Compared to earlier versions of Android, modern versions have many features built right into the OS that can help enhance your productivity. This means you no longer need to download a ton of apps for the same purpose, which may require invasive permissions, use up a lot of resources, and may be filled with adware. Thus, you can get your work done more quickly and efficiently without having to rely on shady third-party solutions.

Here are some of the best built-in apps and features on Android that can help enhance your productivity.

Focus Mode

Focus Mode first made its way to Android versions 9 and 10 as part of the Digital Wellbeing feature. It lets you mute specific apps, so you don't get disturbed by unnecessary notifications. This is especially handy when you're working and don't want to see notifications from social media or similar apps.

However, Focus Mode has another use – it lets you block access to certain apps for a specified period. So, you can add your games to the Focus Mode list, which will gray them out in your app drawer and show you a notification when you try to open them.

Unlike Do Not Disturb, Focus Mode lets you choose specific apps from which you don't want to see notifications. Furthermore, you can set up a work or study schedule so it will turn on automatically only for that particular period. This makes it an excellent productivity tool for situations when you don't want to be disturbed, and concentrate on the task at hand.

Depending on your device, you can access Focus Mode by navigating to Settings > Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls > Focus Mode. Here, you can tap the apps you want to select and set a schedule according to which the mode will turn on and off automatically.

Split Screen Mode

If you need to multitask frequently, then Split Screen Mode is one feature that you should definitely try out. While this is another feature that arrived on Android quite late, it can make working with multiple apps extremely easy. By allowing you to run two different apps simultaneously, Split Screen Mode helps you save time and effort that is wasted on switching apps.

For instance, you may be working on a blog post and need to keep opening your browser for research purposes. With this mode, you can keep your browser open in one half of the screen while also keeping your document open in the other half.

Alternatively, you can converse with your colleagues using the Slack app while also responding to emails with Gmail, or use Google to look for flights while checking your availability using the Calendar app.

Split Screen Mode lets you run a wide variety of apps at the same time without having to open any of them in fullscreen mode. The only downside is that you can only run two apps side-by-side at once.

To use the Split Screen Mode, open your first app and then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the 'Recent Apps' menu. Then tap on the app icon at the top and select 'Split Screen' before choosing the second app you want to open.

One-Handed Mode

With phones getting bigger and bigger, they are becoming increasingly difficult to use for people who have small hands or prefer using them with just one hand. Thankfully, Google is aware of this and offers the One-Handed Mode to overcome it. The primary purpose of the One-Handed Mode is to make it easier for people to use phones with large screens by making the various elements on the screen easily reachable with just one hand.

You can enable One-Handed Moded by going to Settings > System > Gestures. Once it is enabled, you can use it anywhere across different apps.

For instance, you can access a chat at the top of your screen in a messaging app by swiping down from the pill or home button at the bottom of the screen. Once you're done using the One-Handed Mode, you can swipe up on the pill to go back to the normal mode.

Quick Share

Quick Share on Android is similar to AirDrop on Apple devices and lets you easily and quickly transfer files between your phone, Windows laptops, Chromebooks, and more.

Earlier known as Nearby Share, this feature lets you share almost any type of file with others using Bluetooth or WiFi Direct on your Android device. Quick Share is available on all devices running Android version 6.0 or newer and is highly customizable. You can choose to share files with your devices only, with your contacts, or everyone, depending on your privacy preferences.

From a productivity point of view, Quick Share is undoubtedly a very handy feature, since you don't need to connect your phone via a cable to transfer files to and from it. Additionally, you can transfer files to other people quickly, which can be useful when you're working on a group project or in an office where others need access to the same files.

To use Quick Share, swipe down from the top of your screen to access the Quick Settings menu. Look for the Quick Share icon in the menu and tap on it to turn it on. You may have to swipe right to find it if it is not available on the first page of the menu.

Voice Typing

When you need to respond to messages and emails quickly, there is nothing better than voice typing. You can quickly compose what you need to convey while being able to do other things at the same time, like walking your dog.

Voice typing works across the entire Android OS and in apps that support it, so you can get things done quickly without having to type long messages. You can look up information online simply by asking Google Assistant or Gemini. Similarly, you can jot down notes or prepare a To-Do List, without having to use the keyboard at all.

Voice typing is also very useful for people who are unable to type or who prefer using voice commands when working on a small screen. The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to be very clear when dictating your messages or commands, otherwise, the platform can type incorrect words and phrases, and you will have to manually correct the text.

You can use voice typing in any app that lets you type, such as Gmail or Keep. Just open the app and tap in the area where you can type before tapping on the microphone icon. You can start speaking after the 'Speak Now' message appears on your screen.

App Pinning

There are many situations when you have an app open on your phone and do not want to accidentally close it or go to the home screen. This is often the case when you need to hand over your device to someone else and do not want them to access anything else. You can do so using the App Pinning feature, which, as the name indicates, lets you pin an app to the screen, preventing anyone from accessing anything else. It is a great privacy feature that lets you continue working without having to worry about others accessing your data.

App pinning has been available in Android since Android 5 and is one of the features that hasn't changed much over the years. You will first need to enable it from the Security section in the Settings app on your device before you can start using it.

Once you've enabled the feature, you can add a pattern, PIN, or fingerprint, which will be required for unpinning an app and can provide additional security.

App pinning is particularly helpful in situations like during a presentation since it can prevent app switching and help avoid distractions. To pin an app, open it and then press and hold the app logo at the top. This will show you a few options, including the 'Pin' option which you need to tap to pin the app. If you've set up a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint, you will need to use it to unpin the app.

Gemini

When Gemini first launched as Google Bard, it wasn't very good at what it was supposed to do and was quite limited in its capabilities compared to the existing Google Assistant.

Fortunately, that has changed and the AI-powered chatbot has become quite powerful, making it a great productivity tool, even if it still needs to get better. You can use Gemini to research topics quickly, which is great when you're working on something like a blog post and want to save time searching for information.

Similarly, if you're visiting a different location, you can ask it to tell you the important events and sights that are worth checking out, and it will quickly provide you with a list. Finding this information yourself and planning your trip manually would take a lot of time.

There are plenty of use cases where Gemini can help you become more efficient, such as helping you perform calculations quickly, jot down a grocery list, look up a recipe, check the traffic on your route, etc. And since Gemini is now coming baked into Android, accessing it is easier than ever. You can either use the Gemini app or swipe up from the bottom to activate the chatbot.

Things to know

  • The apps and features mentioned here are just a few among the many options that Android offers for enhancing productivity. Depending on your personal use cases, you can find many more options on the platform.
  • Keep in mind that while most apps and features are available across devices from different manufacturers, this may not be true for all. For instance, manufacturers like Xiaomi tend to remove certain Android features from their custom MIUI skin while adding others.
  • Manufacturers can also add their own features to Android to enhance the user experience. Samsung is perhaps best known for doing so, and you can find many more productivity features baked into your Samsung devices than on phones from other brands.
  • You may be able to find third-party apps that can mimic or enhance the productivity features built into Android, but as mentioned earlier, these may require various permissions. So, be careful when installing them on your device.