The battery runs flat too fast

Problem: This is one of the most often Android problems. Unfortunately, we have to face the fact that our Android device will never run for as long as old simple mobile phones used to some years ago.   This is the price we have to pay for having the smartest devices in the world.
However, we can always do something to extend the battery life here and there and, overall, the above price won't be so high! :)

Solution: To put it simply, you have to get rid of anything that's eating up your battery unnecessarily. In most cases, this will be WiFi (enabled and not used), GPS, a number of unnecessary apps running in the background, screen brightness set to maximum or ads from free apps and games for Android. You should also use some battery app to manage apps or/and some Android app killer.
If your battery is running flat and you cannot charge your phone, you should turn Power Saver. In my HTC, you can activate it by dragging the top part of the screen down and then checking Power Saver (see the screenshots below).
Check Android battery tips for more details about how to optimize your phone's battery life.

A small popup menu doesn't appear after holding the power button

Problem: This is also one of the most often encountered Android problems. When you hold the power button for a few seconds, a small Phone options menu (like the one on the screenshot) will  or, at least, should appear.
This menu allows you to power off your phone, turn off or on airplane mode or restart your phone. However, in my previous phone (HTC Desire S) at some point this function simply stopped working and the phone wouldn't react to holding the power button.

Solution: This Android problem is a real pain in the neck. Unfortunately, restarting the phone or turning it off and on didn't help. The only thing that worked was restoring factory settings.
To do that, do go Settings > Backup & reset > Reset Phone. Before you do that, remember to backup your settings with either a third party app or use the default function also available under Backup & reset > Backup & restore.
If you want to discover some apps for making backup, don't miss  Android backup apps section.

Backlight turns on and off on its own

Problem: I encountered this problem on HTC One X, HTC Desire Z and HTC Desire S. I suppose this doesn't concern HTC phones only. This is not the most serious problem in the world but it can be a bit annoying when your phone, out of the blue, turns the screen on in the middle of the night just to turn it off in a few seconds. I guess it can also significantly reduce the battery life.
Solution: In one phone this Android problem disappeared on its own  as suddenly as it appeared.  In HTC Desire S it was enough to restart the phone (hold the power button for a few seconds and then tap  Restart).
However, in my HTC One X  the problem didn't disappear until  I restored factory settings. To do that,  go to Settings > Backup & reset > Reset Phone. Remember about backup.

The phone doesn't respond at all

Problem: It may happen that your Android phone or Android tablet will not respond at all. This is what once happened to my HTC One X. I ended a call, the phone froze so I waited, waited, waited. The screen turned off and the phone behaved as if it was turned off (but I know it wasn't). In such a situation, we usually remove the battery. But what can we do if there is no battery to remove like in my HTC? :)
Solution: When the phone is unresponsive, it's usually a good idea to restart it. You can do that by holding the power button for a few seconds and then tapping Restart phone. This solves the problem in most cases.

You can also remove the battery (if you have one), which always helps. In the case of my HTC, the only thing that worked was to hold the Power button for 10 seconds. After that the phone automatically restarted and everything went back to normal.

Android corrects my words without even asking

Problem: Have you ever happened to send a totally stupid SMS to someone just because your Android device knew better what you wanted to type?
In most cases, this doesn't happen very often but once it does you may want to get rid of the auto-correct feature.
Solution: You may want to turn off auto correction. Not all Android devices are equipped with that feature by default (my HTC was just suggesting words, not auto-correcting them, but when I installed SwiftKey keyboard the function was enabled).
To turn it off, go to Settings > Language & input >Android Keyboard > Auto correction and select "off."

Want trouble-free typing?

Don't waste your time trying new untested keyboards or tormenting yourself with the stock one.  I've thoroughly checked most of them.
If you want to type fast (you can turn off the auto correct function) and stop making typos, you should certainly buy yourself SwifKey Keyboard. The price is really low 3,99$ for such a brilliant app.

