Smartphones – SmartphoneTutorials.com https://smartphonetutorials.com Smartphone Tutorials help you to learn more and improve the everyday use of your smartphone through tutorials, news, and reviews. Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:50:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.7 https://smartphonetutorials.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/32x32.png Smartphones – SmartphoneTutorials.com https://smartphonetutorials.com 32 32 A Friendly Guide: How to Use a Smartphone for the Elderly https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-use-a-smartphone/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-use-a-smartphone/#respond Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:29:23 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=7261

Isn’t it wonderful to consider the convenience of staying in touch with your dear friends and family, being up-to-date with what’s happening worldwide, or simply enjoying a fun game during your leisure time? The good news is all these and a world of other possibilities are at your fingertips, thanks to the magic of smartphones. And if you’re wondering how to make the most of these features, we’re here to guide you on how to use a smartphone effectively.

If you’re stepping into this technology journey, don’t worry! We’ve designed this guide specifically for our lovely mature audience, ensuring each step is easy to follow and understand. Here, you’ll find a list of ten straightforward and practical tips on how to use a smartphone, making this exciting journey into the digital world as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow with this fascinating technology because you’re always young enough to learn something new. So, let’s dive together into the world of smartphones, where we’ll learn how to use a smartphone to its maximum potential.

Table of Contents:

Tip 1: Unbox with Care

When you first unbox your smartphone, take the time to get to know its various parts. There’s the screen (where you’ll spend most of your time), the volume, power, and charging ports. Ask someone for help, or refer to the user manual for clarification.

Tip 2: Take it Slow

Familiarize yourself with the new technology. Touch the screen gently, explore the buttons, and notice how they react. Take your time. 

Tip 3: Understand Touch Screen Gestures

Using a smartphone is like learning a new language, the language of touch. Tapping opens apps, swiping left or right changes screens or scrolls through photos, and pinching zooms in or out. Practice these gestures until they feel second nature to you.

Tip 4: Personalize Your Phone

Smartphones are highly customizable. You can increase the text size, change the screen brightness, and even adjust the volume to suit your preference. Explore the ‘Settings’ to personalize your device.

Tip 5: Making and Receiving Calls

To make a call, open the Phone app (usually symbolized by a phone handset icon), enter the number, and press the green phone button. To answer a call, swipe the green button when your screen shows an incoming call.

Tip 6: Text Messaging

Sending a text message is an easy and quick way to stay connected. Go to your Messages app, click the icon to compose a new message, type in your recipient’s number, and then your message. Once done, press ‘send.’

Tip 7: Explore the World with the Internet

By connecting to the internet, you can use your phone to access news, weather updates, and much more. Look for the app called Browser or Safari (on iPhones) to start surfing the web.

Tip 8: Install Apps for Entertainment and More

There are numerous applications (apps) that you can download to your smartphone, from games to news outlets to health trackers. You can download these apps from Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhones).

Tip 9: Embrace the Camera

You can take photos or record videos using your smartphone. The Camera app, usually depicted by a camera or lens icon, is your gateway to capturing precious moments.

Tip 10: Ask for Help When Needed

Feel free to ask for help when you need clarification on something. Ask a friend or relative or use the smartphone’s built-in assistant, like Siri for iPhones or Google Assistant for Android phones.

Using a smartphone might seem daunting initially, but with patience, practice, and persistence, you will find it an invaluable tool in your daily life. Remember, every master was once a beginner. So here’s to you, the soon-to-be smartphone master! Welcome to the world of endless possibilities at your fingertips.

Conclusion

There you have it, our ten user-friendly tips on how to use a smartphone! As we wind up, remember that learning new technology, especially smartphones, can seem challenging initially, but it’s a journey that promises rewarding benefits. Your smartphone is more than just a gadget; it’s a portal to a universe of knowledge, a window to stay connected with loved ones, and a personal assistant for everyday tasks.

So, whether you want to call your grandchildren, catch up on your favorite shows, or manage your health apps, these tips are your starting blocks for the race in the digital world. Remember, it’s your race to run at your pace. We hope this guide lights the way ahead. If you want to learn more, make sure to visit other tutorials on our website.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-use-a-smartphone/feed/ 0 How to Make Christmas Photos on Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-make-christmas-photos-on-your-smartphone/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-make-christmas-photos-on-your-smartphone/#respond Sat, 24 Dec 2022 14:44:13 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6379

We hope you are enjoying the Christmas season as much as we are here at Smartphone Tutorials. Today, we wanted to give you a special article about editing photos to give them that special Xmas theme. A lot of cool features like frames, templates, stickers, and more can be accessed from the free Christmas Photo Editor app. You can find it on your app store and it will allow you to make exciting Christmas photos. Let us see how it works.

Table of Contents:

What is Christmas Photo Editor?

Essentially, this free app allows anyone to edit their photos with holiday motifs, filters, and a whole bunch of other features. You can make superb Christmas family photos, your very own Christmas photo cards, or simply a personal holiday photo of you and your friends or loved ones. You can also edit videos to make Christmas Reels and video Stories, but today we will focus on photos.

It has a whole lot of different elements you can play around with. Each section also allows you to adjust the photo’s lighting, saturation, contrast, and so on at the end. The most popular editing tools are Photo Frames, Templates, and Blending. Each one can manipulate and enhance your photo in a different way so let us get to it and start creating. Let us begin.

