Your Android phone has a built-in scanner, fax machine, and measuring tape

Trendy Android telephones have quite a lot of built-in utilities apart from those we have all heard of and used, just like the torch. A few of these instruments help you convert any photograph (in addition to webpages and emails) right into a PDF file, extract textual content from pictures, and extra.

Straight within the digicam app on Samsung telephones or with Google Lens on Pixel gadgets

Most newer Android telephones include a function that permits you to extract textual content from pictures. Since I personal a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE and a Google Pixel 10 Professional, I am going to present you learn how to use the OCR feature on Samsung Galaxy and Pixel telephones.

On Samsung Galaxy telephones, all you need to do is open the digicam app and level it at any textual content. When you try this, you need to see the “T” icon seem. Faucet the icon and look ahead to the telephone to acknowledge and course of the textual content. As soon as processed, the telephone will spotlight the textual content within the photograph. Now you can choose textual content by urgent and holding it and replica or share it, or choose your complete textual content directly.

The function works equally within the Gallery app should you’ve already taken the photograph. Simply open a photograph containing textual content in Gallery, press the “T” icon as soon as it seems, and you can choose and replica textual content identical to within the digicam app.

On Google Pixel telephones, you are able to do the identical with Google Lens. The Google Lens icon needs to be seen on the search bar situated on the backside of the house display. Faucet the icon, grant the mandatory permissions if you have not already, after which both choose a photograph you have already taken or open the digicam app. Now you can place the textual content within the viewfinder after which faucet the Choose textual content button. The telephone will analyze the textual content and let you choose and replica it, have an AI voice learn it aloud, or translate it if it is in a overseas language.

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You may flip any photograph right into a PDF in seconds

In addition to net pages and emails

Credit score: Lucas Gouveia / Justin Duino / How-To Geek

One other helpful built-in function on most Android telephones is the power to transform any photograph right into a PDF. Most gallery apps have a PDF conversion function that works equally throughout totally different gadgets and Android variations. Simply open any photograph, press the three-dot menu, and faucet the Print icon. Now simply choose the Save as PDF possibility, faucet the PDF button, and select the place you need to save the file.

To avoid wasting an internet web page as a PDF in Google Chrome, open the online web page, faucet the three-dot button, then faucet Share, and at last faucet Print. Now, all you need to do is save the online web page as a PDF.

To avoid wasting an e mail as a PDF in Gmail, open the e-mail you need to save, press the three-dot menu, faucet the Print button, and save the e-mail as a PDF.

Newer Android telephones have a built-in QR code scanner

Or you’ll be able to simply use the digicam app

Credit score: 

Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek

Most Android telephones include a built-in QR code scanner. You should utilize it immediately within the digicam app or use the built-in QR scanner discovered within the Fast Settings panel.

The quickest method is to open the digicam app and level it at a QR code. The system will instantly acknowledge the code and supply to open the hyperlink it accommodates or carry out an applicable motion, relying on the QR code—like opening a particular app (the Steam app, as an example, should you use Steam Guard to log in to your Steam account). Alternatively, discover the QR code scanner icon within the Fast Settings panel (or add it if it is not there), open it, and level the digicam on the QR code to scan it.

So as to add the QR scanner shortcut to the Fast Settings panel on Pixel telephones, pull down the Fast Settings panel, press the Edit button and add the icon.

Samsung Galaxy telephone house owners can entry the QR scanner tile the identical method. If the tile is not current in Fast Settings, pull down the Fast Settings panel, press the Edit icon, faucet Edit to tweak the toggle grid, add the QR scanner tile, and press Carried out.

You may even measure issues together with your telephone’s digicam

However there is a catch

Credit score: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

One other cool factor you are able to do together with your telephone is use it as a measuring tape. That is attainable on most newer Android telephones, since many assist the ARCore Depth API wanted to make use of AR (augmented actuality)-based measuring apps. For those who do not discover your telephone on the listing of supported gadgets, it does not essentially imply it is not supported. As an illustration, my Pixel 10 Professional is not discovered on the list of ARCore-supported devices, however I can use Google’s Measure app with out points.

For those who personal a Samsung Galaxy telephone, you’ll be able to obtain the Fast Measure app from the Galaxy Store. Samsung does not supply the app in all markets, so should you dwell in a rustic the place Fast Measure is region-locked, you’ll be able to obtain the .apk set up file from APKMirror. When you obtain the file, you will have to sideload it, which may be very easy.

Now open the app, grant it the mandatory permissions, transfer the telephone round as prompted, after which press the massive Plus icon to begin measuring. To measure an object or an individual, simply transfer the telephone throughout the merchandise and press the Plus icon once more to complete measuring.

Older Pixel gadgets had entry to Google’s Measure app, however Google removed it from the Play Store in 2021, successfully abandoning it. That mentioned, newer Pixel telephones can nonetheless use the Measure app, which is available on APKMirror. Obtain the set up file and set up it. You could be required to allow sideloading, which is a quite simple course of. As soon as you put in Measure, open it, and the measuring course of shall be just about the identical as with Samsung’s Fast Measure.

Now, there are third-party AR measurement apps on the Play Retailer, however I like to recommend downloading Google’s Measure app from APKMirror should you personal a Pixel system as a substitute, as a result of it is free and will not ask you to subscribe or bombard you with adverts like many third-party apps do. Many more recent Android telephones are appropriate with Google’s ARCore requirements as effectively, so you’ll be able to strive utilizing the Measure app even should you do not personal a Pixel. That mentioned, Samsung telephone house owners ought to use Fast Measure as a result of it really works barely higher than the Measure app.

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Your Android telephone has quite a lot of tips up its sleeve

As you’ll be able to see, your Android telephone hides quite a lot of very helpful options, most of that are built-in. Other than the options I’ve lined right here, you too can turn it into a minimal phone in just some faucets, share your Wi-Fi password via QR code, and much more.

Model

Google

SoC

Google Tensor G5

Seeking to improve to a Pixel however unsure should you want all of the bells and whistles of the costlier fashions? You will not be upset with the usual Pixel 10 mannequin. Coming in putting colours, Gemini options, and 7 years of updates, you’ll be able to’t go flawed with this buy.