I use a third party launcher but it occasionally switches back to the default one (e.g. HTC Sense)

Problem: You decided to use a third party launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher or GO Launcher) but every time you switch between apps or, worse, restart your phone it switches back to the default launcher and you lose all your settings, widgets etc.
This is very annoying but you can easily get rid of that problem.
Solution:  All you have to do is set your third party launcher as a default launcher and the problem will disappear.  Just tape the Home button two times (quickly) and the phone will ask Complete the action using so choose your launcher and press Always.

Someone's bothering me. How do I block them?

Problem: We gave our number to the wrong person who's now bothering us. There has been some fuss and you are receiving calls from a person from the other side of the globe. You are receiving tons of SMS ads, which is driving you crazy. Whatever your problem is, if you have an Android device, you can easily get rid of it.
Solution: Thanks to Android being the most popular mobile platform in the world, you have a great number of apps to choose from, including apps for blocking calls and SMS.
I recommend using SPC, a very simple but powerful app with advanced options, such as, blocking calls, SMS, blacklists, white lists and many more. If you want to discover more call blockers, check free call blocker for Android.

The screen orientation changes too often

Problem: Some people simply cannot stand it when the screen orientation of their Android phone changes whenever they lie down or make a quick hand movement when typing. This, in fact, can be a bit irritating, but you can easily deal  with it.
Solution: All you have to do is turn off the auto rotate option. To do that, go to Settings > Display, gestures & buttons and uncheck Auto rotate screen.  Done! The screen will never rotate without your permission!

- See more at: http://www.inlovewithandroid.com/android-problems-troubleshooting.html#sthash.ltvHbAzf.dpuf

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Android Phone Task Manager Functions

If you want to get your hands dirty with some behind-the-scenes stuff on your Android phone, Task Manager is the app to open. It’s not for everyone. The Task Manager app is found on the App menu. It may not be found on your Android phone.
The Task Manager window shows all the phone’s currently running apps, along with trivial information about each one: The CPU item shows how much processor power the app is consuming, and the RAM item shows how much storage the app occupies.
You can use Task Manager to kill off tasks that are hogging up too much CPU time or memory or that simply bug the stuffing from your couch. You touch items you want to kill off and then touch the End Apps button. The apps are silently snuffed out.
A nifty feature in Task Manager is the Auto-End list. When apps have been assigned to this list, they automatically exit two minutes after the display times out. To add apps to the list, select them from the main screen and touch the Add to Auto-End button at the bottom of the screen.

• There’s no need to kill off an app flagged as “not running.”
• Task Manager doesn’t delete apps; it merely stops them from running. To delete an app, use the Android Market.
• The Android operating system does an excellent job of managing apps. If resources are needed for another app, Android automatically closes any open apps as needed. There’s no need to futz with Task Manager, unless you just enjoy messing with such a thing.

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Common Android Problem Troubleshooting

Aren’t all problems with your Android or other devices annoying? A welcome problem doesn’t exist, unless the problem is welcome because it diverts attention from another, preexisting problem. And random problems? If problems were predictable, they would serve in office. Or maybe they already do?
Here are some typical problems and suggestions for a solution:

You have general trouble

For just about any problem or minor quirk, consider restarting the phone: Turn off the phone, and then turn it on again. This procedure will most likely fix a majority of the annoying and quirky problems you encounter when using an Android phone.

Some Android phones feature the Restart command on the Phone Options menu: Press and hold down the Power/Lock key to see this menu. If a Restart command is there, use it to restart the phone and (you hope) fix whatever has gone awry.

When restarting doesn’t work, consider turning off the phone and removing its battery. Wait about 15 seconds, and then return the battery to the phone and turn on the phone again.

