Have you bought a new phone recently and aren’t sure what apps and games to put on it just yet? The Google Play Store offers literally millions of apps, so there’s a lot to dig through.
But don’t get overwhelmed. We’ve rounded up the best apps on Android for your new phone, so you can use this guide to get your phone as functional as possible right out of the box. Let’s get started.
We use our phones regularly to entertain ourselves, right? A modern smartphone can do a lot of things, but most of us just wish it would help us after work or a little fun.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of tactics to make your phone more entertaining.
You can’t go wrong with Netflix. This is the original video streaming and cord-cutter service that’s been around forever, and there’s a wealth of content available. Whether you’re looking for reruns of your favorite shows and movies, the Netflix originals everyone’s talking about, or just any background noise, locate it here.
If you need to find something else to look at, we also have a great Android app advisor to stream on your phone.
Play Store Download Link
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services available, and for good reason. You won’t even want to subscribe if you don’t, and you can listen to everything without missing out on ads.
If you have to pay for it, it’s one of the most attractive streams on the market. You have a huge catalog of music to keep an eye on and you can create your own library from Spotify’s collection, and the daily playlists and mixes are just fantastic. . Grab your headphones and get started.
If Spotify is your thing, check out our advisor on the best Android apps for streaming music.
Download link from Play Store
If you like to read the news and keep up with current events, Google News is a great option. It’s a custom-built, perfectly tailored news feed crafted around what you’re interested in. If you’re a political junkie, you can stay informed on everything going on around the world, or you can trim that back and stay up to date on more fun topics like video games, art, or cooking.
Google News also provides local policies so you can see articles from local newspapers and websites, and its comprehensive policies feature gives you the same topic but with many other articles about it so you can get a more informed and unbiased overview. No matter what it is, it’s convenient enough for a free app and hassle-free one of the Android apps on this list.
Download link from Play Store
I had the free time I had before I joined Reddit. It was a lot less difficult to get things done before I had the option to fall down a million rabbit holes with the tip of my thumb.
But you know what? When you’re bored, it’s not so bad. Reddit is absolutely free and has content for literally anything you can imagine. Do you need to sign up for a network related to your favorite game?Maybe you’re looking for cooking tips and recipes?What about hard-to-understand hobbies like mechanical keyboards, cartography, or catapults?Reddit has it all. Seriously.
Play Store Link
If you’re looking to get into something a little more akin to classic social media, we love Twitter. It’s a slightly more fashionable sentiment than Facebook after all those years, and it’s not that invasive either. It’s also a wonderful position to stay. Keep up with the news, whether it’s news from your circle of family and friends, politics, technology, video games, or anything else. Twitter’s lists and controls also make it easy to locate the content you need to see.
You can follow us on Twitter while you’re at it.
Play Store Download Link
Phones are still the most productive communication devices. Perhaps the old and popular phone calls are no longer unusual, but video chatting, instant messaging, and sending emojis and images are simple tactics to keep in touch with your circle of family and friends. they are the most productive communication apps on Android.
Your phone may have pre-installed messaging, but brands will prefer their own SMS client. Verizon also has its own Verizon Messages app, and some other providers probably have it too, but we prefer Google’s Stock Messages platform.
It’s fully built-in with Android and RCS s, if your phone and support it. Therefore, this app will give you the ultimate complex experience on Android. You’ll get read receipts, higher quality photographs and videos will be sent to other people. And you’ll be able to manage an organizational chat without hating each and every moment of it. Avoid bloatware on your phone and install one of the most productive Android apps.
Play Store download link
Google Duo was introduced at Google I/O a few years ago and has one of the most productive video chat apps available on Android. If it’s not preloaded on your phone, it’s a small, easy-to-use app. Play Store and allows you to make some of the fastest video calls you can find. It integrates seamlessly with Google’s smart displays, your touch list, and is connected to a phone number, offering a much greater experience than some old, bulky videos. Calling apps.
In addition, it has new features and now has new features such as increased low-light modes and organization calls for up to 12 people.
Play Store download link
Maybe you’re not really into face-to-face calls or voice chats. That’s okay, too! WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services around the world, and it can support everything you need for communicating with anyone, anywhere.
It works over a data connection, so even if you don’t have an SMS plan it’s still fine, and it functions on WiFi, too. There’s no subscription fees, you can still make voice calls and send files and images, and it works in a web browser so you get a little cross-device compatibility.