How to Add Photo Frames

There are a lot of exciting features in the Christmas Photo Editor, so let us start with adding Photo Frames. You will be able to choose an aspect ratio for your photo, add a frame to it, and then make some photo edits if you wish. Let us take you through the fun and simple process of adding a frame.

To add a Christmas Frame to your photo, follow this guide:

  • Open your Christmas Photo Editor app, slide your screen to the bottom, and tap on the Photo Frame option.
1. Tap on the photo frame
  • You will be prompted to open your gallery where you can select a photo you wish to edit.
2. Select a photo
  • Then, you can choose an aspect ratio for your photo (For example, the 1:1 for Instagram).
3. Choose an aspect ratio
  • Here you can also crop the photo yourself with the left button, rotate with the middle one, and resize it with the right one. 
4. Crop, rotate, or resize the photo
  • In the next menu, you can browse around and find a frame that you like best, select it to move on.
5. Choose the frame
  • You can now use your fingers to move or resize your photo and fit it into the frame.

Once you are happy with the position of your photo, you can now edit it with the options below

  • At the bottom left, you can browse and add filters.
6. Choose the photo filter
  • You can browse and add an Overlay color combination while changing its features with the slider.
  • Tap on the Adjust button to change Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Vignette, and Sharpening with the appropriate slider.
8. Change the listed options
  • Select the Text option to add writing of interchangeable color and font.
9. Change the text color and font
  • Finally, you can use the Sticker button to browse around and add stickers to your photo.
10. Add sticker to your photo
  • Tap on Save in the top right to finalize your photo.

Enjoy sharing your Christmas photo with friends and family.

How to Use Photo Templates

Templates are a similar feature to frames, but they instead change the background of your photo. This feature does this by removing the background of your chosen photo and replacing it with a Christmas-themed one of your choice. Here is how to use them.

  • From the app’s homepage, select the Photo Template option.
12. Select the Photo Template option
  • Choose a template from the available list.
13. Choose a template
  • Next up, from your gallery, choose a photo that roughly fits the body positions of the models on the template.
14. Choose a photo
  • In the next menu, the background of your photo will be removed and you can erase anything else from the photo with your finger.
  • If you make a mistake the Undo button is on the top left while the Eraser size adjustment is on the bottom left.
16. Undo changes and change the eraser size
  • Once you are happy with your photo, tap the checkmark in the top right.
17. Tap the checkmark

This will take you to the preview panel where you can see how your photo looks on the template. You can also make some edits here.

  • Move and resize your picture around the template with your fingers.
18. Move and resize your picture
  • Pick a new template at the bottom
19. Pick a new template
  • Adjust brightness and other options by tapping the button on the bottom left of the photo’s border.
20. Change Brightness and other options
  • Add filters by selecting the button at the top left of the photo’s border.
21. Choose the filter
  • Switch the alignment of your picture with the top right button.

Once you are happy with the photo, you can hit the save button at the top right to finish off.

How to Use Photo Blend

Photo blending is the last feature we are going to cover for images. It allows you to seemingly blend a Christmas-themed picture with one of your photos. The feature does this by automatically editing your photo to fit the theme of the picture. However, you can also make your own changes. 

Here is how to use the Photo Blend in the Christmas Photo Editor:

  • From the app homepage, select the Photo Blend option.
23. Select the Photo Blend option
  • Choose a photo from your gallery to blend.
24. Select the photo from your gallery
  • Next up, choose an aspect ratio, or rotate and resize your picture as necessary with your finger or the options below while tapping the top right checkmark to move on.
25. Choose an aspect ration, rotation, or resize your picture
  • The editing section will appear with your picture adjusted to display faces with the background blurred.
26. Your picture will appear in the background
  • Now you can choose a Christmas picture at the bottom to become your new background.
27. Choose a Christmas picture
  • Furthermore, you can adjust the transparency of your photo with the first slider at the bottom.
28. Adjust the transparency
  • And you can adjust your photo’s background blur with the second slider.
  • Finally, you can add your own Christmas picture as a background with a pink picture icon on the bottom.
30. Add your own Christmas picture

Once you are finished creating your perfect Christmas photo, tap Save at the top right. You can now share all your edited pictures with your friends and family.

Honorable Mention – Christmas Photo Booth

The Christmas Photo Booth app is another great app to give your photos an Xmas twist. It is a smaller app than the Christmas Photo Editor with fewer features, but it is also useful when you want to make a quick Christmas picture. You can take photos from the app or use premade ones from your gallery.

31. Take photos from the Christmas Photo Booth App

The main features are the various portrait frames with beautiful Christmassy designs. They are suited for a photo of just one person. Therefore, when you want to make a quick and exciting selfie for your friends, family, and loved ones hop in the Christmas Photo Booth.

Conclusion

We hope you find this article helpful for immersing you in the holiday spirit. The Christmas Photo Editor and the Christmas Photo Booth are both excellent applications for giving your photos that Xmas theme. For more Christmas goodies on your smartphone, check out our Top 5 Christmas Apps.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-make-christmas-photos-on-your-smartphone/feed/ 0 Top 5 Christmas Apps to Get You in a Holiday Mood https://smartphonetutorials.com/top-5-christmas-apps-for-android/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/top-5-christmas-apps-for-android/#respond Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:32:04 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6352

December is here so the colorful and jolly Christmas season is soon to be upon us. Besides watching Christmas-themed movies, videos, and shorts, a great way to immerse yourself in the holiday season is to get your phone in the Xmas mood. We have outlined some great Christmas apps and an honorable mention that will give your Android phone a wintery Advent makeover. 