The data connection needs to be checked

Sometimes the data connection drops but the phone connection stays active. Check the status bar. If you see bars, you have a phone signal. When you don’t see the 4G, 3G, 1X, or Wi-Fi icon, the phone has no data signal.
Occasionally, the data signal suddenly drops for a minute or two. Wait and it comes back around. If it doesn’t, the cellular data network might be down, or you may simply be in an area with lousy service. Consider changing your location.
For wireless connections, you have to ensure that Wi-Fi is set up properly and working. Setup usually involves pestering the person who configured the Wi-Fi signal or made it available, such as the cheerful person in the green apron who serves you coffee.

The touchscreen doesn’t work!

The touchscreen, such as the one used on your phone, requires a human finger for proper interaction. The phone interprets complicated electromagnetic physics between the human finger and the phone to determine where the touchscreen is being touched.
You can use the touchscreen while wearing special touchscreen gloves. Yes, they actually make such things. But wearing regular gloves? Nope.
The touchscreen might also fail when the battery power is low or when the phone has been physically damaged.

The screen is too dark!

Android phones feature a teensy light sensor on the front. The sensor is used to adjust the touchscreen’s brightness based on the amount of ambient light at your location. If the sensor is covered, the screen can get very, very dark.
Ensure that you aren't unintentionally blocking the light sensor. Avoid buying a case or screen protector that obscures the sensor.
The automatic brightness setting might also be vexing you.

The battery doesn’t charge!

Start from the source: Is the wall socket providing power? Is the cord plugged in? The cable may be damaged, so try another cable.
When charging from a USB port on a computer, ensure that the computer is turned on. Computers provide no USB power when they’re turned off.
Some phones charge from a special cord, not the USB cable. Check to confirm that your phone is able to take a charge from the USB cable.

The phone gets so hot that it turns itself off!

Yikes! An overheating phone can be a nasty problem. Judge how hot the phone is by seeing whether you can hold it in your hand: When the phone is too hot to hold, it’s too hot. If you’re using the phone to keep your coffee warm, the phone is too hot.
Turn off the phone. Take out the battery and let it cool.
If the overheating problem continues, have the phone looked at for potential repair. The battery might need to be replaced.

The phone won’t do landscape mode!

Just because an app doesn’t enter landscape mode doesn’t mean that it can enter landscape mode. Not every app takes advantage of the phone’s capability to orient itself in landscape mode. On certain Android phones, the Home screen doesn’t “do landscape” unless it’s placed into a car mount or has a physical keyboard that works in landscape mode.
One app that definitely does landscape mode is the web browser.

Android phones have a setting you can check to confirm that landscape orientation is active. Check the quick actions drawer for the Auto-Rotate setting. That setting might also be found in the Settings app, on the Display screen.

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The Worst Bugs in Android 5.0 Lollipop and How to Fix Them

Android 5.0 Lollipop is now upon us, and while you might be rejoicing at all the new features you can take advantage of, you might also be cursing at the state that the new OS has left your device in. We've rounded up the most common Lollipop issues so far, together with the fixes you can try to get your gadgets working smoothly again.

Wi-Fi issues

As surely as night follows day, an operating system upgrade is going to lead to Wi-Fi issues for a number of people. Lollipop is no exception. Some users have been reporting dropped internet connections, while others can't get online at all. Older devices like the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 10 seem to be having the most problems. In some cases, these are known bugs inside Lollipop, and you're going to have to wait for Google's engineers to get around to pushing out a software update, but there are some tricks you can try in the meantime.

In terms of suggested fixes, getting your phone or tablet to forget the network (long-press on the Wi-Fi network list) then reconnecting seems to work for a select few. The old faithful factory reset has done the trick for some, but this is a bit of a pain to work through. You might also want to uninstall some of the older apps on your device, at least temporarily: A number of users have reported Wi-Fi issues disappearing once particular third-party apps were updated with Lollipop compatibility. If you're running an older app that hasn't been updated in a while, it could be causing interference.

Rebooting devices and the home router is another troubleshooting fix you might want to try, but you've done that already, haven't you? We've seen other reports that changing the Wi-Fi channel can improve performance: It's under the Advanced option on the Wi-Fi screen menu, or you can adjust the channel settings from your router.

