As we all have some personal apps on our Android devices that we don't want anyone to sneak in or we want to hide certain apps from our kids to limit their mobile usage. Let's learn how to hide and restrict apps in your Android device.

We download so many apps on our devices and sometimes our phones are flooded with many interesting apps, so it would be a distraction whenever we use our phones. Hiding them is the only option to keep us from not using them frequently. You will also have your bank app or some other important apps installed in your device, in this case if you are a parent you don't want your kids to misuse the apps.

To stop this from happening we can hide or restrict our apps on our Android device. Hiding them will also keep the app safe from anyone using them without your consent. Read further to find out how to do it.

How to Hide or Restrict Apps in Android

Hide Apps in Android

I have heard many scenarios where kids order stuff online without knowing and also use the credit card information to pay money by mistake. This reason is enough to hide your apps in your device to safeguard it. Do you have a silly friend who would prank you by browsing your chat history and sending unwanted text messages to people from your contact list. This can be avoided if you have your apps hidden from them. 

Some of us are addicted to certain social media apps. Whenever we open our phone it is tempting our fingers which leads us to those apps. So to avoid this from happening all the time it's better to hide those specific apps from your eyes. This will somewhat make you use those apps less frequently. Hiding them doesn't mean you are deleting the app completely from your device; it will be in your phone hidden somewhere so you can view them whenever you have a cheat day or if it's really needed.

Calculator vault

Calculator vault is a well designed app which will conceal the app that you want to hide and will make it look like a calculator app. This acts as a camouflage.

You can hide your desired app wherever you want in your screen which will replicate the calculator vault. After you have added the app that you want to the calculator vault you can uninstall it from your device. Now you can access the app through the calculator vault. It won't be available anywhere else in your device.

This prevents other people from thinking it's a calculator app. This app is also password protected. Only the authorized person can unlock it using a PIN or fingerprint. When you unlock it, it will disclose the real app. This tricky app lets you change the icon which resembles a calculator and the name 'Calculator' which fits in with other apps. These are some of the characteristics of this app.

You can also adjust the settings to not show it up in the notification section. You can amend the setting of this app to make it show only the number of notifications available instead of showing the full content. This can also be avoided by turning the notification off.

Google family link

Are you a parent who wants to keep track of your child's Android device? Google family link is a wonderful app which will allow you to inspect your kids phone and control it whenever you want.

This great app also allows you to hide the app without uninstalling them. If you have any unimportant apps in your kids phone it's time for you to banish them by simply selecting the apps from the 'Family link' this will automatically do it's work.

This app is of great use when you track where your kid is. You can detect the location of your kids phone from your phone. The most important feature is, it lets you view the tabs that your child is using and it even shows the restricted apps and all the other activities which have been handled by your kid.

Also you can restrict certain unsafe downloads, approve the important ones, keep an eye on the app purchase and also remotely lock the phone. This is one of the useful apps that is available.

How to Restrict Apps in Android

Sometimes hiding your app is not so handy. It gets out of control when you use your device often. So you can always restrict certain actions from the app and how it functions. This will help you or your child use the app whenever you need or in the times that you have assigned.

These can limit some of the apps or even set a designated time to use the app which is amazing.

Digital wellbeing

Do you know that your phone has the ability to record your daily usage allowing you to check which app consumes most of your time. Android 9 pie and above which runs on stock Android have a built-in system to record your usage. Here's how you check it. 

Go to 'Settings > digital wellbeing & parental controls. Is it showing on your settings? If it's not then you have to download it from the Google playstore.

This app allows you to allocate time to limit you from usage. When the allocated time for the day is over you won't be able to open it anymore since the app icon will turn into gray color. You won't even be able to view a notification from this app as it will block this feature when the time runs out. This feature will not make you eager to read those unread messages, new messages and comments won't be popping up. 

To make use of this app. First open digital wellbeing. Click 'Dashboard', now you have the option to restrict the apps you want. You can set the allocated time by heading to 'App timer'. When you set the time tap 'Ok'. That's all.

Action dashboard: In case your device doesn't have an inbuilt 'digital wellbeing 'app or doesn't support one you can get a third party app from the play store. ' Action dash ' is an alternative app we suggest.

This app has almost all the characteristics of the digital wellbeing app. In fact have more features than that. This app has so many features like dark themes, limiting apps, finding out perception of your screen time and many other modifications. This will run on any devices such as Android 5 lollipop or after, unlike the digital wellbeing app.

