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Trigger the starting of an app remotely
I want to initiate the start of an app on (my own) phone. It is not rooted, because practically no android can be rooted today, but I can install anything to it or change any setting on it. I also cban install anything to any remote machine, from which I trigger things (particularly to linuxes).
Can I somehow start an app on my own phone, using some remote source?

Android devices can be rooted without problem, it is just him longer that simple to hide the root status because of PlayIntegrityCheck. What type of app are your talking about you want to start remotely? What have you tried so far (there are remote control apps like TeamViewer that allow UI based remote access).

@Robert The last about 10 phones were not rootable and honestly, I am really angry. I think, that is the point where our discussion ends; it is hard to say that you live in a reality where you wish to (in this case, you are a good man but can't see the reality) or you try to enforce some fake reality to others (opposite). Sad reality is that the rootability of a randomly picked phone on the market is below 10%. That is my experience, sorry.

While probably not what you wanted, but just making sure you are aware of the option of remotely controlling your phone via adb/scrcpy As @Robert noted, knowing what kind of app you are trying to remote start might provide alternate solutions for non-root devices. Do be aware though that custom ROMs are not dead: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

Any automation app can easily perform such tasks, try Automate (free) with a flowchart to start an app upon receiving a "cloud" message:

Flow beginning
Cloud message receive
App start
(loop back to #2)

And a flowchart to send the "cloud" message:

Flow beginning
Cloud message send

Or use the online endpoint to send it from a browser.


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How to identify which Google user account any particular push notification is intended for (A13)?
Long story short, my wife has many accounts (against my advisement), and one of them is sending Find Device push notifications that aren't being pinged by either of us.  I advised her to check all her GMail accounts for security notices, but she doesn't wish to do so (no idea why).
Just to humor her, I'm thinking of taking a look for her but other than sifting through logcat, is there any other method to enumerate/filter this information, whether programmatically or otherwise?
She has a OnePlus 10 [TMO][Stock][A13]

On another note, would this question fit better at SU?  It's not that I'm not looking for any native solutions, I just think it far more likely the solution will involve ADB.

ADB solution is certainly on-topic here, including solutions related to shell/terminal commands, 3rd-party apps, or even perhaps external sites (e.g. Google My Activity). On the other hand, based on current wording, I think the question will be deemed as off-topic at SU because it's unclear if the Android device is interfacing with a computer.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

sort: votes


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Samsung Galaxy a03 bypass
I have tried to bypass my Samsung Galaxy A03, but found it hard to install the required downloaded apps in the phone when I was connected on the internet.
This is because the file shortcut app downloaded from galaxy store cannot display the apps by showing this message

Please grant our app access to all your files. It might not work well without it.

Welcome to Android.SE. Just for clarity, is this about bypassing FRP?

Please edit your question and describe what you mean by "bypass" - there are multiple possibilities what you can bypass in a Smartphone: the factory reset protection Android mentioned, or the lock screen or on network level (routing) and so on.

try this tool (untested) https://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/f162/mtk-client-tool-v5-2-a-2997980

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Hide Status of Developer Options
Is it possible to hide the status (if dev options are on/off) of my developer options to certain apps?
There are some apps which force you to turn dev options off, and I don't want to turn them off because animation speed is set to default then and that's waaaaay too slow.

Hiding is possible on rooted device using Xposed. I don't think that the developer settings you have changed will be reverted if you disable develop options, so if you only want to change e.g. animation speed change it and then disable developer options.

@Robert sadly they do change, I tested it. That's the only reason why I'm here to ask the question if I can bypass that check. Ok so rooting and xposed is a lot of work just for one app

If it is just one app you could try to decompile it using apktool and patch it to remove the developer options check and then rebuild the APK, align and sign it.


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Resetting a synced Android Chrome profile
I would like to clear whatever settings I have enabled in Android Chrome and have the resulting clean profile synchronised. I have synchronisation of Google Chrome enabled on Android, but there are some settings that I need to clear to factory/default settings. Obviously, if I clear all app data and settings using the normal Android approach, my login state be cleared as well, so the resulting clean profile will not be synchronised to the cloud. There seems to be a bit of a Catch-22 here ...
I basically just want to overwrite whatever data was previously pushed into the cloud with a clean Chrome factory settings profile.

You can reset your Chrome profile settings to defaults at chrome://settings/reset (site won't let me link because it doesn't begin with https://, sorry). This is the simplest version of a Chrome profile reset, but is only accessible via a desktop browser, not directly via Chrome on Android.
This will reset the settings related to your Chrome profile as detailed when you click the button on that page:

This action will:
• Reset some Chrome settings and Chrome shortcuts
• Disable extensions
• Delete cookies and other temporary site data

It's possible to clear all data associated with your Chrome profile from your Android device at the Google Chrome Sync page. This will erase all of the following:

Address bar
History
Bookmarks
Reading list
Open tabs
Addresses
Payment methods
Passwords
Settings
Apps
Extensions
Themes

Also keep in mind:

This will clear your Chrome and ChromeOS data that has been saved in your Google Account. This might clear some data from your devices.
This will also remove your sync passphrase. You can create a new passphrase.

I know that Android Chrome does not have chrome://settings, but maybe the sub-resource with reset has been implemented. Checking!

Nope. chrome://settings/reset does not work on Android. You just get a ERR_INVALID_URL error page.

Sorry, that one is only accessible from the Chrome browser on desktop - I can add that in the answer. The second link will work from Android, and will generate a completely new/clean Chrome profile.

The Google Chrome Sync page was the most pertinent one. thanks!

Awesome, glad it worked for you!


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How can I disable the "Include surrounding text" setting, once enabled?
Chrome has for the last year and a half had a bug where the "Mark text to search" feature breaks if you enable "Include surrounding text". You can read more about the bug here, but the thing I would like to know is how to work around it by simple disabling the "Include surrounding text" option/flag. I have not been able to find it.

In the Chrome app, from the overflow (3 vertical dots) menu, select Settings.
Select Google services.
Tap Touch to Search.
Tap Include surrounding text in Google searches.

THANK YOU. That was well hidden. For some reason, the search company Google has chosen not to make these settings searchable :)


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recover/restore deleted photos Android
ten days ago I deleted some photos (also from the trash). Is there even the slightest chance that they can be recovered, even forensically?
Or Trim/garbage collection have already done their job?
I'm not a great expert but as soon as you delete something trim is already working in the background, you should turn off your phone immediately to have even the slightest chance with chip-off, ten days is a long time.
(regardless of whether my phone is Oreo with FDE by default, let's just talk about trim)
thanks

there is a slight chance if really FDE encrypted. I remember that there was an issue with discard not executing immediately trim on /data. create raw partition image of userdata+metadata partition for backup with low level tool (edl or brom mode) then root phone and try extundelete.


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The wifi connection on the phone is losing to other devices when connected
My Vivo T1 Pro was initially connected to WiFi, but when another device just connected to the WiFi connection, my connection to WiFi died and I couldn't connect again until the other device disconnected, how do I solve it?

There are multiple possibilities: the other device may be defect or simply violate the Wifi spec, it could be a Wifi router problem like too many Wifi devices connected, most Wifi router have a limit how many Wifi device can be connected at the same time, some can handle 30, other more than 200.

We need more details on your wifi, router, waps and mobile.


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Starting service with su -c "start vendor.diag-router" in SeLinux enforced mode gives error
While being in enforced mode i ran below in Termux:
su -c "start vendor.diag-router"

which gave me output:

Unable to start service 'vendor.diag-router' See dmesg for error
reason.

In logs i can see only below related entry but not any other selinux denial or anything:

02-07 14:35:41.539  1758  1758 W libc    : Unable to set property
"ctl.start" to "vendor.diag-router": error code: 0x20

I have tried researching this error but didn't find anything needed.
All i want is:

start that service in runtime via terminal.
while being in enforced mode.
without making any modifications to selinux policies and build rom again but i am ready to patch selinux policies in runtime with magiskpolicy or ksud sepolicy tool.

My findings:

I can start that service in permissive mode without any issue.(but that i don't want)
I have logged selinux denials while doing above step and
later tried patching selinux policy then tried starting that service but still it is giving same error in enforced mode.

Phone OS: Android 13


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Rooted Samsung will Not Connect to Wireless Internet
I have a rooted Android Samsung S23 that I use for penetration testing with mobile apps. Frequently, I have encountered issues with connecting it to WiFi networks. When I attempt to login to a WiFi network from this phone, it will return the message "connected without internet". This issue is not exclusive to a single network such as at the office or at home.
I can connect this phone to the internet using my laptop as a proxy. To do this, I enable USB debugging in developer settings. Then within the WiFi settings, I setup a proxy with hostname "localhost" and port number 8080. I then connect the phone to my laptop via USB cable, and entering the command adb reverse 8080 8080 in my laptop terminal. When doing this, I have BurpSuite open and listening for connections to localhost:8080. I am able to intercept requests to applications on the phone this way.
This is the workaround I have been using so far, but it is very frustrating that I cannot find a fix for the WiFi. I have tried researching this problem but have not found anything helpful online. Changing the DNS settings does not work. I have also tried setting a static IP address for the phone. This does not work. The phone does not seem to be blocked in my router settings. Although for some reason it is listed under 'cable connected devices'. This is the only substantial clue I have.
Any help in resolving this issue would be greatly appreciated, as I am sure I am not the only person that has encountered this bug.

You set-up looks quite good, however your way of set-up TCP port forwarding from Android to the PC seems to be wrong:
> adb reverse 8080 8080
adb.exe: error: cannot bind listener: unknown socket specification:8080

The correct command is:
adb reverse tcp:8080 tcp:8080

Afterwards you should in Burp see at least the HTTP call that allows Android to detect if Internet is available and if a captive portal exists: http://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204 or http://connectivitycheck.android.com/generate_204.
Note that this way your phone may recognize that "Internet" is available, however nearly all apps won't work unless you have installed the Burp root CA certificate as system certificate.
So you will need a Magisk module like MagiskTrustUserCerts that allows you to install the Burp root CA certificate as user certificate and the module will make it a system certificate on every boot.
If you already have installed Android 14 you may need a modified version of the module like ConscryptTrustUserCerts.
Edit: It seems like device with Android 14 (and may be 13 too) make a request to https://www.google.com for detecting if internet is available. Not sure if this connection uses certificate pinning (and thus ignores the installed Burp root CA certificate). If I bypass that domain in the proxy my device always detects that Internet is fully available.