Battery issues

Battery issues are rumored to have held up the roll-out of Lollipop and it looks like Google wasn't able to squash all of the bugs before the new operating system saw the light of day. Battery problems appear to be even more common than Wi-Fi ones based on the forum and social media posts we've seen, though once you have got everything working correctly Android 5.0 should in theory give your device better battery life.

Our familiar friend the factory reset has been known to help out some users and again there's the problem of older apps that haven't been updated since Lollipop appeared on the scene. One of these apps might be clashing with Lollipop's new code and causing the battery to drain unnecessarily, so you might want to try removing a few apps that haven't been recently updated. Remember you can see which apps are using up your device's juice from the Battery page in Settings.

If you have enough time on your hands, you can try and work out what's wrong with a trial and error approach. Switch settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and off, uninstall specific apps, and see what changes. But it's not an ideal way of spending your leisure hours. Google did push out an update to fix one battery life issue earlier this month, so make sure your version is right up to date. If you're still struggling with problems then all you can do is report what's happening and sit tight for a fix.

Lagging and crashing

If your phone or tablet is sluggish or crashing at random times then there are a number of possible causes and solutions. At the risk of sounding repetitive it's worth mentioning a factory reset again, to clear the cobwebs away and enable your device to start afresh from scratch. A simple power down and power up can also do wonders, though we're guessing that you've already tried that if you've made your way to this article.

If one app seems to be at the root of the issue then the obvious next step is to uninstall it or check for an update. Head to the developer's support site to see if any bugs have been reported by users or the development team. As with any operating system update, it may be that certain apps are having problems adjusting to a new Lollipop-powered way of life, and bringing the whole system down with them.

We've seen reports that switching off some of the bells and whistles that come with Android—Google Now, OK Google support, live wallpapers, and so on—can improve the situation, and this will at least enable you to use your phone or tablet while you wait for an update. If your device is completely unusable then going back to KitKat for a while is a potential option.

Video playback

One of the more specific problems to crop up in forums is a video playback issue with the Wi-Fi version of the 2013 Nexus 7. Users are reporting that Lollipop loses its bearings and is unable to find the video player software when they want to watch a clip. Not really an ideal situation for a modern-day tablet. Clearing the cache of one of the affected apps (such as YouTube) has helped some people restore functionality, and you can do this from the Apps page in Settings.

Other users have found success by enabling or disabling the NuPlayer from the Developer options page (this seems to be a new, experimental playback layer introduced with Lollipop). Head to About phone from the Settings app and tap the build number seven times to activate the developer options screen, and you can then try playing around with NuPlayer. If it's enabled then disable it and vice versa, resetting your device each time. It's not a troubleshooting technique to fill you with much confidence but it's the best that we have so far.

Other than that you can fall back on the factory reset option which will wipe all temporary data from your device and may be enough to restore video playback functionality. The problem has been reported so widely that we'd assume Google must be working on a fix, so you might just have to go elsewhere for your video playing needs until then.

Those are the highlights (or lowlights) that we've managed to pick from from a trawl through support forums and social media, but there are other issues out there. If you're still having difficulties then your best options are a detailed web search to try and find fellow sufferers (and potential fixes) or trying to send some feedback Google's way (just don't expect a speedy response). Finally, hat tips to PC Advisor, Google Groups, Android Headlines, Android Police and AndroidPit for some of the bug reports and fixes covered in this article.

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20 Common Android Problems Solved

Got problems with Android? Android offers great reliability, stability and protection from malware — but sometimes you’re going to run into problems.
Thankfully, users can correct 99% of failures with a few simple tips. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most common problems reported in and how to solve them.

