It's easy to manage installed apps on your phone. In this article, we will analyze all the basic settings for working with applications: how to set applications by default, how to turn off and stop an application, set permissions and special rights, receive notifications from programs, and much more.
List of all applications
You can view all installed applications by going to Settings – Applications. All installed and system programs can be displayed (they cannot be removed without root).
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Application management
To view information about a specific application, tap on it. The following functions are available for each program:
- Turn off. It just closes the application if it is active.
- Stop. Forcefully stops the application. Attention! a stopped program may affect the operation of others. Do not stop system applications.
- Mobile data. How the application uses data transmission via wi-fi and mobile internet. For example, Google Maps used only 18 MB in a few months. For the application, you can configure the use of mobile data: give permission to transfer data in the background and use the application when saving traffic (allow unlimited use of mobile traffic, even if saving is enabled).
- Battery. How the app uses battery power. I recommend turning off the most demanding programs to save battery power.
- Memory. How much space the program takes in the phone memory. In this case, you can clear the application data and delete the cache (especially important for large games).
- Memory (RAM). Shows how much RAM is required for the program to work. Nothing can be changed here, just close programs if the phone freezes or slows down.
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Default apps
You can set applications to be silent for the Internet, calls, messaging, etc. Go to Settings – Applications – Default applications (upper right corner).
Here we set which programs will be used by default:
- Web browser: Chrome or built-in from Samsung.
- The application for calls is “Contacts”.
- Messaging app – “Messages”.
- Selection of standard applications. I recommend choosing automatic mode. Or manual for fine tuning your smartphone if you are an experienced user.
- Default usage. Here you can select a specific application or reset the defaults.
- Main screen. Select either the TouchWiz lightweight home page (lightweight mode) or the TouchWiz screen (normal mode).
- Companion Apps – Provides more options and information about each screen. They will help in collecting the information currently displayed on the screen. Some assistive software can be used to open other applications and enter text by voice, thus providing built-in help.
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App permissions
During installation, each program and game asks for access, for example, to the camera, contacts, sma, microphone, etc. This is necessary for the application to work correctly. Another thing is when you install an infected application that asks for access to all user data – you need to be vigilant here.
To view the permissions, go to Settings – Applications – Application permissions (upper right corner).
So what permission can an application ask for? I must say right away that you can enable or disable the permission for any program manually.
- SMS,
- the calendar,
- camera,
- contacts,
- location,
- microphone,
- body sensors (separate sensors that are attached to the body during sports to measure heart rate, blood pressure, etc.),
- memory,
- phone,
- vehicle data,
- adding instant messages,
- viewing instant messages.
For security purposes, you can manually remove the permission for an unknown program.
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Special access rights
In this section, you can set important rights / permissions for applications to ensure security, control and comfortable work on a smartphone.
Let's go to Settings – Applications – Special access rights (upper right corner) and analyze the main categories of rights.
Optimization of consumption. Turn on battery optimization for individual apps. Some features, such as using mobile networks or data syncing, will be limited to conserve battery power. Just flip the switch to the On position. opposite the desired application.
Device administrators. What services can be administrators, i.e. we allow the application to block the device and remotely erase all data from it. In my case, this is the Find My Device service. but you can choose Kaspersky Internet Security if you have it installed (or any other firewall).
Access to Do Not Disturb mode. Again, choose the service you want.
On top of other apps. Select programs that will be allowed to display buttons, pop-ups, and other items on top of other currently open applications in use.
Virtual Reality Help Services. I don't have such programs on my phone, so there is nothing to choose from.
Applications that can change settings. Select programs that can change system settings, such as turn on / off wi-fi, bluetooth or auto brightness. There are many such applications selected by default.
Access notifications. The notification will be able to read all notifications you receive, including personal information such as contact names and messages sent to you. You can close notifications or choose actions for them. For security and privacy reasons, do not enable this service.
Using premium services for the exchange of SMS. I have no such applications. Here you can enable / disable access to premium SMS.
Using applications while saving traffic. We choose which programs can use mobile traffic + wifi without restrictions when saving mode is on. For example, when you have a limited Internet package on your tariff plan. In order not to drain all the money, I recommend that you prevent all applications from using this function.
Usage statistics. Which apps collect phone usage statistics. Statistics is a convenient and intuitive thing, you see the whole picture at once. Allow Google applications to collect statistics – this is how the company makes its services even more convenient and functional.
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Reset settings
Factory reset only affects apps. All settings will be reset for:
- disabled applications;
- apps with blocked notifications;
- default apps for actions;
- background data transfer restrictions for applications;
- permissions.
To reset, go to Settings – Applications – Reset settings.
Your data will not be lost!
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Let's sum up
We have analyzed the main options and settings for working with applications and assigning rights to them on a smartphone. I recommend that you pay particular attention to permissions for applications – this way you will increase your security and protect yourself from leakage of personal data (including data from plastic cards, access to the Internet bank and e-wallets). Just keep track of what permissions this or that program requires during installation and limit excessive “curiosity” in time.
We learned how to keep track of the installed application – what kind of “life” it leads on our smartphone. How much does it consume, how much traffic eats, what privileges it has, and how to turn off / stop even a frozen program or game in time.
Also, for comfortable work, we have learned how to set applications by default. Have questions? Write in the comments.