Let us take a look at our top 5 Christmas apps list for Android, all of which you can download for free on the app store.

Table of Content:

Christmas Countdown

One of the well-known and beloved rituals before Christmas is the all-familiar advent calendar countdown. Nothing beats gathering with family and friends and counting the days until Christmas, waiting for that magical evening together. Therefore, we have selected an adorable little Christmas app called the Christmas Countdown that will help you with this time-honored tradition. You can enjoy a fun snowy countdown and unwarp a little gift every day of Advent.

Christmas Countdown Android App

Additionally, this countdown app is not a one-trick pony, it has tons of other features as well. For starters, you can choose from a plethora of visually-pleasing Christmas themes. They feature characters like Santa, his reindeer, Mary and Joseph, various cute snowmen, and much more.

You can even find those with Christmas trees and snowy wonderlands. Simply relax on your smartphone, watch the snow falling, and count down the Advent on your screen. 

Christmas Wallpapers and Christmas Wallpaper

In this entry, we have two Christmas apps with very similar names but different approaches to the Xmas theme. The first one is called Christmas Wallpapers and features a bundle of incredible home and lock screen covers. All of them are of course Xmas-themed and look stunning. You can pick and choose and set a different one each day to create your very own mysterious and magical holiday phone aesthetic.

Christmas Wallpapers and Christmas Wallpaper App Android

Another way to create an immersive Christmas atmosphere is with the Christmas Wallpaper app. As we mentioned, while the name sounds similar, it is quite a different approach. This live wallpaper app offers a fully animated ambiance with a fireplace, a Christmas tree, and some beautiful decorations. The lights will shine dynamically and the fire will seem life-like to create a calming wintery Christmas evening on your phone.

Christmas Booth

Another exciting and creative addition to your Xmas app repertoire can be the Christmas Booth. This app is just what it sounds like, take a picture on your phone and pop it in the booth. You will then be able to edit it and add a whole lot of different decorations to it. Decorate your picture with a Santa hat or beard, reindeer horns, Christmas trees, elf clothes, and much more.

Christmas Photo Booth App

It is a perfect little montage maker made to embellish your holiday pics. We really like the creative aspect of the Christmas booth. The photo studio experience that it offers allows everyone to create their own unique photos. So share this with your family and friends and enjoy the numerous creations by your loved ones.

Christmas Theme

We can’t talk about smartphone apps without mentioning themes, and there is an excellent Christmas Theme app on the store that you can get. As with all great themes, it features a free icon pack for your phone along with some neat wallpapers.

Christmas Theme App

It will change all your icons into Christmas decorations, treats, and critters. You can also find gift-shaped icons, snowmen, jingle bells, and Santa. Your phone will look so pretty and Christmassy that it will be difficult to switch back after the holidays.

Christmas Radio

A lot of us enjoy smooth Christmas jams during the holiday season and this app is for us. The Christmas Radio app is an online streaming Xmas radio station. You can find all your favorite holiday songs here and you will definitely hear some new ones. There are numerous stations that you will want to listen to that include countless genres. They all have something to do with Christmas, be it the lyrics, the instruments, or the spirit of the song.

Christmas Radio App

Additionally, the Christmas Radio app allows you to play music in the background. This is a great feature for a lot of reasons, mainly surfing the web while you listen to your favorite holiday jams. As we mentioned, there are a lot of genres including Classics, Jazz, Country, Rock n’ Roll, and much more. Simply download it from the app store for free, fire up your favorite station, and kick back with some relaxing Xmas tunes. It is a great alternative to YouTube playlists.

Honorable Mention – Christmas Gift List

Above all, the holiday season is all about family, friends, and gift-giving. The Christmas Gift List app allows you to keep a detailed record of all the gifts you plan to give to your loved ones. It is highly accessible and easy to use with curated recommendations from the app itself. You can browse around online stores and add items to your list for later reviews.

Christmas Gift List App

Furthermore, it has an excellent visual design with pictures for your gifts so you can easily recognize your ideas when you come back after a while. You can use the list to claim items to purchase with notifications to keep you informed when a new product is added. Budget tracking is also a feature that helps with management. It truly is a great gift-giving helper, just make sure not to share the list with the ones you are buying gifts for or you will spoil the surprise. 

Conclusion

We hope you are excited about the Christmas season as we are. These outlined Christmas apps will surely help you get in the holiday spirit and immerse you in the Xmas aesthetic. As we mentioned, you can get them all for free on the app store. Now track that Advent calendar and share these interesting apps with your loved ones as Christmas approaches.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/top-5-christmas-apps-for-android/feed/ 0 How to Delete a WhatsApp Group on Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-delete-whatsapp-group/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-delete-whatsapp-group/#respond Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:01:24 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6313

Whether you are a group admin on WhatsApp or a participant, you sometimes want to either leave or entirely delete a chat group. In such cases, you might be wondering how to delete WhatsApp Group. Essentially, there are only a few steps involved and everything can be done straight from the chat section. Let us see take you through this simple process.