Google Play Store Crashing

If Google Play crashes after launching it, you might have a corrupt cache. Most of the time, simply wiping its cache fixes the problem. Most versions of Android use generally the same steps. Go to:

• Settings
• Apps
• Swipe right to locate the “all” tab
• Locate Google Play Store and wipe cache and data
• Restart your phone

Here’s a great video:
If that fails, you might want to try wiping data and/or cache for the following services:

• Google Play Services
• Google Services Framework

Remember to restart the device after performing the wipes.

Ads by Google

Insufficient Space on Device

Android allocates fixed storage space for apps. Users can’t expand it. So you might run into this error even if your device indicates a great deal of remaining storage capacity.
The easiest way to free up space is to begin uninstalling apps. However, if you use music apps, like Spotify, you might not be able to find where the files are being stored. The quickest way to free up space is to use an app like CCleaner. If you want to get a visual display of where all your memory is going, try using DiskUsage. It will visually display your files’ locations and size.

Google Play Store Not Downloading Apps

Sometimes Google Play won’t install applications. There’s two kinds of popular fixes. The first is to wipe Google Play’s cache. The second is to erase Google Play’s history.

Wipe Google Play Cache

In my experience, the best fix is to wipe Google Play’s cache. Go to:

• Settings
• Apps
• Swipe right to locate the “all” tab
• Locate Google Play Store and wipe cache and data
• Restart your phone

Wipe Google Play History

I’m skeptical about this fix. However, for those desperate, give it a shot. Here’s how:

• Open Google Play Store.
• Go to Settings.
• Choose Clear History.

Here’s a video:

How to Reinstall the Google Play Store

You can’t uninstall the Google Play Store without root acces (what’s root?). Most users who think they’ve deleted Google Play actually have disabled it. To reenable the Play Store, go to:

• Settings
• Apps
• Swipe right and locate the “disabled” tab.
• Then locate Google Play Store. You can reenable it by tapping on the icon that says “reenable”.

Here’s a video:

How Do I Install Google Play?

Some imported tablets and smartphones don’t come with the Google Play Store. Users will need to locate an APK (Android installable file) from a third party source and then manually install it. Before getting started, you’ll need to enable third party sources. To do so, go to:

• Settings
• Security
• Then check the box for “unknown sources”

Once checked, you can install the Play Store. Here is a link to a legitimate Play Store APK: Download Google Play Store.

If that fails, try watching this video:

I Need an Older Version of the Google Play Store

Sometimes the newest version of Google Play won’t work on your device. In that case, you can try installing an older version. Here’s an APK Mirror post that includes links to every major version of the Play Store.

How do I Free up Memory on My Android Device?

By memory, you might be referring to RAM. The Android operating system works best with a minimal number of installed applications. That’s because some apps like to run in the background, even when you don’t actually use the app. The more apps installed, the more likely it is that some will run wild in the background. The simplest solution is to uninstall all non-essential applications.
We do not suggest using an app killer as this will negatively impact the functionality of some of your apps.

System UI Not Working

Sometimes the System User Interface (UI) can stop working. If restarting your device don’t fix the problem, I suggest wiping the System UI cache. To wipe the cache, go to:

• Settings
• Apps
• Swipe left to “All” and select System UI
• Then wipe the cache and restart the device

Downloads Not Working

Sometimes downloads will fail. Android includes a dedicated download manager, and its cache can become corrupted. In this case, just wipe the cache.
To wipe the cache, go to:

• Settings
• Apps
• Swipe right to “All” and select Download Manager
• Then wipe the cache and restart the device

I Can’t Find My Download

Android by default stores its downloaded files in a folder called “Download”. To locate the Download directory, first install a file manager, like ES File Explorer (our review of ES File Explorer). Once installed, go to sdcard/Download and you should see a complete list of downloaded files.

I Can’t Play a Downloaded Video

Try using VLC Player or MX Player. They work on almost every file you can imagine. Sometimes videos in a proprietary format won’t play. There’s no real solution for this issue, other than installing the proprietary video player.

I Installed Malware!

