Latest Articles
Waze is Now Available on Android Auto, In-Car Units Only
After more than a year, Waze has now been integrated into Android Auto but only through in-car units and not from the phone screen yet.
Over a year ago at Google I/O 2016 we learned that Google was working to integrate Waze into the Android Auto experience. Waze, which was previously acquired by Google, offers features and a UI that some people just prefer over the traditional Google Maps solution. So this news made a lot of people happy but many thought this meant the update would come quick. We're over a year out from that announcement now and the feature is only available via in-car head units.
Joy-Con Enabler Lets You Use Both Joy-Cons on a Rooted Android 4.1+ Device
Joy-Con Enabler is a root application that lets you use both Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers together during a gaming session on Android.
Nintendo's Joy-Con controllers use a standard Bluetooth connection so it's always been possible to pair a single Joy-Con to an Android device. Where this gets tricky though is when you want to use both of them together as one controller during a gaming session. This is where Joy-Con Enabler from XDA Senior Member AnkitChowdhury comes into play. It requires root access to work but is compatible with Android 4.1+ devices including Marshmallow and Nougat. The application is free with in-app purchase and can be found in the Play Store here.
Walls for Reddit Pulls Wallpapers from Various Subreddits
The Walls for Reddit application pulls image from about 11 different subreddits and applies them as the wallpaper for your Android device whenever you want.
There are a number of subreddits that focus entirely on beautiful portraits, landscapes, and other amazing images. Walls for Reddit currently pulls these images from about 11 different subreddits (including /r/Art, /r/EarthPorn, /r/spaceporn etc.) so you have something new to look whenever you want. The application has an automatic feature that can change your current wallpaper every day, hours or minutes, and you can set exactly which subreddit these images are pulled from. Along with the listed features below, Walls for Reddit even has integration with Muzei with filters for NSFW and HD images.
Magisk Module to Install Google Dialer and Contacts on the OnePlus 5
Thanks to a Magisk module from community dev dustintinsley, we can now install a working version of Google Dialer and Google Contacts on the OnePlus 5.
There are general methods of getting Google Dialer and Google Contacts installed on your average Android device, but these weren't completely working on the OnePlus 5. Specifically, many noticed that you couldn't answer or decline a call from the notification popup with those applications installed. Thankfully though, XDA Senior Member dustintinsley was able to whip up a Magisk module that properly installed both Google Dialer as well as Google Contacts on the new OnePlus flagship. Just remember to go in and manually set the permissions after the module has been installed.
Firewater Devs Show the HTC U11 S-OFF has been Achieved
HTC U11 S-OFF has been achieved by XDA Senior Recognized Developer beaups as shown in a new photo that was uploaded to Twitter.
HTC devices have a unique security layer built into their phones that is labeled either S-ON or S-OFF. When an HTC device is flagged as S-ON, various properties are protected from being permanently modified. This is why many enthusiasts opt for S-OFF, so they can get rid of all restrictions and modify protected partitions with zips not signed by HTC, which allows them to flash radios and custom hboots, and convert their device to a different (more updated!) edition of the same phone. The developers over at Firewater have just shown S-OFF has been achieved on the new HTC U11.
TWRP Available for the Sony Xperia XZ Premium
After a bit of work from the developer community, an unofficial port of TWRP is now available for the Xperia XZ Premium from Sony.
TWRP is used for a lot of custom modifications on Android devices, it's an essential tool for all XDA users, and now an unofficial port has been released for the Xperia XZ Premium. XDA Recognized Developer Myself5 just released their work to the community this week and it can be found in our Xperia XZ Premium forum. Check it out!
Android 7.0 Update File Downloads for the LG G4 F500S/L/K
LG G4 owners who have the F500S/L/K variant, there are KDZ download links available for the brand new Android 7.0 Nougat update from LG.
If you own either the F500S, F500L, or F500K variant of the LG G4, then you can download the Android 7.0 Nougat KDZ for your specific device right in our forum. These download links were shared by XDA Senior Member PjLyTam who not only provided direct download links of them, but also mirrored them up on Google Drive. Just realize that these cannot be flashed onto other variants of the LG G4. Only the F500S/L/K are supported by these KDZs.
Snapdragon Music and MusicFX Apps Available for the OnePlus 5
The open source and CAF optimized Snapdragon Music and MusicFX applications have been ported to OxygenOS on the OnePlus 5.
There are a number of CAF-optimized applications that are made to run well on Snapdragon devices. A popular one is the Snapdragon Camera, and now XDA Senior Member oF2pks has just brought the Snapdragon Music and the MusicFX applications to the OnePlus 5. These are just regular APKs that you can download and install, but you should know that MusicFX is not system wide and will only work with the Snapdragon Music application.
MultiROM is Now Available for the OnePlus 5
With some help from other community developers, martinusbe was able to release the first official build of MultiROM for the OnePlus 5.
OnePlus devices generally receive a lot of support from the developer community and the OnePlus 5 is no different. Thanks to help from XDA Recognized Developer / Recognized Contributor nkk71, XDA Recognized Developer martinusbe was able to release the first build of MultiROM for the OnePlus 5. This comes with the modified recovery image, the MultiROM zip file, and an uninstaller just in case you want to revert these changes. You'll also find the APK for the MultiROM Manager application in our forum link below as well.
