devices without unlocking your phone
Google continues to refine the smart device controls feature with each new Android version. For example, it recently swapped the long-press Power button menu for a Quick Settings tile calledDevice controlsin Android 12. The purpose and features were the same, but Google changed how you access your smart home controls. That’s all good, but one common issue is still there. If your smartphone is locked, you’re able to’t turn on the lights or adjust other smart home devices.
Starting with Android 13, you can control these devices without unlocking your phone. To find this new Android 13 feature, go toSettings>Display>Lock screen>Control from locked device. When you turn on this setting, you can manage the devices linked to Google Home without unlocking your phone.
Google added this feature to simplify our smart home lives. The updated Quick Settings tile in Android 13 has been renamed toHome, which you’ll tap to adjust your smart home devices.
A smaller lock screen clock than what came with Android 12
Always-on displays have been a significant part of the Android ecosystem but only recently saw a major overhaul with Android 12. Google’s focus on larger user interface elements built for touchscreens is a brilliant move, especially since display sizes seem to get slightly larger every year. The change also affected the lock screen, not just the always-on display feature. As such, the giant font size for the lock screen clock in Android 12 had mixed reactions, but many become used to it.
With Android 13, there’s a setting to reduce the lock screen clock font size in case you’re interested in a more discreet option. you could find it by going toSettings>Display>Lock screen>Double-line clock. Enabling this option splits the clock into two lines, making it look like when you get a new notification, except it stays this size at all times.
Quickly edit a document or text with an improved copy and paste in Android 13
Copy and paste is a core Android function many of us use daily. We’d likely be lost without it since it’s so helpful. This feature has mostly stayed the same throughout the years, with a few minor changes here and there. In Android 13, Google added a feature that opens a new menu in the lower-left corner when you copy something. Tapping the pop-up menu brings you to a dedicated screen with the copied text or image, letting you edit it as needed. Once you’re finished making the edits, tapDoneto save the changes.
Active apps section in the Quick Settings panel makes closing apps easy in Android 13
Many top-tier Android smartphones come with a significant amount of RAM, up to 16GB in some cases. The more RAM available to your device, the more apps you could open at once. That also increases the possibility of unnecessary apps running in the background, draining your battery. Android 13 brings a newActive appsbutton to the bottom of your Quick Settings menu, which identifies these apps instantly. Some apps, such as a VPN, should stay active all the time to work correctly, but this may not be the case for every app.
Swipe down on your Quick Settings menu, then tap thenumberedbutton at the bottom of the screen left of theSettingsicon to get started. That number represents how many apps are currently running in the background. In the newActive appsscreen that appears, you may view and turn off any apps you don’t want by pressing theStopbutton. Some apps must be running in the background to work correctly. Just shut down the ones you don’t need.
Android 13 lets you change display size and text settings from the same screen
Android 13 has some useful display control options that you should consider trying. Before this, the Font size and Display size features were in separate sections. Other related settings had been tucked away elsewhere. With the Android 13 update, you can adjust the font or display size, bold, and high-contrast text options from a single page. No more jumping back and forth to make changes to your display settings. To find this new screen, go toSettings>Display>Display size and text.
Hold the home button for your digital assistant using three-button navigation
The gesture navigation that Google brought to the table initially with Android 10 was a game changer. It made big-screen smartphones easier to use. As each new version of Android is released, these gestures continue to improve and get easier to use. However, this may not be a good fit for all users regardless of how refined the feature has become. As such, Google continues to offer the classic three-button navigation option for those not ready to adopt the full gesture-based experience.
If you use Google Assistant, Android 13 allows you to long-press the home button to bring up your digital assistant. The feature isn’t entirely new. It may be familiar to some users who used it in an older version of Android. It has likely returned to Android 13 due to popular demand for those who still prefer using the three-button navigation.
To find and enable this setting on your device, check out the following steps:
A new audio description setting appears in the accessibility settings
Android has many accessibility features, making it user-friendly for all people. From text size magnification to real-time text transcriptions, there’s something to fit everyone’s needs. As each new version of Android is released, Google typically adds or enhances a few accessibility options to improve the user experience. Android 13 implemented an Audio description feature, which allows you to hear a verbal description of what’s happening on-screen during audio pauses. This works with supported movies and shows to portray the scene better to its users.
To find and enable this feature on your device, do the following:
Turn on the dark mode theme at bedtime
A system-wide dark mode feature was introduced with Android 10, which makes your favorite compatible apps switch to a darker theme. Later, Google introduced Bedtime Mode, providing a few options to help you unwind before you go to sleep, such as silencing app notifications. However, enabling dark mode when Bedtime Mode kicks in was something many felt should have been included by default. In Android 13, you can turn on the dark theme when Bedtime Mode activates, saving you an extra step.
To find and enable the dark mode at bedtime feature, check out the following steps:
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