Never install a cracked game or app — it probably has malware on it. But if you already have malware, simply uninstall the culprit. If you’re not sure which app is wreaking mayhem on your phone, try a malware scanner. If that fails, use some of our tips on finding Android malware.
Out of the three malware scanners we’ve reviewed, my favorite is Lookout. It’s free, lightweight, and catches a large number of malicious applications.

Internet Not Working

The biggest cause of mobile Internet not working: Improperly configured APN settings. If you use a prepaid/MVNO to provide Internet, chances are you needed to set up an APN to get mobile data. If these settings aren’t properly configured, you must manually set them.
I’ve written an article on APN settings for Android.

Can’t Connect to WiFi Network

Chances are, it’s your router that’s at fault. Someone could write a book on the number of problems that WiFi networks cause users — the best solution oftentimes is to restart both your router and your phone.
If that fails, try this article.

How Do I Break an Android Password?

If you’ve set a password and forgotten it, you’re going to have to perform a factory reset from the bootloader. The bootloader is a preboot environment that allows the restoration of your operating system. There are ways to break Android passwords, but don’t count on it.
First, you’ll need to enter the bootloader. The method varies between models of phone. For most models, you can access the bootloader by completely powering down the device. After powering off, you will hold volume down + the power button until the phone boots. Once inside of the bootloader, you can then choose to factory reset your device.
WARNING: if you have a custom ROM, don’t do this, as it can render your device unbootable.

Android Device Crashes on Boot

If your phone no longer boots, you can enter what’s called “safe mode” — we’ve covered Android’s safe mode before. Safe Mode allows users to disable all startup apps that might be crashing the phone. Once booted in through safe mode, you can then remove the misbehaving app.

Android Device No Longer Turns On

First try removing the battery. If the battery can’t be removed, hold down the power button for fifteen seconds. If that fails, plug the device into a power source and hold the power button down for fifteen seconds. If that fails, you may need to either have the device serviced or return it.
For more detail, we have an entire article on what to do if your phone won’t turn on.

Android Not Reading microSD Card

This happens all the time. I prefer formatting the SD card from within Android. This solves just a portion of the issues with SD cards — if you haven’t tried it yet, it’s worth a shot.
To format an Android microSD card, go to:

• Settings
• Storage
• Scroll down to the bottom and select “Format SD card”
• Then select “Format SD card” again

If this fails, you will need to connect the SD card to a PC with a card reader.

If your files aren’t readable after connecting to a PC, you will need data recovery software. I recommend using EaseUS’s Data Recovery Wizard. It’s free and effective.

Can’t Connect Android to a Windows PC

There’s two ways (there used to be three) that Android connects to a computer: Android Debug Bridge (ADB) or Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). ADB lets users interact with Android’s operating system while MTP only permits access to specially designated media storage directories. ADB always causes the most amount of problems.
I have a full-length article on how to fix ADB in Windows. More or less, it’s just a matter of installing Koush’s universal ADB drivers. Read the complete article in case that Koush’s drivers aren’t enough.

The Nuclear Option

If all else fails, and you’ve even turned to search engines for help, there’s still the Android equivalent of the nuclear option: a factory reset. To perform a factory reset go to:

• Settings
• Backup & reset
• Then choose reset at the bottom of the window

Did We Solve Your Issue?

Android is the most robust operating system around. Compared to Windows it’s practically immune to malicious software (although it still suffers from its share of malware). It’s also easy to recover from almost any software fault. The reason why: Recovery just takes a couple button presses.