The way I understand the OP, he has no trouble using the laptop as a proxie, including the adb command. He has trouble connecting to any WiFi.


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GeckoView-based Kiosk app?
I've had trouble with video playback using Android Kiosk. I gather it's because of the apps reliance on WebView. Firefox is playing the videos well.
Is there a current Kiosk app available based on GeckoView? Or is there an effective way of putting Firefox in kiosk mode?

This post briefly mentions SureFox that looks to have recent updates, although other than the name, it's not immediately clear it's based on Firefox, so you might need to test if it works correctly for your application.
AirDroid seems like a good option, although it may require a subscription to use.
Depending on your device and application, you could also explore pinning apps - it's an Android feature that should be included in almost all recent versions and can be accomplished without any additional software. The downside is that, while simple, it's more geared toward preventing temporary user access, and can be undone rather easily by someone familiar with the feature, although they'd be met with a passcode if you've set one. Here are the steps for this feature:
Turn on app pinning

Open your phone's Settings app.
Tap Security or Security & location and then Advanced and then App pinning.

If you can't find it, get help from your device manufacturer.

Turn on App pinning.
When app pinning is on, you need to enter your PIN, pattern, or password before you can unpin.

Pin a screen
After turning on app pinning:

Go to the screen you want to pin.
Swipe up to the middle of your screen and hold or use 3-button navigation: Tap Overview
At the top of the image, tap the app's icon.
Tap Pin.

Unpin a screen

Gesture navigation: Swipe up and hold.
2-button navigation: Touch and hold Back  and Home .
3-button navigation: Touch and hold Back  and Overview .
If you're asked for your PIN, pattern, or password, enter it.

Thank you. I'll look into these tips tomorrow

Let us know how they go!

I haven't had a chance yet to test Airdroid. Hopefully today. I did test SureFox and it seems to behave in the same way as Android Kiosk. ie. the video crashes. So I think it is "fox" in name only. Will report back!

I've been testing Airdroid. It's excellent and works without crashing-out my videos. For this I've been using the "Kiosk Browser" app that comes with Airdroid. It requires "device owner permission" of the Android device to be set. Great remote management of devices. The problem however is going to be price as from what I know you have to subscribe a minimum of 10 devices. With the exchange rate here, that's expensive. I'll try pinning again sometime soon - couldn't get it to work earlier. I worry though that it won't offer much in the way of full-screen capacity.

In my application, an exhibition, I don't really have to lock-down the device as it's not directly manipulated by the public. What I need mostly is full screen, with automatic set up when the device is turned on. Firefox plays my pages very well, but requires touching the screen to set it up with full screen (with the addition of a secondary app), and this is going to be inconvenient.


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After I formatted my SD card as internal, how do I move heavy application to SD card?
I use instruction here to format my SD card as internal.
My phone is Poco X3 128 GB Xiaomi MIUI Version 14.0.2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOZIVbeNrxw
After I did it, I got an option if I want to move files to my SD card. I press yes and I go to files directory and I don't know what to do after that.
I check https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marc.files
To see my data are
It looks like the original SD card has been merged with my internal drive as if they are the same card.
However there is no way to know if the new combined internal drive has 256 GB storage instead of mere 128 GB

Another file manager shows that I have 128 GB storage. 112 GB storage actually

So it looks like I have 2 internal memory. Internal and Storage for Dual Apps. But they both have combined 112 GB instead of 256 GB.
I mean the whole point of internalizing my SD card is so I can have extra space. Where is the extra space.
The app files offer me an option to move the files latter. But how exactly do I do so? More precisely how do I move some large apps, like whatsapp, to that SD card so my phone can have extra spaces?
Update:
As for update, I can tell that I CANNOT store more than 128GB. Basically I got a message that disk is full.
So the extra space doesn't do anything
I cannot tell where the extra space go. I can't access my SD card anymore after what I did.


text:
How safe is factory reset if I didn't have a pin or password?
Some months ago I had to return a phone to the store and all I did was factory reset to erase everything (I did it two times too). Now I'm getting paranoid about how safe my information is and if it's possible to recover it. I've heard that modern android phones have an automatic encryption system tied to the pin or password. The thing is that I think I didn't have one for the phone and I'm wondering if my information is still safe or it can be recovered easily

The comments of this question are answering your question: Encryption and deleted data

While I am not a security expert, the way I understand it is that there is still full disk encryption, even without a pin/password. (The world being the way it is, there may always be some way discovered that allows a break in, but after a factory reset, this process should not be easy.)
TL;DR: using the factory reset option is still the best way to keep your data safe.
As noted in the comments on this question and the linked question, the following article has some helpful information on this:
https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/encryption/full-disk


text:
Block Specific settings in Android for self control
Is there any way to block changing of specific settings in Android. Like I am using Familysafe dns to avoid pornography on my device. Is there any way I can lock that specific setting on my device. There is a app named BlockerHero which used to block the changing of this setting until the accountability partner approves. But this feature does not seem to work now and only uninstall works. There is one more app by Cleanbrowsing which blocks this page. But it does not work sometimes. I don't have a rooted device.
If you know any such app or workaround please include it in the answer.

Whatever you can do you can later undo. The help you need - or actually don't because there's nothing wrong with some sassy pics or vids - isn't technical. And your question is off-topic anyway.


text:
How to install fedora's phoneshell in old touchscreen tablets and old touchscreen phones
Explain step-by-step procedure on how to install the fedora's phoneshell in old touchscreen tablets and old touchscreen smartphones suitable for both a techie and a non-techie

Please do not write the question into the title, the title is for summarizing your question. Furthermore you "demand" a solution but don't give us any details (no tablet model name, only "old touchscreen" which doesn't allow to understand what devices you are talking about). So please edit your question and describe those things in detail.

Do you mean Fedora Phosh, which is part of the Fedora Mobility project?
If so, that only supports very "open" devices, such as Purism librem 5, and the Pine series of phones and tablets.
Phosh isn't a GUI for Android, nor a means of using a mobile device to control a computer running Fedora. It's a GUI for Fedora Linux running on a mobile device, more suitable for small screens than the default Fedora GUIs. This requires that the whole OS on the device be Linux, rather than Android.


text:
Permissions: How to deny an app Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT
As the admin of my android device, I'd like to configure the device to return a permission denied error to all apps that request Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT by default, unless I explicitly give it permission to make that call.
I had an issue where an app made an Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT call recently, which popped-up my picture gallery. I was attempting to do the "go back" gesture, but--by mistake--I tapped on one of the images. The result? A very sensitive photo got uploaded to the public Internet. It was a photo that I really didn't want anyone to see..
Unfortunately, user-errors happens. Until the day I die, I'm sure that I will continue to make input/gesture mis-taps. What I need is better protection from this at a permissions-level.
I checked the app's permissions, but it has none. It can't, for example, access my phone's storage.
What I want to do is further lock-down the apps on my phone such that apps are immediately returned some Permission Denied error when trying to initiate an Intent for which they haven't been added to the allowlist for that intent.
How can I deny an app permission to initiate Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT?


text:
Can't mute volume/speaker on Samsung A02s during a Twitter Space
I am using a second phone to host Twitter Spaces from a branded account, so that I can speak in the event with my personal account. The branded account will never be used to speak, it is used to just host.
I tried to reduce the volume on the phone used for the branded account, a Samsung Galaxy A02s, to zero. Because with any bit of volume there's a terrible feedback loop between the two phones I am using for the Space. However, the phone will not completely mute the audio.
I can't mute the phone by pressing the volume down to zero. I can't turn the volume for the Twitter app to zero. I can't find any way to silence the app in settings. I am at a complete loss.
How can I completely decrease the volume on the Twitter app to zero?

The solution was to plug an old set of headphones into the 3.5mm port.

You could add that as an answer.  Yo are allowed to answer your own questions.


text:
Why does an Android phone send out a nameless MAC address in BLE?
I have 2 Android phones and scan with a BLE scanner (nRF connect) on each phone simultaneously in an isolated area.
In nRF connect, both phones display a nameless MAC address, no Bluetooth device name.
I think it's weird nRF connect doesn't show the Bluetooth name of the other phone.
Next, I repeated the same scenario with Find My Bluetooth Device app (FMBD) on both phones. The older phone shows a nameless MAC AND the device name, while the new phone only showed a nameless MAC address.
Conversely, when I repeat this scenario with the native Android Bluetooth scanners, I simply see their device names, no MAC addresses whatsoever.
Note, both phones have 'Show nameless Bluetooth devices' enabled in developer options, yet no MAC addresses in the native BT scanners.
What is causing the nameless MAC addresses I see in nRF connect and in FMBD on the old phone, in my Bluetooth scans?


text:
How to connect PC to Android TV box with USB-A port?
Against my strong objections, my better half purchased an Android TV box from China - and I could not be more dubious of it.   I am wanting to connect to it via ADB to sniff around the filesystem before I even give it (highly restricted) Internet access, but I am failing at the first hurdle.
The specific box I am dealing with is an iMetbox M3 running BigDroidOS 2.0.1
(I've played around with ADB and regular cellphones, flashing quite a few, but never a TV Box)
[How] can I connect an Android TV box (which exposes only USB-A USB ports) to ADB?
(I do have an old USB Y Cable, but plugging this in does not produce any information in /var/log/syslog on my system, regardless of which USB port combination I use.    I've enabled USB debugging in the TV Box - and I also can't seem to find a way to enable ADB over WIFI - or at least I can't do anything that allows me to connect to tcp port 5555 on the TV box from my computer)
It also appears I can boot the box up to Recovery mode, but still can't see any ADB devices.   I do wonder if this might, however be able to provide me with some kind of shell which can help me further my endeavors?

