Android Shortcuts: Fast Ways to Supercharge Your Phone

Ever wish your Android could do things faster? You’re not alone. From swipe gestures to secret codes, Android packs a bunch of shortcuts most users never see. Below we’ll walk through the most useful shortcuts you can start using right now—no rooting required.

Everyday gestures that save time

Most phones let you pull down the notification shade with two fingers to open quick settings instantly. On many devices, dragging two fingers down on the home screen opens the app drawer—perfect for launching apps without hunting for the button.

Try a long‑press on the back button (or the navigation bar) to bring up recent apps, then swipe left or right to close them. It’s faster than tapping the square icon each time.

Holding the power button for a second often reveals a shortcut menu where you can lock the screen, take a screenshot, or launch Google Assistant. This tiny menu replaces several taps with one press.

Hidden codes and quick actions

Dial *#*#4636#*#* to open the testing menu where you can see battery stats, usage history, and more. Want to see your Android version, kernel, or baseband? Dial *#*#1234#*#* (works on many Samsung models).

For a one‑tap screen recorder, press Power + Volume Down (or set up the shortcut in Settings → Gestures → Screen recording). This shortcut works on most Android 11+ devices.

Need a quick screenshot? Press Power + Volume Up and you’ll get a floating thumbnail to edit and share instantly.

You can also create app shortcuts by long‑pressing an app icon on the home screen. Most popular apps like Chrome, Maps, and Gmail expose quick actions such as “New incognito tab,” “Navigate home,” or “Compose mail.” Drag those shortcuts to the home screen for one‑tap access.

Volume buttons aren’t just for media. On many phones, double‑pressing the volume down button launches your voice assistant, while a long‑press can start a custom shortcut set up with the “Button mapper” app.

If you use Google Assistant a lot, try voice shortcuts like “Hey Google, open camera in portrait mode” or “Hey Google, turn on Wi‑Fi.” You can set up personalized routines in the Assistant app to chain multiple actions with a single phrase.

Android 12 introduced “Quick Tap,” which lets you double‑tap the back of the phone to lock the screen, mute media, or launch a favorite app. Enable it under Settings → System → Gestures → Quick Tap and choose the action you need most.

All these shortcuts may vary a bit by brand, but the core ideas stay the same. Dive into Settings → Advanced features → Gestures to see what your device offers and tweak them to match your workflow.

Start using at least one new shortcut today and you’ll notice how much smoother your phone feels. Keep experimenting, and you’ll uncover even more hidden tricks that turn your Android into a personal assistant.