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How to update Android smartphone or tablet: Get the latest software on your phone or tablet To get the best performance and features from your Android smartphone or tablet you should make sure you're always running the very latest software available for it, not just in terms of apps but also the Android operating system. Here's how to update Android on your smartphone or tablet. By Chris Martin | 12 May 15 To get the best performance and features from your Android smartphone or tablet you should make sure you're always running the very latest software available for it, not just in terms of apps but also the Android operating system. Here's how to update Android on your smartphone or tablet. For more Android tips and tricks see Android Advisor. Also see: How to protect Android from the WebView bug Android has been heavily criticised for its OS fragmentation - as of 7 July 2014, 13.5 percent of devices were still running Android 2.3.3-2.3.7 Gingerbread, 11.4 percent were still running 4.0.4-4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 56.5 percent were running 4.1-4.3 Jelly Bean. Given that we (or, at least, 17.9 percent of the Android-owning population) are now running Android 4.4 KitKat, with Android L expected this autumn, you can see why people might complain. Also see: 37 best smartphones 2014 It's not just about device stability and speed, either. New operating system updates bring new features, such as Jelly Bean's multiple user accounts and KitKat's improved Google Now and smarter Caller ID. Android L, when it launches in the next few months, will bring a new Material Design, enhanced notifications, as well as a huge improvement to battery life. Check out our Android KitKat vs Android L comparison review. See also: Google I/O round-up - Android, Google Play, Google+, Chrome and Maps. Google I/O announcement roundup: Android, Google Play, Google+, Chrome and Maps - See more at: http://www.techadvisor.co.uk/news/google-android/google-i-o-announcement-roundup/#sthash.Te7kXs1n.dpuf Upgrades for Android devices are generally available over-the-air (OTA), which avoids the need for cables and a desktop PC. They are also rolled out gradually and will depend on the manufacturer and mobile operator. Also see: 26 best tablets 2014 That last bit's important: it's up to your phone- or tablet maker whether it wants to release new operating system updates for your model, and it is under no obligation to do so. If you have a high-end, flagship phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 or LG G3, you can reasonably expect that your manufacturer will provide at least one operating system update. If you have a cheap or mid-range phone or tablet, you may find that what you've got is what you're stuck with - particularly if it's from a relatively unknown brand. Also see: 14 best budget smartphones 2014 There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, with Google's Nexus and forthcoming Android One (and potentially Android Silver) devices guaranteed to always get the latest Android updates. We explain what is Google Nexus, Android One and Android Silver and explain the difference between Google's three product line-ups here. If an update is available for your phone or tablet, in general you'll receive a notification telling you as much. However, you can also manually check and upgrade your device. The interface and process may vary between devices, but here's a one-size-fits-all guide to upgrading an Android smartphone or tablet. How to check whether your Android device is up to date Before you go trying to update your device, you should check which version of Android you are running. You might already be on the latest version. It's easy to check so follow the below guide up to step four. This screen will have a section called 'Android version'. If it doesn't, click 'Software information' to find out. Google Android version The latest version is Android 4.4 KitKat, with 4.3, 4.2 and 4.1 all coming under the name Jelly Bean. How to update your Android smartphone or tablet Step One As a precautionary measure it's good practice to back up your data such as contacts and photos. The upgrade should not affect your data but there is no guarantee. Step Two Navigate to the Setting menu of your device. On most Android devices this can be done via the app menu or notification bar. Typically the Setting app will have a cog or spanner logo. Android App Menu Step Three Scroll down the Settings menu and click on 'About Phone' or 'About Tablet'. If you have a tabbed settings menu then this will appear in the 'general' section. Android About Phone Step Four The menu can vary slightly from device to device but click the 'Software Update' or similar button. This section of the menu will also detail which version of Android your device is running. Android Software Update Step Five Your phone or tablet will now search for an available update. If you are taken to another menu, select the 'Software update check' button or similar. If an update is available your device then you will be asked whether you wish to install it. If you select yes then the system will download and install the new software and reboot. Note: You device may require a Wi-Fi connection to search for an update. We also recommend downloading the software over Wi-Fi because the file size can be large. Android Software Update Check

How to update Android smartphone or tablet: Get the latest software on your phone or tablet

To get the best performance and features from your Android smartphone or tablet you should make sure you're always running the very latest software available for it, not just in terms of apps but also the Android operating system. Here's how to update Android on your smartphone or tablet.

