Articles by Jeramy Johnson

Out of all of Samsung’s fun customizations in One UI and its Galaxy phones, the dynamic lock screen is low-key one of my all-time favorites. With other phones, I often forget how easily bored I can get with the standard lock screen options, but this dynamic feature automatically updates all the time in the background and gives me a pleasant surprise each time. I’ll show you just how easy it is to toggle this setting on so that you can start enjoying a little variety on your Galaxy phone.

How to enable Samsung’s dynamic lock screen

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Wallpaper.
Tap on Wallpaper services.

Toggle on Dynamic Lock screen.
Tap on the gear icon to the right of the Dynamic Lock Screen.
Toggle on Auto update.
Toggle on Download using mobile data, or leave it off if you only want to download new wallpapers over a Wi-Fi network.
Tap on Dynamic Lock Screen and select a category to download.
Confirm how you wish to download updates and tap Download.

That’s it. Now you’ll be gr…

Even if you aren’t planning on handing down or reselling your old OnePlus phone, it’s still a good idea to back it up in case you need to restore your data and settings. Thankfully, Google and OnePlus have made this process extremely easy. I’ll show you what you need to do to get your OnePlus phone backed up and ready to restore.

How to backup and restore your OnePlus phone

Open the Settings app or swipe down from the top of your screen to access system settings.
Tap on System.
Tap on Backup.
Toggle on the switch that says Back up to Google Drive.
Look to see when the last backup was made, and tap Back up now.

Open the OnePlus Switch app.
Tap on Backup & Restore.
Tap on New Backup.
Tap on Backup now.

Once your phone has been backed up in the OnePlus Switch app, reopen the app and tap on Restore Backup.
Tap on the most recent backup when you want to restore your phone data.

Now you’ve set your OnePlus phone up so that your data is being backed up in Google Drive, and it…

Having the OnePlus 8 in Amazon’s Alexa Built-in phone program is a win-win-win for both companies and their customers.

We’ve covered the new OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro phones rather extensively here at Android Central, and for the most part, we’ve all loved them. Aside from the prices creeping up in pace with the industry (though still well-below their direct competitors), these phones are arguably the best OnePlus has ever produced. They also deliver features that we as fans have been asking for for years, such as wireless charging, official IP water and dust certification, and some of the best displays in the industry. And yet I feel like one of the most important features of the phone has flown under the radar a bit (it was even glossed over during the company’s online launch in April), and that is its tie-ins with Amazon.

For the first time ever, OnePlus has partnered with Amazon to offer its unlocked phones for sale on the website. Additionally, the phones will be part of Amazon’s Al…

Best answer: No, unfortunately, you cannot reuse faceplates from the Ring Video Doorbell 2 on the Ring Video Doorbell 3 or 3 Plus. However, there are similar options available for the newer doorbells to give you the personalization and customization that you’re looking for.

Newest from Ring: Ring Video Doorbell 3 ($200 at Best Buy)
New varieties: Interchangeable Faceplate — Ring Video Doorbell 3 / 3 Plus ($15 at Ring)
Classic change up: Interchangeable Faceplate — Ring Video Doorbell 2 ($15 at Ring)

Will the faceplates from the Ring Video Doorbell 2 fit the Ring Video Doorbell 3 and 3 Plus

I know it sounds superficial (literally), but one of my favorite things about Ring’s Video Doorbells, especially the “main” ones in the series, is that they are at least somewhat customizable to your home and front door decor. They ship with at least two different color faceplates that you can choose from — Satin Nickel and Venetian — and Ring also makes over 15 different colored first…

Do you ever get confused as to which Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Calendar account you’re using? Have you tried to join a Google Meet call for work, only to be rejected because you were accidentally in your personal account? Yeah, it happens to us too. All. The. Time. Fortunately, Google makes it easy not only to switch between accounts but to set a different account as your default.

How to change your default Google account

On the web

If you’re already logged in to your Google account on the web (whether you’re in Gmail or another Google app), here’s how you can switch between accounts.

Open a Google app in your browser of choice.
Click on your avatar (photo of you or your initials) in the top right corner of the screen.
You should see a dropdown showing all of the Google accounts that you’ve used to login on this browser. Select the one you want to switch to.