Have you tried to open the case and see if the mainboard has additional connectors, not accessible from outside?

@Robert I did not get very far when I tried this - there are no visible screws and I did not want to apply excessive force on the edge of the device to try and pop up something (I did not find disassembly instructions on the net).   How common is it to have a hidden header on a TV board?

The question about hidden headers may be better answered on a hardware related site, but in my understanding that a lot of devices that are not as compact as smartphones have such headers or at least soldering points that may allow access e.g. to a serial console or something like this. An open case would also allow to check if all the USB port you have are connected to the same chip so if they are supposed to behave equally or if one may be different and may allow to operate as USB client as it is required for adb.


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What package/app is actually running when doing dialer codes
I am currently trying to figure out another way to access my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra's Secret Menus accessed via the dialer codes. My phone cannot open almost all of the dialer code, probably due to restrictions. I figured out how to open the Phone info(The one with the preferred network Setting) menu via an intent, but I'm now trying to look for the other ones like 4636 and 9090
I then realized I just need to know the package and the class and that stuff to open it. The question is, what are the packages.
I'm basically looking for what package is opening all of these secret menus, and how to execute the dialer codes through that package via intents, or if there is another way to open these secret menus without the dialer.
Please know that I don't actually code intents and use something like automate or Macrodroid to run intents. I am on a un-rooted device, and have no way to access adb. Basically what I'm doing is trying to configure stuff with 4g/5g while just seeing all the menus and what they offer.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My guess is that the codes are interpreted by the layer "Phone" or "RIL" as shown in the diagram on this page: https://wladimir-tm4pda.github.io/porting/telephony.html

@Robert Would you please elaborate these layers, and how this info can help?

And based on my research, I am starting to see that there is a package called telephony. Is that actually the package that processes the dialer codes? If it is, how can I actually execute the dialer codes then?

The link contains just a standard Android system layer diagram. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a recent one, thus I don't know if it matches your Android version. Please see it as a starting point to make yourself familiar with the lower layers of Android. As dialer codes are system specific my guess is that the actual implementation is in the two mentioned layers. If you know where the command sare implemented you can check which APIs are available to access them.


text:
Samsung s23 ultra/google activity/google account
I have alot of weird and unexplainable activities on my google activity. Apps I haven't opened in months showing up. Activity i actually did showing up hours after the fact in middle of night while I sleep. It shows me using Google meet at 4 in the morning in the middle of a work week. Those are just to name a very few.
Also in my google account my phone was showing up twice under devices but just by the model number?
There is so much thats been happening that it's concerning. None of my bank accounts have been touched or hacked. But it's like someone else is doing stuff in the background and I don't know how to explain any of it. Has anyone else had any problems like this at all?

Did you ask a similar question as a different user?

Related about someone with similar issue recently: https://android.stackexchange.com/q/256071/44325

If you are worried about it then just change the password.  To me, it sounds more like multiple devices are on the same account.  Perhaps your friend, partner on an older phone.
Other measures

Use face recognition or fingerprint on the phone
Install a virus scanner such as Kaspersky (the free version does a good job)
Install an Applock app, so that certain apps (such as banking) require one more step/password


text:
Can I change my wallpaper based on a specific calendar event?
I want my phone to very visibly show when I'm on call. I have my on-call schedule in my calendar.
I'd like to have my wallpaper change when I'm on call.
I've never used Tasker before, it sounds like it might be able to do this?
If so how?
Also open to other ideas.


text:
LG V60 Keyboard changed overnight
Up until the last couple of days my keyboard had a certain layout with long-press options for the letters and also a row of buttons for emojis, gifs and other fun option at the top.  Now, it's just the keyboard and it seems like that part is less functional with the long press options.  How can I get it back to the original keyboard version?  Is the row of emoji and gif buttons part of the keyboard or is that some other feature I'm not thinking of?
Additional information: I like to listen to YouTube videos when I work out, but this occasionally results in icons being dragged around or menus getting opened by my pockets. This could be a pocket-dialing scenario or something where I was glomped by my dog while trying to do something and fat fingered some commands by accident.

Which keyboard app do you use? You can check in Android settings which keyboard is configured to be used. One common keyboard is GBoard which is used on many Android phones by default but I don't remember if LG had an own keyboard app.

Based on my experience, Gboard has all the features you mentioned. Probably you accidentally pressed the change language/keyboard (globe) icon or long-pressed the spacebar and now it's changed to another keyboard.

@Robert LG Keyboard is the keyboard app.  I haven't been able to find it in the apps section of settings though.  Seems buried in some hidden category or something.


text:
How to bypass country restriction on some apps like HelloTalk?
Some apps like HelloTalk and Tandem are restricted in Nigeria, and the restrictions of those apps even overpower VPN.
I use Windscribe VPN with paid features I make sure the VPN has no leak because it's always turned on. Yet, the app still detects it and I can't register HelloTalk and Tandem app.
What should I do to bypass it?

The apps possibly inquiry your device location using GPS/location services instead of IP address.

Apps can use information from your carrier, location of cell tower and the GPS to figure out where you are.  I can get most apps to work this way.

Create a Google account

Add a payment method with an address in a supported country.
You may have to add a different credit card to this account (I havent created one for a while)

Add it to your phone
Either use this account all the time, or switch accounts when you want to use this app.
Turn the VPN on.
If it doesn't work, try with GPS turned off.
If it still doesnt work, turn of Wifi scanning and Bluetooth scanning under Location services

This still works for me for foreign banking apps and lotto sites.
If the App is using the carrier or your Country has collaborated with the your Carrier to disable these apps, then these apps may still not work.


text:
USB tethering & charging
I am experiencing weird problem related to charging my Android phone. Most of the time I have phone connected to laptop and use it as 4G/5G modem. I noticed that compared with older phones it draws more power from wall. Unfortunately USB ports on laptop provide only small power. I haven't measured it but guess it is 500 mA. It is sufficient to power the phone and also charge it. But the charging is very slow in the range 1-3 % / hour. Therefore I bought USB hub with charging functionality and inserted it between android phone and laptop. This USB hub have external 2A power input. Now the charging speed is acceptable (10-15% / hour). It is not super fast but its OK. But there are two problems:

If i physically disconnect USB hub from laptop and connect phone to one of USB ports, it starts charging. After about second or two charging stops. Disconnecting and connecting cable again doesn't help. But I noticed that if I reconnect USB cable that is powering hub, charging successfully starts. What is the reason for this behavior ? This is not cricitical problem for me. I can connect the phone directly to USB wall charger and there is no problem with this. But I would like to understand this.
Second more sinister problem is that sometimes while tethering internet connection in above configuration the phone charging stops. For a few months I thought that this is random problem which happened several times per month. After few months experience I think it is somehow related to USB headset I am using for internet calls. This problem with charging happened twice when I had long internet call. After few hours I noticed that phone battery charge level dropped 15-20 %. It is not a big deal when the battery is new. It could be problem when the battery will become older. The phone will then shutdown which is not acceptable because I use it to connect to my employer while I am working from home. It is probable that phone battery aging is accelerated in this configuration because the battery is most of the time fully charged. This problem with occasionaly not charging happens whether there is USB hub between phone and laptop or not (so the phone is connected to laptop directly). To me it seems as serious bug. Battery powered devices like this phone are on market more than 10 years so I its weird that manufacturers were not able to tune out such basic functionality. All the software functions, nice graphics and frequent updates are of no use if you cannot power the device. What is the reason for this behavior and is there some workaround for it ?

My hardware configuration:
Samsung Galaxy A33 5G SM-A336BZKGEEE
Laptop HP ENVY 15-as103nc
AXAGON HUE-S2BP 4-Port USB 3.0 CHARGING Hub (with 2A power source)
USB repeater AXAGON ADR-205, 5 m
Headset Behringer BH470U
My software configuration:
One UI 6.0
Android 14
Core version 5.10.177-android12-9-27775596-abA336BXXS8DXA1
Windows 10 Pro 22H2
The phone has charging limited to 85% by using android function. I had enabled developer options and set automatic tethering (it is not fully automatic - I have to unlock screen to enable usb tethering). Don't know if this is related to above problems or not.

There are multiple "standards" to charge a phone with more than 500ms @ 5V. Most of the older charging "standards" assume that you either have a data or a charger connection, some even require the data cables to be connected in a way making it impossible to use them for data transfer. May be your phone has problems detecting the used charging standard. The only standard to my knowledge that allows data and charging at the same time is USB Power Delivery (USB PD). If your USB hub and the phone would support it that would be the cleanest solution.


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How to disable notification popups in the Mute mode?
I cannot find a way to prevent notifications from popping up even in the Mute mode. I don't want any popups to distract me when I'm reading for example.
Is there a way to achieve that via Developer mode settings?
Android 14, Samsung S22


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Forgot PIN to unlock lock screen on Nokia C110
My relative put a PIN password on his Nokia C110. He forgot the password and cannot get into it.
I have tried to factory reset the phone, holding volume up and power, holding volume down and power (which showed fastboot mode at the bottom of the screen, but I am not able to click on it or highlight it). I have tried to contact the carrier for the phone and everything they told me to do, I had already tried and it isn't working. If I hold volume up and power, it either stays blank or keeps popping up the android logo.
What can I do? I tried to use Find My Device through Google and it can't even trace the device.

In fastboot mode there is no touchscreen. Just vol up/down key for change selection and power key to select.