Table of Contents:

How to Delete a Group from WhatsApp as a Participant

For those curious about how to delete WhatsApp Groups, there are two ways to do it. One is if you are a participant in the group and the other is if you are an admin. If you are a participant, removing a group from your WhatsApp chats is the same as leaving it. Here is how to do it using two similar methods:

Method 1

  • Open your WhatsApp and go to the Chats section.
1. Open CHATS in WhatsApp
  • Find the group you wish to delete and tap on it.
2. Open the WhatsApp group
  • From the group chat, select the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.
  • Tap on More from the following list and choose the Exit Group option.
4. Exit WhatsApp group

Method 2

  • From the Chats section, tap and hold the chat you wish to delete.
  • Some new options will show up on the top where you need to select the three vertical dots.
  • Choose the Exit Group option.

You will then leave the group and it will be deleted from your WhatsApp chats permanently. Overall, removing a group from WhatsApp Chats is similar to blocking contacts on WhatsApp. However, remember that you cannot rejoin the group unless you are invited again.

How to Delete a WhatsApp Group as an Admin

On the other hand, if you are an admin and you want to remove all members from the group and then delete it, the process is slightly different. If you are not the only admin of the group make sure the other admins approve of deleting the group, otherwise you can simply leave using the previous method. 

While deleting a group as an admin takes a few extra steps, this method will completely delete the group for every person in it. Here is how to do it.

  • Open the group chat you want to delete from the WhatsApp Chats section.
  • Tap on the group name at the top.
  • In the new menu, slide your screen down until you see all the participants.
10. See all WhatsApp group participants
  • To delete a group completely you will first need to remove all participants by selecting them and tapping Remove Anny.
11. Remove participants from WhatsApp group
  • Once all members have been removed go back to the Chats section using the arrows in the top left.
12. Go back WhatsApp
  • You will now need to exit the group yourself by tapping and holding the group.
  • Then select the three vertical dots in the top right and select Exit group.
14. Exit WhatsApp group
  • Finally, tap on the group and hold once more, select the delete icon on the top and confirm your choice.
15. Delete WhatsApp group

This is the most effective way to delete a WhatsApp Group as it will completely remove it and all its members.

How to Mute a WhatsApp Group

In some lesser cases, you might just want to stop getting notifications from a group instead of outright leaving or removing it. This is where you can use the mute WhatsApp group feature. It will make it so you stop receving notifications and messages from a group, but you will still remain a member. 

  • To mute a group open it from the WhatsApp Chats section.
16. Open the WhatsApp group
  • Tap on the three vertical dots in the top right.
17. Tap on the three-dots icon
  • Select the Mute notifications option and confirm.
18. Select Mute notifications

Not only will this mute the group for you but other members will not be able to tell that you have done so.

Conclusion

We hope this guide on how to delete a WhatsApp group has helped you in some way. Remember that you cannot delete a group if you are not an admin, but you can leave it and it will be removed from your Chats. If you are an admin, the only way to truly delete a group is to remove all members first as we showed you. As we mentioned, if you are not the only admin, just make sure to check with the other admins first before deleting the group.

Check out our other WhatsApp guides like how to restore deleted WhatsApp messages. We hope they are helpful to you in some way.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-delete-whatsapp-group/feed/ 0 How to Close Tabs on Android and Google Chrome https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-close-tabs-on-android/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-close-tabs-on-android/#respond Tue, 06 Dec 2022 21:53:04 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6287

When we work or do other activities during a busy day, sometimes we forget to properly close our Android apps when we are done with them. In these cases, they can stack up in the form of tabs. Having a lot of unnecessary tabs open in the background can really slow down the performance of our mobile devices. That is why we are going to show you how to close tabs on Android, both one by one and all of them at once.

This will drastically increase the performance of your phone and make it so that opening other applications is faster. Let us take a look at an easy way of closing tabs on Android as well as doing the same in mobile browsers like Google Chrome.

Table of Contents:

How to Close Tabs on Android

Background app tabs can be useful to swiftly reopen an application you are using. However, forgetting to close tabs after you are done can cause them to pile up in dozens. This can negatively impact how your mobile device functions. Regularly closing tabs on android is, therefore, a useful habit to have to keep your Android functioning properly. If you were wondering how to close tabs on Android, follow these steps.

  • From your phone’s homepage or any other page for that matter, tap your phone’s Overview button (This is one of the three buttons at the bottom of your phone next to the Home or Back button).
  • A list of all your active tabs will open up.
1. List of active Android tabs
  • Pick the one you want to close, tap and hold it, and then depending on your phone slide it either to the right/left or top/bottom.

This will close your desired tab and stop the appropriate app from functioning further in your background thus clearing memory space. In this way, you can pick and choose to close specific tabs you do not need anymore.

You can also use the Android close tabs option to close all of them. Instead of dragging one tab, tap the large white X button or the Clear All option depending on your phone. 

3. Close all tabs on Android

This will close all tabs.

Bonus Tip

One bonus tip we have for you is that in the Overview menu, you can access some more background cleaning options. Once you hit the Overview button, you can tap on the Cleaner or Deep Clean buttons to further tidy up your background processes and increase performance. 

4. Deep Clean on Android smartphone

The former is more casual and quicker while the latter is more thorough but takes longer.