Google family link and playstore restrictions

The Google family link app is something similar to digital wellbeing which allows to set up app limits and also hide your apps. When you pass the limited time this will stops your app from working until the next day. The most specific feature is that only the sole owner or the parent of the child can meddle with the app settings for the adjustments or restrictions.

This also allows the parents to get hold of the playstore with the help of parental controls. The parents can check what's downloaded and restrict apps. This give the opportunity for parents to rate the contents such as games, movies, music etc. This app is so secure that a child can't even toggle the restriction on in the settings as it is protected by a PIN. The playstore only allows the parent to configure the PIN lock.

To find the parental controls. Go to Google playstore > left menu > settings > parental controls. Another feature is that Google play rates the games and other apps according to your region which making it easy for the parents to know the best app's.

Practical tips for smartphone usage 

Now you know the best apps which helps you control your addictions by limiting your usage time. Sometimes it's so hard to curb certain additions so hiding your apps and giving them some restrictions is something very useful. And those parenting hacks given above must be very useful for parents.

Although you have many other ways to cut back your smartphone addition these apps help you to some extent. Hope you all make use of these options given in the guide.

How To Type Multiple Languages At Same Time In Android

Smartphones has turned out to be a great device that provides you with all in one option. You can easily accomplish many tasks using the small and slim device. With so many devices being introduced and many operating systems found, Android smart devices has gained its best place among the users. It is also user friendly. So as we can literally do plenty of works with a smartphone, we get too busy dwelling into it. From browsing the internet to playing games, there are many such possible things to carry out on a phone. Today we are going to take a look at one of the best feature that can be customized into our android phones.

Apart from spending time doing nothing worthy using the smartphone, there are people who actually take use of the device. We have come across many people who get all their office works done via their phone. So in that case, if there is someone who has to get plenty of office essays or any other contents typed, we do in the phone itself rather than going in search of our laptop and sitting in front of it. If you find typing is easy in the phone, you can do so, but what if you have to use other languages rather than English only? Have you ever wondered how some send text messages from their native language? Typing in multiple language will not be something everyone needs and that is why the manual system in the phone has english language as the priority.

But still if you are looking for a way to type messages or any other important things in another language then you can do so. We all know that Android phone has the best option which allows the users to customize their smartphones to the way they want using as many apps found in the Google playstore. So app developers literally find apps to every need we have. So when you find the right option, you can then type in Tamil, Hindi, French or any such language as you wish. This will help you have multiple languages in your keyboard. Therefore let us not waste time, we’ll check on a few ways on how we can type in multiple languages at ones in our android smartphone.

Type Multiple Languages At Once In Android

Using the app Swiftkey keyboard

You have to get the app named ‘Swiftkey Keyboard’ directly from Google playstore to your android smartphones or tablet.

Let us find out to to type multiple language at once in our smartphone.
Firstly launch the app in your android smartphone. Then from the main interface of the app you have to choose the ‘Language option’ where you will find all the languages listed. Click and download the language pack that you desire.

In case you wish to have more than one language in your phone, then you can download all the other languages too, which will be saved on you phone keyboard. You can switch the language from the keyboard itself.

That’s it, simple as that. Within a few steps you will be able to get your phone with a multiple languages and thereby type in any language that you like and send it to your friends or family.

Download Swiftkey Keyboard

Type multiple languages without using third party app

If you wish to not use or download any other extra apps to your phone then you can prefer the default google keyboard app.

For that You have to open the phone ‘Settings’ and select the 'Language and input’ option and then press the ‘Gear icon’ which is available behind the default keyboard app and then choose ‘Input languages’ there.

There you will be able to see all the ‘Available languages’ that are present in your phone. From that list of downloaded languages, you can select the ones that you want.

Next, you have to go to the ‘Google keyboard settings’ and disable the option ‘Use system language’ which will stop it.

Now you have to open any messaging app and beside the space bar you might notice a ‘Globe icon’, tap on it to select the language that you want to type.

That’s all, this is one of the easiest method that can be followed to get multiple languages saved in your keyboard. Following the above methods can let you into typing with the language that you were looking for.

Apart from the two methods that was mentioned above, you also can try some other applications of multilingual support if you wish you want more options. So lets check the out too in brief.

