# Question
Title: Restrict contacts from knowing I am on WhatsApp
Am I right in understanding that when one installs whatsapp everyone in the contacts on my phone knows I am on whatsapp (at least the ones who have whatsapp)

I do not want the above to happen. So if I put in another SIM card, then can I avoid the contacts on my primary SIM knowing I am on whatsapp and restrict to only the contacts on the new/secondary SIM. Or will WhatApp anyway broadcast to all contacts on all SIMs?

My basic aim is to expose the fact that I have whatsapp to a limited set of people - hence the second SIM.

Kindly let me know

Ananth

# Answer
Simple answer to your question is - everyone who has your new number will see that you are on WhatsApp. WhatsApp is tied to mobile number only and it will not "broadcast to any other sim". If you don't give this number to another person then they will not be able to see or contact you.

Also a hint. If you have dual SIM phone you can use normal WhatsApp and business WhatsApp (it's free) on the same phone simultaneously (using 2 different numbers).
> 2 votes

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Tags: whatsapp-messenger
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# Question
Title: K9 not showing all mails in unified inbox
I noticed recently that K9 is showing emails in individual folders, but no longer in the Unified Inbox. That still exists but has had no new entry in the last few weeks.

I have changed nothing in configuration, although it is possible that I got a new version of K9 in a bulk update.

Any idea what I might be doing wrong, or how to get it working again?

# Answer
> 1 votes
Look at the icons at the bottom of the screen. The middle of the five looks like three bars of different lengths:

```
-------
------
----

```

that is the sort key and I must have accidentally "pocket dialed it".

Sorting by date made it clear to me that all emails ***are*** being shown in the unified inbox.

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Tags: k9-mail
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# Question
Title: Android - is there any negative impact when you wipe out RAM and CACHE data for all Apps at once?
in Android phones, there are settings related to the phone's internal storage.

I am interested in two of those settings, "delete all RAM data for all Apps", & "delete all CACHED data for all Apps", because each is larger than 100MB already according to the displayed info.

1. I thought until now that "cache" is part of "RAM"? Or what is the difference? There are two different options available so there must be some kind of difference I guess.
2. I like to know if it is totally OK to delete those 2 things (ram+cache) from time to time (& for all apps)? I know that deleting cache has no negative effect, because I deleted cache of apps sometimes. But I never deleted RAM data. And the thing is also, the setting says "...for ALL apps". So there are apps like "contacts" "calendar" or other system relevant apps included. I am not sure if you can wipe RAM/cache of those kind of apps, too?

Thank you for help

# Answer
> 0 votes
> I thought until now that "cache" is part of "RAM"? Or what is the difference? There are two different options available so there must be some kind of difference I guess.

RAM is the space in main memory used by running processes. Similar to the RAM used in desktops and laptops.

Cached data includes the files, images, scripts and other media files stored on your device by an website or app. Data is stored on your devices in a reserved space, so the next time when you are visiting the app or website, information is already available.

> I like to know if it is totally OK to delete those 2 things (ram+cache) from time to time (& for all apps)? I know that deleting cache has no negative effect, because I deleted cache of apps sometimes. But I never deleted RAM data. And the thing is also, the setting says "...for ALL apps". So there are apps like "contacts" "calendar" or other system relevant apps included. I am not sure if you can wipe RAM/cache of those kind of apps, too?

There is no problem if you clear cache and RAM. In fact, you should do that regularly to keep your phone efficient. Even after you clear RAM, some processes would restart; so ignore them. Otherwise it would stop all processes that are not being utilised at the moment.

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Tags: applications, internal-storage, insufficient-memory, ram, cache
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title: Bluetooth scanning is disabled

text:
# Question
Title: Bluetooth scanning is disabled
I bought an android car head. I can search and pair my phone with it, but form the unit itself cant search for the devices and it always empty list. Is there a way to enable scanning from the unit it seems it was disabled by the admin?

# Answer
In settings , under connections wifi,turn off wifi there will be a option underneath about scanning you can select Bluetooth and Wi-Fi scanning in the background on or off
> 0 votes

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Tags: bluetooth
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# Question
Title: How to open protected files from LG devices?
I sold my LG G4 and I used the content lock on my files. Now, I switched my mobile to Huawei P8 Lite, but the files which were protected from my LG G4 couldn't be opened, and their format is some 'dm files'.

How to open these files?

# Answer
If you have used the LG phone system encryption tool for protecting your content , then it can only be unlocked from the same device.
> 0 votes

# Answer
To unlock files locked via the LG Gallery app, you have to do the following:

1. Get any LG phone. Doesn't matter what model, it just has to have the "lock" feature.
2. set up the Google account you used on the previous LG (the one you used for locking the content)
3. Set the "lock" feature (if not done already) and make sure the Google account you set up is used for the lock (Settings - Security - Content lock). You can set the lock by simply locking any file.
4. Copy the locked files you with to open over to the phone.
5. Gallery \> Show locked files \> Unlock \> Done
> 0 votes

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Tags: encryption, lg, files
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# Question
Title: Nexus 7 2012 is almost unusable after upgrading to the latest Lollipop. What should I do?
I have a Nexus 7 2012 wifi. With the latest version of Lollipop it has really become unusable, freezing for a minute or more, or even rebooting while loading a page in Chrome.

I did a system reset, but that did not change much past the few first minutes.

What is the recommended version to have again a usable tablet? Is anyone having a "runbook for dummies" to install Android 4.x (or CM or whatever works fine) ?

Most of the tutorials I found on the Internet are for geeks wishing to experiment. I just want a running system with minimal fuss/risk.

# Answer
You can use the highly functional nexus root toolkit to do pretty much anything you need to on your Nexus device.

Nexus Root Toolkit

It allows rooting, return to stock, recovery and everything else you would need to repair your nexus 7 2012 WiFi aka 'grouper' / 'nakasi'. You can flash custom roms with it also.

Other tools include unlocking or locking the bootloader, adb tools, driver installs. .. you name it, it does it.

Works with all nexus devices released so far.

One of the most handy things about it is that it tells you what to do step by step...

Every nexus owner should have this as it's pretty much indispensable.
> 2 votes

# Answer
The official Google Developers site has the full instructions and image repository on how to install a factory image for any Nexus device, including your "nakasi" Nexus 7 2012. I recommend 4.4.4, but you are free to go back as far as you want until you're comfortable with it's use.

Cyanogenmod also has a stable 10.2 version (Android 4.3) - you can download the image file here. You can re-use the instructions found on the Google Developers site to install this as well (just target your CM unzip location instead).

BE AWARE: This will wipe your device, and this is all done under your own volition. Flashing a device - regardless of source or instruction - always comes with risk of damaging or rendering the device useless. We are not responsible for it!
> 3 votes

# Answer
Try 'JimTDI's Guide - Tuning the Nexus 7 with Android 5 Lollipop for Maximum Performance!' here https://goo.gl/X0HwAu The discussion for this post is here https://goo.gl/wqjv76
> 3 votes

# Answer
Old question, but this is my beloved Nexus 7 3g (2012), "tilapia". Please note that WiFi only version is named "grouper"

First step, install TWRP recovery; the official guides forgot to mention that you have to disable the fastboot lock too, command: `fastboot oem unlock` (and then select Yes on the confirmation screen, on tablet)

Nexus 2012 TWRP installation details here

Then I have installed on my Nexus the Android AOSP (vanilla 7.1.2. andorid) with tilapia/grouper support released by AndDiSa on XDA forums. Main thread is here.

Now it works really fast, I can use the web browser, play and see movies with no hiccups.

I quote my "success story" form XDA forum:

> I have successfully installed the `aosp_tilapia-7.1.2-ota-eng-20181112.ds.zip` on my Asus Nexus 3g 2012 (tilapia), I also installed `open_gapps-arm-7.1-pico` and `Magisk v17.3`. I installed your Android release, by using TWRP-3.2.3-0-tilapia, over the Asus original fully updated Lollipop. In fact the most tricky part was installing TWRP
>
> During installation the initial OS configuration failed, multiple times (I tried with reboots), just during the user account selection. Using the suggested `SetupWizardFixCrDroidNexus7.zip` fix, fixed the problem, and I was able to complete the device configuration.
>
> Finally: My Nexus is back to life, is very responsive, browsing and playing movies are very fast... I have not tried all the functions (not tried camera yet).
>
> With official Lollipop my Nexus was simply unusable, u-n-u-s-a-b-l-e, I used to think that my beloved Nexus was simply too old for the new applications. I think now that Asus(or Google, is a Nexus) released defective OS versions for manufacturer-planned-obsolescence
> 1 votes

# Answer
What I did to improve performance on My Nexus 7 2012 (Nakasi) was to Unlock Bootloader then flashed TWRP v3.3.0, then flashed Lineage OS 14.1 (Android 7.1.2 Nougat) via TWRP, Recommended GAPPS are "opengapps pico" (arm) and to root it I flashed Magisk v18 and now it took life. Performance improve like 90% now is pretty much usable. (it's April 16 2019) so belive me when I say it is usable and performance wise is awesome.
> 1 votes

# Answer
I recently got my Nexus 7 2012 usable and fast after 2 years resting in a drawer with rooted Lollipop using suggestions from this site (in Spanish) like disable all gestures at Language Input/Gboard and disable graphic animations in Developer mode.
> 1 votes

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Tags: nexus-7, performance, system-freeze
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# Question
Title: How to extract/backup your phone contact list and browser bookmarks (stock browser, not chrome)
*Android - how to extract/backup your phone contact list and browser favorites (stock browser, not chrome) - a modern **Samsung** smartphone.*

Hi, I am grateful for any replies (pls note that we always talk about a non-rooted device, and I have no desire to root it, & I have no desire to use the inherent google-backup methods):

1) How can I extract my entire **contacts** list in a way to be able to import it again to another similar Samsung phone? Any way to do it without using an App for it as workaround? If there is no way around an app, which app(s) would you suggest are considered to be very "safe" and 100% non-malicious?

2) The same question - this time for **calendar** items extraction?

3) Finallly the same question for my Android Stock *Browser bookmarks* (not chrome)? Both, the bookmarks which are available in the "Normal" browser mode, and the bookmarks which are separately stored in the "private" browser mode.

If you know also of a way to doing one of those 3 things but without the ability to import again to another phone, this is also very helpful. My prime interest is in backing up, and if I can import again to another Phone, even better.

Thanks for any technical explanations!