How to Close All Tabs on Google Chrome

The Android Close Tabs section is not the only one where you can close tabs for increased performance. Closing tabs you do not need anymore in various mobile browsers is just as important for a smooth internet experience. Especially in high memory-usage browsers like Google Chrome. 

To close all tabs in Chrome, follow this guide:

  • Open Google Chrome and tap on the Icon in the top right that shows how many tabs you have opened.
5. Open all tabs in Google Chrome app
  • A list of your browsing tabs will now show up that you can cycle through by dragging the screen with your finger up and down.
6. Cycle through Google Chrome Tabs
  • Choose a tab you want to close and either tap on the little X in the top right of the tab or drag it with your finger to the left or right.

Same as with Android app tabs, this will close it. You can also close all of them like this.

  • From the Google Chrome tabs overview menu, tap on the three vertical dots in the top right.
  • From the following list, select Close all tabs.

All your active Google Chrome tabs will now be terminated and your internet browsing will become faster.

We showcased how to close all tabs on Google Chrome, but the process is similar for all mobile browsers. The crucial part is finding that top-corner small number on your browser that shows how many tabs you have open. Once you find it, the process of closing tabs is almost universal.

Conclusion

Now you see that closing tabs on Android is both simple and useful. Managing the performance and background activities of your mobile device is a great step towards a smooth experience. You can even do so on all your mobile browsers as we mentioned, not just Google Chrome. We hope our article has helped you. Check out our other Android Tutorials for more info and useful tricks about your mobile devices.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-close-tabs-on-android/feed/ 0 How to Block Someone on WhatsApp App Using Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-block-someone-on-whatsapp/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-block-someone-on-whatsapp/#respond Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:04:41 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6259

If you wish to stop receiving messages, calls, and other interactions from certain users, you can block them on WhatsApp. In these unpleasant cases, you might be wondering how to block someone on WhatsApp. You can either block one of your contacts from the chat or block a certain number beforehand.

We are going to show you how to perform both options, as well as talk about other useful pieces of information when it comes to WhatsApp blocking.

Table of Contents:

How to Block Someone on WhatsApp

Blocking someone on WhatsApp is an important feature that allows a user to stop interaction with someone unpleasant to them. Among other things, you will stop receiving messages, calls, and status updates from those whom you’ve blocked. It is quite a simple feature to use and you can do it in two ways.

To block a contact from your personal chat, follow these guidelines.

  • Open your WhatsApp app and go to the Chats section.
1. Open WhatsApp and go to chats
  • Select the chat with the person you want to block.
  • In the chat, tap on the three vertical dots in the top right and select More from the list.
3. Select More in WhatsApp chat
  • Finally, choose the Block option.
4. Block option in WhatsApp

This will make it so that the user you blocked is not able to interact with you in any way on WhatsApp.

Now, if you want to block someone with whom you did not yet chat with, follow these steps.

  • Open WhatsApp, tap on the three vertical dots in the top right and select Settings.
5. Select WhatsApp Settings
  • Go to the Account section in the following menu and select Privacy.
  • Slide your screen to the bottom with your finger until you see Blocked contacts, choose that.
  • In the Blocked contacts section, tap on the plus icon in the top right.
  • A list of all your contacts will open where you can either pick one or search for the one you want to block in the top right.
9. Search and open the WhatsApp contact

As before, when you tap on the person you want, they will be added to your Blocked contacts list. 

Finally, if you want to block an unknown phone number, you can. Simply open a WhatsApp chat with that number and follow the first guide for someone from the chat section. 

What Does It Mean to Block Someone on WhatsApp?

As we mentioned, blocked contacts will be unable to call you or message you. Additionally, they are a couple more things they will be unable to do.

For starters, they will not be able to see your status, whether you are online, or any status updates. Any changes to your profile picture will also be invisible to them.

Block a contact on WhatsApp - In Article Photo 1

Blocking a contact will not remove them from your contact list though. Nor will it remove you from their list of contacts. If you wish to remove them from your phone’s contact list, you can do so manually. This can be done in the usual way from your phone’s address/contact book. If you block someone, they will not be notified of this. Still, there are some indicators they may notice that they are blocked.

How to Know If Someone Blocked You on WhatsApp

This topic builds on the previous one relating to if someone can know if you have blocked them. Essentially, you will not be able to know when someone blocks you. However, there are some indicators that you can spot when you are blocked.

Primarily, you will no longer see a contact’s online status if they have blocked you. Furthermore, you will not be able to see updates to their profile photo. As for the chat, any messages you send to someone who has blocked you will always have one check mark (message sent) and never two (message received).

Block a contact on WhatsApp - In Article Photo 2

Finally, any time you attempt to call someone who has placed you on their block list, the call will never go through. The signs are intentionally unambiguous and unclear to protect the privacy of users who have blocked someone.

How to Unblock Someone on WhatsApp

The last option we are going to cover today is unblocking. If you ever decide that you want to unblock someone on WhatsApp, you can do so quite easily from the Privacy menu. It is similar to unblocking contact numbers on your smartphone. Here is how to do it.

  • Open WhatsApp and tap the three vertical dots in the upper right corner and select settings.
10. Open WhatsApp Settings
  • Then, open the Account menu and go to Privacy.
11. Open WhatsApp privacy
  • Slide your screen down to reveal the Blocked contacts option and tap it.
12. Open WhatsApp blocked contacts
  • You will see a list of all your blocked contacts, simply select the one you wish to unblock and confirm your choice.
13. Unblock contact in WhatsApp

This will remove that person from your Blocked contacts list and allow them to interact with you again via messages, calls, etc.

