text:
How to hide winrar or other apk files in general?
I have stored some important files in my android phone in rar format. I've hidden these files in .nomedea folder. I've also enabled password for these files via win rar. The problem is for opening these files I need a rar explorer app. But my friend always delete this app. I tried hiding the app with other apps like applocker but the problem is when my friend uses shareit he can see all the apps. I don't want the rar app to get discovered because knowing the presence of suspicious apps can let my friend know about the importatn hidden files and he'll fist off delete all the suspicious apps. I tried to put the winrar apk file in .nomedea folder, thinking I'd install it every time I need it and uninstall it, but it shows up in file explorer's APK folder.
Another problem is that when we switch on the hidden files mode of the file explorer and simply search. all the hidden files are shown. And the worst happens if we search .apk, .rar or .dil or other extensions, the most important files show up easily on the top.
So the question is,

How do I hide the WinRar apk file in my android phone such that no one else can in any way find it.

P.S: I can't root the phone yet because it will invalidate the guarantee period.

I'm confused about your relationship with your friend, why they are freely messing with your phone... and about your suspicious apps... and WinRAR APK file (did you put an APK inside a RAR file?). The simplest is to rename the extension to something uncommon, like .xyz or anything you want.

@AndrewT. My friend has some mental problem. I didn't put the apk file in rar. I archived some video and audio files via Winrar and set password to them. My friend was deleting some of my songs which he doesn't like so I found the most geeky way to hide them from him. But still this method require Winrar which he deletes too.

Probably the simplest workaround is to rename the extension of the RAR file to e.g. .xyz, or .exe, or even .txt (but you need to rename the file back to open it)

This is what I have done recently. I renamed the Winrar to xyz.dll. I actually gave it such a name that it seems to be operating system's important file. Renaming the RAR file won't work because I still would have to extract it with winrar. Instead changing the extension winrar.apk itself solved the whole issue.

In the first comment it is  "...I found the most geeky way to..."

Disable your default file manager, install ES File Explorer or MiXplorer file manager app. Both of them can create an archive in ZIP, 7z and TAR format and supports encryption as well. Both of them can also hide the file inside them, so search feature of those apps wouldn't list any of the hidden files.

Which Android version and device is it? Does the device not support creation of a secondary user? Why not create a separate profile/user for your friend?

@Firelord I am using Yu yuphoria android lollipop. It has a default file explorer. I didn't know that separate user profiles can be created in android.

See http://www.greenbot.com/article/2949981/android/how-to-add-change-or-delete-users-in-android-lollipop.html


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Automatically data and wifi are being activated
few days ago my lg e420 with android 4.1.2 version had to be restored due to following few problems, firstly its data services and wifi settings get automatically activated. By this the battery life is rapidly decreased. When i switch them off by myself,all happens again by itself..is there any solutions,? Please help me.

If I understand your issue correctly and you are on the stock ROM, you should be able to fix it by going to Settings>More>Mobile Networks and disabling something called connections optimizer.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

sort: votes


text:
compass in Google Maps stopped working (Xperia V CM 12.1)
In the Google Maps app the compass of my Xperia V (model identifier: LT25i | codename: Tsubasa) doesn't work properly anymore (only 180 degree flips).
To be more precise the compass already stopped working in Google Maps a while ago when I still was on CyanogenMod 11 M12. At the beginning everything was fine then it suddenly stopped working (I assume due to some update of the Google Maps app... unfortunately I can't tell any exact version number).
I hoped it would work again after updating to Android Lollipop (custom ROM based on CyanogenMod 12.1) but it didn't (even after a complete wipe and reinstalling).
I guess the problem is not due to a hardware failure because I tested it with two different Xperia V phones and the problem occurs with both of them.
In other apps the compass works as it should (OsmAnd, GPS Status & Toolbox) but in Google Maps it only makes 180 degree flips which makes orientation very difficult. I've found a lot of similar complaints on the net regarding other phone models (as early as 2011) like this one but couldn't find any useful information regarding my case.
Does anyone experience the same problem? And more importantly, does anyone know a workaround or something?

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
How to solve "application can not be installed" error
I am facing an application can not be installed error on my Samsaung Galaxy S Plus whenever I try to install applications. I have already allowed installation from unknown sources, but it didn't work. It still have a lot of memory space although my phone has no SD card.
Can you suggest some solutions to solve this? Thanks in advance.

Have you already restarted your phone since you got this error?

