{"id":630643,"date":"2026-10-14T19:16:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T19:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/630643\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T19:16:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T19:16:18","slug":"these-4-crucial-android-settings-are-disabled-by-default-i-cant-live-without-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/630643\/","title":{"rendered":"These 4 crucial Android settings are disabled by default; I can’t live without them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every Android phone is set up so you can start using it immediately with minimal fuss. After all, manufacturers want onboarding to be as smooth as possible to make a positive first impression.<\/p>\n

But some settings are disabled by default when they should be opt-out instead. No matter what Android device I set up, I always enable these settings first<\/a> for the best experience. <\/p>\n

Advanced Protection ought to be part of the setup process<\/p>\n

It’s the quickest way to protect your phone and its data<\/p>\n

Android 16 launched in 2025 with a comprehensive security upgrade that, for some reason, was disabled by default. This feature, called Advanced Protection, provides the best protection for your phone’s data.<\/p>\n

I understand why Android disables it by default; Advanced Protection is a complex set of features that some people won’t want.<\/p>\n

However, at the very least, it should be included in the setup process on new Android phones. Here’s how to enable it:<\/p>\n

Open the Settings app.<\/p>\n

Scroll down and tap Security and privacy.<\/p>\n

Tap Advanced Protection.<\/p>\n

Toggle on the Device protection switch.<\/p>\n

\"A\"A<\/p>\n

Advanced Protection isn’t a single feature; it’s a toggle that enables several Android security features (many of which you can enable separately).<\/p>\n

These features cover everything from Theft Detection Lock (which locks your phone when motion indicates theft) to Chrome browsing (which warns you before you visit non-HTTPS sites).<\/p>\n

It blocks unknown sources from installing apps and turns off Watch Unlock. These and other features can be inconvenient, but it’s a small price to pay for total device security.<\/p>\n


\n \"Pixel<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tI stopped my Pixel from secretly broadcasting its location when powered down by changing this Android security setting
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

A simple setting keeps your Pixel truly offline when you turn it off<\/p>\n

The best part about Advanced Protection is that after I turn it on, I never have to think about it again. So, after setting up any Android device, I go straight to the Security and privacy settings to toggle it on.<\/p>\n

Comfort View makes eye strain a thing of the past<\/p>\n

It’s so good, I can’t believe Google doesn’t enable it by default<\/p>\n

Comfort View is technically a Pixel-exclusive feature, but other manufacturers like Samsung offer similar tools.<\/p>\n

Everyone should use Night Light, which reduces blue light from your screen at night. It’s a brilliant tool that improves sleep quality, but it’s a little too extreme for daily use.<\/p>\n

Comfort View reduces blue light<\/a>, but not to the same extent as Night Light. I’ve been using it since May when it launched, and I don’t notice the change anymore. <\/p>\n

When I temporarily disabled it for this article, I realized how blinding my Pixel’s screen is.<\/p>\n

Open the Settings app.<\/p>\n

Scroll down and tap Display and touch.<\/p>\n

Tap Comfort Filters.<\/p>\n

Toggle on the Comfort View switch.<\/p>\n

\"display\"comfort<\/p>\n

I use the Dynamic setting; otherwise, the effect is a touch too orange during the day. Samsung Galaxy owners can enable a similar feature by turning on Eye Comfort Shield in the Quick Settings panel.<\/p>\n

Background processes aren’t necessary and waste memory<\/p>\n

Notifications are slower, but the trade-off is worth it<\/p>\n

Background processes refer to cached data that isn’t currently being used. By default, Android keeps a set number running in the background at all times, but it isn’t necessary.<\/p>\n

In my experience, disabling this feature can add up to 10 seconds to the wait time for incoming notifications, and some apps take a second or two longer to open.<\/p>\n

However, I also freed up 2GB of RAM<\/a> and noticed a boost in my Pixel’s battery life and performance. <\/p>\n

\"android\"background<\/p>\n

This setting is buried in Android’s developer settings. After these are enabled, search for the Background process limit option.<\/p>\n

Enable Android developer options by opening Settings, scrolling down to About Phone, and tapping Build Number seven times.<\/p>\n

By default, Android sets it to Standard limit. Instead, enable No background processes by selecting the radio button.<\/p>\n

Enabling this setting helps me get the best performance from my Android device.<\/p>\n

Animation speed shouldn’t be set to 1x<\/p>\n

Change the speed to avoid delays when opening apps<\/p>\n

The Developer options also have an Animation scale setting. This setting adjusts how fast Android animations play out, including when apps open.<\/p>\n

So even if Android loads an app instantly, it might take longer to play, creating an unnecessary delay.<\/p>\n

This setting noticeably improves app opening speeds on any device, from flagships to budget phones.<\/p>\n

In developer options, find the Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale settings.<\/p>\n

Set each of these settings to Animation scale .5x.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

That’s it. Turning animations off completely is technically faster, but it creates abrupt and irritating transitions.<\/p>\n

Over time, I made my Android phone unrecognizable<\/p>\n

These are certainly not the only Android settings I modify<\/a> over the lifetime of a phone, but they are the settings I enable first. <\/p>\n

Ideally, manufacturers would include them in the setup process of new phones, but thankfully, enabling them all takes less than a minute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every Android phone is set up so you can start using it immediately with minimal fuss. After all,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":630644,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[342,111,139,69,145],"class_list":["post-630643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-mobile","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630643"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630643\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/630644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}