Conclusion

The option to block unpleasant contacts is crucial when we talk about privacy. That is why the option is so easy to reach and simple to do. Whether you want to block contacts or unknown numbers that may be bothering you, we have shown you how to do both. We hope you found this guide helpful and if you need to block anything else like Instagram users, Facebook users, or YouTube channels, check out our guides. We also have tips on how to block a Site, the YouTube app, and Adds.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-block-someone-on-whatsapp/feed/ 0 How to Share a Video With Instagram App From Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-share-a-video-on-instagram/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-share-a-video-on-instagram/#respond Tue, 29 Nov 2022 20:38:45 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6224

We have shown you how to create and share Reels on Instagram, but there is a more casual way of sharing videos. Sometimes you find an interesting clip by another content creator and want to share it with your audience or send it to close friends. In these cases, you might be wondering how to share a video on Instagram casually. 

Well, there are a couple of simple ways like sharing a video you found to your Story or using the direct share option. We are going to guide you through both methods with an additional tip on how to share a YouTube video on Instagram directly. Without further ado, let us begin.

Table of Contents:

How to Share a Video on Instagram Story

Besides making an actual video Story, the most popular way of sharing interesting videos you found is sharing them directly from their post. While you are browsing around your feed you may not have known that this option exists. It all involves a simple arrow-shaped button below each Instagram post. Let us see how to share a video on Instagram Story:

  • First, locate the video you want to share to your Story.
1. Find the Instagram video
  • Then, slide your screen slightly below it to reveal the arrow-shaped Share icon.
  • Tap the share icon and then select the Add reel to your story option.
3. Add reel to your story
  • The Instagram Story tab will open where you can introduce modifications and additions like we’ve shown you in our previous Story guide.
  • Once you are ready, either tap the Your Story button in the bottom left to share it with your entire audience or the Close Friends button in the bottom right to share it with your Close Friends list.
5. Share to your story or close friends

Once you do so your desired video will be shared via your story. This is a great way to either promote the content you like to your audience or simply share some interesting clips you found with your friends.

How to Share a Video on Instagram via Personal Messages

There is another quick way to use the Share Video on Instagram arrow button. You can use it to share videos directly to personal messages with your followers. The process is quite similar to the previous entry so let us see the steps.

  • As before, find the video you want to share on Instagram.
6. Find the Instagram video
  • Below the video, tap on the arrow-shaped Share button.
7. Tap on the arrow icon
  • A list of all your followers will open and you can use the Search bar at the top to look for a specific person.
8. Search for the person
  • Once you have found one or multiple people you want to share the video with, select the blue Send button next to their names.

Your chosen video will be sent directly to them as a personal message. You can then follow up with another message from your chat box.

How to Share a YouTube Video on Instagram

Finally, sometimes you will find an exciting video outside of Instagram that you want to share. One of the most popular media platforms is YouTube, and you can share videos or Shorts directly from the YouTube app. Here is how.
  • Open your YouTube app and find the video you want to share on Instagram.
10. Find the video you want to share on Instagram
  • Below the title of the video, you will find a couple of options including the Share button, tap it.
11. Tap on the share button
  • A list of various apps will open up where you will need to find the Instagram icon and select it.
12. Select the Instagram Charts
  • Then, another list of your followers will open where you can search for the person you would like to send the video to.
13. Search for the specific person
  • Once you find them, tap on the blue Send button to the right of their name (You can do so for multiple people).
14. Tap on the send button

Your chosen YouTube video will then be directly sent to them on Instagram. 

As for sharing YouTube videos to Instagram Stories, this feature is currently not natively available on the Instagram app. That being said, you could still download a YouTube video and post it on your Story or Reel manually. Just be sure that you have permission from the original creator as per YouTube’s copyright policy.

Final Remarks

Now you know how to share videos on Instagram, both casually and via creating Reels and Stories as per our previous guide. Keep in mind that each Instagram post will have that arrow-shaped Share icon below it so you can send it wherever you need. As always, if you are sharing something, be sure to include the name of the original creator to avoid any copyright unpleasantries.

For more tips and tricks, check out our other Instagram and YouTube guides.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-share-a-video-on-instagram/feed/ 0 How to Change Netflix Region on Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-change-netflix-region/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-change-netflix-region/#respond Fri, 25 Nov 2022 19:18:10 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6196

Netflix has grown to be available globally in almost 200 different countries with unique region-specific content. Whether because of these unique TV shows and movies, or other reasons, viewers might sometimes want to change country on Netflix. Unfortunately, if you were wondering how to change Netflix region, there is no official option to do so. Fear not as it is still possible to change Netflix region using VPNs on mobile.

Today, we are going to show you how you can do so with a couple of free VPNs with different options. It is a completely safe, legal, and easy way to access the vast collection of Netflix shows that are available in other countries.

Table of Contents:

How to Change Netflix Region With Hoxx VPN

First off, we are going to show you how to change country on Netflix using Hoxx. This is a free VPN that has unlimited data so you can use it however many times you want. Its downside is that it has a limited selection of countries that it can access with the non-premium version. That being said, it is still a useful app that will allow you to view content from other countries. 