Download link from Play Store
Signal is a popular app for the privacy-minded folks, and for good reason. It’s one of the most secure messaging apps available thanks to its end-to-end encryption with Signal’s own open-source protocol. It’s optimized and fast, and you dn’t really have to make any trade-offs; it still supports sending pictures, making video and voice calls, and more, all without compromising your privacy.
It also has a dark theme, which not every app does, and that’s worth some extra brownie points.
Play Store Download Link
Sometimes you just want a quick little app to jot down anything, like taking notes or taking a quick photo for anything. Your phone can be the most productive Swiss Army knife ever used, if you download the right apps.
Whether you need to jot down a quick note or start writing a novel, you can take advantage of Evernote. It’s the most physically powerful and rugged note-taking app on the market, and it’ll handle anything you throw at it.
In fact, it gets better the more you throw at it. Once you start tagging all the information in your Evernote account, it becomes even easier to start searching for things you have stored, like a fast access filing cabinet. And hey, if you just need the basics, it does that well, too. It’s one of the best Android apps for note-taking you’ll find.
Play Store download link
You’ll probably want a VPN. La most people use one to keep their internet browsing personal and secure, and NordVPN is one of the best.
You’ll get a VPN that completely encrypts your traffic, doesn’t log your activity, and protects you while you browse. It’s also aggressively priced and its data speeds are some of the most productive for a VPN company, so there’s a lot to like here.
Play Store download link
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You shouldn’t be using the same password for everything, and you absolutely should be using a password manager to make that process simpler.
LastPass is one of our favorites, simply because it’s easy to use and it’s undeniable. You set up a master password, then let LastPass generate and save your passwords for everything else. It syncs across devices, supports secure notes and password sharing, and much more. more. Pretty wonderful for a free app.
Play Store Download Link
If you’ve been in the PC scene for a while, you probably recognize this little orange traffic cone anywhere. But it’s still a wonderful app to have on your phone, because just like on a computer, VLC can take care of literally any media record you can throw at it.
Videos, music, DVD copies, and even live streaming URLs; VLC has enough built-in codes and recording help, so it comes in handy in case you encounter something that your phone can’t read.
Play Store Download Link
If you need to start listening to podcasts instead of the same old music on the go, Google Podcasts is a solid option.
The app supports free streaming of tons of podcasts, and Google’s catalog includes a plethora of content in all kinds of genres. There are comedy, sports, and gaming podcasts, as well as a wealth of informative content if you need to receive new information. You can subscribe to your favorites, set up episodes, and adjust the playback speed to temporarily deal with a long lag.
Play Store Link
Our phones are much more than just text messengers and music players. Many other people use their phones to keep up with their work, get organized, or just be artistic in their free time. There are also tons of apps for you out there.
If you’re trying to do anything productivity related, it’s hard to look anywhere else besides Microsoft Office. Their current Office 365 subscription delivers a ton of useful apps and services for a low monthly price, including access to Word for typing up documents and resumes, Excel for managing spreadsheets, and PowerPoint for creating slideshows and presentations.
You also get 1TB of cloud backup with Microsoft’s OneDrive, which is amazing for backing up your phone’s photos, storing files in the cloud, and syncing your phone to your computer.
Download link from Play Store
Sometimes, your phone can be a little disorganized. Maybe there are too many uploaded files, PDFs, Reddit photos, or whatever. Fortunately, Files via Google can take care of all of this with just a few clicks.
The app gives you a simple way to see everything that’s stored on your phone, adding internal storage and external memory cards, and will give you quick recommendations to delete some files to save space and get rid of things you no longer need. You can also temporarily move files to other nearby devices, which is a convenient additional tool. Definitely one of the most useful and productive Android apps for managing files on your phone.
Play Store Link
A really cool trick you can pull off with a modern smartphone and Chrome is accessing your home computer from anywhere in the world. Chrome Remote Desktop makes this easy.
If you have Chrome installed on your home computer, simply download this app on your phone, follow the instructions, and now you’ll be able to easily jump in and take control of your computer from your phone. It’s full access, too, so you can see files, open programs, and whatever else you need, right from your touchscreen.
