Take the lens off the tip of a laser pointer and attach it over your phone’s camera lens. This hack will allow you to see and photograph a magnified and microscopic world that would be hard to see without technology.

Use the bSafe app on your iPhone or Android. It lets you send invitations to friends or family to track your location, as well as setting a timer to trigger a distress call if you do not arrive home in the amount of time you schedule. It even schedules fake calls so it can look like you are talking to someone while you walk home.

We all know smartphones can read QR codes, but what about barcodes? Your phone can scan barcodes from most shipping companies, or you can download a free app from the Play Store to do so.

Free apps such as the Ruler App are a perfect solution for measuring objects that are smaller than your smartphone screen or even for measuring larger objects in a photo such as furniture.

If you find yourself driving in bad weather or in a strange location, the Hudway app can be a lifesaver. Set your destination, place the phone on the dashboard, and your smartphone will project a GPS-enabled map directly onto your windshield.

Your Android can access FM radio without the Internet. So, if the apocalypse ever comes and there is no Wi-Fi or mobile signal to be found, you can still listen to the radio for updates on where the zombie army is currently moving. Hey, it could happen …

Use screen mirroring and an Apple TV to access AirPlay. Soon you will be watching your favorite shows on the big screen instead of squinting to see what your favorite actors are looking at. It’s only a few button clicks to get there.

Are you curious about the flights going over your head? There is no need to wonder any longer. Simply ask Siri what planes are overhead and you will quickly learn what flights they are, as well as the angle and altitude of the planes.

Use Viper SmartKey to lock, unlock, and start your car from a distance. It also has an option to diagnose car problems. What else could you ask for?

Do you see the perfect image through a telescope or binoculars and want to take a picture? You can. Just place your mobile device’s camera where your eye would go and snap a few shots. You may be amazed by the results.

Do you need to level a painting on the wall or are really starting to wonder if one part of the floor is lower than the rest? Get the Bubble Level app for your iPhone or Android and find out for sure. It’s incredibly easy to use; just place your phone on the surface in question and the app will do the rest.

Do you have texts of emojis that you use regularly? If you have an iPhone, you can go to settings, select keyboard, go to text replacement, and plus the plus symbol. Just follow the instructions from there. You’ll be able to customize the shortcuts you use to access those emojis and texts.

Are you worried about missing a call from someone important but need to keep your phone on silent? Give them their own unique vibration so you can still tell when they are calling. If you have an iPhone, go into settings, then sounds and haptics, ringtone or text tone, and then click the vibration option to find the custom option.

Did you swipe away a notification and then realize that it was important two seconds later? You’re not alone! Thankfully, there’s a solution. Tap and hold an empty spot on your home screen, choose Widgets when the option pops up, and locate the Setting shortcut. Drag that icon onto your home screen, and a list will pop up. Select the Notification Log from the options, and your full notification history will show up.

Do you have a hard time finding the photo you’re looking for in the hoard of photos on your phone? Don’t worry! There’s a search function at the top of your photo app that includes categories. Try it. You might be surprised how simple a photo search is.

If you can’t get the perfect shot, try plugging in your earbuds. Then, you can use the volume buttons on the cord to take a snapshot without having to press anything on the phone itself. Now, that just makes selfies a whole lot simpler.

Use Chromecast to broadcast your Android’s display onto a television screen for easy viewing. Use it to mirror your phone or watch television and movies. The mirroring option can be found in Quick Settings. The sky is the limit.

When you forget to wear your glasses and you need them, life can get a little complicated. Thankfully, your smartphone’s camera can take pictures that can bring things in the distance into focus and make them a little easier to see.

If you have an iPhone and make a mistake, just shake your phone and an option will appear to delete it. If you have an Android, you’ll need to download the Shake to Undo module before you can get this feature to work.

Using apps such as Amazon’s Flow, your phone can recognize objects, text, and places with ease. There are also apps available, such as WhatTheFont for identifying a particular font.

Use Amazon Alexa to turn any Wi-Fi-enabled lightbulbs on and off. Turn lights on before entering a room, set them to turn off at a certain time, turn all the lights in your home off all at once, or have them turn on randomly when you are gone to make it look like someone is still at home.

iPhone has a bedtime option that is a convenient combination of an alarm and do not disturb mode. You will find it in your clock app between the stopwatch and alarm. Now, that’s convenient.

While it makes sense to have a code or fingerprint scan required to open your phone when you’re out in public, it usually makes less sense — and is more of an inconvenience — when at home. To eliminate the requirement when at home, go to Settings, then Security, then Smart Lock. Add your home to the trusted places and you are good to go.

Use the shutter option to take a succession of photos quickly if you are at a live event and don’t want to miss one moment. Then, you can go through the images later and select the best ones. Its photography made simple!

There are dozens of heart rate monitor apps available for Androids and iPhones. By placing your finger in front of the camera, you allow the app to see your blood circulation and heartbeat. It’s actually kind of cool and really useful if you need to do a quick health check.

If you have lost your Android and can’t remember where you last placed it, don’t worry. Just ask Google to “find my phone” and it will guide you toward the device.

