XDA BASICS Posts on XDA

XDA Basics: How to Sideload Apps on Android as APKs or App Bundles

XDA Basics: How to Sideload Apps on Android as APKs or App Bundles

July 28, 2021
Apps are the lifeblood of any operating system. Without apps, we can only do so much on platforms like Android. Fortunately, Google Play offers millions of apps, but due to platform restrictions, not every good app can be found on the store. Sometimes, app availability is also restricted on a geographical basis. So the only...
XDA Basics: How to Check and Update the Android Version on your phone

XDA Basics: How to Check and Update the Android Version on your phone

July 27, 2021
If you’re trying to find out the Android version of your smartphone or wondering how to update it, we can help. It's actually quite easy to check the Android device’s software information. In this guide, we’ll talk about exactly how you can check the Android version or install a new update on your phone, presuming...
XDA Basics: How to make your old Android phone run faster and better

XDA Basics: How to make your old Android phone run faster and better

July 26, 2021
Not everyone upgrades their smartphone every year or even every couple of years. So as Android phones get older, they tend to become slower, and using them gets annoying when you’re seeing frequent slowdowns. If everything is showing signs of age on your phone, not just the performance, it may be time to actually upgrade...
XDA Basics: How to open the Chrome Web Store

XDA Basics: How to open the Chrome Web Store

July 24, 2021
The Chrome Web Store is an online store run by Google. It's mainly used by Chrome browser and Chrome OS users to get extensions. However, as a lot of other web browsers these days use the Chromium project as their base, they can also run Chrome extensions. So if you are using Opera, Vivaldi, Brave,...
XDA Basics: How to right click on a Chromebook in three ways

XDA Basics: How to right click on a Chromebook in three ways

July 23, 2021
If you recently moved from a Windows PC to a new Chromebook, you might have noticed a few key differences. There are several design differences between the two operating systems, but there's also a bit of a usability learning curve. In addition to a different list of settings, there are keyboard touchpad changes on Chrome...
XDA Basics: How to take logs on Android

XDA Basics: How to take logs on Android

July 23, 2021
Logs are very useful when a developer is diagnosing an error with a piece of software. So, as a user, when you complain to a developer about a problem with their Android app or an aftermarket firmware (custom ROM), they'll ask you to submit a log to help them troubleshoot the issue. Android includes a...
XDA Basics: How to turn on caps lock on your new Chromebook

XDA Basics: How to turn on caps lock on your new Chromebook

July 22, 2021
Using Caps Lock on your laptop is a pretty big deal in 2021. If you enjoy yelling at people online, it's pretty much essential. If you recently moved to a Chromebook from another operating system, you may have noticed the missing Caps Lock key. This is undoubtedly one of the glaring differences when comparing your...
XDA Basics: How to set up Face Unlock on Android

XDA Basics: How to set up Face Unlock on Android

July 22, 2021
Face Unlock is a convenient way to unlock your Android phone. Once you've set up facial recognition on your smartphone, you can simply look at it to unlock the device. Face Unlock uses images of your face to create face models that are used to identify you and unlock the phone. Face Unlock on phones...
XDA Basics: How to use Do Not Disturb mode on Samsung phones?

XDA Basics: How to use Do Not Disturb mode on Samsung phones?

July 21, 2021
There are times when you can’t receive a phone call or don’t want to be disturbed by notifications and alerts. To help you during these times, modern smartphones come with a feature called Do Not Disturb (DnD). It mutes all your calls, notifications, and alerts, allowing you to focus on what you’re doing. In this...
XDA Basics: How to unzip files on Android through third-party apps

XDA Basics: How to unzip files on Android through third-party apps

July 20, 2021
Archive files are used to compress files and folders. These are very useful when you're sharing content to someone but have a space crunch. As compressed files take up less storage space than uncompressed files, they can also be transferred quicker. Some of the most common archive file formats are ZIP, RAR, TAR, and 7Z....
XDA Basics: Simple steps to improve Battery Life of your Android phone

XDA Basics: Simple steps to improve Battery Life of your Android phone

July 20, 2021
One of the most common problems users have with their phones is sub-par battery life. While battery capacities have become bigger over the years, displays have become brighter with high refresh rates, 5G connectivity is gaining momentum, mobile gaming is becoming more popular. All of these factors chip away at the battery of your phone,...
XDA Basics: Do Apple AirPods work with Android? How to pair them?

XDA Basics: Do Apple AirPods work with Android? How to pair them?

July 20, 2021
Like most of its products, Apple wasn’t the first company to launch truly wireless earbuds. But when it did launch the AirPods, it was able to immediately carve out a place for them, and now Apple completely dominates the market for the premium wireless earbuds. Naturally, a lot of people consider buying the AirPods, including...