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How to fix TV stream over VLC Android crashes instantly, yet plays on Windows?
I have a FRITZ!Box 6690 Cable that offers TV streams. I can watch TV on the official Fritzbox TV App on my One Plus 9 Pro (Oxygen 13.1), I can open the stream on Windows through VLC and it plays fine.
Yet, my goal is to cast the signal to Chromecast. The official app doesn't feature a cast button, so I'm trying VLC.
Yet, on both Chromecast and my Android phone, the stream plays for a couple of milliseconds (I see a bunch of frames and hear the sound, so it's actually playing the stream), only to exit immediately.
How can I force VLC on Chromecast to play the stream?

@k0pernikus The "official Fritzbox TV App" you mention, on what platform is it executed? What Chromecast do you have? AFAIR there are three or four different versions with different capabilities.

@Robert Oxygen 13.1, yet the app has no "Cast to Chromecast" feature.


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Chromium-Based Browsers Displaying Blank Pages Only + Pages Appear Briefly When Frozen On An Onn Pro 11" Tablet Running Android 13
I have a new Onn Pro 11" Tablet running Android 13; I just set it up last night, but never bothered to open Chrome. Now, I need to run a Chrome-specific plugin and have discovered that all web services "Running on Chrome" ("Chrome", "Chrome Beta", "Brave", "Google News") are not painting the pages — they appear to be loading somewhere because, sometimes if I can get Chrome to freeze, it'll appear momentarily.

Tried resetting App Data for all browsers + WebView.
Tried making sure all System's apps have all permissions, some were missing.
Tried restarting the Android device several times in-between other tries.
Tried contacting Google support and he was stumped.
Tried updating and everything is latest.
Tried everything I could imagine.

Please let me know if you have any ideas. The screenshot below is what pages look like in Dark mode; turns White in Light mode:


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Block specific settings in Android
Is this possible to block a specific setting in Android using accessibility permission and if yes then how can it be implemented? The best example I can find is this app named Cleanbrowsing and it is also not available on Play Store as it violates the policies of PlayStore.

This app is not that great and sometimes it does not work. If you know any such app please include it in answers and guide me on how this can be implemented.


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Maps is offline check Internet connection
I seem to have an issue with Google maps, ever since the update that moves the timeline from the cloud to the device, all but one of my devices displays that when trying to access my timeline. This next part is not my main issue but might give some insight, once I accepted the update all the info on the cloud became inaccessible, but I know it's still there currently.
I've so far been told to clear data and reinstall maps etc. Currently I have done a fresh install on one of the devices, a Samsung S5 tablet, still the same issue. It only happens when trying to view the timeline and I'm connected with maps working in every other way.
Hopefully someone here might have some thoughts, if not, a good place to search for some answers would be appreciated


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Android freezes on all apps - SD card
My Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro has been troubling me for the last few days.
During usage, the app froze and no new app could be opened again, reboots didn't help.
While troubleshooting I noticed, only that the system itself is working - all settings are accessible and the phone is stable. When I boot without the SD card, most apps and functions do work as long as no data from the SD card is needed.
The SD card is formatted as internal storage. I checked the SD card in the Windows partition manager, there are two partitions which seem to be fine.
All my crucial data is safe but I'm missing some important pictures, which seem to be saved somewhere on the main storage as thumbnails - as these are visible without the SD card in the gallery app.
Do you have a suggestion to extract the thumbnails?
Is there a way to remount the SD card?
Is there a way to export the encryption key and try to decrypt the SD card externally?


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How can I make an APK designed for a newer version of Android work on older android?
I have a tablet running Android 2.1, and I really want to have the S Memo app on it. However, all the APKs of S Memo from the web are for Android 4.0 and above. But, S Memo was originally designed for Android 2.3. So, how can I port it from Android 4.0 to Android 2.1?
The S Memo app is a simple memo app in which you can draw or write stuff, so I don't think it would need any Android 4.0 stuff.
What do I do?

Google introduced in Android 3 & 4 a large set of new APIs that make app development easier. Would be surprised if S Memo wouldn't make use of it. So apps usually differ a lot between Android 2.3 (API 10) and Android 4 (API 14). You are simply 10 years too late as Android 4 has been released 13 years ago. The download sites have already purged apps for pre Android 4 versions to save disk space as there is next to no demand for such old apps.

But I want the S Memo app on my Tablet.....and there is no memo app online for android 2.1.

However I can try to find the original S Memo app files from the Samsung Galaxy Note, that runs android 2.3. Now the problem is that I don't have an Samsung Galaxy Note, but there is also no archive with the Galaxy Note system files.

Are you sure that S Note is running on non Samsung devices at all? Samsung always modified Android with own services and extensions and if an app uses them it can not work on devices that don't have the same services.

Assuming that S Memo used Samsung specific APIs, if you can prioritize the features your want out of a note taking app,you can draw or write stuff asking on our sister site: https://softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/ for an Android 2.1 compatible Android app may be appropriate. There may be open source apps which fit your needs.


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Specific SD card not detected in a specific phone
So, I had an SD card (16GB). It works normally on my phone. I put it on PC to transfer some files, and now my phone doesn't detect it being inserted.

other phones detect this SD card normally
pc detect this SD card normally
my phone detects other SD cards normally
my phone can read the SD through OTG
the SD card filesystem is fat32 normally.

So, what is going on? Why would my phone no longer accept this one SD specifically?

The most problematic weakness of SD-cards is the physical connection between card reader and card. If the card and/or the reader do not fit 100% together an electrical contact may be not working correctly. Check the card carefully if it has scratches on the contacts and compare it to other cards if something seems to be different.

@Robert , the card is physically fine. It's new and it works on other devices normally. Just this phone is not detecting it.


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How to enumerate a list of all possible inputs on a device?
I originally asked this question, but it never received any responses save for a few comments.  I'd like to broaden my approach, and ask if there is anyway to enumerate a list of all possible inputs that an Android device can receive?
I've come across this post as well just earlier (currently still attempting to digest the information).
Here is a list of devices, output from cat /proc/bus/input/devices:
I: Bus=0019 Vendor=0001 Product=0001 Version=0100
N: Name="gpio-keys"
P: Phys=gpio-keys/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/gpio-keys.0/input/input0
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=kbd event0
B: PROP=0
B: EV=3
B: KEY=8000 0 0 0 0

I: Bus=001c Vendor=0000 Product=0000 Version=0000
N: Name="a3g4250d"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/spi_tegra.4/spi4.2/input/input2
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=event2
B: PROP=0
B: EV=9
B: ABS=7

I: Bus=001c Vendor=0000 Product=0000 Version=0000
N: Name="a3g4250d_temp"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/spi_tegra.4/spi4.2/input/input3
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=event3
B: PROP=0
B: EV=9
B: ABS=100 0

I: Bus=0018 Vendor=0001 Product=0002 Version=0000
N: Name="uinput4strgsw"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/virtual/input/input4
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=kbd event4
B: PROP=0
B: EV=3
B: KEY=1fff0000 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 f8000000 0

I: Bus=0018 Vendor=2222 Product=2222 Version=0000
N: Name="uinput4lvds"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/virtual/input/input6
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=kbd event5
B: PROP=0
B: EV=b
B: KEY=1000 40000800 0 0 0 0
B: ABS=600000 0

I: Bus=0003 Vendor=0e8f Product=2519 Version=0110
N: Name="HID 0e8f:2519"
P: Phys=usb-tegra-ehci.1-1/input1
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/tegra-ehci.1/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.1/input/input9
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=kbd mouse0 event1
B: PROP=0
B: EV=1f
B: KEY=4837fff 72ff32d bf544446 0 0 1f0001 20f90 8b17c000 677bfa d941dfed 9ed680 4400 0 10000002
B: REL=143
B: ABS=1 0
B: MSC=10


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unbricking Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite that can not get into Download mode
While installing LineageOS on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, I have ended up with a blue screen that says "An error has occurred while updating the device software." There is also a text in red in the top corner that says: "VOLTAGE Level [2934]" While looking online, it appears to me that I am supposed to use odin (or jodin3 for me, a linux user) and then flash the device firmware. However all these instructions appear to be in the Download mode, which I can not seem to be able to get to.
The bootloader is unlocked but the tablet is not rooted.
I can not figure out how to get into Download mode on this device. I have fastboot and heimdall installed, as well as adb however the problem is that none of these are able to get the device into download mode.
In my /var/log/messages/ I get:
Feb 12 09:42:04 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: new high-speed USB device number 97 using xhci_hcd
Feb 12 09:42:09 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -110
Feb 12 09:42:25 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -110
Feb 12 09:42:25 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: new high-speed USB device number 98 using xhci_hcd
Feb 12 09:42:25 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Feb 12 09:42:25 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Feb 12 09:42:25 localhost kernel: usb 3-2-port3: attempt power cycle
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: new high-speed USB device number 99 using xhci_hcd
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: Device not responding to setup address.
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: Device not responding to setup address.
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device not accepting address 99, error -71
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: new high-speed USB device number 100 using xhci_hcd
Feb 12 09:42:26 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: Device not responding to setup address.
Feb 12 09:42:27 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: Device not responding to setup address.
Feb 12 09:42:27 localhost kernel: usb 3-2.3: device not accepting address 100, error -71
Feb 12 09:42:27 localhost kernel: usb 3-2-port3: unable to enumerate USB device

Any suggestions? THanks again in advance, for any and all help!

What about the hardware key combinations while booting like Volume Up + Power or Volume Up + Volume Down?

Volune Up + Power or Volume Up + Down (it is only one button with areas for up and down)  do nothing, but Volume Down + Power makes the screen go blank before coming back with the blue screen (there is however a flicker for one time when it comes back).

I do not quite understand also what that VOLTAGE Level [2934] indicates on the top left  of the screen.


