So you just bought an Android phone. Or maybe a generous relative gave you one as a present. You’re in luck because whether you unlock the Samsung Galaxy S21, Google Pixel 6 or OnePlus 9 Pro, you can’t go wrong with one of the best Android phones out there.
But then what do you do with it? The good news is that even if you have a budget model, you can still access all the goodies from the Google Play Store. The only problem is that there are so many apps to choose from that it can be difficult to know where to start.
Here we go, with this guide you will find the app you need for every category – be it photography, music streaming, productivity, travel or anything else. So read our Getting Started guide in A-Z order, and when you’re done, you can also check out our full list of the best Android apps.
Safety:
It may not be very exciting, but making sure your new Android phone is protected from threats is still very important. And while there are plenty of decent free security apps out there, we think it’s worth paying for one of the best Android antivirus apps out there.
Bitdefender Mobile provides excellent anti-malware protection for your phone and automatically scans apps and websites for potential threats. Extras like a VPN, anti-theft features, a secure app drawer, and even a tool that monitors your email address are worth the reasonable price.
Canva (free):
Whether you’re looking to up your social media game, create a birthday card, or design an event invitation, Canva can help you bring out your creative side.
It’s full of free templates, but also comes with tons of tools if you want to start from scratch, and while it’s powerful enough to create professional results, it’s incredibly easy to set up. It includes a library of photos and illustrations – although you can just as easily upload your own – and offers easy sharing via email or social platforms.
Carrot Weather (free):
There are tons of great weather apps out there, and as you’d expect, most offer pretty much the same experience; it is not a field that lends itself to creativity.
Well, Carotene Weather would be different, infusing your weather reports with a healthy dose of sarcasm and humor, making your day brighter, even when it’s raining outside.
But don’t think it’s all about attitude accuracy: Carrot Weather takes data from Dark Sky so you can rely on current, hourly and 7-day forecasts, while infographics give you the most useful information in an easily summarized form. A premium version is also available that unlocks additional features.
Contact details+ (free):
Your contact list can quickly get bogged down with duplicates, unused, and who-are-they-again? entrances with the odd useful map hidden in between. Enter Contacts+, an address book replacement that helps you stay organized.
It automatically imports information from linked social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn so you have everything in one place, download your cover photos from Facebook and even show the latest posts from each contact. We rate it as one of the best contact apps and we wouldn’t be without it on a new phone.
Flip board (free):
Sure you get all the news from Tom’s Guide, but what if you also want to read about the topics we don’t cover, in an attractive magazine-like format that is expertly tailored to your interests? Look no further than Flipboard.
The basic idea is simple: you pick different topics — like politics, art, dogs, food, and science — and then Flipboard serves them to you, regularly updating your personal magazine so there’s always something new to read. You can also follow other people’s magazines, save stories and share them with others easily. And yes, TG is included, don’t worry.
IFTTT (free):
Smart home technology is great, but the routines available aren’t always as smart as they could be. That’s where IFTTT can help.
The name comes from If This Then That, and the app allows you to create custom routines that can perform surprisingly complex tasks without any expertise other than a bit of logic.
For example, you can set it to turn on smart lights, heating and music automatically when you get home, or back up photos when you take a new one, or send a message to your family when you’re near the grocery store. . The possibilities are almost endless and it is fully compatible with almost every smart home platform in the world.