Gboard: This application is named as a great app to use type multiple languages as they got a few amazing features in them. One of them is that it will automatically switch languages by suggesting a correct language that you tried to type out. 

GO keyboard lite: GO keyboard lite is a lighter version of the original app Go keyboard. It also helps you by providing the ability to type in many languages. Along with it, it has some amazing saved in emojis, stickers, emoji arts and plenty such smileys.

Multiling O Keyboard: This app has more than 200 multi languages support. It also have multiple themes, re-sizable buttons, gestures and supports.

That’s it, now these are also a few applications that you can use with extra features in them. They will give you a wonderful experience typing in other languages easily from your keyboard.

You can make your choice from among the few ways that we have mentioned above. They all work perfectly and provides you the best results. I hope you would have been benefited from this guide to find the right application with multiple languages to type in with.

Google Play Store Tips You Never Knew

One of the best thing about the android smart devices is the playstore app,which provides the users with a huge amount of applications of all kind to download and use it. With that ability, we can literally customize our phones with the apps we like and add in new features to it. 

Most of us have been using the Google playstore to just log in, search for the app we are looking for and install it in to our phones. But how many of you have been using all the other features that is available in the playstore? There are a bunch of features that most of us don’t even know about which can be used to set up many new things.

Well, of you weren’t aware of them before, then know about it now. There are so many methods and tricks that you can use in your google playstore which would also help you with security protections. Knowing those tips and tricks would definitely help you out in so many possible ways. So why just wasting time here? Let us move on to check on a few features that are available in the playstore that you might not have known before.

Google PlayStore Tips And Tricks

Using the parental control

Well, to be honest the Google playstore have so many applications which would be not appropriate for children. Those contents should be avoided from the kids. 

So here comes the best option for the parents. You can actually restrict them from not downloading such apps and not only that bit if you think they should be avoided from playing un-relevant games then you can restrict that too.

You can have the control set up in your google playstore by going to the ‘Settings’.

Then chose the ‘user control’ and then turn on the ‘parental control’ option and set up the restrictions.

So from there onwards, whenever an inappropriate app is tried to download, it will request for the pin. So this way you can have a control over your phone with your children around. This security measure is a very good feature available for the users of the Google playstore.

Restrict others from purchase using your account

When you have a phone that is used by everyone in your house, especially kids, then there are so many chances for them to mistakenly or purposely purchase any apps that should be paid to download. In case you have linked your credit card, then they will end up purchasing it without you know about it. To avoid that confusion, you can restrict all the app purchases by simply enabling the authentication method from the Google playstore. So that no one will be able to just purchase the apps that easily without your consent.

To do it, you have to move on to the ‘Settings’ then select ‘Require authentication for purchases’ and provide it for all purchases in your playstore account.

If you have the fingerprint scanner in your device, you can provide it so that without your finger no one will be able to play with your account or make purchases.

Get refund

Sometimes you might purchase an app and won’t like it the next moment after the payment proceeds or if by mistake you or someone has purchased an app and you don't want it, what will you do? Well, these things do happen and don’t worry you can get back the refund for your purchase if you act fast. When you have not passed 2 hours after the purchase then the refund will be accurate, all you have to do is press the ‘Refund’ button’ which will be available beside the install and open buttons. Doing so soon after the purchase will ask you no questions but get you back your money.

In case you have exceed the two hour time, then you have to open a browser in your computer and type in ‘https://play.google.com/store/account’ there you have to scroll down and check at your order history. Click on the three dots that available beside the app name and select the option ‘request a refund’. Then you have to complete the form provided and submit it. Within 15 minutes you might get an answer for the request.

Stop the automatic update

The google playstore helps you by automatically updating all the downloaded apps. But of you think that is not needed and wants to do that when you wish to get it updated, then you can turn off the auto update option by going to the ‘Settings’ > ‘General’ > ‘Auto update apps’ > ‘Do not auto update apps’ .

That’s it and it will stop all the auto update thereafter. So now you can update only the needed apps and save the mobile data too.

Of you want to stop the auto update in some specific apps, then you can do that too. Go to the apps page in the google playstore and tap on the ‘menu’ button which is on the top right of the screen and un-check on the auto update option.

Search apps by developers

Well, there are some apps or games that you might enjoy the most and wish what other apps the particular developer has created. For example if you want to find all the other games ‘the king’ developer of the Candy Crush game developed, then in the search bar type ‘pub:developer name’ and search for it. This will get you all the lists of apps developed by that developer and thereby you can easily install the apps you wish to.