# Answer
> 0 votes
Depending on your intended recipient the Samsung SmartSwitch application can do everything you want.

It can back up contacts, calendars, applications and almost all other data.

It's primary use is in transferring files to a new phone, but it also has a mode to transfer data to a backup held on your MicroSD card.

In order to simply backup data in the current version you will see an icon representing a microSD card in the top right corner of the application when you launch it, next to the three dot "menu" icon.

On the next page you will see either a list of backups or "no backup" if this is your first. Tap the "Back up" button at the bottom of the page.

Tapping that will bring you to a screen that allows you to select contacts, applications and images (and so on) to back up.

Your Calendar and bookmarks are stored under those applications. If you connect to Google calendar and don't use the on-device calendars then you will have a warning telling you as much when you tap on the "\>" icon next to "Applications".

You can then transfer the backup to a new phone and use Smart Switch to restore it, or you can simply keep the history.

It also has a Windows version, presumably primarily intended as a backup tool.

# Answer
> 0 votes
The apps i'm going to propose are available through F-Droid. The name F-Droid refers to both A.) a repository for open source android apps and to B.) an android app used to browse, download, install an manage those apps on your android device. You might want to check out this tutorial for information on how to install F-Droid or apk-files downloaded from F-Droid. If you don't want to use F-Droid or sideload apps on your device, maybe you can find some of these apps in the Play Store as well.

# 1)

The Contacts app in android normally has a feature to import or export the contacts to a text file (.vcf). If it doesn't you can install this open source contacts app that can definitely do it: https://f-droid.org/app/com.simplemobiletools.contacts.pro

# 2)

This depends on how you store your calendar events. In Android, it is common to store the events in a certain calendar, usually tied to an E-Mail account, this can also be your google account. In these cases, the calendar events are stored online with your E-Mail provider and should be accesible from any device with that Mail account properly set up for calendar syncing. If there is a website where you can log in and check your mail, chances are there is a calendar function on that site as well. If you can log into your Mail account using a normal browser and find your calendar events there, they are already backed up to the server of your Mail Provider.

If you want a local backup of these Events or keep them stored in a local calendar on your device, https://f-droid.org/app/org.sufficientlysecure.ical can export and import your calendar events to and from .ics files. Note that the Android Calendar backend might discard passed events, in which case they cannot be exported using this method. If your events are stored in your E-Mail account, chances are that these passed events that are no longer displayed/exportable on your Android device are still available online and stay stored on the server of your E-Mail provider - Android usually just stops syncing these events and removes them from your calendar view.

# 3)

For the default preinstalled browser in android it is also possible to back up and restore bookmarks. From F-Droid https://f-droid.org/app/de.shandschuh.slightbackup can do it. Though, it should be mentioned that this app hasn't been updated a long time and might thus not work too well with modern versions of android. Since i don't use the bookmark feature i can't attest how good it works but giving it a try shouldn't hurt either - as long as you don't try to restore data before testing that nothing gets deleted or overwritten on the device where you want to restore you shouldn't lose any data by trying.

As you stated that you are using a samsung phone the browser will likely be custom made by samsung, so your best bet would probably be finding an export function built into the browser.

If the same circumstances described here apply to your browser app, your chances don't look very good.

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Tags: samsung, backup, browser, calendar, stock-browser
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# Question
Title: How to use external OTG webcam for video calls/conference/talks?
I am sorry if this is a dumb question. I thought this was an easy task, but either I am searching in the wrong direction or this isn't easy at all.

> I want to make a video call (like Skype, Skype fo Business, Jitsi ... whatever) using a (external) webcam.

Thats it. My phones (I have a few here, all different vendors from Samsung to 3chintsa) all have two cameras (front/back), which are working fine. I can call (video call), switch cams, conference call my cats - everything is perfect.

Additionally I have an external cam, which also works fine by itself. I can use "IP Webcam" apps, take fotos, make videos, use it as remote cam ... works flawless. Except one thing.

I want (reads: need to) use this camera as a ... camera. Within video calls (app doesn't matter, everything would be fine). But almost no app lets me change or chose the camera, except from switching front to back.

Why would I want to do that? We have a (surprisingly well done) "handsfree microscopic magnifier headset" that, so the idea, should be used as a "remote support assistent" helper, to guide people remotely fixing stuff. We (a non profit org) are trying to reduce our carbon footprint by no longer flying around the earth for visual diagnosis on our tech and/or guiding locals to fix things by themselves. Am I to far from reality here?

I couldn't find any app that lets me do that. What am I doing wrong?

I have tried:

* Skype
* Skype for business
* Jitsi (App)
* Duo
* IMO
* JusTalk
* KiK
* WebRTC
* Hubl

I am I missing something important here?

# Answer
Android 9 has native support for external cameras, but in order for it to work it should be implemented by the manufacturer, which according to anecdotal reports I saw online isn't done by most or even any of them. I just faced the same problem myself.

One solution is to patch the Android kernel on your device to turn on the support for the feature at the Hardware Abstraction Level (HAL). People have done it successfully, but you will lose your warranty and it's not easy to figure out.

Another solution is to take an open-source app and tweak it to support UVC cameras using an appropriate library. I've got an estimate from a highly experienced mobile developer that it'd take 40+ hours. There was a feature request made to add UVC-webcam support into Jitsi Meet for Android. You can follow the link and express that you need this feature too, maybe the maintainers will prioritize it.
> 3 votes

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Tags: applications, video, video-calling, webcam, video-conference
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# Question
Title: Why do I have an SD card but still no storage space?
I have a textbook Android tablet and an SD card, but when I try to download apps like Viber and other apps, they say I have insufficient space and my tablet is saying "Storage space is running out. Some system functions may not work".

# Answer
> 0 votes
The storage used to store apps is internal storage. Android doesn't allow apps to be installed on the SD card so no matter how big your SD card is. Your tablet will install apps in the tablet's internal storage. You can move apps to an SD card using App2SD or in the phone settings, but only apps that allow moving to SD will be movable. If the app doesn't allow App2SD, you can't move it.

There is some advanced workaround to use an ext4 partition on your SD card as a `/data` partition, but it needs to be enabled at the kernel level.

# Answer
> 0 votes
Android versions less than 6.0 don't natively support using an external SD card to 'extend' the internal SD card, therefore, only data can be moved to the SD card if it has been allowed by the app author.

To move this data to the SD card, you can go to Settings \> Apps and select the app which you want to move to the SD card, and press 'Move to SD'. If the option is greyed out, it means the author has not allowed 'moving to the SD card'. You can move the data back by pressing 'Move to phone'.

# Answer
> 0 votes
What I did was enable the Developers in settings, then scrolled down to enable the setting that says to override apps that don't allow transfer to SD card.

Every single app I have, including internal or the ones that came with my Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (well, most) are on my SD. My internal storage still says it's halfway full. But I believe that is Samsung in itself.

After enabling that setting, you will need to go into app info after installing the said app, then manually transfer from the device or internal storage to external or SD storage.

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Tags: internal-storage, external-sd, insufficient-memory
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# Question
Title: How can I forward a port when using PdaNet?
I'm using PdaNet to connect my laptop to the Internet. From there I'm using an ethernet cable and Internet conection sharing to connect my PS3 for online gaming. Works pretty good for most games, but one in particular will not connect to the server. I need to know how to adjust the router settings when (I think) the phone is the router. In particular, how can I forward ports and enable UPnP?

If this isn't possible, is there another setup i could use to get what I want? I've got my laptop running Win7 64 bit, a Belkin Play N600 router (not used currently), a stock LG axis AS 740 Android phone (2.1 OS) and the PS3. Oh, and the game I'm trying to play is Modern Warfare 3. I'm just not very tech savvy.

# Answer
> 0 votes
I had an almost identical setup with my phone-laptop-xbox. Windows ICS (called Mobile hotspot in Win10) was useless. I got ICS to work for a day or two with my Xbox but gaming on the Xbox was very poor and connections would drop every 5 minutes. Finally after a reboot of my laptop one day Windows wouldn't let me enable Hotspot when using PDAnet as the source of internet. I tried restoring Windows but nothing worked, Windows refused to recognize PDAnet's virtual adapter as a valid internet connection. I tried changing every setting and loading old drivers but Windows kept refusing to acknowledge an internet connection.

After a few hours of experimentation I came across Connectify 2018. Connectify takes the incoming PDAnet internet connection (or any other source of internet) and shares it via the WiFi adapter. It sounds awfully familiar to ICS but one major difference is it allows the WiFi client's connection to be bridged rather than the standard 'routed' mode that ICS only allows. I switched to bridge mode and the UPnP features for the Xbox all worked great and it has never dropped a connection while gaming. Connectify also displays connection details of each client. There are newer and older versions of Connectify but 2018 works flawlessly with Win10, my LG Note and Windows 10. It is available on TBP.

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Tags: networking, tethering
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# Question
Title: Found a not-so-locked Moto G5S Plus - need help to unlock & return it
I've been to a concert three weeks ago and found a Moto G5S Plus there.

I've waited for the owner to call - but they didn't.

The phone is not so locked. It has a (stock) screen lock, but it doesn't seem to be encrypted - I can reboot it and the apps start.

All I can see in the lock screen are app notifications, but with their content hidden.

I managed to check that there's a Google Play Services notification stating the Google account of the owner, but I've sent an email there without reply. My guess is they've just created the Google account for the phone, but use a different email address (if they check any, at all).

I see WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Behance, Messages & Uber notifications (there may be some others, I don't recall right now), but with their content hidden.

**How can I unlock the phone to be able to access WhatsApp/Messages/Contacts to contact someone who can contact me with the owner?**

I've tried calling their service provider, but they weren't able to find the IMEI on their users database. They've suggested me on the phone to try going to an actual store since they may have better info, but I didn't have the chance yet.

The phone doesn't have an SD card - so no luck trying to get something out of there.

There are no Emergency contacts set up.

I can access the camera without unlocking the phone. That allowed me to take a picture to a message stating a way to contact me, just in case there was any cloud backup setup - but I have not been contacted yet.

I was able to connect to a WiFi using the Camera to read a QR code. I wasn't able to connect to a password-protected WiFi network via the WiFi menu, but I could using the QR code. May there be any other QR action that I could exploit to help me?

It's a Movistar phone, from Argentina, if that makes any difference - but I'm expecting any workaround at the phone/OS level.

From the recovery mode, I could get the Android version is `8.1.0/OPS28.65-36-14/63857`. It also says `motorola/sanders_retail/sanders`, if that helps.