With a small device and the BACtrack app you can quickly find out if you’re safe to drive or better off calling a cab. This app is a genuine lifesaver and may be worth the investment.

Are you tired of the same old icons? There are a ton of apps available for switching out your icons for something more interesting. Just choose one that has a theme that suits your tastes and you are good to go. You can also completely customize by using your own images.

If you need to make text and objects smaller or larger for easier viewing, you can zoom in and out in the majority of apps. You can also change the setting for size in Settings. Just go to the Display menu, click Font Size, and change the size to the one that works best for you.

The Automatic Pro app works for both Android and iPhone. With an adaptor, you can plug it into your car’s ODB-II port and run a diagnostic without having to fork over hard-earned cash to a mechanic for the service.

Google’s custom keyboard has a one-handed mode for those of us who like to drink coffee and get things done at the same time. It’s probably already installed on your device, but if it’s not, you can download the Google Keyboard to get started.

Hold down the tab button to turn your Android into a split screen to fit more than one app on the screen. This is useful if you’re trying to do more than one thing and are tired of having to tab through to get to each one. Convenient!

Use several fingers to swipe up on an iPhone and you can close all of your apps at once. If you have an Android, you can do the same thing, but you will need to install something like KillApps first before the magic can happen.

SeekThermal lets you turn your smartphone into a thermal camera. It’s an app as well as a camera that is attached to your mobile phone. Soon, you too could be using advanced technology created especially for the military.

Are you ready to get things done on a slightly bigger screen? Turn on your computer remotely so it will be ready to go when you get there. You can do it without the need for a paid app by using your NFC antenna and following the instructions in this Reddit.

Are big fingers making life complicated when it comes to moving your cursor? Just swipe the spacebar if you are using the Android GBoard or use 3D Touch on your iPhone keyboard.

Do you have documents or old photographs that need to be scanned? Do it with your smartphone in few simple steps with this easy DIY found at Instructables.

Is your remote low on batteries? You can quickly check to find out by pointing your remote at your phone’s front-facing camera and pressing any button on the remote. If there is an infrared light showing on your screen, then your remote batteries are still alive.

Do you need to make your phone less appealing and also less likely to wake you up so that you can finally get a full night’s rest? Go to your phone’s setting, find accessibility, click display accommodations, and choose color filters to find the option for grayscale.

While it’s not professional quality, you can scan negatives with your smartphone. Use an Android app such as HELMUT film scanner or try playing with the negative effect on your camera.

When you are creating a message, there is a pull-down menu on the top near the call button. Within it, you will find an option to schedule the message. This is great if an idea suddenly pops into your head at three in the morning, but you want to wait until a reasonable hour to actually send the message.

Are you tired of fumbling around to turn the Android flashlight on and off? Just say, “Okay, Google, lumos” to turn the light on and “Okay, Google, nox” to turn it off. It makes life a whole lot easier.

Pin a frequently used app to your screen, and younger (or nosy) members of your family will be able to use that app without unlocking everything else in your phone. Your privacy is safe once more.

Do you want to take photos but you’re recording a video? If you have an iPhone, you can press the shutter button that is next to the video recording button while you’re recording the video. That’s all there is to it.

Have you had the power go out but didn’t have a candle? Just turn your phone’s flashlight on and put it behind a bottle of water to diffuse the harsh light. Now you have lighting that’s not a fire hazard to get you through until the electricity returns.

Are you trying to rock out to tunes from your Android or iPhone but it’s not quite loud enough and you don’t have a speaker nearby? Just place your smartphone in a dry and empty paper cup. You’ll be amazed by how much it increases the volume.

Is Siri annoying you by mispronouncing some of the words she uses frequently? Tell Siri to pronounce the word and then tell her: “You’re pronouncing (the word) wrong.” She will invite you to give the proper pronunciation. Problem solved!

Did you forget where you put your iPhone down? Fear not! Just say, “Hey, Siri, where’s my phone?” She will answer with “Follow the sound of my voice.” Just follow her voice and your phone will be reunited with you again.

If you still have an older mobile phone without a fast charging feature already installed, then switching your mobile device to airplane mode is the simplest way to double your charging speed. It saves a lot of battery use and allows the battery to fill more quickly.

Use your iPhone or Android to scan QR codes without needing to download an app first. In your iPhone, just open the camera app, focus on the QR code and click the notification that pops up. If you have an Android, you just have to enable screen search first.

Are you looking for a softer focus for some pictures? Use the front camera on your camera to get that perfect look. If you need something crisper and more detailed, the back camera is the perfect option.

If you’re trying to take a photo from a slightly awkward angle, try using the volume buttons to snap a shot rather than clicking a button on the screen. It will make life, and taking the photo, a whole lot easier.

If you delete a file in your smartphone, it is usually gone forever with no way of getting it back. Installing a recycle bin gives you an added bit of security and one more button to click before the file is deleted forever. You can install one by using the Dumpster app.

Just take a picture of a complicated math problem and use the Photomath app for your Android or iPhone. It not only helps you to solve the problems, but it can also teach you along the way. That’s an A+!