Play Store Link
Adobe Creative Cloud is the de facto standard when it comes to creative work. Whether we’re talking about Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, or whatever else you might need, Adobe has a program for it.
They’re also regularly popular in their respective industries, so if you’re in the mood to be artistic on the go, you should check out some of Adobe’s apps. Mobile versions of products like Photoshop have come a long way and you’ll probably be amazed at how much you can do with a rugged smartphone.
Download link from Play Store
Do you have a wonderful concept for the next big website?Don’t let your phone hold you back.
Weebly is a service that allows the creation of free online pages, directly from your smartphone. It can be the kind of site you want, whether it’s a blog, news, e-commerce, or anything else you can think of. The free plan is enough to get you started, but it offers pretty competitive prices for traditional internet sites when you start to grow.
Download link from Play Store
Online grocery shopping continues to grow and I bet many of you would just order anything online and never have to go to a store to get what you need. There are tons of apps on the Play Store that will also sell you everything you’re looking for. Out of.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find something Amazon doesn’t offer. If you’re looking for food, clothing, video games, technology, puppy supplies, or just about anything else, Amazon probably has it.
Its app is a bit basic, but it gives you access to Amazon’s huge offering of stuff, accessories, and gadgets. You can also sign up for Amazon Prime on the app to get access to its 2-day shipping, video library, and music streaming services, if you’re in a position to invest.
Download link from Play Store
If you’re looking for something a little more personalized, check out Etsy. Unlike Amazon, it’s not just a warehouse for products that businesses and Americans visit to sell. Instead, it’s more about handmade and separate items. Get trinkets, clothes, game controllers, puppy collars, traditional phone cases, and all sorts of other things.
It’s also wonderful for gifts if you’re looking to find something and don’t need to go the generic route.
Download link from Play Store
Have you ever craved something smart to eat, but didn’t feel like cooking and didn’t need to stop by anywhere?Try Uber Eats and bring your food home.
The app uses Uber’s existing infrastructure and partners with local restaurants around it and simply instructs an Uber driver to pick up your food and deliver it to your door. It’s a bit lazy, sure, but it’s also incredibly useful. Who doesn’t? Not looking to rest on the weekend?
Play Store download link
We all played video games in those days. Whether it’s on your Xbox at home, fast-moving games on your phone, or if you prefer the taste of Nintendo Switch handheld games, almost everyone plays in one way or another. Don’t worry, there are tons of apps for this experience as well.
If you own an Xbox, you’ll want the Xbox app. It gives you full access to Microsoft’s Xbox ecosystem, adding the ability to remotely install games, check out weekly Xbox Live deals, and send messages to other gamers. Other major Microsoft apps take it a step further and let you stream games to your phone (with a compatible controller), install games from Game Pass, and more, which is great too. You’ll definitely want this one to grace your gaming experience.
Play Store Link
Sony adopted another technique and split its positions significantly. However, you’ll definitely want the main PlayStation app on your phone if you have a PS4.
The app allows you to purchase games from the Sony store, check your trophies, respond to friend requests, and redeem codes on your account. They’ve split things like messaging, remote play, and communities into their own apps, and you’ll want another app if you want to enjoy the second-screen experience, but at least you can create your own that you want, rather than having a single bloated app.
Play Store Download Link
If you’re a big PC gamer, don’t worry. You probably won’t be left out just because you’re not a console.
The Steam app is a pretty physically powerful app that looks a bit dated, but still works well. You can chat with your friends, buy games on Steam sale, remotely install parts on your gaming PC, and manage your profile, inventory, and trading cards. . Like the others, Valve has placed its remote streaming in a separate app, but kept everything else in a single app. There’s a new Steam Chat app that uses Valve’s new design language just to chat with your friends, but it’s absolutely optional at this point.
Download link from Play Store
Discord can easily fall into the communication category, but since it focuses on gamers and gaming communities, it’s hard to leave it out of this section. It’s a pretty popular chat app, but it works much better than anything built into someone else’s app. platform. You can have organizational chats, voice calls with multiple people, and create and sign up on dedicated theme servers or express games.
It’s also picked up some cool new features over the years like screen sharing, custom emojis for servers, and more. If you and your gaming buddies have been relying on Skype or something all these years, maybe now’s the time to move over to Discord.
Download link from Play Store
Did we miss one of your favorite apps? Drop a comment and let us know!