I've just found in HIBP that the user e-mail was part of the Canva breach \- but I couldn't find the actual leaked data on a really quick Google search.

Connecting via USB, `adb devices` won't show it. I managed to get `fastboot devices` to list the phone when I reboot it and stay at the bootloader - but I haven't found how that may help.

I also tried putting a working SIM card in the phone and calling it from another phone. The idea was to use the conference call option to try to access the phone's contact list. Even though the phone said it had cellular signal, the call didn't make it - so it may already be blocked at the telco level.

I'd appreciate any suggestions to try.

(Just in case: I really want to return it back to the owner. If I was trying to keep it for myself, I'd just factory reset it and call it a day. I also don't intend to violate their privacy - just to contact them)

# Answer
> 3 votes
It is possible that some useful contacts are saved in the SIM card, so I suggest you insert that SIM card in an another phone to access those contacts and attempt to contact them.

# Answer
> 0 votes
Just keep it online and make a note on your door/mailbox how one can reach you. Wait for the day the owner located the GPS position. if one can unlock the phone in front of you he/she qualified as verified owner

# Answer
> 0 votes
*Summary:* It sounds like you've done well more than expected of you, and should hand it off to the cell provider or other authorities. Not doing so might risk legal consequences.

How do you normally handle lost property in (I presume) Argentina?

Here in the US, for example, the concert venue often has a "lost and found" where you'd turn it in. And that's the first place the person who lost the phone would look. Beyond that, the cell carrier or the local police station. Again, those are places that someone who lost a phone might contact.

It sounds like you've gone above and beyond trying to find the owner. It's probably to late to give it to the concert venue, so I'd suggest just give it to the carrier (presumably even if they can't locate the owner immediately at the store, they'll hold it for a while and see if the owner contacts them). Which if the IMEI has already been blocked ("blocked at the telco level", as you put it), someone *has* already contacted them, presumably if you had turned in the phone immediately, it'd already be back with its owner.

I have no idea how naive that all sounds from Argentina; maybe it's obvious there that the store employee would just pocket the phone (I really don't know). But even if that's the case, there is another problem, for you:

I think your current approach risks getting you in trouble. Think of what it'd look like to a cop who for whatever reason doesn't like you: you took the phone from the venue, that looks an awful lot like stealing it. Now you're trying to break into a device you don't own, sounds like hacking... Will the cop believe you about trying to find the owner, or think that's just a story you're making up?

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Tags: lock-screens, lost-phone
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# Question
Title: How can I copy the email address of the recipient when I compose a new email in Microsoft Outlook for Android?
I am composing a new email in Microsoft Outlook for Android and would like to copy the email address of the recipient;

How can I copy the email address of the recipient when I compose a new email in Microsoft Outlook for Android?

# Answer
You can't copy email addresses that are already "formatted" as in your image when using Outlook for Android. While other email apps offer this basic feature, Microsoft simply does not implement it.

You must either enter the full email manually then copy it. Or search for the email (using the search tool), when found, click on the email address next to the envelope. A window will appear with "Copy" as an option.
> 1 votes

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Tags: outlook, copy-paste
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# Question
Title: How to remove apps from "all downloaded" in Play Store
In the new Android Market/Play Store (3.5.15) they have now got a list of "all downloaded" apps.

I have had an android phone for a good 2/3 years now and the list is huge, plus sightly more questionable apps which should have been lost in the ether of the internet have now been dredged back up to haunt me.

Can I remove apps from here?

Thanks

# Answer
~~No, it's not possible. The android market is plagued with issues like this one.~~

As of version 3.9.16 you can finally now remove applications from the "all" tab in the my apps list. You can even select several apps at once by long pressing one, then selecting the others.
These apps are removed from the Website too.

<sup> Source: Android Police</sup>
> 16 votes

# Answer
This was left as an edit to another post by an anonymous user, but should be its own answer.

---

Go to the Google Play app on your mobile phone and go to Menu -\> My Apps, then swipe across to All Apps. Delete the app from there using the symbol button on the right, and the app will also delete from the online Play Store list.

In order to delete several applications at a time, long-press an application until a blue top bar appears; then short-press some other applications, and you will be able to delete all selected applications by pressing the deletion symbol in the upper-right corner, in the blue bar. This is especially practical because you jump to the top of the list after deleting an application, and the list is only sorted by date of first installation—at least at this moment.
> 11 votes

# Answer
It is possible to remove multiple entries from the All list of apps with the new version of Google Play.

Long press on the first app to remove and a header bar will appear with a check mark and a delete symbol. Tap all the apps you want to remove and then tap the delete symbol.
> 2 votes

# Answer
Here is a bit more up to date description from Google Play Help:

> If you want to remove an app from showing on My Apps, touch the "X" to remove apps that you don't want displayed on the All category.
> 0 votes

# Answer
As of 2019-12-07 on Android 9 with playstore 17.8.14, one has to go to "play store -\> my apps & games -\> library -\> click on the X symbol next to the application you wish to remove.
> 0 votes

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Tags: google-play-store
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# Question
Title: How to set a non-default system sound in Pixel 4 Clock?
I replaced my Pixel 2 XL with a Pixel 4 XL (both Android 10), and when I try to set an individual alarm’s sound the only choices are:

* the default system alarm sound
* a custom sound from my drive (via `+ Add new`)
* the music sounds (Youtube, Pandora, etc.)

When I go to Settings -\> Sounds and Alarms, I can use the ‘Sounds’ app to select from a large number of system sounds.

**How can I have the same selection of system sounds I see in Sounds and Alarms in the Clock app?** I do not recall this ever being an issue on my Pixel 2 XL.

Things I have tried:

* resetting the Clock storage + cache
* changing the default alarm

# Answer
After a recent Google Clock update from the Play store the system notification tones are available again. The change list mentions 'bug fixes' without specifics.

The 'Sounds' app is still not accessible from the Clock app, but this is good enough for my purposes.
> 0 votes

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Tags: alarm, clock
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# Question
Title: Alternative way to perform factory reset
My friend's daughter was playing with the unlocking screen and of course she used up all the attempts and locked the device for good. Since this tablet was bought some time ago just for her amusement, no one remembers what was the google account they used - possibly a phony one created just for the purpose of using the device. This discards google recovery as an option.

It's a cheapo tablet sold here by Walmart under ONN brand. I did some research and have found it's being made by YiFang Digital and marketed as M7000NBD

http://www.yifangdigital.com/product/M7000NBD.aspx

According to the manufacturer, it's powered by AML8726-MXS Dual Core + Mali TM-400 and it's running Android 4.2. Unless it came like that from the factory, it's not rooted, and it has only 3 buttons: PWR, VOL UP, VOL DOWN.

My friend doesn't care about the data stored on this device and I offered to help thinking that I will be able to perform a factory reset the usual way. I was wrong.

When I use the PWR + VOL UP key combination, to enter Android system recovery, first thing that shows up after the boot is an Android figure with a red triangle and an exclamation mark. If I press the PWR+VOL UP again, the system recovery menu shows up but I can not navigate through its options. At least not using the VOL UP/DOWN buttons.

The only button that works is the PWR, but since "reboot system now" is the option selected by default, it's the only action I can perform from within this menu.

When the above failed, I thought about ADB as an alternative way. Unfortunately the USB debugging seems to be turned off so, as far as my limited knowledge goes, there is no way of running ADB shell in that case. For obvious reasons, there is also no way of switching it on.

Is there any other option to factory reset this device? Or maybe there is a way to make the system recovery menu respond?

If it makes any difference, I have a Windows 7 desktop and two notebooks running Windows 8 and Ubuntu 13.10 respectively.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I think you should take a look at fastboot commands. Fastboot works in bootloader mode even when phone is not switched on in Recovery or ROM or even if Android isn't installed on phone. In later case, bootloader can be accessed by certain button combination while powering on device; usually Power + Vol Down. Though ADB is more flexible, but in your case it is out of the question.

What you can do now is :
Step 1: Unlock the Bootloader
Step 2: Flash a Custom Recovery (like TWRP)
Step 3: Flash a custom ROM that you want
(For detailed steps and commands, visit: XDA-developers)

Beware that some original ROMs can't be flashed by custom recoveries that's why i suggested a custom ROM in step 3.

After that reboot your device and turn on developer options and ADB in that new ROM. Now you can reboot to recovery and access ADB to flash your original Recovery and ROM through ADB commands.

A bit lengthy but it has always worked for me.

# Answer
> -1 votes
I successfully factory reset my Android tablet. By doing the following.. once I got to the Android laying on it's back with the red coming out of it's belly so to speak I then repeatedly pressed the power the volume up button over n over and finally the factory reset options popped up

---
Tags: factory-reset
---


# Question
Title: How can I remap my camera button to switch back and forth between two apps?
For my work as a bicycle delivery man, I use the phone for navigation and thus often need to switch between the delivery app and Google Maps. I'd like to configure the camera key of my Cubot Quest Lite to do exactly that.

The functionality I want is exactly the one that happens by default when double-tapping the Overview button. Double-tapping is just annoying and hard to get right every time, so I'd like to switch this task to the mechanical camera button, since I don't use the camera anyway. I tried several remapping apps so far, including Button Mapper and Button Remapper, but none of them could override the camera function of the button.

From what I've read, rooting the phone should make literally everything possible, however I'd prefer to not mess around with this stuff as I don't feel confident. Is there anything else I could try?

# Answer
I still don't know how to make this work, but I ended up using the app Full Screen Gestures instead. It lets you configure actions for when you swipe inwards from the screen edges, and I simply configured it to start my desired apps on swipe, allowing me to effortlessly switch between them.
> 1 votes

---
Tags: applications, buttons
---


# Question
Title: Media volume is changed when on a phone call
I'm using Android Pie on a Samsung Galaxy S9 phone.

I noticed if I set the media volume down all the way to mute it that the volume is turned up a bit only while on a call.

If anyone is experiencing this issue, it would be appreciated if you can tell me if there are any settings I can access to stop Android from adjusting the media volume while on a call taking it out of mute mode.

# Answer
> 0 votes
There is indeed a different volume bar for when you are on a call. I think the easiest way to set this is to change the volume whilst on a call, this will save the settings for the next time you're on a call. If you want to change the settings before you go on a call just phone someone yourself and change the settings, they don't even have to pick up for you to do so.

This is of course not ideal and I'll change the answer if I find a app or so that can do this.

You can not however mute the sound from a phone call.