Change your background to black wallpaper, and you will save on battery life. A lot of a mobile device’s battery is used by lighting up the display. When less of the display is lit up, less power is used.

Your phone’s charging port, over time, collects dust and other debris. If you take a syringe full of air and blow it out, you can extend the life of the charging port.

You wouldn’t think it makes sense, but you can actually improve your audio quality on videos by covering your microphone. The reason is that it muffles background noise, letting you more clearly hear the main audio stream. Just use a finger to cover the microphone while you’re capturing your video.

If you think you can’t get good photos with a regular smartphone camera, think again. You can always download filters if you don’t like the look of your pictures, but there are even simpler hacks to improve them. If the light in your picture is too glaring, just aim your phone camera through a pair of sunglasses. It will reduce glare, even lighting, and give you a great picture.

If you’re worried about your phone going missing in a busy public place, try this simple trick. Just turn your lock screen to your name and an alternative phone number or email address so that anyone who finds it can contact you without trying to access your contacts. Now you just have to hope that the person who finds it is a Good Samaritan!

If you’re in a place where your phone is struggling to connect to the tower, there’s a simple hack that only takes a few seconds. Just switch your phone over to airplane mode very briefly, then turn it back off. Airplane mode helps your phone find the best available signal nearby, so it’s a great way to help when you’re stuck without service.

Phone cases can be expensive, but you need one to protect your phone, which is both fragile and pricey. Rather than drop a lot of money on a store-bought one, why not make your own? Just cover your phone with wax paper to protect from the mess and trace the outline with a hot glue gun. When it dries, peel off and fit around your phone.

After a while of use, phone chargers tend to start to crack, bend, and break down. Reinforce them with some heat shrink tubing and yarn. Just wrap the tubing around the damaged part and gently warm with a hair dryer until it shrinks down to a snug fit. Then wrap with colorful yarn for an extra layer of protection.

Whenever you want to order something online or log on to a personal account, you’ll probably have to enter your email address. But that can be annoying, with a tiny keyboard, special characters, and spell check getting in the way. Save time and frustration by adding your email address as a keyboard shortcut to make log-ins quick and simple.

You may not realize it, but your apps are constantly running in the background even when you’re not using them, or even using your phone. Many apps are preset, which means they came with the phone and you might not know they’re even there. While they’re running, they’re eating up your battery. To save battery life, change your app preferences for when they’re allowed to run.

If you’re tired of wrangling with long charging cables, turn them into spiral cords in just a few minutes. Wrap the cord around a thick marker and run a hair dryer on low heat over it for a minute or two until the cord stays in place. Voila — you have a charger that’s easy to handle but can also be stretched.

We’ve all been told that in order to make our phones charge faster, we need to power them down while they’re plugged in. But there’s actually no need. Just turn your phone to airplane mode while it charges and you’ll cut your charging time in half. And, as we’ve also all been told, don’t use it while it’s plugged in.

If your battery is getting low, there are a few ways you can preserve it as long as possible — or at least until you can find a charger. Turning off data, not using it, and stopping background apps are all good ways to lengthen your phone’s life. Another easy way is to turn your screen brightness down as much as possible. You’ll still be able to see, but you won’t be draining the battery life.

It’s easy to forget that your phone needs to be turned off periodically. Otherwise, it can’t run at max capacity all the time, at least not efficiently. To keep your phone updated and running smoothly, turn it off three or four times a week for a few minutes. That will allow your apps to reset and give your phone a break.

If you’re a big online reader of news articles, you probably use a lot of data to access them. Save on your usage by downloading an offline reader, which will allow you to access the content without logging on to the internet. It’ll add up in the long run and make sure you don’t go over your limit!

If you don’t like keeping your phone in your pocket, look for an easy pattern for a lanyard. Use a sheet of silicone or foam (you can find it at any crafting store) to trace and cut it out. Then use a hot glue gun to attach to a lanyard. Presto, easy carrying for your cell phone and easy reach for you.

Another, even simpler way to protect damaged chargers is with a pen spring. We’ve all taken apart a pen before when we were bored during class and found the tiny spring inside that’s used for click pens. Carefully bend to widen enough to fit around the charger head, then squeeze back down to size until the wire fits snugly around the cord.

Old messages can sit on your phone for months or even longer after you forget them. But that doesn’t mean your phone has forgotten them too. They’re still there, taking up storage space that you could use for more important things. If you forget to clear your phone on a regular basis, go into settings and program your phone to do it automatically.

It can be so annoying to try to keep track of your TV remotes, especially if you have more than one (or if you have kids in your house!). There’s nothing like looking around and realizing you have no idea where it is when you want to watch something. There are now tons of phone apps that can replace your remote, so you can always control your TV.

If you love to do a little metal detecting now and then, you can actually use a smartphone app to do it. There are apps for both Android and iPhone.

Did you know there’s a hidden game on all Android devices? Here’s how to access it. Go to Settings, About Phone, Software Information, and then tap Android Version four to five times. “Press the image that appears 4-5 times and then hold it for 5 seconds. This will take you to a screen where you can play a fun game. A new one appears after every Android version update,” according to Disha Shah of FDM Group.