Xposed Framework is one of the most popular Android modifications available as it enables users to install modules that will add specific functionality to their current firmware. This requires a lot of work and is why it takes XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 so long to develop after a new major update of Android is released.
Magisk v13.3 is Now Available, Bypasses Google's Latest SafetyNet Protections
Google updated SafetyNet earlier this week, but now a new version of Magisk has been made available that circumvents these recent checks.
As usual, the SafetyNet game continues to go back and forth with the latest activity being from the developer of Magisk. It was only a couple of days ago when we reported on the new SafetyNet update that prevented Magisk v13.2 and lower from bypassing its checks. At the time, there was a temporary fix made available thanks to XDA Senior Member Tobi@s. This worked for those who tried it, but it had to be applied each time you booted the phone or tablet.
You Can Root Google WiFi with GaleForce to Customize its Software
GaleForce is an open source tool that enables you to root your Google WiFi device so you can customize its software with a VPN, dynamic DNS, and more.
People have been using WiFi networks for years but these can sometimes be difficult to setup for your average customer. Even switching older WiFi routers into bridge mode can require a technologically savvy user to do some research about it online. These are big factors as to why we're seeing an increase in popularity for these mesh style WiFi devices such as Google WiFi. They're easy to setup and even easier to mesh together to expand your current WiFi network.
RunInBackgroundSetter Uses Root to Restrict an App's Background Processes
A new app called RunInBackgroundSetter uses root access to restrict an app's background processes, using the same method we outlined in an earlier tutorial.
We recently detailed a guide on how to prevent an application from running in the background through a hidden ADB command that was added in Android 7.0 Nougat. The method we explained did not require root access, but some wanted a more convenient way of limiting these applications on their rooted smartphone or tablet. Thankfully, XDA Senior Member MrBIMC came to the rescue and, in the span of a few hours, whipped up an application called RunInBackgroundSetter that does just that. You can find the APK download in the forum link below, and the GitHub page for this project is located right here as well.
How to Permanently Remove the Google Chromecast Notification
A tutorial on how to permanently remove the Google Chromecast notification that lets others know you're casting music, videos, or pictures on the network.
The Google Chromecast can be incredibly convenient as it makes it quick and easy for you to instantly stream a song, video, or even just a picture from your device onto another device such as a TV or wireless speaker system. There aren't any wires to connect between your phone and the casting device, and once you have your Chromecast or speaker system connected to your WiFi network, all it takes is a few taps and your content is being streamed from your smartphone or tablet.
As we all know, the SafetyNet bypassing is a cat and mouse game between Google and the community. It was only last month when Google had previously updated SafetyNet in order to prevent our bypass attempts with applications such as Magisk. XDA Recognized Contributor and Developer topjohnwu was able to quickly put in a fix in their Magisk beta channel, which led to a stable update for the application toward the start of last week.
How to Freeze Any App's Background Processes without Root on Android 7.0+
This tutorial shows you how to freeze any app's background processes on Android 7.0 and 7.1 Nougat without root by using a hidden ADB command.
Android has always been considered the more "powerful" mobile platform when compared to iOS because of how much freedom its 3rd-party applications have. This enables a lot of automation to take place simply because Android applications can do more tasks while they're running in the background. However, this comes with a downside as it opens the door for potentially more battery drain thanks to background processes running on the device.
How to Enable the Preferred WiFi Calling Option on the Verizon Pixel & Pixel XL
A tutorial on how to enable the Wifi Preferred mode in the WiFi Calling settings on the Verizon Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL.
WiFi calling has become a popular feature on smartphones these days as they can offer an increase in call quality, especially when your signal is rather poor. Consider the fact that most cellular voice calls are sent using aging technologies which is why most standard phone calls don't sound as crisp and clear as VoIP clients like Skype. VoLTE technology has largely closed the call quality gap, but not all phones support VoLTE and not everyone has access to a plan or network with it.
TWRP is Now Available for the Snapdragon Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+
The popular custom recovery known as TWRP has now been ported to the Snapdragon Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, although most models have locked bootloaders.
If you own an Exynos Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+, then you've been able to flash an official TWRP recovery image since the last week of April. These international Galaxy S8 variants are far easier to unlock than their Snapdragon counterparts, as all you simply have to do is go into the Developer Options menu to enable the OEM Unlock option. Snapdragon variants are more locked down and while most Snapdragon Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ models have yet to receive an official bootloader unlock method, official TWRP recovery images have already been ported for them.
Live streaming games is so popular right now that Amazon acquired Twitch, and is continuing to grow its platform with new features for its users. Not only is it bringing more people into Amazon's ecosystem with services like Twitch Prime, but it has also enabled live streamers to make a living doing nothing more than entertaining their community while playing some fun games. This has generally been with PC and console games, but there are some who stream mobile games as well.
Since Amazon started selling select Android smartphones at a discount price in exchange for ads, developers have been trying to figure out way to unlock the full potential of these devices. A thread in our Moto G4 Play forums was started by XDA Junior Member A.Fitz in hopes to get the ball running on unlocking the bootloader. This discussion thread hasn't uncovered a way to unlock the bootloader just yet, but XDA member ledothis was able to get a tethered root solution working on the Moto G4 Play Amazon variant. This tethered method requires /init to be patched, sepolicy and /sbin/adbd taken from the athene-m image, /xbin/su taken from the android arm emulator, and /init.mmi.usb.rc changed "echo 1" to "echo 0" in two places.