---
Tags: settings, calls, volume-control, mute
---


# Question
Title: How to stream an encrypted backup of the entire device to remote host?
I have an Android device that has no free space and no SD-card that I can replace (thanks to OnePlus policy). I also have no free space on PC to accommodate the backup so I wanted to upload it to the cloud. I have SSH and root access to the device. I also have a remote FTP server space (that I not trust, though).

I would like to make a password protected `tar` or `zip` file and upload it there. I'm not sure if a zip of `/` is sufficient for backup purposes.

The problem is there is no free space left on the device so I need to create the `zip` file on the fly and "stream" it to the backup server (it's SFTP on port 30).

I checked that the SSH, `rsync` and `zip` commands are available but I'm not sure how to do a full backup, encrypted `zip` compression and SFTP upload without writing to the disk.

How can I combine commands to do that while connected to the device over SSH?

# Answer
We have **authenticated** login, **encrypted** archive, **rsync** and multiple transport **protocols** (including HTTP, WebDAV, FTP and SSH/SFTP) in one tool: `rclone`. It supports **local filesystem** and a number of **cloud storage**. Additionally it does have all of the four mentioned **servers builtin**. It means that all you need on both sides is `rclone`. **No root access** is necessary either. If you want to **mount remote directory** (using `rclone mount`), however, that requires FUSE support and root access on Android.

`rclone` does have builtin encryption i.e. files on remote will be created encrypted. Also there are multiple authentication methods supported including username/password and RSA keys (with SFTP), but those are usually unnecessary when encryption is already there.

A simple use case:

**On server:**

Run minimal SSH server if not already running:

```
~$ mkdir -p BackupDir/Encrypted
~$ rclone serve sftp --user <username> --pass <password> --addr :2222 BackupDir

```

**On phone:**

Create obscure password:

```
~$ rclone obscure <password>

```

Create configuration file (use `rclone config` for simple steps):

```
# rclone.conf

[PLAIN_TARGET]
type = sftp
host = <server_ip>
port = 2222
user = <username>
pass = <obscure_password>
#key_file = /path/to/.ssh/id_rsa

[CRYPT_TARGET]
type = crypt
remote = PLAIN_TARGET:/Encrypted
filename_encryption = standard
directory_name_encryption = true
password = <obscure_password>

```

Copy test file to server without and with encryption:

```
~$ echo Hi >test_file
~$ rclone --config rclone.conf sync test_file PLAIN_TARGET:/
~$ rclone --config rclone.conf sync test_file CRYPT_TARGET:/

```

SFTP supports modification **timestamps**, WebDAV and FTP both don't. However **symlinks** cannot be transferred as symlinks, those are either ignored or original file is copied or `.rclonelink` file is created. A way to copy symlinks and all metadata including timestamps, **extended attributes** (like SELinux labels), and **ACLs** is to throw `tar` stream at `rclone rcat`:

```
~$ tar --xattrs -cpvzf - test_file | rclone rcat CRYPT_TARGET:/test_file.tgz

```

Similarly you can get back the file using `rclone cat`. This will also largely reduce **transfer time** (even up to less than half) particularly if you have large number of small-sized files. Adding reasonable **compression** to `tar` may even reduce space usage and time, but high compression can go wrong too. However this way **incremental sync won't work** and you need to `untar` to use files on remote. It's also possible (by some scripting) to find only changed files first by running `rclone check` or by passing option `--dry-run` to `rclone sync` command and then add those files to `tar` archive.

> I'm not sure if a zip of `/` is sufficient for backup purposes.

On Android rootfs `/` contains a number of directories and mount points - pseudo filesystems like `sysfs`, `procfs` and read-only filesystems like `system` and `vendor` partitions - which cannot be or don't need to be backed up. User settings, apps data and personal data is stored in `/data` partition. For details see Android Partitions and Filesystems and How disk space is used on Android device?.

So you can backup selected directories from `/data` or the whole partition at maximum. However, as mentioned by @alecxs in comment, if you intend to restore apps data (in `/data/data`), you'll have to minutely take care of files metadata - in particular UIDs/GIDs and SELinux contexts.

Say you want to backup whole `/data` partition, do:

```
~# tar --xattrs -cpvzf - /data | rclone -P rcat PLAIN_TARGET:/data.tgz

```

For ideas on how to dump complete partitions (block devices), see How to recover a deleted file from /data partition?
> 1 votes

---
Tags: root-access, backup, insufficient-memory, command-line, ssh
---


title: How do I switch google play accounts

text:
# Question
Title: How do I switch google play accounts
My Wife tried to do an in app purchase but instead of her gmail showing up her twin's did instead and needed her password as well how can it be switched so only her email and password can be used ?

# Answer
> 1 votes
There should be a page in the settings app called Accounts. All the accounts stored on the device will be listed there. To remove an account, tap on the account name and then tap the remove account button

See this link for more info Add or remove an account on Android

# Answer
> 0 votes
On the Google Play app menu, the account from which you are logged in is showing click on the downside button an from there you can switch accounts.

---
Tags: gmail, password
---


# Question
Title: Where does BlueStacks store my app's data (e.g. save game files)?
Where does BlueStacks install my apps and where does it store the data (e.g. saved game files) for those apps?

# Answer
> 2 votes
In Bluestacks 3 and 3N, apps are installed in various Android folders, such as:

* `/data/app` (stores APKs)
* `/data/app-lib` (libraries)
* `/data/data`
* and more.

`/data/data` also contains your app's data (such as save files, whether the app stores game progress locally). **You need to root the emulator to access those folders.**

`Userdata\SharedFolder` only contains files that you shared between Windows and the emulator.

# Answer
> 0 votes
Windows 7 or below:`<BLUESTACKS_DATA>\UserData\SharedFolder` By default, `<BLUESTACKS_DATA>` is `C:\ProgramData\BlueStacks`.

So **`C:\ProgramData\BlueStacks\UserData\SharedFolder`** is where you'd want to look.

Some Windows 10 installations put it here: **`C:\BlueStacks\Engine\UserData\SharedFolder`**

More info here: How to transfer files between BlueStacks and Windows PC?

# Answer
> 0 votes
Mine is located on Windows 10 for Bluestacks 4:

C:\ProgramData\BlueStacks\Engine\UserData\SharedFolder

---
Tags: storage, file-management, bluestacks
---


# Question
Title: How is system-as-root mounted in Android 9?
In Android 9, `system.img` consist of system and ramdisk. So kernel will mount `system.img` directly and implement `init` program. Next, `init` will parse `init.rc` file and mount remaining partitions based on `fstab` file. But, there is some thing in `fstab` file that I don't understand :

```
/dev/block/by-name/system      /      ext4    ro,barrier=1

```

Here, system is mounted as root in `fstab` file. I thought that `system.img` is mount before to execute `init` program but here, `system.img` is mouted again. Can someone explain this for me?

# Answer
> `init` will parse `init.rc` file and mount remaining partitions based on `fstab` file.

Not all partitions in `fstab` are mounted by `init` on boot. Exemptions include partitions managed by `vold` and those only meant for recovery mode, raw partitions (not mountable) and root partition.

> There is some thing in `fstab` file that I don't understand :
>
> ```
> /dev/block/by-name/system      /      ext4    ro,barrier=1
>
> ```

That `fstab` entry is incomplete because it doesn't include `fs_mgr` flags as per standard format. Complete entry should be like:

```
/dev/block/by-name/system    /    ext4    ro,barrier=1    wait,recoveryonly

```

On Treble devices (Android 8 and 9) *“devices can specify fstab entries for early mounted partitions using device tree overlays”*. An simple explanation can be found here. However *“In Android 10 and higher, devices must specify `fstab` entries for early mounted partitions using an `fstab` file”* and *“must place the `fstab` file in the `ramdisk` and in the `vendor` partition”*.

DTB is usually appended as blob to kernel binary and `fstab` entries are exposed in `procfs`:

```
~# cat /proc/device-tree/firmware/android/fstab/*/name
system
vendor

```

So on devices where `fstab` entries for partitions `system`, `vendor` and `odm` are in Device Tree Blob, `init` takes no action for these partitions on `mount_all` because `fs_mgr` flags include `recoveryonly`. You can comment out or remove the entry and the device should boot normally.
> 0 votes

---
Tags: mount, system, partitions, ab-partition
---


# Question
Title: How to put Google Store on Chinese Samsung Note10+
I'm currently living in China and decided to buy the Samsung Note10+ (has Android 9 installed) (had an iPhone from America beforehand), I did not know the headache that awaited me. I know no Chinese (Mandarin) and I can't keep asking my Chinese relatives for translations on my phone, so while I set the phone's system language to English, I still have no access to Google services at all.

I had tried installing Google Play store (ver. 17.5.16), Google Play Services (ver. 19.8.29), and Google Account Manager (ver. 6.0.1) from the AndroidAPKsBox site (used this site since apkmirror and other apk sites are blocked), all apks installed EXCEPT for Google Play Services which says the app did not install but with no error code. Is this the incorrect Services apk that I need?

Right now, VPNs are being blocked, even ExpressVPN so I'm not able to visit a lot of other helpful sites except this one. I know Google Play can't be fully utilized until the VPN starts working but I wanted to at least have all that I need on my phone so I can start using Google Play right away when available.

Edit: I just realized that there are a lot of differnt variants of Services that have different architecture and screen DPI. My Note has a Qualcomm so I assume I should choose the download that's made for ARMx64 chips with nodpi, correct?

# Answer
> 1 votes
I found a Google Play Services for Arm64 nodpi download here, I installed it along with my current Google Play store and Google profile manager and now I'm able to download Google Play store apps without issue. The biggest obstacle was getting the right Google Play Services download.

For anyone else in the same position, APK Mirror is a Godsend as long as you know which version you need (this article helped greatly) and make sure you download the compatible gapps.

---
Tags: samsung, vpn
---


# Question
Title: Why is not all traffic captured from my device when routing through proxy?
I have followed the guide here: Configure Fiddler for Android / Google Nexus 7 in order to redirect outgoing traffic from my Android device to go through Fiddler acting as a proxy on my desktop machine on my local network.

While using the browser on my Android device I can see requests logged in Fiddler for the websites I am visiting, which verifies that I have set up the proxy correctly.

However, when using certain apps I can see no requests being logged, even though information in the app is being actively updated over the network.

I have ensured that mobile data is turned off.

The following question is related: Android apps not working with HTTP proxy but in their case the apps are not able to connect to the internet and are showing errors. In my case the app I am using is able to retrieve information over the network with no problems, but I cannot see the requests being made in Fiddler.

