The Nexus 6P is a great device, but you might only be scratching the surface of its true potential if you don’t take the time to find out exactly what it can do. If you’re looking for a list with some of the most useful tips and tricks for the Nexus 6P, we’re ready with best available.
1. Add a battery percentage bar via System UI tuner
Battery life is always going to be a major worry for Nexus owners, and it’s annoying if you can’t see exactly how much juice is left on your 6P. Luckily, you can change the settings so you can see just how much power you have by adding a percentage indicator. Step 1: Slide down your Notification Menu twice and hold down the Settings gear for a few seconds. If you don’t get it to work on your first try, give it another go. Step 2: This will allow you to access System UI in your Settings. Find it, and tap it to open up a new menu. Step 3: There’s an option called Show embedded battery percentage. Adjust the toggle on the right and you should now be able to see exactly how much power you have left. It won’t help you to conserve battery life, but at least you won’t be left guessing. If you’re having problems with prolonging your battery life, we’ll tackle that later on in this list.
2. Secure your device with a fingerprint password
The fingerprint scanner is probably one of the main reasons why most people bought the phone, so setting it up is one of the first things you should do. To set up the scanner; Step 1: Go to Security in your main Settings menu. Step 2: Tap Nexus Imprint, and tap Add fingerprint. Step 3: You’ll be prompted to make a backup password. Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions and you should now be ready to use the scanner. (You can add additional fingerprints afterwards if you wish.)
3. Setup Android Pay
Android Pay is useful if you want to be make payments by unlocking your 6P and holding it near an NFC card reader. Here’s how you set it up: Step 1: From the home screen tap All Apps. Step 2: Locate and tap Android Pay, and tap Add to add your credit card information. (You will need a Google account to use Android Pay.) Step 3: You now have a choice between scanning your card or adding your information manually. Once you’re done, tap the Save button on the bottom part of the screen. Now your phone should be ready for Android Pay.(NFC must be enabled for Android Pay to work. Tap More in your Settings menu to find the toggle for NFC if you encounter any issues.)
4. Smartlock
Smartlock makes it easier to unlock your device with customizable settings. Step 1: In your Settings menu, tap Personal and then Security, and ensure that Smart Lock is set to On. Step 2: Go to Smart Lock located in Screen Security. From here, you’ll find lots of methods that allow you to to unlock your phone in a number of different ways. You can set the 6P to automatically unlock as soon as you get home, or even use facial recognition software to make it unlock when it recognizes your face in the front camera. If you ever want to change the settings, navigate back to Screen Security.
5. Quick Launching the Camera
This is a nifty shortcut if you find yourself missing those Kodak moments. The Nexus 6P allows you to open the camera quickly, by double tapping the home button. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s a welcome addition.
6. Customize your Quick Settings Menu
If the quick settings menu isn’t configured to your liking, you can remove and replace a variety of different ones to suit you better. Step 1: You’ll need to access the System UI menu. Open your Notification Menu twice and hold down the Settings gear for a few seconds. If you don’t get it to work on the first attempt, give it another go. Step 2: This will allow you to access the System UI Tuner in your Settings. Find it, and tap it to open up a new menu. Step 3: From here, you can add and remove tiles by dragging and dropping them, and you can order them as you wish. Here’s a video that shows how to customize your Quick Settings tiles;
7. Doze
If you’re constantly suffering from battery drain, Doze mode will definitely interest you. It’s a new feature added to Android as part of the 6.0 Marshmallow update, and it helps to conserve battery life. Best of all, it’s completely automatic and it works its magic in the background, so you don’t have to do anything and you will still reap the benefits. It works by slowing down background processes to various speeds depending on the amount of time that it hasn’t been used for. You’ll still receive notifications and updates at scheduled times while Doze mode is active, though. You don’t even need to turn it on, it’ll start working as soon as you set the phone aside on idle. Nonetheless, it won’t be able to conserve battery life while you’re using your 6P.