And what is the complete error message? Is there more to it than just "cannot", maybe some reason given?

If your locale and UI language on the phone is not set to english, change it to english and try again.

Did you see this?

First, make sure you have sufficient internal memory (that should be more than just the app size, because app needs to store data too). The storage for apps is different from internal mass storage. You can find it under Settings > Storage, look for the Applications label.
Also, if the app is, say 20 MB, keep at least 50 MB free, because apart from the app storage, Android also tends to slow down when short on internal memory.
If you're trying to update/overwrite an installed app, try removing it first. source.
If that didn't work, try this solution. It is aimed at Titanium Backup, but I guess it might work for other apps too.

There might be mainly these two possibilities
1) either the device didn't have the sufficient memory
2) ADB Connection Time out error
To solve
1) clear you temporary memory, un install application or clear un wanted cache
2) go to preferences->Android->DDMS and increase you ADB connection time out according to your need mine is 11000

That happened to me when I was trying to test on a real device an unsigned app that I built, maybe that's the case.
If you're a developer, sign the app before testing it.

I'm getting Minecraft:Pocket Edition can't be installed on USB storage or SD card. ...Error code -18. While upgrading the installed version from Google Play.  Samsung tablet, Android 4.4.2. More than 2G of memory available, uninstalled, rebooted, cleared cache,prayed to moon.. My kid is upset, appreciate any help!

i had same error on my HUAWEI phone and it solved when I changed Default install Location on SD card.

Thanks for sharing, bijan! Could you please clarify: Did you change that settings so apps get installed on SD card now, or the other way around?


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How to get emergency mode in LG E455?
I can't boot my phone but I can see the lg logo.
So my question is how to get emergency mode in LG E455?

(Correctly) using  the recovery-mode tag for that: have you checked with its tag-wiki?

According to this link, you can reach recovery by holding the power button and the volume button for a few seconds when the phone is turned off completely.
From there you'll probably be able to reset your phone to factory defaults to make the phone bootable again. This probably means losing all user data stored on the phone. If a factory reset does not help, you might need to download your ROM (=Android version of your phone) from the Internet and install it using the recovery. If you can't do this in your recovery or you can't get it to work, I recommend you contact LG support.


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Disable email syncing on public wifi
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini.
I have enabled active email syncing every 15 mintues cause it's obviously useful. However, I would like my password to remain safe when logged in to a public wifi that I may require temporarily when in a restaurant or airport. In other words, to suspend automatic syncing when using such unsafe networks ; sync only on trusted networks or when on roaming. Is there any way to configure that ?

Are you on public wifi a lot?  I would recommend using a VPN service, so turn that on when on public wifi then you won't have to worry about this.  As far as I know, there isn't a way to make the app only sync when connected to trusted wifi networks, unless there is an option for it in the app's Settings...?

No such option in the settings as far as I can see. As far as I know, VPN changes your IP and location. I assume from what you say that it also encrypts data, is that correct ?

It will create a secure encrypted connection between your device and the server you are connected to, and send all network traffic in this protected manner.  Your IP and location will change based on the VPN service you use/where you are connecting.  I use ExpressVPN personally, but there are many other services out there.


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What does syncing do?
My samsung galaxy s4 mini offers two syncing methods : Samsung syncing and Google syncing.
My phone has important notes in the standard built-in app "S memo" and important recordings in the built-in voice recorder.
Does any of these two syncing methods sync this stuff ? Under "app syncing" maybe ?
If so, does that truly mean I can retrieve it if I lose my phone and buy a new Samsung (resp Android) phone ?

I can't speak to the apps your using but in general I'll audit/limit network traffic with a firewall just to be safe. As you've not specified if root or not I'll suggest two that I've had good experiences with.
NoRoot Firewall uses a neat trick with Android VPN built in options to allow for both logging and blocking network access; per interface (cell antenna or WiFi) and per application.
AFWall (root required) uses iptables and a fancy user interface to allow for even finer grain control.
Do be aware that blocking apps that require network access, such as a browser, will break the apps' features until unblocked. But using either will allow for you to find out exactly to whom each app is talking to in each network state... you can even catch dumb apps trying to make connections when in airplane mode.

Are you sure this was for me ? If so I'm very sorry but I don't see how that relates to my question

It is indeed. Using a firewall like either of the above will allow you to see what apps get chatty on the network when using either syncing mode or any network mode. It's far more information than just on the two apps you're asking about. Try the no root firewall, go to the logs after setup and turn syncing on and off.