I want to be able to analyze the requests sent between an app on my phone which controls a wireless thermostat connected to my LAN via wifi.

# Answer
> 2 votes
I recently answered in detail to question: How to set Wi-Fi HTTPS proxy, not HTTP, via adb shell?, trying to clear some confusions many of us (including me) have regarding how proxy works.

**DOES YOUR APP GENERATE HTTP TRAFFIC?**

Proxy usually means `http` proxy, but not all traffic generated by every app is `http` \- a Layer 7 protocol in OSI model. Email clients, for instance, use `IMAP`/`POP3`/`SMTP` (L6/7) protocols which won't work with `http GET` method, instead require `http CONNECT` proxies. Latter can only forward `TCP` traffic, for `UDP` at least `SOCKS5` proxy is needed which operates at L5. DNS and mostly games and VoIP apps generate UDP traffic, so they won't work with `http` proxies at all. `ping` utility - for instance - uses `ICMP` (at L3) which can't be encapsulated in TCP or UDP, so it won't work with SOCKS too and requires VPN.

See more details in Why proxy set on Android does not work when used as hotspot?

**DOES HTTP PROXY WORK WITH EVERY APP?**

Proxy is not meant to be set system-wide, or in other words you cannot force all apps to use the same proxy you have configured in Settings. Instead apps are supposed to make proxied `http` connections if they want to. Operating systems provide proxy-aware libraries (for `http` connections) as part of the SDKs so the developers don't have to take care of proxy related stuff separately. Such Android apps honor proxy settings set system-wide (but may still fall back to no-proxy mode if proxy fails for some reason).

Other OSes also use similar approaches to provide system-wide proxy settings through some GUI settings menu or using environment variables on CLI. Browsers and some other apps like email clients usually have their own settings as well to set proxy. However if the app/program is not proxy-aware, it won't honor any of the proxy settings at all. That's why when setting Wi-Fi proxy it warns:

> *"The HTTP proxy is used by the browser but may not be used by the other apps."*

Same holds true for proxy set through PAC file or in APNs (Mobile Data) or global proxy (meant for managed devices).

**Coming to your questions...**

> While using the browser on my Android device I can see requests logged in Fiddler
> ...
> However, when using certain apps I can see no requests being logged

The guide linked in the question suggests configuring Android WiFi settings to use proxy. As explained above, the browser would be proxy-aware, the "certain apps" aren't.

> I want to be able to analyze the requests sent between an app on my phone which controls a wireless thermostat connected to my LAN via WiFi.

* Make sure your concerned app is generating `http` traffic to be captured while sniffing on proxy. Otherwise use something at lower level - e.g. SOCKS proxy or VPN - for other protocols.
* Make sure the app regards Android's **global proxy settings** when making `http` connections. In case of `https` the app should be using `CONNECT` method in place of `GET`.
* If the app is not proxy-aware, you need to enforce proxy on phone and (in case of `https`) do forced / transparent SSL/TLS interception on proxy.

**Enforcing proxy** is possible by different methods e.g. by using SOCKS tunnel instead, and/or redirecting traffic towards a proxy server using some Layer 2/3 approach like VPN (`tun2socks`/`tun2http`) app or `iptables` (`DNAT`). Xposed modules like Inspeckage can also enforce per-app proxy by hooking into APIs.

Another approach is to use a local host (preferably Linux PC) as default gateway and set up proxy there to intercept traffic from any host on local network. In this way no proxy configuration is required on phone. It's also possible to setup packet analyzer tool like Wireshark in place of proxy on local network for traffic interception.

**DOES YOUR APP USE SECURE HTTP (HTTPS)?**

* If the purpose of proxy is DPI, logging, anti-virus scanning, content blocking, filtering or adaptation, you need to do SSL bumping / **MITM** on proxy server.
* MITM requires adding proxy's root **SSL certificate** to device's credential store (or the app should be able to ignore invalid certificate errors). But since Android 7, **user-added CAs** (as suggested in the linked guide) are no more trusted to establish secure connections. So you need to add the root certificate to `/system/etc/security/cacerts` (requires rooted phone). *"But app developers can choose to let their apps work with manually added CA certificates."* <sup>()</sup>
* If the app is using its own trusted credential store instead of that provided by OS, you need to add proxy's root CA to the list of CAs maintained by the app (if that's possible at all).
* If the app is using **SSL pinning** (as the Twitter app does), it won't trust any intermediate authority except its own self-signed root CA. You may try to disable SSL Pinning by taking control of related APIs. Xposed module SSLUnpinning can disable SSL pinning for JSSE, OkHttp and Apache `http` client libraries. But if the app uses some other libraries/APIs, you are again out of luck.

---
Tags: wi-fi, proxy
---


# Question
Title: I was checking my log of netguard ... and then I saw this ... is normal?
I was checking my log of netguard ... and then I saw this ... now im freaked

# Answer
ampproject.org is the website for the Amp project developed by Google and it is normal.

“Amp is a web component framework and a website publishing technology developed by Google which has the mission to provide a user-first format for web content"
> 1 votes

---
Tags: google-play-store
---


title: Why can't I get root access from shell?

text:
# Question
Title: Why can't I get root access from shell?
```
> adb shell
sh-4.1$ su
Permission denied

```

I have rooted my phone successfully. I know this because I'm able to install apps on SD card and I have a program called SD Maid that is able to operate with root permissions.

# Answer
> 14 votes
From here:

You might need to activate adb root from the developer settings menu. If you run adb root from the cmd line you can get:

root access is disabled by system setting - enable in settings -\> development options

root access is disabled by system setting - enable in settings -\> development options Once you activate the root option (ADB only or Apps and ADB) adb will restart and you will be able to use root from the cmd line.

# Answer
> 3 votes
Nowadays Magisk is commonly used for rooting.

I've found that on my Oneplus 5 (Oxygen OS, Nougat) it was sufficient to go to Magisk Manager app, open superuser permissions screen and toggle Shell (com.android.shell) to resolve the adb su permission denied problem.

# Answer
> 2 votes
There is an app on Google Play called *ADBD Insecure by Chainfire*. This app lets you run adbd in root mode if your device is rooted when running the devices Stock ROM. I just recently found out about this app.

The version on Google Play is not Free, but there is a free version available. The link to the free version is linked in the description of the application in Google Play.

What is great about this app, it works with Stock ROMs that have been rooted. If you are using a custom kernel, or a custom ROM, you probably won't need this application. But if you are still using a stock rom, just rooted, then you may want to get this application for your device.

> adbd Insecure lets you run adbd in root mode if your device is rooted. (Note that if you are running a custom kernel, it is likely that it already implements this functionality)
>
> If you are running a stock (made by the phone manufacturer) kernel on your device, chances are adbd is running in "secure" mode, even if you are rooted. This app lets you run adbd in "insecure" mode, which gives you root access in "adb shell", allows access to system files and directories through "adb push/pull", and lets you run the "adb remount" command to make your /system partition writable.

# Answer
> 2 votes
Enable root access for adb from the developer settings menu. Then connect your usb cable and type:

```
adb root

```

It should return

```
restarting adbd as root

```

Now relaunch the shell

```
adb shell

```

---
Tags: adb, linux, root-access, shell, command-line
---


# Question
Title: Restart adbd as shell user on a non-rooted device without rebooting after the "setprop" operation
The `setprop service.adb.tcp.port 5555` worked on my non-rooted device, now I need to restart `adbd` as the `shell` user :

```
$ adb shell
shell@android:/ $ getprop ro.build.version.release
4.1.2
shell@android:/ $ getprop service.adb.tcp.port

shell@android:/ $ setprop service.adb.tcp.port 5555
shell@android:/ $ getprop service.adb.tcp.port
5555

```

I tried this to restart `adbd`, but the PID of `adbd` didn't change :

```
shell@android:/ $ ps -C adbd
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     161   1     4724   308   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd
shell@android:/ $ stop adbd
shell@android:/ $ start adbd
shell@android:/ $ ps -C adbd
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     161   1     4724   308   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd
shell@android:/ $ exit
$ adb connect 192.168.2.27
failed to connect to '192.168.2.27:5555': Connection refused

```

Then I sent a `SIGHUP` to try and trigger a `adbd` restart, but all it did was to kill `adbd` and now I cannot connect via USB anymore :

```
shell@android:/ $ kill -SIGHUP 161
$ adb shell
error: device offline

```

So now I HAVE to reboot in order start `adbd` which I've accidentally killed.

After reboot I also tried `setprop ctl.restart adbd` but it didn't work :

```
shell@android:/ $ ps -C adbd
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     176   1     4720   300   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd
shell@android:/ $ getprop ctl.restart

shell@android:/ $ setprop ctl.restart adbd
shell@android:/ $ getprop ctl.restart

shell@android:/ $ ps -C adbd
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     176   1     4720   300   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd
shell@android:/ $

```

Can you help me restart `adbd` on my non-rooted device without reboot ?

# Answer
> 0 votes
In the specific context of setting the adb tcp/ip port, the `adb tcpip 5555` command does restart the `adbd` service.

As one can see the PID of `adbd` is changed after the `adb tcpip` command :

```
$ adb shell ps | egrep -w "adbd|PID"
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     3675  1     4720   300   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd
$ adb tcpip 5555
restarting in TCP mode port: 5555
$ adb shell ps | egrep -w "adbd|PID"
USER     PID   PPID  VSIZE  RSS     WCHAN    PC         NAME
shell     3800  1     4720   300   ffffffff 00000000 S /sbin/adbd

```

---
Tags: adb, 4.1-jelly-bean, services
---


# Question
Title: Is there any trick to set ADBD to work on TCP/IP on a non-rooted device?
What I want is to control a device from remote:

* turn display on/off,
* launch a specified application (clock),
* open a website.

On a rooted device, I've installed a SSHD app, then I logged in to the device:

```
su
setprop service.adb.tcp.port 5555
stop adbd
start adbd

```

Then I can launch `adb` on my computer, connect to the device and perform various `adb` commands.

*Can I do this on a non-rooted device?* I've found that `setprop` requires root access.

Or, *is there any app*, which have TCP/WWW interface to do such things? (I've installed an IP camera app, which have URL interface for turning the camera LED on/off, beside usual camera functions, e.g. make snapshot.)

