Learning these smartphone features will allow you to take true advantage of your mobile device.

When you get a new Android phone, you probably pop it out of the box and start using it right away: texting, watching videos and playing with your favorite apps.

That’s fine, but you should explore more of the features your phone has to offer. Don’t be afraid of messing it up. These smartphone features are designed to be user-friendly, and they make your phone experience easier and more complete.

1. Using a MicroSD Card

Certain Android phones have a slot where you can insert a microSD Card. Using one is simple, and many people love the added storage a microSD card provides. If you’re new to Android and your phone has this capability, don’t miss out!

Your phone must be turned off to insert a microSD card. After you slot it in, turn the phone on. A notification will appear on your phone’s screen prompting you to format the microSD card. You can choose a portable or internal storage. Portable storage means you can move the microSD card containing the stored information between devices. You can store music and photos, but not apps. Internal storage means the card becomes an expansion of your phone’s existing storage. You can store apps this way, but you won’t be able to unplug the card and put it in another device.

2. Rebooting in Safe Mode

Sometimes, apps malfunction and phones freeze, which is why you’ll want to know how to reboot in safe mode. You can do this whether your phone is on or off. When your phone is on, press and hold the power button until you get the “power off” option on your screen. Hold down the button on your screen until “Reboot to safe mode” displays as an option.

If your Android is off, press the power button to turn it on. Watch for the Google logo. Right after it disappears, hold the volume down button through the entire start-up animation. Your phone will start in safe mode. If you suspect an app of causing trouble (or containing a virus), safe mode is the way to get rid of it. No third-party apps will work in safe mode, giving you the opportunity to fix any problems.

3. Setting up Voicemail

When you get a new device, setting up your voicemail isn’t always at the top of your new phone to-do list. Instead of just enabling your voicemail, set the outgoing message as well, for people who call and miss you. The steps for setting up your voicemail and outgoing message are the same for almost every smartphone, so you won’t have to hunt down directions specific to your model.

Start by opening your phone’s call screen, then press and hold the number one. You’ll enter your voicemail set up, which might ask for your phone’s password before you can get started. Then you’ll set up a voicemail password and record your greeting. Don’t worry, changing it is easy. Just head to Google Voice.

4. Getting Notifications about Data Limits

If you have a phone plan with limited data,data usage notificationsare something you do not want to miss. Even if your plan has unlimited data, your data usage impacts how well your phone works. Some apps suck down mobile data and compromise your phone’s performance.

Go to Settings, then Data Usage. Under “Cellular usage data” you’ll see another Settings menu. Click that for the option to set a data warning. You enter the number of GBs to trigger the warning, then hit the “set” button. You can also set a hard data limit, which means your phone won’t use cellular data at all after you hit this limit. This is a great way to make sure you don’t get charged extra for going over your smartphone plan’s limit. You can find it in the same spot; just turn on “Set data limit” and type in that amount.

Android devices offer lots of great features that add convenience to your smartphone usage. Take true advantage of your smartphone by learning these features. As you get more comfortable exploring what your device can do, you’ll find even cooler smartphone features at your fingertips.

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