Right I get it, please forgive my ignorance !

Forgiven ;-) and no worries as it's kinda a round about way of answering what any app is doing with the network... mostly.... firewalls only are honest if the host OS is... more technical route would be to run Wi-Fi on your phone and run packet capture software on another device but I left that off as you didn't seem concerned with your phones trustworthiness.

Oh and if you do wish to go deeper into what bits are going over the network you can check my other answer to how to check if your phone is secretly sending data even after using a firewall. It's not a good idea to read it before bed though as it's more on the subject of detection of spyware and less on the subject of syncing and valid feature use that normal applications preform.

Not sure about the built in voice recorder but the if you sign in and sync your samsung account then s_apps will be backed up


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What data can be retrieved from a broken discarded tablet
I had a Lenovo Tab 2 A7-20F, purchased in August of 2016, one of if not the cheapest model for around £50.
It began to fail here and there and I decided to get rid of it.
I started by smashing it in order to make any data unusable, but it was making a mess so I wrapped it up in a thick layer of freezer bags so as not to cut myself - and decided to think later about what to do.
I have recently thrown it out by accident and bins have since been emptied. Not in recycling or anything, just a regular dust bin.
I'm now a little concerned about my Wi-Fi password which was saved on it but is quite some hassle to change.
The tablet was totally unusable, screen smashed up, and I think the tablet had started to split right through. Does changing my Wi-Fi password sound unhealthily cautious ?
Now, assuming that all data inside is retrievable, and given that I only ever logged into anything in incognito mode, should I worry about other passwords ?
Finally, I have logged out of my Google account on that device thanks to that feature of Google's online services, but might the password still be in my tablet ?
Thanks

With forensic efforts data might be restored. But be honest: if you find a totally smashed cheap tablet like that what you described, would you take the pain? I very much doubt that. It's not an easy task if the device is in the state you describe – so either one hires professional help for some thousands of bucks – or has the equipment and spends days or weeks on that without knowing whether it's worth it. Unlikely to happen (but not impossible of course).

Well I don't know what physical space the internal memory actually takes inside  the tablet, I have no idea about whether it is actually broken. If it's large then I assume it is damaged at least in some places but if it is small then maybe not

With today's chip sizes I don't assume it's very large (not more than an inch in each direction). But the thing is: the "finder" sees a totally wrecked cheap "piece of junk". Nobody would assume "useful data" on something like that – and not take above described efforts for a one per million change of finding something intetresting. To be on the safe side next time: do a perfect wipe (overwriting everything with garbage) before you smash your hardware :)

Alright, thanks, so would you say that access to sb's email address would generally not be considered worth it ? It's cause I heard they send that kind of trash to countries in Africa where criminal gangs retrieve data from allegedly broken stuff.

As I said: the effort to retrieve those data from a device damaged like this isn't worth the data one would expect on such a low-end device. Sure one can sell addresses and passwords. But the pay for that is far below the effort – and that IMHO holds true even for those "cheap crooks". It's no guarantee, though – it's just very, very unlikely to happen. Especially as the device first had to be dug out from some garbage dump.

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


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Can I access the filesystem of an android device?
I have an android device that doesn't start because it tries to activate carrier's network.
Its out-of-contact CDMA mobile which was ported to another carrier.
I accidentally did a reset and after that it always tried to activate carrier.
Currently when I connect it, I can see it as MTP Device, but I don't see the filesystem.
Is it possible for me to go to the filesystem directly and remove possible apk files that cause this?
I am thinking of chroot-ing or something similar into the system and remove all the stuff that could trigger this activation.
Do I need to use ADB shell or to connect to the device?

You'll need root permissions to modify the file system.  Once you get that, you'll be able to do anything you want.

Rooting the OS while the device does not boot up seems tricky, however ;-)

To get access to the filesystem you need to be rooted and you need to use ADB. MTP is way to limited for the low level access your needing.

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


text:
Calibrate accelerometer?
I'm developing an app that is supposed to measure vertical accelerations, and in the process I've discovered that the accelerometer seems to be uncalibrated. When the phone is lying perfectly horizontal, the Z axis acceleration should be 9.81, but it is about 8.81 (X and Y being roughly 0.0).
I can of course offset the error from within the app by letting the user "calibrate" the app while the phone is lying still. But it seems odd that there is no method within Android to do this - sometimes Google Maps prompts me to calibrate the compass by moving the phone in figure eights - but I have not seen any way to calibrate other sensors... is it possible?
A further problem is that if I turn the phone so the top is facing straight up (up/down in line with the direction of gravity), the offset of the axis' are different from what is expected, and different from the offsets I get when the screen is facing up. This all seems to indicate that the accelerometer is not as accurate as one might think, and when adding rotation to the mix the results get even more skewed...