# Answer
You can try this command, it restarts `adbd` on the android device after setting the tcp/ip port to the value you want (5555/tcp is a default) :

```
$ adb tcpip 5555

```
> 1 votes

# Answer
Try `adb shell` command. It gives you super user permissions in the connected device.
> -1 votes

---
Tags: adb, remote-control, remote-access
---


# Question
Title: What is an easy way to quickly transfer content (text, image, small files) between my galaxy note 10 and windows 10?
Very often I'd like to quickly transfer a bit of text that I have in the clipboard of my pc (windows10) or an image to my phone (galaxy note 10). Is there a way to do this in a convenient way - wirelessly?

PS: currently I use the windows telegram app with an extra second telegram account for my pc to transfer such little temporary data from my pc to my cellphone and the other way around.

# Answer
There are some apps, but i personally prefer to use Opera on pc and Opera touch in smartphone. With "My Flow" you can paste things there between phone/pc. Just scan the qr code once and your phone will sync with pc.
> 0 votes

---
Tags: windows, file-transfer, images, data-transfer, text-input
---


title: Where are APN configs saved in Android?

text:
# Question
Title: Where are APN configs saved in Android?
I want to know where exactly are stored the APNs that are **added by the user** on Android. I want to edit them manually using X-plore (or any other root file explorer).

I know that in `/system/etc/apns-conf.xml` are stored the APN that come preset with the device, but I'm looking for the XML file where the user added APN are stored instead.

# Answer
> 2 votes
I think it depends on your ROM .I recently checked mine and are in the following folder:

*/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/.*(telephony.db). You can try opening this .db file as text with a suitable file explorer and see if you can find them. (**These are apns in the ROM by default**)

**Edit**

I created a test apn manually and did a search, I learnt that its actually stored here: ***/data/data/com.android.settings/shared\_prefs/com.android.settings\_preferences.xml***

(This xml also contains a lot of information found in settings but if you use a keyword search to try and find your manual apn, it will be much faster)

Some of the carrier apns happen to be auomatically added when you insert a new sim card, corresponding to the country, that is why they are stored in telephony database,I reckon. I hardly enter these apns manually even when I change a SIM card.

# Answer
> 2 votes
When looking at a Pixel 3a device running Android 10 the location is `data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/telephony.db` `user_de` is the _**d**\_evice _**e**\_ncryption related user directory, use `user` instead if the phone does not support this

Not strictly related to the question about the user provided storage location, but this might be useful for people landing here after a search:

When looking in TelephonyProvider there are 4 different locations with increasing precedence:

* Default APNs: /system/etc/apns-conf.xml
* OEM APNs: /oem/telephony/apns-conf.xml
* OTA Update APNs: /data/misc/apns/apns-conf.xml
* Product APNs: /product/etc/apns-conf.xml

**Note:** In Android 10 the system partition cannot be mounted read-write. Use a Magisk module to change the APNs or update the APN under `/data/misc/apns/apns-conf.xml`. This path is writable after an `su`.

The APNs are finally stored in database `/data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/telephony.db`. Like mentioned above be flexible here about the `user_de` part.

Also take note that an `ApnSourceService` method was introduced in Android 10(?). This is a vendor specific implementation to lookup APNs. This is a not documented service. If this service is active all the XMLs will be ignored. Use a Magisk module to turn off this service if needed.

---
Tags: root-access, apn
---


title: Sd card and its directory

text:
# Question
Title: Sd card and its directory
My phone (a refurbished Kyocera Hydro Icon running non-rooted Android 4.3) shows storage info of a sd card in picture 1. What's the path of its mounting point?

The size matching in picture 1 and 2 suggests its directory is `/storage/sdcard0`.

But ES File Explorer shows the content of /storage/sdcard0 isn't empty after I unmount the sd card. Picture 3 and 4 are before and after I unmount the sd card.

I can't find the sd card in the back of the phone. See picture 5. Where is it? (Update: I found the 2GB sd card, it is a little black thing, a little vague to see in the picture 5)

Thanks.

Storage as shown in *Settings* (left) and *ES file manager*

`sdcard0` with both cards mounted (left, note the `internalSD` folder) and with the external card removed

There's an SD card inserted. Click the image for a larger variant if you don't believe

I've checked with `mount` and `df` while both cards are mounted, and with the external card umounted:

output of `mount` with the external mounted (left) and unmounted (click images for larger variants)

output of `df` with the external mounted (left) and unmounted (click images for larger variants)

# Answer
Checking your pics again: that device seems to have a weird mounting set up, which I've never seen before on an Android device. `/storage/sdcard0` indeed is your internal SD. But as soon as the external card is mounted, some kind of "overlay file system" seems to be initialized, blending it in with the internal card as if it were a single device. You can see that by the fact that, when unmounting, some entries from pic#3 disappear (pic#4; of course the files from the external card) while some remain (those on the internal card).

To find out where the external card is mounted physically, you can use the `mount` or `df` command at a terminal prompt: no root required for that, a simple terminal app will do or, alternatively, access via `adb shell` (see: and its tag-wiki).

---

**Edit:** After having collected `df` output with and without the external card mounted, the situation looks a bit more confusing. Here's what's happening in your case:

* the internal SD card gets mounted to `/storage/sdcard0`, as it should be.
* when the external card is inserted,
    1. the internal one gets unmounted
    2. the external card gets mounted to `/storage/sdcard0`
    3. the internal card gets mounted to `/storage/sdcard0/internalSD`
* when the external card is unmounted, things reverse again

So `/storage/sdcard0` never shows "empty", but the content "changes". Relevant parts of `df` output to confirm this:

```
# df run with the external card mounted:
/storage/sdcard0              1.9G …
/storage/sdcard0/internalSD   1023.7M …
# df run after unmounting the external card:
/storage/sdcard0              1023.7M …

```

Check with the sizes to confirm. Another proof is the `mount` output:

```
# mount with both cards mounted:
/dev/block/vold/179:65 /storage/sdcard0 vfat
/dev/block/vold/179:30 /storage/sdcard0/internalSD vfat
# after unmounting the external card:
/dev/block/vold/179:30 /storage/sdcard0 vfat

```

Here you clearly see the device (first column) mounted to `/storage/sdcard0` changes (which explains why I wanted the `mount` output in the first place). So no UnionFS: the output also clearly shows both cards using VFAT. Changing contents in the `/storage/sdcard0` directory are easily explained by the SD cards being "interchanged".
> 3 votes

# Answer
`/storage/sdcard0` is usually an "emulated SD card", in other words, your internal storage. Newer phones always have that "internal storage" which can't be physically removed from the phone, and serves as its "SD card", in a way that it stores apps and user data.
> 1 votes

# Answer
When running console under TWRP, external microSD card is: /system/sdcard1 works fine, but I just couldn't get to it through ADB. I'm using MIUI 8.5.3.0. Finally found it:

I suspect the name will vary, so do ls in /storage

it should show up something like

```
2ABC-1XYZ   <<< this is it
emulated
self

```
> 1 votes

# Answer
It was such a pain that the SD mount point is often different across android devices that I wrote this `awk` one-liner (works on my 3 android devices) :

```
adb shell mount | awk '/emulated|sdcard0/{next}/(Removable|storage)\//{if($2=="on")print$3;else print$2}'

```
> 1 votes

---
Tags: sd-card, mount
---


# Question
Title: What does waiting/clock icon next to a message mean and what if I delete message in this state?
When my device is not connected to any network (WiFi/Cellular data) and I send any message, I have seen a waiting/clock icon next to that message.

So what exactly does that mean? Is that message added to a queue for next batch process to inform server or something else?

And during that state (waiting/clock icon next to message) if I delete that message, will that deleted message still be delivered to the recipient?

Actually, I mistakenly sent a message to one of my contacts and luckily that time I was not connected to any network. After a few seconds when I realized this, I deleted that message. But I am not sure if it got deleted completely or it will get delivered when I reconnect to any network. I don't want that message to be delivered to the recipient, so I had disabled all networks on my device.

# Answer
The Clock icon means that you haven't sent the message yet. If you see a single tick mark it means that you have sent the message and it has been received by the WhatsApp server(but not the destined user) If you see a double tick mark, that means the message has been received by the recipient too.

If a message has a single tick with it, it can't be stopped from getting to the user. But if you sent a message when offline and deleted when the phone was offline I don't think the message will reach its destination.
> 1 votes

# Answer
Based on my experience, if you send a message with no internet connectivity (clock sign appears), it shouldn't go to their server. If you delete it for everyone, it should immediately get deleted. But what happens after is if you now turn your net on, the message goes despite deleting it for everyone.
> 0 votes

---
Tags: whatsapp-messenger
---


# Question
Title: Please help with Stock/Custom Rom for Bluboo s8a
I was trying to root bluboo s8a with TWRP following this tutorial When I reached step 2 of installing the ROM with sp flash tools, the ROM installed up to the end but the phone stopped powering (doesn't show anything). I tried downloading other customs ROMs for bluboo s8 but they were customized to be flashed with TWRP because they had no scatter files.

I landed on one custom ROM which I flashed into the phone with sp flash tools and the phone powered on and I could hear the sound when I press the buttons and when the phone is powering on but the screen shows a dark screen.

I would like to go back to the stock ROM or a working custom ROM. I took some screenshots of the settings of the About Phone before trying the rooting process.

About Phone (click images for larger variants)

**Update:** Now I have gotten some ROM from the seller's website. It's in a zip file with one .cpb file and a folder named dbs. The folder has two files. When I try flashing the .cpb file with QGDP, I get an error of `CPB Package is not complete`. How can I overcome this please?

# Answer
> 0 votes
I finally got another ROM version which was extracted into .img files to use sp flash tools. I flashed the ROM with sp flash tools and the phone worked again.

Tools needed:

1. Sp flash Tool
2. Firmware

The link to the stock firmware/ stock ROM file for BLUBOO S8a \_V27.20180314 is here

ps: credit goes to Rusya77@ Ruslan N and Samin Sikong

---
Tags: rom-flashing, custom-roms, stock-rom, flashtool
---


# Question
Title: How to find out which programming language the app is built?
I have to find out which programming language the app is built on.

How to detect it? Are there clear indicators for those languages?