8. Turn on the Notification Light
Notification lights are a great way to keep updated when somebody wants your attention, and I use the ones on my phone all the time since I prefer to leave it on silent. For some strange reason, it’s not turned on by default on the 6P, so you’ll have to enable it from the Settings. To turn on the LED light; Step 1: Go to Sound & notification in your Settings app. Step 2: Toggle the switch next to Pulse notification light. The 6P has a multi-color LED, so it’s possible that you’ll be able to have different coloured lights for different notifications if you download the right third-party app.
9. Enable Google Fit
As free apps go, Google Fit is surprisingly useful. It’ll track your movements, and it allows you to set yourself goals over a period of time. To enable Google Fit; Step 1: Open the Google Fit app and sign in with your Google account. Step 2: Enter your personal information in the next menu, and set yourself your first fitness goal. That’s it, you’re ready to get started. We also have a list with the best fitness apps on Android if you would prefer something with a few more features on offer.
10. Extend the Battery Life
Doze mode is a good way to stretch out your 6P’s battery life while it’s idle, but you can also take steps to look after the battery when the phone is being used. Turning down the brightness will conserve power, while you can also set the screen to go to sleep more quickly. Keeping an eye on background processes and quitting apps that aren’t being used can also help to extend battery life. As long as you’re proactive, the 6P should be able to last all day.
11. Enable Manual Exposure Settings for more Camera Control
The camera on the 6P captures a lot of light, which means that indoor photos look great. It’s a massive improvement on previous Nexus models, and one of the best features on the phablet. If you want more control over the camera, you can enable manual exposure settings to control how light or dark the image will be. This is done by; Step 1: Opening the camera, swiping right, and pressing the cog icon on the top right to bring up the menu bar. Step 2: From here, go to Advanced, and tap Manual Exposure. Step 3: After the setting has been enabled, you’ll have exposure controls on screen while you’re using the camera. Press the menu button and they’ll show up along with all of your other camera options. If you’re likely to use your camera regularly, why not take the best possible images? We also have a list of the best HDR camera apps if you’re not happy with the default option.
12. Manage Permissions
Having more control over your device is one of the best perks of the latest Android OS, and the 6P allows you to manage app permissions, so you’re the one who decides what sort of access apps have to the information stored on your 6P. To manage your permissions; Step 1: Go to Apps in the Settings menu. Step 2: Tap on any app, and tap on Permissions from the menu. Step 3: From here, you have full control over what sort of access apps will have on your device. Certain apps will need specific permissions to function properly, but it’s an easy way to add an added level of security to your device. Here’s a video that takes you through the steps.
13. Quick Charging with the Charging Wire Included
To make the most of the (extremely useful) quick charging feature, its best to use the cable that came supplied with your handset. Longer wires may be more convenient, but the 6P doesn’t take very long to charge in the first place. 10 minutes of charging should give you seven hours use, but without the USB-C wire speeds go down by roughly 33%. Make sure to use the wire whenever possible for the quickest charging speeds.
14. Restore the device to Factory Settings
Hopefully, you’ll never have to restore your device to factory settings, but it’s not the end of the world as long as you make sure to back up all of your important data before you get started. You should also ensure that your device has at least 70% charge to avoid any problems during the wipe. You can back up your important data by using a wide number of apps, and Google accounts is a simple way to copy your contacts before you get started. To factory reset your 6P; Step 1: Open the Settings menu, and tap Personal. Step 2: Tap Back up and reset, and tap Factory Data Reset. Select the option named Reset Phone. Step 3: You may be prompted to enter your passcode before you can move onto the next step. Step 4: Tap Erase everything to remove all of the data from the internal storage. Step 5: Once complete, reboot your device by following the onscreen prompts. Your device should now be as good as new, and as long as you’ve backed up your data properly, it shouldn’t take long to get started again.
Conclusion
The basics might be enough for most owners, but if you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably learned a fair amount about the 6P. If we’ve missed out on a great tip let us know in the comments below! We also have a list of the best features available on the 6P if you’re interested in finding out more about Google’s flagship device. What’s your opinion of the Nexus 6P? Let us know in the comments below, or you can also send us a message, (or a follow) on both Facebook and Twitter. Featured Image Credit