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How to disable or eject virtual sdcard by adb on emulator memu player 7
I'm trying to unmount the sdcard or virtually eject it, because not allowing me to run an APK that is presenting an issue. After a deep research even with app developers, they told me that disabling the sdcard from the emulator would be possible. Tried manually, from the android interface as well on setting, storage, and there doesn't show up any external storage device. Then tried on ADB, and once I see the directories there is /mnt and also /sdcard. Tried alot of things after researching on internet like:
C:\Program Files\Microvirt\MEmu>adb -s 127.0.0.1:21503 shell umount /mnt/sdcard/
.android_secure
failed: Permission denied

C:\Program Files\Microvirt\MEmu>adb -s 127.0.0.1:21503 shell umount /mnt/shell/e
mulated
failed: Device or resource busy

C:\Program Files\Microvirt\MEmu>adb -s 127.0.0.1:21503 shell umount /mnt/sdcard/

failed: Invalid argument

C:\Program Files\Microvirt\MEmu>adb -s 127.0.0.1:21503 shell umount /sdcard
failed: Invalid argument

Are you aware that /sdcard and the other aliases for this mount point is not the sdcard but simply the internal storage? The path name is just for historical reasons as in Android 2 this really was the sdcard. Therefore to me it seems like you are trying to reject the user data partition which is required by the emulator to work. So may be you should better describe your actual problem so we can try to find a different way to bypass it.


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No internet from one AP
I have four Asus APs throughout my home, with the same two SSIDs, one for 2.4 and one for 5GHz. If I connect my Android device to the 5GHz band, then it works fine on 3 APs until it roams to one of the APs (kitchen), after which it fails to find internet. If I forget the network and then join it anew, it works till it roams back to kitchen from another AP. It also works fine on the 2.4 band.
All other devices, fixed and roaming, work fine.
I have fully reset network settings on Android, set static IP and 8.8.8.8 DNS, have reset the AP in the kitchen and also reset the AP that is connected to the gateway and is serving DHCP. I changed the SSID to something different and it worked on that AP, but that's not a permanent solution and it's a pain to change them throughout and reconnect so many devices, and may not even work.

What Android device are you talking about? Please post device model name and manufacturer. Do you have other Android devices that work on the kitchen AP?

Hi, it's an Honor Magic5 Pro. Only other Android device I have is a Fire tablet (seldom used). Will try that tomorrow. Thanks for suggestion!

Please edit the question to provide more information.  Perhaps that particular AP is defective.  I am not sure whether its an Android issue at all.


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Semi-negative appearance on 2 linked Android tablet's icons/widgets, why?

Using 2 (LINKED) Android Tablets (1-older & 1-new).
Recently BOTH tablets have displayed

The screen photo in a semi-negative appearance (appx 1/2 colored) &
Widgets/icon buttons are nearly all black & white with a little touch of color in some. (Ex: Google Gmail button has a black circle, white center & semi-colored letter.)

Have turned Dark Mode OFF, checked Wallpapers & Contrasts but they appear ok. Rebooted too.

How do I change this back to normal or is it corrupted &/or non-repairable?

Sorry, but can you please explain what "Semi-Negative Appearance" means?

Could you mention the device model, Android version, and possibly the home screen app? For "Widgets/icon buttons are nearly all black & white with a little touch of color in some", this looks similar to "Themed icons". Otherwise, the "semi-negative appearance" might be caused by "Color correction" accessibility.


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How to turn off/on Google activity permissions by individual apps
Does anyone know how to turn off/on Google activity tracking by individual apps? There's no option in the Google activity settings.

Perhaps you should tell us what you are trying to do.

My google activity stopped showing when I just apps now. I really need to know how to turn it on to show when I use Google meet. Really everything that it's not showing but particularly that one. It's ruining my relationship cause they think ive turned it off on purpose. I've searched Google help articles for hours and still haven't had any luck. I've combed my settings in my phone and haven't had any luck. I have a s23 ultra

There is no such setting for apps.  Google activity tracking is on the Google account.
All I can see on mine is

Web & App Activity
Location History
YouTube History


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Why does the Android no disturb mode says that only some calls and messages are allowed even though I thought I allowed all calls and messages?
I thought I configured Android no disturb mode so that I would be notified of any calls and messages I may receive:

However, it says that only "some calls and messages" are allowed:

Why?


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Dumpsys - How to identify power on/off
Is it possible to run a command in adb shell, dumpsys perhaps that will show the power on off dates and times from a year ago ?
I have run dumpsys and it has created a huge file with loads, 100's of thousands of records in a file - what text should I search for ?
I have tried searching for shutdown, power, reboot and some date strings when I know it was last turned off "2023-02-26 19" and "2023-02-26 20", and have found entries, but there is no textual description to say whether it is a power off of the phone for example:
package: com.oplus.atlas
Historical Process Exit for uid=1000
ApplicationExitInfo #0:
...
...
    ApplicationExitInfo #1:
      timestamp=**2023-02-26 20**:55:33.123
      pid=2930
      realUid=1000
      packageUid=1000
      definingUid=1000
      user=0
      process=com.oplus.persist.multimedia
      reason=13 (OTHER KILLS BY SYSTEM)
      subreason=3 (TOO MANY EMPTY PROCS)
      status=0
      importance=400
      pss=6.9MB
      rss=101MB
      description=empty #17
      state=empty
      trace=null


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Can't find ro.securestorage.support
I want to see my wifi passwords. I have a Samsung Galaxy M31 with Android 10, rooted with Magisk. I was told I could find my passwords on the wpa.supplicants.conf file, but it's practically blank. I only just now discovered that they are actually in the WifiConfigStore file, but are encrypted. Then I was told I could decrypt my passwords by editing the line on my build.prop file where it says "ro.securestorage.support" to false. But that line is nowhere to be found on my file. I would like to know how to make my wifi passwords non-encrypted, whether by editing these files or otherwise.

On recent Android versions you can simply display a QR code in Wifi settings to get the Wifi password. Just use a second device and a QR code reader app and point it on the QR code and you get the password. BTW: changing settings like ro.securestorage.support will not decrypt the password file, it will simply disable encryption support so all encrypted files are then unreadable which means you have to make a factory reset. FBE encrypted files should be automatically decrypted if you access them after entering the device PIN.

@Robert, thank you for the heads-up, glad it didn't work, then. But my android device does not show any password on the QR code screen - that was the first thing I tried. I am running Android 10. As for decryption, I can confirm that the password list in WifiConfigStore is encrypted, as my own password is a long string of numbers there instead of what it should be.

Sorry, I misunderstood you. If you can read the file and it doesn't contains binary gibberish then the file is not encrypted, only the WiFi passphrase in the file may be encrypted/protected. But it could be simply that the passphrase is never saved and instead the raw key is saved (which is what is actually used by the WiFi stack). The key is generated from the passphrase.

@Robert, it's fine, I should have mentioned it in the main post. But if it's the case that the passphrase isn't saved, then does that mean there's no way to view saved wifi passwords on my device at all?

If it is really the WiFi key then there is no good way back. If you just want to establish a connection to that WiFi you can simply use the key. The WiFi stack should recognize that you have entered a key and not a passphrase and simply skip the conversation to the key and directly use the key.

I see. I think you're right; the WifiConfigStore section listing them says "PreSharedKeys". Strangely enough, the Wi-Fi Password Viewer app shows entirely different strings of numbers, so I guess it's either showing the actual, encrypted passwords or it's lying to me. But anyway, I'm not sure how to do what you suggested of using the key as a password. Any advice on how to do that? Or a way to find and read the actual passwords?

I believe Robert's statement about the QR code is to scan the QR code because the standard format (almost) always contains the passphrase. Just make sure that it's not a QR code from Samsung's Quick Share because it's Samsung's proprietary link.

What is it that you are trying to do?  Why do you need to see the "stored passwords"?

Well, it's like this: my phone has a lot of passwords stored from various places, and I wanted to be able to simply check those passwords and so connect to them with my computer as well. I have tried finding the passwords with the QR code screen (doesn't show them, which is apparently a Samsung issue), accessing the WifiConfigStore (doesn't have them, it seems) and using an app (which appears to show them in encrypted form). I just wanted to be able to see my phone's stored wifi passwords with the same ease as I can on a computer. And thus be able to access them on other devices.

Sorry, it's just that it's been a while. @Robert? @RohitGupta? Can you help?


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Having Google Assistant return app results instead of web results
I am running Android 12 on a Realme 8 5G phone.
It used to be that when I swiped up and keyed in an app name I would see the list of apps I wanted that matched that name on my phone, as I keyed the letters in, and I could then click on the app I wanted.
On the other hand, now when I swipe up and key in keywords Google Assistant shows me a list of web results, and, often no apps.
The web is where all the stuff I don't want to see, lies. It is hardly something that doesn't do me in (when I go to it). I find even that my phone would present me with the list of such results a bit offensive. It is, what I am using on my phone to not access in favor of what I really want: what I downloaded (through Google Play), and, is available, on my phone. When I type in keep, I should be promoted with the Google Keep app, I should not be going though the extra step of going through web search results, and opening/launching the Google Keep app from the web. This extra step, is distracting, slow, and burdening.
If I really wanted something from the web I would type in what I want in chrome. I would type in the name of the website I wanted to access to interact with it socially most of the time, if not, all the time. I know the names of the website I use, I already have chrome history, and, chrome, shows me icons of the body often accessed websites. I don't need (and I don't want), assistant, to do this (not when I type things into my phone, but really, since some mute people cannot speak, we need a switch that displays search apps or search web (you may want things like recipes or cooking times)). However, ad it stands, Google Assistant is unusable.
But when I swipe up on my phone screen I'm really looking for apps, not web results.
So, I wonder whether there is a setting in settings which allows me to control this behavior, favoring results consisting of apps, on my phone (or, in a list of controllable length, optionally, also from the Google Play store), instead of web results.
I want to do this from settings (because there is a lot of things Assistant can do, but web results is not what I want).
Thank you for your support.
Thanks.


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Installing Android
I currently have a Samsung SM-P610 tablet running Samsung's version of Android 13. I'm tired of all the bloatware associated with it and would like to install a clean version of Android. How can I do that?

Search the net for a custom ROM you like and that is explicitly built for your phone model. Then follow the installation instructions of the custom ROM. Note that certain security and financial apps may no longer work on a custom ROM as the phone is no longer genuine (Play Integrity Check fails).