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To get the best performance and features from your Android smartphone or tablet you should make sure you're always running the very latest software available for it, not just in terms of apps but also the Android operating system. Here's how to update Android on your smartphone or tablet. For more Android tips and tricks see Android Advisor. Also see: How to protect Android from the WebView bug
Android has been heavily criticised for its OS fragmentation - as of 7 July 2014, 13.5 percent of devices were still running Android 2.3.3-2.3.7 Gingerbread, 11.4 percent were still running 4.0.4-4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 56.5 percent were running 4.1-4.3 Jelly Bean. Given that we (or, at least, 17.9 percent of the Android-owning population) are now running Android 4.4 KitKat, with Android L expected this autumn, you can see why people might complain. Also see: 37 best smartphones 2014
It's not just about device stability and speed, either. New operating system updates bring new features, such as Jelly Bean's multiple user accounts and KitKat's improved Google Now and smarter Caller ID. Android L, when it launches in the next few months, will bring a new Material Design, enhanced notifications, as well as a huge improvement to battery life. Check out our Android KitKat vs Android L comparison review.
See also: Google I/O round-up - Android, Google Play, Google+, Chrome and Maps.

Google I/O announcement roundup: Android, Google Play, Google+, Chrome and Maps - See more at: http://www.techadvisor.co.uk/news/google-android/google-i-o-announcement-roundup/#sthash.Te7kXs1n.dpuf

Upgrades for Android devices are generally available over-the-air (OTA), which avoids the need for cables and a desktop PC. They are also rolled out gradually and will depend on the manufacturer and mobile operator. Also see: 26 best tablets 2014
That last bit's important: it's up to your phone- or tablet maker whether it wants to release new operating system updates for your model, and it is under no obligation to do so. If you have a high-end, flagship phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 or LG G3, you can reasonably expect that your manufacturer will provide at least one operating system update. If you have a cheap or mid-range phone or tablet, you may find that what you've got is what you're stuck with - particularly if it's from a relatively unknown brand. Also see: 14 best budget smartphones 2014
There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, with Google's Nexus and forthcoming Android One (and potentially Android Silver) devices guaranteed to always get the latest Android updates. We explain what is Google Nexus, Android One and Android Silver and explain the difference between Google's three product line-ups here.
If an update is available for your phone or tablet, in general you'll receive a notification telling you as much. However, you can also manually check and upgrade your device.
The interface and process may vary between devices, but here's a one-size-fits-all guide to upgrading an Android smartphone or tablet.

How to check whether your Android device is up to date

Before you go trying to update your device, you should check which version of Android you are running. You might already be on the latest version. It's easy to check so follow the below guide up to step four. This screen will have a section called 'Android version'. If it doesn't, click 'Software information' to find out.

The latest version is Android 4.4 KitKat, with 4.3, 4.2 and 4.1 all coming under the name Jelly Bean.

How to update your Android smartphone or tablet

Step One
As a precautionary measure it's good practice to back up your data such as contacts and photos. The upgrade should not affect your data but there is no guarantee.
Step Two
Navigate to the Setting menu of your device. On most Android devices this can be done via the app menu or notification bar. Typically the Setting app will have a cog or spanner logo.

Step Three
Scroll down the Settings menu and click on 'About Phone' or 'About Tablet'. If you have a tabbed settings menu then this will appear in the 'general' section.

Step Four
The menu can vary slightly from device to device but click the 'Software Update' or similar button. This section of the menu will also detail which version of Android your device is running.

Step Five
Your phone or tablet will now search for an available update. If you are taken to another menu, select the 'Software update check' button or similar.

If an update is available your device then you will be asked whether you wish to install it. If you select yes then the system will download and install the new software and reboot.
Note: You device may require a Wi-Fi connection to search for an update. We also recommend downloading the software over Wi-Fi because the file size can be large.

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