Android 5.0 Lollipop tips and tricks UPDATE: secret games and keeping your personal stuff private

For some of us it's taken an awfully long time, but Android 5.0 Lollipop has been made available for many Android devices and it shouldn't be long before the remaining ones get updated too. Here are some of the best Android 5.0 Lollipop tips & tricks to get the most out of Lollipop and avoid some of the biggest Android 5.0 Lollipop fails...
android lollipop bugdroid teaser


Enable silent mode

This is easily one of the biggest frustrations with Android 5.0 Lollipop: the official death of silent mode. We've shared a couple of tricks to enable silent mode on Android 5.0 Lollipop but one of our awesome Mods and all-round geniuses, Mattia from AndroidPIT.it has come up with a cool silent mode widget that'll flip your device to silent and back again – the app is getting the final touches on it right now, but we'll share it with you as soon as it's uploaded to the Play Store. In the meantime, check out the article linked above for all the current options.
silent mode
The absence of silent mode on Android 5.0 Lollipop is a real pain in the ear. © Motorola

Enable Developer Options

Lollipop's Developer Options enable you to tweak the system for improved performance and access various diagnostics, but they're hidden by default. To enable them, go into Settings > About Phone and tap "Build Number" seven times. This will unlock Settings > Developer Options where you can fiddle with settings to make your phone even more personal.

Lock screen security

Android 5.0 Lollipop comes with a variety of lock screen security options. From the classic pattern, PIN or password, to the more funky Lollipop options like Trusted Faces, trusted Devices or Trusted Places. Whatever lock screen method (or trusted bypass option) you choose, this should really be one of the very first thing's you do with any phone, any time. With the new Trusted options, having a complex pattern lock doesn't even have to be a pain as long as you're hanging out near home/work, have your smartwatch or Bluetooth headphones on or have your beautiful mug in view of your phone (which should always be attached to your body).
AndroidPIT Nexus 9 tips Trusted Devices
Smart Lock lets you set Trusted Devices that can be Bluetooth or NFC equipped. © ANDROIDPIT
AndroidPIT Nexus 9 tips Trusted Face
Smart Lock also gives you a Trusted Face option. And it works! Shame about the mug though. © ANDROIDPIT

Chrome tabs

This isn't a huge problem, and maybe you like having your Chrome tabs dispersed throughout your recent apps stack, but for me it's as irritating a default setting as its possible to have. Fortunately, all you need to do to get your Chrome tabs back to their rightful place (you know, in Chrome) is to go to you Chrome settings and disable ''merge tabs and apps.'' Your Chrome tabs will now be accessible via the traditional button on the URL bar in the Chrome browser.
androidpit lollipop chrome tabs comparison
On the left we see various Chrome tabs mixed between other apps. Why couldn't we just have tabs like in the old version? (Right) / © ANDROIDPIT

The Android Easter Egg

Go to Settings > About Phone and tap on "Android Version" four times. You should see a lollipop; tap and hold it and you can play the Flappy Bird-esque Easter egg game featuring the Android mascot. 

Priority interruptions

Priority interruptions are a key component of the Android 5.0 Lollipop feature set. Knowing that there are times and places when you don't want to be interrupted by anything except the most urgent notifications is a great addition tostock Android's functionality. It may take you a little while to set up exactly how you like it, but once you've got your priorities in order you can enjoy peace and quiet unless your mom's dog runs away or your girlfriend is texting you.
AndroidPIT Nexus 9 tips Interruptions
Decide what your priorities are and when you want to be interrupted by them. © ANDROIDPIT
  • The absolute best Android 5.0 features

Control your phone with voice power

Want to launch a program? Just drag up the Home button until it displays the Google logo then say "OK Google, Launch Photos" - or whatever app you want to launch. Easy!

Dead Email app

For some odd reason, Google decided to keep the now useless Email app. When you launch it for the first time, you'll get a splash screen that tells you Gmail is now handling Email services and you can check the box fto launch Gmail instead. But why do that and have a hollow app sitting in your app drawer? Go to Settings > Apps > All tab and find Email and disable that useless waste of space. Your emails will still be handled by Gmail but you won't have the dead app icon cluttering up your precious app drawer. 
AndroidPIT Nexus 9 tips Email
Great! An app that does nothing. So get rid of Email on Lollipop. © ANDROIDPIT
  • Everything you need to know about Android 5.0 battery life

Stop people accessing your stuff

You hand your phone to a pal to show them something funny on Twitter, and before you know it they're in your photos looking at your stuff. You can stop that with pinned mode. Go to Settings > Security and turn on Screen Pinning. Now, when you tap the multitasking button you'll see a pin; tap that to pin the screen and nobody can get out of that screen until they tap and hold the back button and multitasking button simultaneously. You can PIN-protect that if you wish or get your phone to automatically lock itself when exiting the pinned screen.

Battery Saver mode

As soon as you have Android 5.0 Lollipop on your phone, go to Settings > Battery and hit the action overflow button at the top right. Hit ''Battery Saver'' and enable that bad boy. Pick your default battery life point (5% or 15%) and come to terms with the odd orange status and navigation bars you're going to have to learn to live with in order to take advantage of the awesome battery saving potential of Battery Saver.
AndroidPIT Android 5 0 Battery Saver 1
Head to Settings and Battery, where you'll find Battery Saver as an option. © ANDROIDPIT
AndroidPIT Android 5 0 Battery Saver 2
You can choose at which point to engage Battery Saver. © ANDROIDPIT
What other Android 5.0 Lollipop tips and tricks do you know about?
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