Thanks Robert. I'll do that.

Please first make yourself familiar with the selected custom ROM, the installation, the tools, pitfalls that may brick your device, features of the custom ROM that don't fully work, and what other users write about it. I would at least give this process a few weeks before actually flashing the ROM.

Thanks, I'll do that. I'm already investigating Lineage OS but I want something where I can still access the Play Store. However, I'd like it to be a stripped down version with just Google's native apps, for example: docs, sheets, assistant, etc.

CustomROMs with Play Services & Play Store are prohibited by Google. You always have to install Google apps and services as an additional package like opengapps or microg.


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What's the state of Kaspersky (on Android) in 2024?
TL;DR, is Kaspersky safe to use given the current political situation?
I decided to download an antivirus and scan my device after accidentally clicking on a really suspicious link. Once I was done using Kaspersky, I remembered the recommendations not to use Kasperski due to potential ties with the Russian government. Not to make it too political, I quickly uninstalled the app right after the scan, and there wasn't anything sucpisious on my phone. Plus, I wasn't using any other apps during the scan, so there's no chance it could've keylogged anything. However, it did ask for access to my files, which I granted.
I downloaded the app from the Play Store on a non-rooted phone, so I guess that's some reassurance. There are authenticator apps and other important stuff on my phone, which is kind of worrying me now. I see lots of people still using Kaspersky, but I wonder if anyone's really dug deep to ensure everything's nice and clean. I'm curious about how far a shady app from the Play Store could go in terms of messing with other apps' data or sending files somewhere. Just to note, I'm not worried about my usage data, I'm worried about credentials and tampering with authenticators. And normally, I wouldn't worry about any other app, but when it's created by cybersecurity experts possibly backed by a government, that feels different to me.


text:
Cannot pair Garmin watch with Oppo A78
When I try to pair my Garmin watch with my Oppo A78 mobile and I start typing the passcode, it says incorrect passcode or pin. It doesn't give me enough time to enter the pin

May be there are other Bluetooth devices around you that automatically try to pair with your watch? Try to pair it in a different environment.

Thank you, I tried, but the error still occurs.


text:
How do I diagnose and fix "No Service" on Samsung A52S A528B
I woke up one morning to find my mobile (it's pretty beat-up and recently had a professional screen replacement) displaying "No Service". I'm now unable to use mobile internet, make calls or texts. Other connections, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. are working fine.
Here's what I've done so far:

Check that the SIM works > I've visited my network provider and have got a replacement SIM. This has been check that it works in another functional phone.
Checked that the phone detects the SIM > *#06# in the dialer correctly shows the IMEI number and when I go to SIM Manager, it correctly shows my network provider.
Tried to manually select network provider, but when I try to deselected "Select automatically" I get a "Error while searching for networks" message.
Reset mobile network settings > no change.
Factory reset > no change.
Used *#0011# to show SIM info > HPLMN(234-30F) sim_state(0), No Service, Final IMEI Certi: PASS
Used *#9900# → run cp based log → copy to sdcard, then found the internal storage/log folder/err folder/ss_log folder/MIPI_TEST.txt. All devices were detected Present(0)
Used the Samsung Members Diagnostic tool to check all hardware - came back all OK.
Disassembled and inspected for loose connections and checked continuity of antenna cables (the white and blue ones). Reassembled and rechecked phone hardware - still "no service".

I've been through just about every post on this and tried everything. No idea what to try next. I'm suspecting hardware failure. No idea what to replace. Antenna module? Charging port module? Motherboard?
Any ideas?

If there was a hardware repair previously then the antenna connector may be loose or the antenna cable was damaged. In both cases only the phone needs TK be opened and checked.

Check your device's most current optimal APN configuration and apply them.  Also check your phone info (typically *#*#4636#*#*) and make sure you have the correct network types selected; on this same screen you should also change polling to immediate and check ping, etc.  Lastly, I would go into engineer menu and reapply RAT selection; do individual RAT before combined, e.g.,  WCDMA only, LTE only, then WCDMA + LTE, etc.  Lastly, you can check Setedit and see if anything looks out of place.


text:
Google activity. Is this how a video call shows?
What does it mean when all 3 of these show together in Google activity?

com.sec.Android.app.camera
com.Samsung.Android.incallui
com.Samsung.Android.dialer

This is on an s22 ultra. I think the video calls on default for the phone would show as Google Meet? I'm not sure.


text:
How to import contacts from .vcf file on Samsung device running Android 14?
On my previous generic Chinese Android phone, it was very easy to export/import contacts from a .vcf file.
But on my Samsung running Android 14, I can't find a command to import/export.
Is there any way to do this?

Was that on the same device or a different? Please name the phone models you use and have used. Because manufacturer often provide a modified contacts app which extended features like contact im-/export. If you have switches phones this might be the reason you don't find contact import anymore.

@Robert i get the .vcf file from an old Android Phone , and i want to import in a new Samsung phone with Android 14. The old phone was a generic Chinese phone where i have exported contacts in a .vcf file.

On Samsung devices running Android 14 the Samsung Contact app allows to import and export contacts.

Open the left side menu using the three lines (burger menu) button
Select the entry "Manage Contacts" (or named similar)
A screen appears with multiple buttons, one for Import Contacts and one for Export Contacts.

Click (tap) on the .vcf file, follow the arrows or menu popup to where you want it listed, from the apps displayed. Click the app and it should  go through.

As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please [edit] to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center.


text:
Files missing after data transfer between SD card connected as a USB OTG pen drive sending to an external SD card on a Samsung Galaxy A42
I just tried to move about 2 GB of files from an SD card --connected as a USB OTG Pen drive in the USB-C port-- to the "external/removable" SD card mounted inside of the phone.
(*first, I renamed 2 folders and created a third on the receiving SD card inside the phone, which is where the files were to go). After the attempted move, the files appeared to transfer, but then began to disappear. I cannot find these 2GB of files anywhere.
I think I've checked all hidden folders and used data recovery as best I know how on the "receiving" SD card, and I don't think I will find the missing data there. I have done nothing at all to retrieve the data from the "sending" SD card, which indicates that the data was moved due to its total storage capacity decreasing by an amount equal to the transfers, but must still be there if not overwritten.
I then tried to copy about 1GB of files in the same manner, and the files in about 3 folders did transfer, but then only one of the folders was visible for about 30 minutes, and then the folder was empty, and then the original two folders I renamed and the one I created reverted to their conditions prior to my doing anything at all.
I have many memories there, along with years of legal work and other studies, so I must retrieve these files. I also have to move hundreds of other GB worth of data to a single location where I can make backups and such. So:

Question 1: what am I doing wrong,
Question 2: where are my files, and
Question 3: how do I transfer data in the future to avoid this, and which maintains all metadata such as file names and dates taken, between Android storage medium as well as to and from Android to my Windows machines?

You talked about multiple files. We're file(s) included where knew file has a size if more than 2 GB? Have you used the USB Stick before, so are you sure it works without problems and can hold data up to the specified flash drive size?


text:
Why does the app Automate require ADB?
I need to set up an app-killing service for unrooted Android 9 devices using Automate. The service has to launch automatically at device start and keep sending kill commands to selected system (!) services at regular intervals unless said services are in focus/in the foreground.
Unfortunately, setting up and running Automate seems unnecessarily cumbersome. I have used adb extensively, so no problem there. However, step 5 in the setup manual says

On the PC, execute the shell command adb tcpip 5555. This step has to be repeated after every device reboot.

Also:

Once paired/authorized the service will start automatically when it’s first used, e.g. by a block using it, then run in the background until the system kills it, the device is rebooted, or the app is uninstalled or updated.

Having to hook up a mobile device to a PC after each and every reboot (e.g. due to empty battery) is completely impractical and contradicts the use of Android itself. Is there a way to set up Automate either 100% locally from within Android, or at least only once from a PC at the very beginning and then have the app run automatically even after a device reboot?
I have already set up a simple Automate flow as a minimal example and granted all necessary privileges, such as access to the SD card, executing shell commands, and access to Samsung accessibility service. Also, USB debugging is enabled in the developer options. But when running the flow, I get the following errors in the log output:
Flow beginning
Delay
App in foreground?
App kill
Failed to start privileged service
java.util.concurrent.CancellationException: Please execute: sh /sdcard/Android/data/com.llamalab.automate/cache/start.sh
java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException: Service startup timeout
Stopped by failure

Comments have been moved to chat; please do not continue the discussion here. Before posting a comment below this one, please review the purposes of comments. Comments that do not request clarification or suggest improvements usually belong as an answer, on [meta], or in [chat]. Comments continuing discussion may be removed.

Automate does not require ADB nor a rooted device, but some features do, e.g. the App kill block to kill the processes of other running apps.
Setting up ADB is indeed a bit cumbersome since it's an app developer feature, it's not designed for easy use by app users or by the apps themselves.
Setting up Automate "100% locally", i.e. without needing a USB connected PC, can only be done on Android 11 or higher by using the system "Wireless debugging" feature. To do so simply choose the "Android Debug Bridge (ADB)" option as the "Privileged service start method" in Automate setting, then follow the on screen instructions to enable the "Wireless debugging" option and pair Automate with the device. The pairing process only have to be done once, but enabling "Wireless debugging" has to be done manually after every reboot, unless you automate the procedure.
The logged error message means Automate can't access/start its "privileged service", e.g. that the App kill block rely on, and tells you to execute the shell script to do so, this means you've selected the "Manually" option as "Privileged service start method". Try the "Android Debug Bridge (ADB)" option instead.

"Setting up ADB is indeed a bit cumbersome" => As I wrote, no problem here. I've been using adb a lot. With "cumbersome" I mean the requirement to hook up the device to a PC after every reboot. This is an impossible demand for mobile device usage.