You will need to download it from the app store and create an account. Then, to change Netflix region using Hoxx VPN, follow these steps.

  • Open and sign in to your Hoxx app which will lead you to the home page.
1. Sign in to Hoxx App
  • From the homepage, turn on Advanced Mode by toggling the little slider to the right of the option.
2. Turn on Advanced Mode Hoxx app
  • Then, you can choose and tap on one of the free-version countries to change your region.
3. Choose the country Hoxx app
  • Wait until the You are Secure window opens up and that is it.
4. Hoxx app you are secure window

Once you select a country, your region will change in a few moments. You will know that VPN is active thanks to the little VPN icon on the top of your screen.

5. VPN activated icon

From here you can open your Netflix app and it will detect your new region. The list of movies and TV shows will update to match your new region. If you want to turn the VPN off simply slide your screen down, tap on the Hoxx notification, and select Disconnect.

Enjoy your new content.

How to Change Region on Netflix With Tunnel Bear

Secondly, we have the Tunnel Bear app. This VPN works similarly to Hoxx but the main difference is that Tunnel Bear has a wide selection of countries it can access globally. The downside is that your data is limited in the free version. Essentially, you will have pretty much all the countries in the world to choose from, but you have a limited time you can spend on their Netflix shows. Still, your data is refreshed each month so you will receive a steady supply if you want to just use the free version.

You can download Tunnel Bear on the app store and then you will need to create an account. Now let us see how we can use it to change our Netflix region.

  • Sign in and open the Tunnel Bear VPN which will lead you to the world map where you can choose countries and review your remaining data at the bottom.
7. Choose countries in Tunner Bear VPN
  • From the world map, use your finger and drag it around the screen to navigate the map.
8. Navigate the map in Tunner Bear VPN
  • Once you have found and chosen your desired Netflix country, tap it and confirm your region change.
9. Choose the country in Tunner Bear VPN
  • After a few moments, your region will change and the Tunnel Bear slider at the top will say Connected.

From here you can minimize Tunnel Bear and open your Netflix app. Your list of available TV shows and movies will change to match your region. Whenever you want to disconnect from the VPN simply slide your screen down and tap Disconnect below the Tunnel Bear notification.

Repeat the steps above whenever you need to change regions again.

Conclusion

Today we have shown you how to change your Netflix region to, for example, access country-specific content. We have covered how to do so with Hoxx and Tunnel Bear which are completely free to use. That being said, for advanced features like more country options on Hoxx or unlimited data on Tunnel Bear, you can think about the premium version. Another premium VPN for Netflix we would recommend is also NordVPN. There are plenty of good options, and you can use VPNs for others things as well outside of Netflix.

In any case, we hope our guide today has helped you. If you need some more Netflix tips and tricks like changing languages or customizing subtitles, check out our other Netflix guides.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-change-netflix-region/feed/ 0 How to Go Live on Instagram With Your Smartphone https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-go-live-on-instagram/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-go-live-on-instagram/#respond Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:26:01 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6149

Instagram Posts and Reels are a great way to connect with your followers but in terms of interaction, nothing beats your audience seeing you live. The Instagram Live feature allows users to engage with their followers on a more personal level in real-time. In today’s article, we will cover how to go live on Instagram with your smartphone.

We will also show you how to use some neat features while you are broadcasting like inviting guests and managing your Instagram live stream. Without further ado, let us begin with the basics of live streaming through your Instagram account.

Table of Contents:

How to Go Live on Instagram

The first step of managing a successful Instagram live broadcast is actually starting it. This is quite simple and involves just a few taps. That being said, you can then further customize your streaming experience when you are live on Instagram. If you were wondering how to go live on Instagram, follow these simple steps.

  • From your Instagram app homepage, tap on the plus icon on the top.
1. Tap on the plus icon on Instagram
  • At the bottom of the screen, slide the toolbar to the right until you reach Live.
2. Slide Toolbar in Instagram App
  • The Instagram broadcast menu will open up where you can start your live stream by tapping the white Go Live button at the bottom.

That is pretty much it, simple right? That being said, there are some aspects when you are broadcasting live on Instagram that you can customize. Let us return to that broadcast menu.

  • From the broadcast menu, you can add a title to your live broadcast on the left with the Title icon.
4. Add a tittle in Instagram Live
  • You can change whether you want to go live for a public audience or privately with guests and Close Friends that you can invite.
5. Choose the Instagram Live audience
  • You can switch camera orientations in the bottom right.
6. Instagram Live camera switch icon
  • Finally, you can apply different filters by sliding your screen to the right next to the white Go Live button.   
7. Instagram Live filters

Once you have everything set up the way you want it, simply tap that Go Live button as we showed you to start broadcasting live.

How to Manage Your Live Broadcast

Once you go live on Instagram, your followers will be notified as your Story icon will be surrounded by a red circle saying live. This way, they can easily join your live stream. With new people coming and going to your broadcast, it is important that you know how to manage your Instagram live stream. Here are some features you can access once you go live.

