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How to - Zap cached app files in a single tap, clear the Downloads folder, delete unneeded offline maps, take charge of music downloads, and more. Few things in life are as annoying as finding that your Android handset refuses to install anymore app updates because it’s run out of storage. Unlike many of life’s little annoyances, though, this one’s easy to fix. You can quickly clear out hundreds of megabytes or even a gig or two by sweeping up stale downloads, rooting out offline maps and documents, clearing caches, and wiping unneeded music and video files. There’s even an easy way to find and nix space-hogging apps that you no longer use. 1. Clear out all cached app data: These caches of data are essentially just junk files, and they can be safely deleted to free up storage space. Tap the Clear Cache button to take out the trash. If poking through each and every app looking for cached data to clear sounds like a chore, there’s an easy way to clear all cached app data in...

So your Marshmallow-or-better Android phone just got Google Assistant, and when you long-press the Home button for the first time after the update, your new digital helper asks, “Hi, how can I help?” Talk about an open-ended question. Read on for eight easy ways to get started with Google’s chatty servant, from telling it what to call you, to making a shopping list, to turning on Bluetooth and even playing Solitaire. 1.Give Assistant some familiar voice commands: If you’re not sure where to start with Google Assistant, try a familiar Android voice command—anything from “create a calendar event” to “set a timer.” Just tap and hold the Home button, wait for Google Assistant to pop up, and then say something like, “send a text message to my wife,” “send a mail message,” or “what’s the fastest way home?” Click here for more ideas, or just ask, “What can you do?” Bonus tip: If you want to summon Google Assistant without lifting a finger, just set your phone to respond to your vo...

you're a newcomer to Android or just upgrading to a newer model, consider tweaking these settings to improve performance and battery life. New Android phone? Take a peek at its settings. So many categories, so many options within those categories. It's enough to make your head swim. And you might find yourself wondering, are the factory settings ideal? Right out of the box, is your new phone really configured for optimal performance, productivity and battery life? Maybe yes, maybe no. Here are the Android settings you should consider changing right away. (Quick note: with so many different versions of Android out there, the steps outlined here might be slightly different on your phone. For the record, I used a Samsung Galaxy S6 running Android 5.1.1.) 1. Crank down the brightness: Simple math: The brighter your screen, the faster it will consume your battery. That's why you should lower the brightness setting, and not by a little. Consider dropping it ...