"The logged error message means Automate can't access/start its "privileged service", e.g. that the App kill block rely on, and tells you to execute the shell script" => Can't Automate itself execute the shell script? There is explicitly an option to permit Automate to execute shell commands, which I've already enabled in the system app permission settings!

"Automate does not require ADB nor a rooted device, but some features do, e.g. the App kill block to kill the processes of other running apps." => This only seems to be the case for Android 14+, but not for Android 9+ which is what this question is dealing with.

@srhslvmn As said, a PC is not needed on Android 11+ when using the system "Wireless debugging" feature. Automate will execute the commands in shell script when using the "Android Debug Bridge" or "Superuser" option as "Privileged service start method". Regular apps could only kill background processes prior to Android 14, i.e. the App kill background block.

Sorry, but there seems to be a misunderstanding. "Android 9+" in the question means that a solution for Android 9 and higher is required (i.e. including version 9).

What happens when you force-close apps from the app info menu in the settings? Or kill background apps from the developer options? Does the touchscreen (i.e. user input) run with root provileges? Wouldn't it be possible to just emulate the force-close button press programmatically? Why all the hassle of trying to make adb work in the first place (to paraphrase the question topic)?

@srhslvmn When the buttons are clicked the the Settings app will call the System API that kills an app, so does the App kill blocks in Automate. The system, its touch screen component and the Settings app have "root" privileges. Yes you can simulate clicks on the "Force close" button, e.g. using the Interact block, but that requires that the Settings app is shown on screen, calling the system API directly does not.

"Yes you can simulate clicks on the "Force close" button, e.g. using the Interact block, but that requires that the Settings app is shown on screen" => Is this possible without first unlocking the screen, either using built-in Android methods or some shady workaround/hack?

@srhslvmn No, the device has to be unlocked and the proper Settings page visible on screen.


text:
Error compiling simple c++ hello world for Android
I'm using Archlinux and I have a simple C++ file main.cpp:
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::cout << "Hello world\n";
    return 0;
}

I would like to compile it to run on Android.
I download Android NDK, and I follow the instructions on the official website https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/other_build_systems#non-autoconf_make_projects
I run:
export NDK=/home/myuser/dnsmasq-Android/android-ndk-r26b/
export ANDROID_NDK=$NDK
export NDK_PROJECT_PATH=$NDK
export TOOLCHAIN=$NDK/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64
export PATH=$TOOLCHAIN/bin:$PATH

export TARGET=armv7a-linux-androideabi
export API=34

The path $TOOLCHAIN/bin now gives me access to the compiler executable armv7a-linux-androideabi34-clang++.
But if I run armv7a-linux-androideabi34-clang++ main.cpp, I get the error:
clang-17: error: no input files

What am I doing wrong?


text:
How to change the ink colour and size of the pen tool in the slideshow of Microsoft PowerPoint in Android version?
I have Microsoft office paid account.
And it's for Android.
So I am using it in my samsung tablet.
I am using it for teaching purpose, so I must use the pen tool in slideshow. But the pen tool in slideshow gives me fixed colour. There is no choice in choosing the multiple colours. And there is also the fixed weight of the pen.
I want to use multiple colours and want to make my pen thicker by increasing its thickness. But there is no option in it.

How can I do that?

Which app is shown in the screenshot? MS Office contains a bunch of apps, so please provide the link to play store of the app you show in that screenshot.

@Robert - this is Microsoft PowerPoint


text:
How to remove unremovable permissions
Samsung Galaxy S23.
How do I remove permissions from Android Auto to Change Network Connectivity. I can see the permission is assigned when I go to Settings > Apps > Android Auto > Permissions > Show All Permissions  (from the top right menu).
I want to remove this permission because Android Auto makes the wrong decisions about when Bluetooth and wifi should be enabled.
Please don't suggest any "you're asking the wrong question" kind of answers. I am a power user and know what and why I want to do this, and second-guessing motivations and needs is unnecessary, and unhelpful.

It would appear that you can't. On mine, it never fiddles with network connection.Are you implying that it alters them on your phone?

@robert as the question states,  "Android auto makes the wrong decisions about when Bluetooth and wifi should be enabled".

@RohitGupta yes. I disabled Bluetooth, and android auto turned it back in a moment later.  A Google search shows that this is a common issue across multiple versions of Android.

Looks like those are not runtime permissions, so they can't be disabled normally. Related but old: Android Lollipop/Marshmallow full granular control of system app permissions. Otherwise, AppOps (through PermissionManagerX by our trusted member Irfan Latif) might help.


text:
Google Photos is not backing up my gallery
I have a Redmi Note 12 Pro with Android 13 and I have the Google Photos app installed. The problem is that a lot of pictures that I take are not backed up.
If I go to the settings of Google Photos -> Photos settings -> Backup -> Back up device folder, everything is turned on (Telegram Images, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Animated GIFs, WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Videos). But still, when I see Google Photos do the backup and then click on "free space", there are still loads of pictures in my gallery that are not on Google Photos.
What am I missing?

Could you mention where the pictures you took are located in the storage? Also, for the pictures shown in the gallery but not backed up?


text:
Image Files are larger than System Partitions when Flashing [remote: size too large] - PixelExperience 13 on Redmi Note 10 (Mojito)
I'm trying to install PE on my Redmi Note 10 and am having trouble with fastboot flashing.
I´ve already unlocked bootloader and USB Debugging is enabled.
The problem appears when trying to flash 'vendor_boot' and 'boot' partitions, in all cases the images sizes are bigger than the partitions throwing me this:
PS C:\Users\domen\adb-fastboot\platform-tools> ./fastboot flash boot_b PixelExperience_Plus_mojito-13.0-20231217-1954-OFFICIAL.img
Warning: skip copying boot_b image avb footer (boot_b partition size: 67108864, boot_b image size: 134217728).
Sending 'boot_b' (131072 KB)                       OKAY [  3.124s]
Writing 'boot_b'                                   FAILED (remote: 'size too large')
fastboot: error: Command failed
PS C:\Users\domen\adb-fastboot\platform-tools> ./fastboot flash vendor_boot_b vendor_boot.img
Warning: skip copying vendor_boot_b image avb footer (vendor_boot_b partition size: 67108864, vendor_boot_b image size: 100663296).
Sending 'vendor_boot_b' (98304 KB)                 OKAY [  2.338s]
Writing 'vendor_boot_b'                            FAILED (remote: 'size too large')
fastboot: error: Command failed

I already tested the legacy partition (its the B).
If anyone could give me any solutions i'll really appreciate it

Just to make sure, were you following the guide?

Yeah, I did every step from that guide. And got stuck on the vendor_boot flashing step. And for me with no reason... But I do have my suspicious with the adb/fastboot setup that I'm using. I'll try to do it on another pc and check out


text:
How to see notification history on Samsung Galaxy A24?
Often, my Samsung Galaxy A24 phone makes some sound, apparently a notification. A text flashes at the top of the screen for a second. While I rush to the phone, the text has gone away. How can I see the most recent notification, or all recent notifications?
When I swipe down from the top edge of the screen, a page with many device controls appears (probably called the notification bar). Yes, it shows many notifications, but I usually cannot find there the one of a minute ago (judging by the time stamp at the top-right of the notifications tile). Today, I see there are some notifications from a week ago.
What am I missing? Is there any other place to look for recent (or all) notifications? Is there a relevant setting?

AFAIK, on some Samsung devices, there is a built-in notification history inside the Android Settings, but it needs to be enabled first in the same setting.

This may vary by model and make, so YMMV.
Try navigating to Notifications & Status Bar > More settings.  Towards the bottom, there should be a Notification History; note you will need to go into that menu and toggle the feaure on before it will start backlogging your notification entries.
Once enabled, you can create a widget on your desktop and use your preferred home screen application to call on the activity directly, creating a shortcut directly to the Notification History page.


text:
Is it possible to flash custom kernel from older Android version?
I've recently rooted my POCO F1 and installed a custom ROM on it. I've tried to find a custom kernel for POCO F1 that is specifically for Android 14 and can't seem to find it.
Is it possible for me to use a custom kernel from an older version like Android 13? I want to try the NGK kernel on my phone, but there's no Android 14 version.


text:
(Android) Hide installation source from app
I tried to install a banking app on my device. The issue is not actually root detection (which I expected); it does not seem to care about my device being rooted. What is an issue though, is that I do not want to use the Play Store. However, when installing it via for example the Aurora Store, the app shows the following:
App download not trustworthy

This app was transferred as part of a change of device or not downloaded from the official Google Play Store. For security reasons, we ask you to uninstall the app, then download it again from the official Google Play Store.

Is there any way to make the app believe it was installed from Google Play, without actually doing that?

It seems that you can (or could?) fakte the value if you install the apk manually via adb: adb shell pm install -i "com.android.vending" -r <path to apk on the phone>.apk see https://stackoverflow.com/a/26272850/150978


text:
Why is there a userdata partition in my /dev/block/mapper/ (which seems to mean that userdata is a dynamic partition)?
https://source.android.com/docs/core/ota/dynamic_partitions/implement

The supported dynamic partitions are:
System
Vendor
Product
System Ext
ODM
Note: Avoid placing userdata or any other permanent read-write partition inside super.

According to the source.android.com documentation, userdata is not dynamically partitioned?
version: Android 10
s:/ $ ls -l /dev/block/mapper/
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 odm -> /dev/block/dm-3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 odm-verity -> /dev/block/dm-7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 product -> /dev/block/dm-1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 product-verity -> /dev/block/dm-5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 system -> /dev/block/dm-0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 system-verity -> /dev/block/dm-4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 userdata -> /dev/block/dm-8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 vendor -> /dev/block/dm-2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-04-02 04:41 vendor-verity -> /dev/block/dm-6

s:/ $ df -h
Filesystem       Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/block/dm-4  3.8G  3.8G     0 100% /
tmpfs            3.7G  1.1M  3.7G   1% /dev
tmpfs            3.7G     0  3.7G   0% /mnt
tmpfs            3.7G     0  3.7G   0% /apex
/dev/block/dm-5  450M  449M     0 100% /product
/dev/block/dm-6  2.3G  2.3G     0 100% /vendor
/dev/block/dm-7  118M  900K  115M   1% /odm
none             3.7G     0  3.7G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/block/sda29 356M  3.3M  341M   1% /cache
/dev/block/sda13 4.9M  160K  4.8M   4% /dev/logfs
/dev/block/sda31 976M  862M   87M  91% /cust
/dev/block/dm-8  226G  100G  126G  45% /data
...