# Answer
You can be pretty sure, but you first have to know all the technologies that can output Android APK.

If you know, export the app as an APK and extract it with any zip tool. Then check its content:

* If you see 1 class and `/assets` full of HTML content, then it's likely Phonegap / Cordova
* If you see folders named like Appcelerator or Titanium, then it's Titanium Appcelerator
* If you see something like a normal Android native structure, then decompile the APK using some online tool. When you do that, you'll be able to see if they used Java only or C++ (if you see a lot of .so files)
* If you recognize Kotlin language, then it's Kotlin. You'll see that the code isn't Java
* For other technologies, I am not sure but I'm pretty sure there must be something that identifies it.
> 1 votes

---
Tags: applications
---


# Question
Title: How to disable redmi note 7 recommended apps
Since one of the last updates, my phone has started showing me recommended apps when opening a folder on my screen.

How do I disable such behavior?

I tried following some guides online involving privacy settings, but it didn't help!

Apps recommendation:

# Answer
> 2 votes
It is the same as the "more apps folder promoted apps issue"

1. Open the More Apps folder (in your case Giochi?)
2. Tap on the folder name ‘More Apps’ or whatever you renamed it (tap on the Giochi as seen on the screenhot you provided)
3. Turn off the Promoted apps switch.

---
Tags: applications, disable-app
---


title: Storage location of "adb_keys"

text:
# Question
Title: Storage location of "adb_keys"
I have a Galaxy s3 (I9300) that has a broken touch screen (display is fine). I therefore can not click the authorization dialog that pops up when I try to access the device via `adb` on any ROMs above Android 4.2 as they require authorization to access the device via `adb`.

On 4.2 and 4.3 of the stock ROMs, I am able to copy my `~/.android/adbkey.pub` file from my machine to `/data/misc/adb/adb_keys` on the device via CWM recovery and gain access. I have tried this with `LineageOS 14` which is on Android 7.1.1 and I still don't get access. I am wondering where the `adb_keys` file is located on android 7.1.1 so I can do the same.

# Answer
Since Android 4.2 when public key authentication was added to ADB, up to latest release 10, there are only two possible locations for `adb_keys` on stock Android:

> On the device, vendors public keys are installed at build time in `/adb_keys`. User-installed keys are stored in `/data/misc/adb/adb_keys`.

So is the case with Android 7.1.1:

```
static const char *key_paths[] = {
    "/adb_keys",
    "/data/misc/adb/adb_keys",
    NULL
};

```

First one is only found on `userdebug`/`eng` ROMs. Also on debuggable builds, you can set `ro.adb.secure` to `0` to *"allow `adbd` to connect without authentication"*. However *"`user` builds filter out `PRODUCT_ADB_KEYS`, so no `/adb_keys` will be included"*. <sup>(Source)</sup>

So the RSA public keys added to `/data/misc/adb/adb_keys` should work. Make sure proper ownership (`system:shell`), mode (`0640`) and SELinux label (`u:object_r:adb_keys_file:s0`) are set on the file and restart `adbd` after adding key(s). Also check correct line endings (use `dos2unix`) after adding key(s) and make sure the right private key pair is available to `adb` server on PC. Path is `~/.android/` on Linux and `%userprofile%\.android\` on Windows, or add the key filename/directory to `ADB_VENDOR_KEYS` environment variable.

---

**RELATED:**
> 7 votes

---
Tags: adb, storage, authorization
---


# Question
Title: How can I see (and change) what sensitive notifications are?
Android Help says:

> ## Control how notifications show on your lock screen
>
> \[...\]
>
> Option 4: Hide sensitive content from notifications on your lock screen
>
> 1. Open your phone's Settings app.
> 2. Tap *App & notifications* and then *Notifications*.
> 3. Under "Lock screen," turn off *Sensitive notifications*.

However, I cannot find any information on what is actually considered a sensitive notification.

So, how can I see (and possibly change) what sensitive notifications are?

# Answer
> 4 votes
**The notification's sensitivity (visibility) is set by the developer, but can be overridden (to some extent) by the user.**

There are 3 types of notification's lock screen visibility:

1. Public: not sensitive, the full content is always shown on the lock screen
2. Secret: never shown on the lock screen
3. Private: sensitive, only the basic info (title and short content) is shown, but the full content is hidden

By default, all notifications are private (sensitive) unless overridden by the developer.

Changing the "On the lock screen" setting affects all notifications:

1. Don't show notifications at all: all notifications are treated as secret
2. Show all notification content: all notifications are treated as public
3. Hide sensitive notification content: all notifications are treated as private, except for public notifications.

The user can also control per-app notification visibility, either from the app itself or from the Android system (general setting on Android 7.1 and below, or more fine-grained using notification channels on Android 8.0 and above).

Though, based on self-experiment, it's impossible to override per-app notification visibility to higher visibility than the general lock screen's setting. (e.g. when the lock screen is set to "Don't show", setting per-app to "Hide sensitive notification" does not work and instead will not show any notifications).

---
Tags: notifications, lock-screens
---


# Question
Title: Is it possible to do DNS resolution based on connection?
On my Galaxy Note 2 phone (Android of course), is it possible to edit the `hosts` file so that it resolves `example.com` to a public IP BUT resolves it to a local private IP if connected to WiFi with a specific SSID? That is when connected to home WiFi, it should resolve a domain name to a local server on the LAN, but anyplace else it should resolve it to the public IP.

I'm guessing it'd be hard at the very least, if it's even possible, but do I have any options here (either `hosts`, or some other way)? I've got shell access, and root access, so I can edit pretty much anything that needs to be.

# Answer
> 0 votes
DNS resolver always consults local `/etc/hosts` file before sending DNS query to configured name server (see details in How does Android OS do DNS name resolution?). So this approach cannot work based on connection.

The possible method is to run a DNS server on that specific network and configure DHCP server (mostly your router) to send local DNS server's IP address in response to DHCP requests. Configure DNS server to always resolve a domain name to a fixed IP. Or you may resolve the domain name to required IP using a VPN app temporarily (it's less hassle than editing `hosts` file every time). See linked answer for details.

---
Tags: wi-fi, networking, dns, hosts
---


# Question
Title: unable to remove google account from lenovo vibe p1 m
I have added my gmail account in my lenovo vibe p1 option m mobile phone but I am not getting any option to remove the account from the mobile. I searched in settings-\>Accounts but no such option is given. Please help

# Answer
Go to setting \> google \> tap the account u want to remove \> then tap the recent page button (square shape ) 3 times then remove option will be shown !
> 2 votes

# Answer
Go to Settings - Accounts - Google, this should put on a menu with your account at the top and all the sync options under it. Tap the 3-dot overflow menu in the upper right corner and select Remove Account.
> 0 votes

# Answer
to see the REMOVE ACCOUNT option, you need to long press the menu button on the phone. it will do the trick.
> 0 votes

---
Tags: 5.1-lollipop, lenovo
---


# Question
Title: How can I transfer all carrier settings from an existing phone to a new phone?
I have been provided a device for a telephone carrier that cannot be joined automatically. When the Sim is inserted into another phone, it cannot find/connect to the network. Due to the nature of the network I am on, and given I was supplied the phone from the telephone carrier, I believe its customized in some way.

I want to use this network and sim card, but on a better phone (Razer Phone 2).

Is there some mechanism I can use to transfer all settings from one phone to the other, including whatever secret settings the carrier may have setup prior to handing out the devices?

# Answer
> 0 votes
You should be able to go to settings, find your settings for you sim (APN) settings and from there be able to copy these settings to your new phone.

I am assuming your current device is an android device. On my phone (OPO5T) I can simply go to settings-\>Wi-Fi & internet-\>SIM & network-\>(My sim card)-\>Access Point Names.

# Answer
> 0 votes
On my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge to do all these things I would simply go to Connections -\>Mobile Network-\>Access Point Names-\>Select your carrier-\> click on the 3 vertical dots and a dialogue box is opened-\>Click Save -\>email the settings-\>open your new mobile and access your email-\>copy all the settings and paste it on your Razor Phone 2 APN(Access Point Name)

I hope this helps you! :)

# Answer
> 0 votes
Razer phone 2 will not work on Verizon CDMA/LTE

Many Prepaid Carriers will not let you use unlocked phones.

You have to verify it on their site: Looking for a "Bring your own phone" option.

Pending that checks out

1. Insert Card
2. Settings - Connections -\> find "Mobile settings --\> APN/Access point names"
3. Top right \[New\]
4. You have to fill in these blanks: You will have to google "LTE APN settings ATT/Tmo/etc.."

---
Tags: sim-card, data-transfer, apn
---


# Question
Title: TWRP: Could not mount /data (even after format data / change file system)
I'm trying to root a Vernee M5. I installed TWRP - which worked - and tried to use it to install Magisk - which didn't work (my guess is because of encryption?).

Now the phone always boots into recovery/TWRP and I want to install the factory ROM so I can try rooting it again.

However, using TWRP to install the ROM fails with the error:

```
[...]
Updating partition details...
Failed to mount '/data' (Invalid argument)
...done

```

Rebooting the device opens TWRP again.

I tried Wipe -\> Format Data -\> yes, which also fails:

```
[...]
Updating partition details...
Failed to mount '/data' (Invalid argument)
...done
Unable to mount storage

```

I also tried Wipe -\> Advanced Wipe -\> Data -\> Repair or Change File System. Changing the file system fails with the above error message. Repair also results in an error:

```
/sbin/e2fsck -fp /dev/block/mmcblk0p48 process ended with ERROR: 8

```

Some additional info: TWRP is not asking for a password anymore when booting. Internal Storage is shown as 0mb on "install", but it does still contain a folder structure. The console also shows that full SELinux support is present & MTP is enabled.

How can I fix these errors and install the factory ROM?

# Answer
> 2 votes
While formatting with twrp results in an error, formatting with fastboot worked for me:

* start phone, which will boot into twrp
* reboot -\> bootloader
* `fastboot format:ext4 userdata`. This will of course delete all data from the phone.

---
Tags: rooting, rom-flashing, recovery-mode, twrp
---


# Question
Title: Paid app accidentally deleted and now can't re-download: says I "already own" the app
I paid for and downloaded an app from the Play Store. Afterwards, I accidentally deleted this app with Titanium Backup instead of a different app that I intended to delete instead.

Now, when I go to Play Store, it shows the deleted app as installable, and I try to install it again. It prompts me for payment info, which I enter, even though I paid for it once before (I don't mind paying twice, if I have to). But then, Google rejects my installation attempt and says that I "already own" the app.

I'm stuck, because now I can't re-download or re-install the app. How can I tell Google that I want them to either (1) accept my second payment and let me install the app again, or (2) make the APK available to me again because I already paid for it?

To be clear, I am quite willing to make a second payment. This is not about the money. I just want to re-install the app that I accidentally deleted.

