If you’re already impressed with your Nexus 6, then you’ll be amazed after finding out about the hidden tips and tricks available for the phone. Almost all Android smartphones have some secret tricks that you can use and if you’re looking to make the most out of your Nexus 6, then continue reading. In this post, I’ll show you different types of tips and tricks for Nexus 6. Not only are these features fun, but they’ll also make your life a lot easier.
1. Tap & Go
One of the coolest tips And tricks for Nexus 6 is Tap & Go. This feature eliminates all the problems of copying your old Android phone’s data to your new phone. This is probably the most difficult issue I face while setting up my new Android device, and if your old Android phone has NFC, then you can instantly transfer your data to your new Nexus 6. When setting up your phone, you’ll see a Tap & Go option. You just need to tap your Nexus 6 back to back with your old Android device and all your Google accounts, settings and other data will be transferred to your Nexus 6.
2. Add A Number Row To Your Keyboard
If you’re planning to install a third-party keyboard app from the Google Play Store, you might want to try out this keyboard trick first. It can be really frustrating to switch to numbers while typing, since the stock keyboard doesn’t have a separate number row. In order to add a number row, hold down the Comma key and select Google Keyboard Settings. Go to Appearance & layouts and tap on Custom input styles. Tap on the Plus (+) icon in the top right, select your language, choose PC as your layout and tap on Add. Go to Languages, disable Use system language and enable the PC layout. You’ll now get a number row in your keyboard.
3. Screen Pinning
Another cool feature on the Nexus 6 is Screen Pinning. This lets you lock your phone to a specific app so that others can’t do anything else on your phone. So, it’s a good way to lock your screen to a game for your kids to play. Go to Security in Settings, select Screen pinning and enable it using the toggle on the top. Once you’ve enabled Screen pinning, open the app that you want to pin, tap on the square Overview button at the bottom and swipe up. You’ll now see a Pin icon at the bottom right corner. Tap on the Pin icon in order to pin the screen. In order to unpin, hold the Overview and Back buttons simultaneously.
4. Guest Mode
Guest Mode is one of the coolest features on the Nexus 6 and if you’ve used an LG phone, like the G Flex or the G2, then you probably already know what Guest Mode is. If you give your phone to others often and you’re worried that others will have access to your personal data, then Guest Mode is the perfect solution. The Guest Mode on Android Lollipop is a bit different from LG’s own Guest Mode. The way this works is that you can enable a separate Guest profile and the guest can then login with his/her account and use the phone normally. All your data and personal information will be inaccessible. To enable Guest Mode, swipe down from the top using two fingers, press the User icon and select Guest.
5. Battery Saver Mode
Battery Saver mode is perfect if you want to save up your phone’s battery juice. In order to enable it, go to Battery in Settings, tap on the Menu button and select Battery saver. There are also some cool battery saving apps you can try.
6. Set Up A Photo For Your Account
Another cool trick on the Nexus 6 is changing your account photo. Swipe down using two fingers, tap on the User icon and press More Settings. Tap on your account and you’ll be able to change your picture from there.
7. Quickly View Data Usage
There’s a really easy way to quickly view your data usage statistics on the Nexus 6. Simply swipe down twice and tap on the data signals icon. You’ll now see your data usage information on the screen.
8. Manage App Notifications
You can easily manage app notifications on your Nexus 6. This is a great way to stop notifications from annoying apps. How many times have you checked your phone after getting a notification just to find out that it’s a useless notification from some third-party app? You can choose between Block, Priority and Sensitive modes for app notifications. Go to Sound & notification in Settings and select App notifications.
9. Smart Lock
If you’re annoyed of entering your password or pattern every time you want to unlock your phone, then Smart lock is the perfect solution. Using Smart lock, you won’t have to enter your password and your phone will automatically unlock based on certain preferences. Smart lock unlocks your device when it feels it’s safe. There are three options that you can set up including trusted devices, trusted places and trusted face. For trusted devices, you can add any device and whenever your phone is near that device, it will stay unlocked. For trusted places, you can set up certain places and your phone will stay unlocked at those places. The trusted face option is similar to the previous face unlock feature and it scans your face for unlocking your device. In order to set up Smart lock, go to Security in Settings and select Smart lock.
10. Shoot Videos In 4K
You can shoot ultra HD 4K videos on your Nexus 6. Enabling this is really easy. Go to the Camera app, select Resolution & quality from the Settings menu and tap on Back camera video. Select the UHD 4K option from the list.
11. Lock Screen Shortcuts
The Nexus 6 has shortcuts on the lock screen, and you can access them by swiping to the left or right on the lock screen.
12. Enable Surround Sound
If you use the Google Play Movies & TV app, then you can enable surround sound to improve the audio. Open the Google Play Movies & TV app, select Settings after swiping from the left and check the Enable surround sound option. You’ll now be able to enjoy your movies with better sound quality.
13. Ok Google When Your Phone Is Locked
You can give commands to your Nexus 6 using the Ok Google command even when your phone is locked. So, if your hands are dirty, you can start playing music just by a quick voice command. Go to Voice in the Settings menu of Google Now, tap on “Ok Google” detection and select When locked.
14. Disable Chrome Tabs In Overview Mode
If you’re annoyed with Google Chrome displaying tabs in a separate Overview mode, then there’s an option to disable it. Go to Settings in Chrome and disable the “Merge tabs and apps” option.
15. Enable Hidden Notification LED
Some people don’t know this, but the Nexus 6 features a built-in LED light. The problem is that it is hidden and you won’t be able to use it. Fortunately, if you have rooted your Nexus 6, then there’s a way to enable this LED light. If you’re not familiar with rooting, you can check out this guide. In order to enable the LED light, you’ll need to purchase Light Flow. You can get the app using the Google Play Store button below. The app is $2.49, but worth it if you really want the LED.
Open Light Flow, select Settings from the Menu and tap on Device Settings and Root. Enable the Root mode option and tap on Grant in the Superuser request popup. Enable the Run every command as root option. Next, enable Direct mode and tap on YES in the confirmation popup. If the app closes after enabling Direct mode, you’ll need to open it again. After opening Light Flow again, you’ll see a Notification Access popup. Tap on SET UP. Enable Light Flow from the list and tap on OK. Now, select Notification settings from the Menu, tap on the Menu button next to any app and select Settings. Move to the Light tab and edit the light settings according to your preferences. Once you’re done, you can test it by pressing the Menu button and selecting Test.
Conclusion
The Nexus 6 is a great Android smartphone that brings some top-notch hardware and software features. The phone is already awesome as it is, but you can make the most out of your phone by using the tips and tricks mentioned above. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below and let us know if we’ve missed a secret Nexus 6 trick.
