The PERFECT Android setup for your relatives | Tech Support 101

16 thoughts on “The PERFECT Android setup for your relatives | Tech Support 101”

1. What you've shown is basically exactly what I have done although I have some additional tips.
   I've setup my grandma account as a child account within our Google family so that she is unable to install any apps without my/mom approval, I can see her phone location in Google Maps all the time without having to rely on Google Find My Device.

   Also installed Teamviewer and Anydesk at the same time just in case one stops working for some reason. The application name was renamed to "Michael help 1" and "Michael help 2" for easier understanding. Teaching someone how to take or even share a screenshot is a nightmare. Having the option to always remotely connect is lifesaver. I used OnePlus Nord with Android 9 where the user did not have to allow to perform a screenshare so connecting to such phone is a breeze. (Might still work on newer Samsung phones but I'm not sure)

   My grandma always had an issue picking up the number as there are 3 different UIs for each of them (Phone locked, phone unlocked – Heads up Notification and when clicking on the notification). I couldn't find a way to disable heads up notification on the stock app, so what I did is that I installed Tasker and setup a task which automatically clicks on certain spot on the notification to open the menu in full screen. This way, she did not have rely on the smaller buttons to answer the call. This was done using adb commands.

   Speaking about Tasker, I also setup additional tasks.
   1) Automatically increase volume whenever there is incoming/outgoing call
   2) Automatically increase volume to max if the volume was decreased during call. Volume is always on max volume during the call.
   3) Automatically unmute microphone when muted microphone is detected during call (Tasker also clicked on predefined location to unmute it)
   4) Automatically raise brightness to at least 40% when the brightness was decreased below 40% (It happened quite often that my grandma said that the phone was just black)
   5) Automatically put call to a speaker whenever a call is answered or dialed. Grandma couldn't hold her phone against her ear so speaker was always a must. (Tasker also clicked on predefined location to put it on a speaker)
   I do really recommend setting these automatizations, especially when this is something that your relatives do always. It will make using the phone much easier.

   Also I have some additional tips that I've done:
   1) I've put a custom recovery on the phone so you can make a full ROM backup just in case something goes horribly wrong, you can restore it within couple of minutes. Thankfully I have never needed to use it. This way, she could use it easily at home but in case the phone would be lost in public, it would still be locked. (I know there is a security risk with the custom recovery but not everyone knows it these days)
   2) I've installed GravityBox and certain wifi spots to be a trusted wifi so whenever she was connected to the predefined wifi, phone did not have a lock screen. It only required a swipe instead of a PIN. I also experimented with a Face unlock but that didn't go well for a long period of time. It had to be re-setup almost each month so that was a no go.
   3) Installed some AppLock application that will require to enter a PIN before opening some application. I've setup this PIN for Settings app so that way she couldn't change anything. The PIN was different from the lockscreen.
   4) Installed Adblock (Adaway) with root to get away with the most annoying ads on the web. Without root, I've used Blokada. Worked pretty well but adaway was better.
   5) Installed some modded games which allowed to buy infinite amount of coins/currency so we don't have to spend fortune on her favourite word game 🙂
   6) Setup default behaviour when a PC is connected via USB to use file sharing instead of "only charging"
   7) Enabled ADB with trusted access to my PC so in case the screen would get broken, I would be able to retrieve files from it
   8) Watched couple of videos of cute dogs on Youtube to train the algorithm to serve only similar content so she won't get bored easily haha

2. This is brilliant and most of these apply to iOS as well. I own an Android phone and an iPad. I've turned off every single notification on the iPad and life is so much better with that device.

3. First step: enable dark mode and hide the option

4. Samsung phones are the best phones to give to parents. You lock the layout, hide icons in the app drawer (even app store icons, to prevent any unnecessary app download), the screen on samsung phones are best that u can get on a phone.

5. So wait but these issues don't surface on iOS?

6. Thanks!

7. If I was doing this, I would probably also set the navigation bar to the 3 button layout rather than the gesture layout .

8. I love the screen lock on Nova.
   the backup and restore in Nova launcher is a lifesaver

9. I use anydesk and remote access the phone

10. Remote screen sharing?

11. 5:11 I think you're really late here, it's been a long time since we no longer have unlimited cloud storage for "high quality" backup, so it's still going to take space on their account, unless they're using an old Android

12. instead of hiding apps, disable the apps you know they're not gonna use!

13. Every android phone is different! That's the problem.

14. Another Tip: Debloat the phone of any unwanted apps (especially for Xiaomi/Samsung phones)

    it's a bit advanced for some peope but it's worth the time

15. If you could choose another profession, what would it be?😘

16. What habits or routines have had a positive impact on your life?🌺

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