# Answer
> 6 votes
Well, I figured it out ...

1. Go to https://play.google.com/apps
2. Log in with the same credentials that are used on my device
3. A list of all my installed apps is shown. Find the deleted app and click on its icon
4. An "Installed" button shows up. Click on that button
5. A window pops up with an "Install" and "Cancel" button. Click on the "Install" button.

This caused my device to start downloading and installing the app. Now it has been successfully re-installed.

Problem solved!

PS: It would be nice if Google allowed us to perform this same function from the Play Store app on our devices, so we don't have to go to a browser and access https://play.google.com/apps.

---
Tags: google-play-store, installation, apk
---


title: How to root Tecno WX3P?

text:
# Question
Title: How to root Tecno WX3P?
I have Tecno WX3P phone. I would like to change the font of my phone but it just won't do so. I'm told that for me to be able to change its font I should root it. But I don't know how to root my phone.

How to root Tecno WX3P?

# Answer
The following description is rather generic. It should just give you the right key words to use a search engine to find the matching information. This link using the MediaTek specific SP flash tool looks promising: wx3 (The SP tool is a MediaTek world specific way to flash images to a phone)

# Classical approach

* Install the Android SDK or something where the `adb` cmd line tool is included
* Go to the settings -\> About / Info -\> Search for "Build number" (maybe buried in sub menus like software information)
    + Tap it 7 times to enable the developer options
* Go to the settings -\> Developer options
* Enable developer mode
    + Enable USB debugging
    + Enable OEM unlocking
* Boot into fastboot `adb reboot fastboot`
* Unlock phone `fastboot oem unlock ...` (Here there might be some other steps necessary like entering some special code e.g. some kind of `fastbooet oem <oem specific command>` -\> entering it to the OEM web page -\> `fastboot flash <some binary>`)
* Install a custom recovery like TWRP (there are different versions for each device, for you problem this one might work: TWRP X3)
    + Note that TWRP does not currently work with Android 10 (status Dec. 2019). The way partitions are working and the mounting of `/system` has changed.
* Download SuperSU (not all version are working, also newer releases ) and install SuperSU to get su (and so root access) from within TWRP

# Newer Approach

* Do the same like above and stop before installing TWRP. Maybe you do not need to install it, but just run it once with `fastboot boot twrp <device specific name>.img` to use it for installing the Magisk zip.
* Use Magisk
    + Get the zip from downloads
    + There are easy ways like directly booting this with `fastboot`, sometimes a "build image patching" is required (e.g. under Android 10)
> 0 votes

---
Tags: rooting
---


# Question
Title: How to pull data from internal memory on an unrooted phone?
Yesterday, I suddenly discovered that I had lost all the user files on the internal memory of my android phone. All my photos, my music, my PDFs, audio recordings, everything. I will explain the events leading up to this in a separate paragraph **below**.

I have a Lava Z90 phone and I do not use an external SD card, so I must work with my phone to recover all data. I've been googling and following stuff I get from the internet(including Stack Overflow). Here's what I have done so far.

1. Tried using photo recovery apps available on Play Store. None of them worked.
2. Decided to go more technical. Enabled USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking from Developer options in my phone. Then I used ADB pull command, `pull /dev/block/mmcblk0 /home/data.img` to try create an image of the entire internal storage so I can analyse it using PhotoRec. It says `pull: not found`
3. I assumed this is because my phone isn't rooted? I tried to root it with the KingoRoot apk but that didn't work. I have Ubuntu on my PC and there is not KingoRoot for Ubuntu. My next step would be to use Wine to run KingoRoot on my machine and try to root my phone that way.

I have the following questions:

* How can I create an image, a data dump of my entire internal storage that i can later analyse for my data?
* Can I do it with an unrooted phone? If not, how can I root my phone with ADB?
* Am I going about this right? Is there a better, easier way to recover data that I should use instead?

Thank you very much.

**How I lost my data**

I recently uninstalled the TikTok app from my phone. Yesterday I connected my phone to my PC over mtp and found that there were certain leftover folders on the internal memory. One was a folder with Chinese name, one was a folder called ByteDance and one folder called Thumbnails. I assumed that the first two were leftovers from the TikTok app and the third was mere thumbnails. So I deleted them to save space. Nothing happened that day, except that I couldn't access any of my WhatsApp images through WhatsApp(they were still accessible through the gallery). However, when I woke up the next morning, all my data on the internal memory was gone. I still have contacts my messages and my settings, just that everything that was accessible through the file explorer has disappeared.

# Answer
for Mediatek devices do following:

if your device is encrypted

* get a temp root shell with mtk-su
* dump your decrypted userdata partition `/dev/block/dm-0`
(this will take ~25 GB/h)

```
sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb extundelete testdisk
adb push mtk-su /data/local/tmp/
adb shell chmod 0755 /data/local/tmp/mtk-su
adb shell /data/local/tmp/mtk-su -c "cat /dev/block/dm-0 2> /dev/null" > userdata.img

```

if your device is not encrypted

* switch off device, remove battery (if possible)
* install VCOM preloader drivers (Windows)
* find a scatter file for your ROM
* download SP Flash Tool (Windows)
* do a read back of userdata partition (SP Flash Tool)

**once you have a ext4 disk image of userdata:**

* open userdata.img with testdisk (linux)
* copy deleted files, or
* scan the whole userdata.img with extundelete (linux)

```
testdisk userdata.img

```

> \[Proceed \]
> \[None \] Non partitioned media
> \[ Advanced \] Filesystem Utils
> (press Enter 3x times)
> \[ List \] List and copy files
> (deleted files are colored red)
> a to select all files
> Shift + C to copy the selected files
> (select destination folder)
> C when the destination is correct

```
extundelete userdata.img --restore-all

```

> (check folder `~/RECOVERED_FILES/media/0/`)
> 2 votes

---
Tags: adb, recovery-mode, sd-card, data-recovery
---


title: Battery drains when phone is turned off

text:
# Question
Title: Battery drains when phone is turned off
I have a used Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini GT-I8190. When I shut down the phone the battery still drains. The longer I leave the battery in the shut down phone the more charge it looses. Typically the battery looses between 1% and 2% charge per hour when inside the shut down phone. After a few days without turning the fully charged phone on the battery is completely dead so that I cannot turn on the phone again without charging first.

I don't know the previous owner and cannot ask them if they had the same problem.

### Things I tried so far:

* Tried to spin the battery on a table to see if the battery is bloated. The battery did not spin at all. Its completely flat on both sides.
* Removed the fully charged battery from the phone, let it sit outside for a few days, put it back in, turned on the phone to read the battery level: The battery was still full – so the battery shouldn't be the problem.
* Bought a new battery from another vendor anyways and did the same tests as before.
* Factory reset (multiple times)
* Update to the latest available OS (Android 4.1.2) provided by the vendor.
* Update to the latest available custom ROM (Lineage OS 14.1 / Android 7.1.2).
* After the factory resets and after flashing I did not install or customize anything apart from the following things. Of course, they had no effect since the phone was turned off — I read about these things in some forums and tried them anyway.
    + Only on the vendor's OS: Stop the pre-installed Mail service (even though I didn't sign into anything).
    + Turn off everything (Wifi, GPS, ...)
    + Enable (extreme) power save mode

Neither did I insert a SIM card nor an SD card into the phone, so these two can also be ruled out as the culprit.

### Question

Why does the battery drain when the phone is shut down?
Can I do anything about this?

# Answer
This is not a definitive answer but most likely cause IMO based on my experience with a Note 2 exhibiting similar symptoms.

You did a thorough job of investigating the causes and this pretty much rules out as the common culprit in such cases.

That leaves with one possibility - hardware. Something in the hardware is causing electrical drain. This needs to be investigated by competent people. In my case, it was rainwater seeping through ear phone port that corroded the motherboard. Cleaning with alcohol and drying reduced the drain but not significantly as the corrosion was deep.

The cost of investigating and replacing hardware is significant and in your case, you are not the first owner, so it may not be worth it. My suggestion would be to use it as it is for as long as you can.
> 0 votes

---
Tags: battery, charging, battery-life, samsung-galaxy-s-3-mini
---


title: Cannot disable OEM app

text:
# Question
Title: Cannot disable OEM app
My new Jasper phone has a persistent app from the original manufacture which keeps popping up. Without rooting the phone, how can I disable or remove this app? Dragging it to "remove" doesn't persist as the app comes back on its own.

Can I get back to some stock version without the OEM apps?

*I have already disabled the app, but it keeps respawning so that the icon populates to the home screen.*

# Answer
Apps are disabled in Settings - Apps...

Go to your Settings - Apps and press the 3-dot menu button and Show System, find the app in question and tap it open in the list, then select Disable. If there is no Disable option, then the app is set by the OEM to not be able to be disabled.
> 1 votes

# Answer
You should be able to disable it by touching and holding the app on your Home Screen and dragging over to the 'App info' button and clicking on disable. If the 'disable' button is nonexistent or is greyed out, then rooting the device will be the only solution.
> 1 votes

# Answer
You could try the adb solution i.E here to remove without root. Or you could get a stock firmware form the zte website an flash it with odin. But i could not find this model at zte nor xda.
> 1 votes

# Answer
Try this way:

1. Connect device via ADB
2. Go to ADB shell

```
adb shell

```
3. Find your target app by listing all the apps

```
pm list packages

```
4. Remove app like this

```
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.inputdevices

```
> 1 votes

---
Tags: applications, 6.0-marshmallow, root-access, settings, malware
---


# Question
Title: How to permanently disable or remove preinstalled apps?
I have an older Google Nexus 4 (by LG), running 5.1.1 Lollipop (latest supported version). I want this to be my daughters first smartphone, and want to lock it down as much as possible.

So besides my own user account on the device I created a second user account for her. I installed the apps she should be able to use, but want to restrict others.

So I went on and disabled all apps she should not be able to use. However, all disabled apps keep re-appearing on her account after a day or so.

I went on and disabled automatic app updates on my own user and on her account, then went on and again disabled all apps on her account, but they keep re-appearing.

Question is: How can I permanently remove apps (especially the pre-installed apps like YouTube, Google, News, GMail, Hangouts, Play Books Play Music etc.) from her user account?

Rooting the device is not an option.

# Answer
Try this way:

1. Connect device via ADB
2. Go to ADB shell

```
adb shell

```
3. Find your target app by listing all the apps

```
pm list packages

```
4. Remove app like this

```
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.inputdevices

```
> 0 votes

---
Tags: applications, accounts
---