So that’s it, we have taken a look at some of the important features that has always been in the google playstore but we never used it or knew they existed. Now you can get the above functions activated and have a new playstore like never before. So i hope this guide would have been useful for you to know mew things about android playstore.

Things Can Do Using Google Map in Android

Travelling has always been a factor to look up into. We’d never go enough of going on a road trips or even casual outings. In the past years, travelling was not easy and specially finding routes and getting the right map was very difficult but today to make things better we have the Google maps which is definitely as helping hand and a savior while we are out. 

With a Google map it pretty easy to locate places and we can travel wherever we want without a fear of getting missed. Google maps app doesn’t simply provide you the map to a destination but it does have so many other great features too, which most of us don’t use.

What we actually do is, get the map and start riding with the directions provided by the map. As the google map helps us with places from anywhere of the world, we doesn’t even need a tour guide today. Along with the ability to provide us the accurate map, the app also have some unique and useful features to help us male our journey easier and better. We can make the experience with the Google map way better if we know how to handle it right. But most of us don’t even know that we can do such things in the map, as some features are hidden and you have to pull it out.

If you are interested to know all those features and learn how to get them done, then you are at the right place. I am going to provide some of the best tips that you can follow doing when you use the Google maps app to locate a place or get a route. So without wasting time let us move on to see a few tips briefly.

How to Use Google Maps in Android Phone

Zoom with one finger

If you are riding the vehicle and find it difficult to zoom in and out the app by pinching the screen, then you can do it using your one finger, which is quiet easy to manage up.

To activate this method, all you have to do is double tap and on the second tap do a little longer tap on the screen and then you can easily do so by swiping up to zoom and swipe down to zoom out.

Measuring distance between points

If you are ready to travel to a place and is not sure how far you got to go, then you can check out for the distance between the two points that you are above to travel.
All you will have to do is touch and hold on the place that you want to go to and a red pin will appear on that particular place. Then tap on the name of the place which is on the bottom of the screen.

Next under the place option, scroll down and choose ‘measure distance’. Then move the map and place the black point on the next place that you want to add. That’s it, then it will show you the distance on miles or kilometres in the bottom.

Avoid tolls

If you don’t want to pass tolls or pay extra money for them, then you can chose a free route if their is any. Don’t worry if you don’t know the route towards the free road because Google map will also help you with that.

Go to the ‘route option’ from the settings and simply toggle on the ‘avoid tolls’.

So then it would skip the toll routes and show you a free road. But for your information, skipping toll gates and finding a free route might lead you to go extra miles.

See inside places

If you are planning for an outing and wants to check out the place before you go, you can do so using the google maps. It will provide you with some images and a slight move on map inside some of the famous places like museums, airports or any cultural landmarks.

To find it, you have to search for the place and swipe up to see more information on it. There you will find photos and sometimes a 360 degree icon through which you can check on the interior and exterior of the building.

Pin your parking point

If you always gets confused of where you parked your vehicle in a big parking slot, then better take use of the parking vehicle location option. By this you can pin the place that you parked your vehicle and even add a note to it with the floor number and so to make it easier to find out.

To activate it, when you reach the spot, tap on the blue dot that points your location. Then from the menu that pops up, choose the ‘set as parking location’ option and you can add in the note if required.

Explore

If you have traveled to a new city and you have no idea of what to find there or where to go, then the explore options in the Google map would help you with it.

If you are looking for an ATM, bank, mall or even a restaurant you can simply tap on the ‘Explore’ option which is on the bottom of the screen to get it started. There after find the place you want and the map will navigate you to the exact place.

Getting transit information

Travelling in a public transportation in a new country or a city will not be easy if you have to take many transit. You will probably get confused of where to get down and which train or bus you have to catch next. But nothing to worry as Google maps helps us with it too.

Tap on the get buses, trains or trams schedule and it will show you all the details including the real time departure and the number of interchanges. It will also provide you some alternative route of you can simply walk or ride, which will help you chose the quickly and the easiest option.

So that’s it, now we have checked on a few features that has been in the Google maps for a quite a long time and we didn’t realize it. Using these options would definitely be a great help for you to have a better experience with your travelling using the Google maps. From riding your own vehicle to travelling in bus the Google map will help you out. So i hope this guide would have been useful for you.