Roughly speaking, /dev/block/mapper/userdata partition is by the /dev/block/by name/userdata partition map. Through an encryption or decryption mechanism. It should encrypt or decrypt the original userdata partition using the key in the metadata partition to get a partition like dm-x.
I haven't looked too closely into the details.

Note that we make  an exception for metadata-encrypted devices, since dm-default-key is already  a wrapper.

https://cs.android.com/android/platform/superproject/+/master:system/core/fs_mgr/fs_mgr.cpp
static bool create_crypto_blk_dev(const std::string& dm_name, uint64_t nr_sec,
                                  const std::string& target_type, const KeyBuffer& crypt_params,
                                  std::string* crypto_blkdev)
bool fscrypt_mount_metadata_encrypted(const std::string& blk_device, const std::string& mount_point,
                                  bool needs_encrypt) {

https://cs.android.com/android/platform/superproject/+/master:system/vold/MetadataCrypt.cpp


text:
Xperia XZ1 - impossible to access bootloader after factory reset
I have this Xperia XZ1 which I unlocked the bootloader in the past to install custom Lineage through TWRP. As the distro wasn't working correctly with my carrier I reseted it to an official one.
Recently I did a factory reset and now, when I try to access the bootloader, for example to access TWRP to install Lineage, it seems there isn't any recovery boot available anymore.
When I start with power button + volume up, I get 3 vibrations and then nothing happens. When I start with power button + volume down it keeps restarting. When I access flash mode, through volume up + usb cable, I get the blue led but from there I can not do much with fastboot, trying to upload twrp results in nothing happening terminal wise.
Any idea where the recovery mode is or how to access it ? It feels the recovery mode disappeared from the phone.


text:
Why can't connect ftp server in android phone from pc?
I have built ftp server in my Galaxy S20 FE 5G with Cx File Explorer:

Now i want to connect the ftp from pc with file explorer:

How can connect it with some software or command line?
My pc's internal ip address is :
#execute on my pc
sudo ifconfig
enp2s0: flags=-28605<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,DYNAMIC>  mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.31.39  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 192.168.31.255
        inet6 fe80::8e0:afff:fef4:4759  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>

Scan my phone from pc :
sudo nmap 192.168.31.46 -p 2780
Starting Nmap 7.93 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2024-03-09 23:03 HKT
Nmap scan report for 192.168.31.46
Host is up (0.20s latency).

PORT     STATE    SERVICE
2780/tcp filtered lbc-control
MAC Address: AA:BA:71:96:48:49 (Unknown)

Nmap done: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 2.31 seconds

The address you entered seems wrong. It should be: ftp://192.168.31.39:2780. Then, a window will prompt you to enter the username and password. Or download Filezilla and use it to connect to the phone.


text:
Recover data on OnePlus
I'm trying to recover data from my phone cache or anywhere else my phone hides data from me. I have the new OnePlus 12 as well as my previous OnePlus 8t.
I'm not tech illiterate, and I'm not a tech genius. I'm looking for deleted data on both phones. I don't want to root the new OnePlus 12. I can root the OnePlus 8t, not that I know how to.
I'm seeking an intelligent, patient, individual who can ensure accurate phone guidance, in layman's terms.

Please note that Stackexchange is a question and answer site, not a forum. Thus it is a bit more impersonal as you may expect. This site is good if you have a concrete technical question, which technical details. Your question could be improved with more details because at the moment you only tell us that you have these two OnePlus phones and try to recover some data. But not on which device, what data, why the data is lost, how it happened, when it happened, what you have tried so far...

I'm closing this question as a duplicate to 'How to recover a deleted file from /data partition on a rooted phone?" because that's the usual case of recovering deleted data. While it might be very technical, it can't be helped, because recovering deleted data itself is not an easy task at all on Android. Otherwise, you might want to [edit] and clarify the issue as Robert has commented.

What type of files are you attempting to recover?
For image and media files, your best and most viable bet is to attempt to recover from cache (don't get your hopes up, as these are likely downsampled thumbnails, etc.).  There are numerous applications that do exactly this, so a Google search will lead you to these apps (we don't give app recommendations).
If the data you are seeking to recover are within the domain of what gets synchronized by your Chrome browser or Google Account, then you might be able to get the data back.  You can check the internal page chrome://sync-internals and dump the data and decompress it to sift through.  You can also trigger a server-side sync event so that the contents update in the correct direction to recover you data.
Lastly, Google Backup can also be used to do the same, but it's a little trickier because there's no direct UI for you to manage the sync specifics.  I can't recall exactly, but I remember reading there was an ADB command to manually trigger sync, it might be worth taking a look into if it helps your situation.
Hope that helps, and good luck!


text:
Why does Google Play say "purchase successful" after installing free app?
I just installed WiFi FTP Server app from my PC. I confirmed the installation from my PC and it required a password. After installation, it says "Purchase successful" - see the screenshot below. Why on earth does it say so? There was no "purchase", application should be free. What is all this about?
I don't understand what this question with these option is about... so I didn't submit this form, the application is already installed on the phone.

A first time download of a free app is considered a purchase without money involved because apps can change their price at any time. That allows you to redownload that app even if the developer decides to set a price on it. Because of this there can be offerings of often paid apps that are provided for free for a limited time. If you"purchase" it during that time you own the app no matter what price label is on it some days later.

@Robert I might be mistaken, but I thought a free app can never be changed to a paid app, but a paid app can temporarily be placed on sale.

Seems that you are right, a free app has to stay free according to https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6334373?hl=en But an app can be set to non-public. In that case AFAIR only users who have purchased it previously can still download the app.


text:
Recent Screen not working after accidentally uninstalling System Launcher on Vivo Y20i
I am removing some bloatware apps in my Vivo Y20i because it is getting slow and lagging too much, storage space is not an issue but the RAM consumption of default apps that I can't uninstall is too high. So I resulted in looking up a method to uninstall that bloatware, and I found a method using Shizuku and aShell. I have success in removing most apps but I accidentally included the System Launcher to uninstall (I'm using Nova Launcher as default btw). Now I'm having an issue with my navigation controls where the recent app button/gesture is not working anymore, the home and back button works fine.
I tried installing some navigation controls from the Play Store and also used the gesture functions of Nova Launcher but still, it doesn't help.
Hoping someone can help me, thank you in advance.


text:
Lenovo A390 won't turning on and vibrates
My Lenovo phone doesn't turn on. When I connect it to the PC, it vibrates. The PC sees it as a MediaTek PreLoader USB VCOM Port. On flashing, the SP Flash Tool gave me a Scatter storage type error. How to fix it? Flash the preloader?
Before flashing, I formatted it, and the phone started flashing, but didn't turn on.

Was "Scatter storage type error" the full error message, nothing more?

Scatter storage type error: target type:hw_emmc_none

"None" could mean that the emmc storage is defect and thus can not be used anymore. Considering the age of the phone this would be a possible explanation.


text:
Using USB Tethering with USB-to-Ethernet adapter
I live in an area without any high-speed internet access. Currently, I am using a cell phone hotspot connected through a wireless-to-wired bridge to my home wired/wireless networks. I would like to increase my bandwidth using multiple cell services/hotspots and have not found the complete answer.
I have a TP-Link ER605 and am able to hook a cellphone directly to the USB WAN port on that device and it works to provide Internet service. I am attempting to connect a second cellphone to an RJ45 WAN port on the ER605 using a USB-to-Ethernet adapter, but have not found any combination that allows the 'USB Tethering' option to be enabled.
I have the following phones:

TCL 30 XL (Android 12)
Moto X4 (Android 9)

Both of these devices work to provide Internet service when directly connected to the ER605 with a standard USB cable.
I have tried two USB to Ethernet Adapters:

uni USB C to Ethernet adapter (Amazon link)
Smays USB C OTG Ethernet adapter (Amazon link)

Neither of these adapters enables the USB Tethering option, either plugged into an ER605 port or to a port on a Windows machine.
What are the cellphone/adapter requirements needed to support this configuration?

This would be the requirements:

USB-OTG Support on the smartphone (my experience across phones is the lower the price, the less likely is the feature range of USB-OTG support)
Android newer than version 11, this is when the feature was introduced officially in software

This question on Superuser Android USB Tethering to Router provides two examples from users, who reported them to work:

Sitecom CN-378 usb-c ethernet adapter
Cable Matters USB-C multiport adapter


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Watch history won't load fully on youtube app
My watch history will no longer load any videos past a certain point and every time I watch a new video it will remove the oldest video in my watch history.
This started happening around January after an update when I was scrolling through my watch history and it suddenly glitched and wouldn't show me any more.I have never deleted my watch history and I have auto delete turned off. I don't understand why youtube started doing this. Is it a setting I accidentally turned on or part of a new update? Or is it that only premium users can see their full watch history?
I've tried deleting storage and cache, restarting my device and going on youtube through chrome. Nothing has worked. Does anyone know a solution to this?

Also posted on WebApps.SE: https://webapps.stackexchange.com/q/173734/79784.

I have YouTube Premium and I just tried scrolling until Nov 2023 in the YouTube app, but I don't think it's related because I couldn't find any statement if the watch history is limited for non-Premium users. However, watch history is saved on the server side, so I don't think it's a specific issue with the YouTube Android app. That said, how many videos can you load in your watch history?


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I want to recover data before resetting. Is there any way I can do that?
I have POCO X3. I have lost the pin. I want to recover data.