  • While you are live, you can at any point mute or unmute your audio or turn on/off your video by tapping the appropriate icons on the right.
  • If you want to change your original filter or apply a new one, you can select the Filter icon on the right and then choose a filter.
  • As for the bottom of the screen, you can add a comment at the bottom left.
10. Add the comment in Instagram Live
  • You can also see the comments and questions of your followers by tapping the cloud icon on the bottom right.
11. Instagram Live comments and questions
  • Notify specific followers that you are live by sending them the broadcast with the arrow button on the bottom right.
12. Send Instagram Live notification to your followers
  • Finally, once you are ready to end your Instagram Live stream, select the X icon in the top right and confirm.
13. End Instagram Live video

Once you end your broadcast, a few options will show up. 

14. Choose the option at the end of Instagram Live

Here you can choose whether you want to archive your live stream or discard it. If you save your live stream, you can review useful information about it like Instagram Insights later on.

How to Invite Someone to Your Instagram Live Stream

Going live on Instagram is one of the most exciting social aspects of this social media site as you can invite people to guest star on your broadcast. This is a great way to hold cooperative streams with your friends, family, coworkers, and so on. To invite someone to your Instagram live streams, follow these steps.

  • Start your Instagram live stream as we showed you.
  • Once you are live, at the bottom of the screen, tap the Invite icon shaped like an arrow ( or an arrow pointing to a person).
  • A list of people you can invite will show up where you can select the search bar and type the name of a person you want to invite.
17. Type the name in the Instagram Live search bar
  • Once you have chosen someone, simply press the blue Invite button to the right of their name.
18. Instagram Live blue invite button

When you invite someone and they join, anyone who can see their videos can also watch your live stream. You can now enjoy cooperating with your guests and making duo, trio, etc. live broadcasts.

Conclusion

Now you know how to go live on Instagram and manage your live stream. It is a great feature when you want to connect with your audience on a more personal level. Plus, it usually is less work than taking that perfect picture or editing a great reel. If you want to watch someone’s live stream, you will know they are live because their profile picture in your Stories tray will say Live with a red circle around it. 

We hope you enjoyed today’s article. You can check out our other Instagram guides for more information about various features.

]]> https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-go-live-on-instagram/feed/ 0 How to Turn Off Subtitles on Netflix App https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-turn-off-subtitles-on-netflix/ https://smartphonetutorials.com/how-to-turn-off-subtitles-on-netflix/#respond Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:41:59 +0000 https://smartphonetutorials.com/?p=6119

While watching various movies and TV shows on your Netflix account, you might have sometimes found subtitles unnecessary or unpleasing to the eye. In these cases, you can disable them or alter their appearance to suit your liking via the Netflix app. Therefore, we are going to show you how to turn off subtitles on Netflix and how to change their appearance.

Table of Contents

How to Turn Subtitles Off on Netflix

Let us begin with the basics. When you find subtitles obsolete for a show, you might want to disable them altogether. If you were wondering how to turn off subtitles on Netflix, the following steps will guide you through this simple process. Just make sure you are signed in to your Netflix account first.

  • To turn off subtitles on Netflix, first open your Netflix app and load the home page.
1. Open the Netflix app and load the home page
  • Choose or search for any movie or show and open it.
  • Once your desired piece of media is open, pause it and locate the Audio & Subtitles option at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap Audio & Subtitles and slide the right-side Subtitles section of your screen to the top until you see Off.
  • Select the Off option and tap Apply on the bottom right.

Once you do this, subtitles will be disabled and you can watch your chosen movie or show. It is noteworthy to mention that disabling subtitles in this way will also turn them off for all Netflix shows. If you ever need to turn them on, simply repeat the process above and choose a language in the Subtitles section instead of the Off option.

How to Change Subtitle Appearance on Netflix

Sometimes it is not the case that subtitles bother you, but how they look instead. Besides the turn off Subtitles on Netflix option, you can also change subtitle appearance to suit your needs. You can alter their size, color, background, and more in this way. To change subtitles appearance on Netflix, follow these steps.

  • From the Netflix app home screen, tap on your profile picture in the top right.
2. Tap on the Netflix profile picture
  • In the new menu, select the Manage Profiles options and then choose your desired profile.
  • The Edit Profile menu will open where you can slide your screen down to locate and select the Subtitles Appearance option.

Once you open the Subtitles Appearance menu, you can edit the look of your subtitles however you like. You will see each of your changes on the preview picture at the top. Let us go through the options.

  • In Subtitles Appearance, you can change the size of your subtitles from small, to medium, to large.
  • You can change the color by tapping on the Text Color setting.
6. Change the color of Netflix subtitles
  • The Text Edge Style and Color can also be changed.
7. Change the subtitles text edge color
  • Additionally, you can alter the background of your subtitles by selecting the Background Color option.
8. Change the Netflix subtitles background color
  • Finally, once you are done making changes, tap the Save button on the bottom left and navigate back with the top left arrow icon.
9. Save Netflix subtitles settings
  • Alternatively, you can always reset your subtitles appearance by tapping the Reset to default option on the bottom right.

Any changes you make will apply to all subtitles for any movie or show you watch. Note that these changes are only for your selected profile. 

Conclusion

Editing subtitles is quite simple as you can see. You now know how to turn subtitles off on Netflix and change their appearance. In the case of the latter, you can visually change them however you like. We would say that changing their size is usually the most common options people use.

That being said, we also have other Netflix guides for you to check out like changing audio and subtitles languages or deleting watch history. We hope you enjoy them and that they are helpful on your Netflix journey.

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