That’s it! A new browser tab will open with your secondary account app. If you want to change which of your Googl…

If you are physically able to, standing while working — even in short spurts — is one of the best things you can do for your health. The trouble with standing desks is that they are often expensive and replace otherwise perfectly good office furniture. Thankfully, many affordable and flexible standing desk solutions will work great in your existing workspace, or just about anywhere around your home. Our favorite overall is the VariDesk Pro Plus 36 because it sits on top of an existing desk or tabletop, and it is incredibly spacious, sturdy, and adjustable.

Best Overall: VariDesk Pro Plus 36″

VariDesk is one of the most well-known manufacturers of standing desks, but in addition to the stand-alone electronic and manual desks, it also makes several desktop units that you can place on existing workspaces. Out of these, my favorite is hands-down the Pro Plus 36. The unit consists of two levels — an upper section for your laptop and/or monitor(s), and a lower area for your mouse…

While screen recording apps have been around the Android world forever, the feature has still not come to most phones at the OS level, except for a few OEMs like Samsung. It was rolled out with Galaxy Note 10 series and an update to One UI at the time. Samsung now includes an easy-to-use and simple-to-ifnd screen recording tool for all Galaxy phones on Android 10 and OneUI 2. We’ll show you where it is and how to get started with it.

How to use the screen recorder on a Samsung Galaxy phone

There are two ways to get to the screen recorder function, but the easiest is to swipe down from the quick settings menu and scroll over.
You can also access the Screen recorder through the search function in the Settings app.
Tap on Screen recorder.

A pop-up will ask what Sound settings you wish to record.
Choose a sound setting for recording: No Sound, Media Sounds, or Media sounds and mic.
Once you are done with your recording, tap the square in the top right corner of the screen to stop…

Google Meet is one of our favorite video conferencing apps, and it’s the one we use here at Android Central for our team meetings and planning sessions since we all work from home. As with any kind of software or technology, there are times when you might experience problems with the video quality of a call. If you’re working from home or trying to stay in touch with family or friends, it’s probably important that you be able to see who you’re talking to on a video call, right? Well, here are some ways to fix some common Google Meet video problems.

How to fix video problems in Google Meet

Camera and equipment issues

Often, the video calling issues are related to the hardware you are using (your computer and webcam) or the way you have your video recording configured. If things are looking wonky on your call, try these measures first.

If you’re using an external monitor, it’s possible that signals are getting crossed, and you don’t seee what you expected to see. Try disconnecti…

The ecosystem of smart home devices that work with Amazon’s Alexa smart voice assistant is vast, and one of the most popular categories of smart home products is smart lighting. With so many options out there, how are you supposed to know which ones work well, or which ones work well with Alexa? My top choice is the Philips Hue White Ambiance Bulb, because it is an industry-leading product, has a massive ecosystem of other Hue products it will work with, and it plays well with Alexa.

Best Overall: Philips Hue White Ambiance Bulb

Chance are that when you think about smart lights, the brand that comes to mind first is Philips Hue. The product line was introduced way back in 2012 and has arguably maintained its status as the dominant brand in the smart lighting space to this day.

Even though Philips Hue makes a lot of different smart lighting devices like bulbs, light strips, and even lamps, I wanted to focus on an easy entry point into this rather expansive ecosystem. The Philips …

Making your home smarter seems to be all the rage these days. There are smart speakers, smart TVs, and other accessories that let you control your life with your voice. One of the most significant conveniences in a home can come from installing smart locks, so you never have to fish a key out again and can manage guests easier. These are the best smart locks that support Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

Modern chic

August Smart Lock Pro + Connect

Staff pick

The Smart Lock Pro is a stylish lock that works with most existing deadbolts, meaning you don’t need to replace your keys to use it. You can lock and unlock the door with an Alexa command, or the door can automatically unlock as you approach it with your smartphone. It supports smart home standards like Z-Wave Plus and Apple’s HomeKit and includes a Connect bridge that allows it to work over Wi-Fi.

$200 at Amazon

Smart yet simple

August Smart Lock

The standard Smart Lock doesn’t support HomeKit, even when attached to an…