Maybe you could decompile and add those inputs to the question to give it more focus on alternate methods as also prevent app based answers


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Is it possible to charge and transfer files to an Android phone with a usb-c hub?
I'm considering buying a usb-c hub to use with my Android phone (Google Pixel), so that I can charge my phone, use a flash drive and a USB keyboard at the same time - all using the phone's single usb-c port.
However, the hubs I've seen sometimes have lists of compatible devices and these lists mention only laptops and not phones. I wonder why, is there anything special about laptops or phones that the accessories aren't compatible? I've seen articles saying that Android's USB can't do OTG and charging at once.

Phones are not typically USB hosts, in order to connect the devices you want, the device must identify itself as a USB host

Being a fellow Google Pixel user myself, I can say with 100% confidence that the phone is absolutely capable of providing a charge and transferring files at the same time. It may not be the quickest charge or transfer if your aim is to have both at once, but it supports it nonetheless.


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HTC One M7 stuck on boot
I have a HTC One M7 since 2 years. I got a software update in December and i tried to update it and somehow after the update the phone showed me errors. So back then i did a recovery and the phone went back to the previous configuration. After this I avoided this update totally. But recently i totally ran out of battery and when i charged it, and started it, it upgraded automatically and now it is stuck in the HTC One white screen. Now if i want to recover it, it gives me the following errors -

E:missing bitmap oem_unlock_bg (code-1)
  E:missing bitmap oem_unlock_bg_yes (code-1)
  E:missing bitmap oem_unlock_bg_no (code-1)
  E:missing bitmap icon_ruu (code-1)
Write host_mode success
handle_cota_install: Can't mount /sdcard, 1 times
  handle_cota_install: Can't mount /sdcard, 2 times
  handle_cota_install: Can't mount /sdcard, 3 times
  handle_cota_install: Can't mount /sdcard, 4 times
  handle_cota_install: Can't mount /sdcard, 5 times

I tried most of the solutions i could find. Did a cache wipe, even did a factory reset by pressing the power button and the Vol down button for some time. After the factory reset it gets stuck in -

htc one m7 stuck in android is upgrading Starting Apps

How can i fix this? It has been 2 days and I am trying to get it up and running with no success. Any help is deeply appreciated.

It sounds like it is time to get the official RUU and reflash the device.

Need more details: is the bootloader unlocked? Do you have custom recovery? What's your carrier? What is/was the ROM version you were running and what was the upgrade to?  If you can post a screenshot of bootloader screen or just tell us what is shown at top of that screen.

When i do a hard boot it tells me Locked. I am not sure how can i find that i have a custom recovery or not. My carrier is o2-de. How can i find the ROM version from the Hard boot screen? The top of the screen shows locked and data such as - M7UL PVT SHIP S-ON RH, HBOOT-1.61.0000, RADIO-4T.35.3218.16, OpenDSP-v35.120.274.0718, OS-7.18.206.51, eMMC-boot 2048 MB

@Dan You can unlock the M7 without it being bootable, it doesn't have the OEM Unlock security (I believe, been a while since I had one). You shouldn't need to unlock to RUU as long as you are using the same or higher version of firmware.

@acejavelin - How do i unlock the bootloader? I found a process in the HTCDev website. is that the process?

@Dan Yes, follow the instructions there, that is the only way.

@acejavelin - What happens once i unlock it? How does it solve my problem?

@Dan I never said it would, unlocking would allow custom recovery to be installed (it cannot be done when locked) such as TWRP, allowing a custom ROM to be installed. I just answered the question you asked me.

I still recommend the RUU route first

I find the RUU page for the HTC One but there is no section for my carrier o2-de

@acejavelin - I successfully unlocked it and tried to use the image TWRP 3.0.0-0 here - http://www.teamw.in/project/twrp2/. But still no success :(

@acejavelin - Got the official RUU and reflashed the device. Now it boots and works as before :) Maybe you can post that as an answer.

You need to run/flash the official RUU file from HTC that either matches your device's current firmware level or is newer. This will rewrite the partition table, and all data on the device back to factory condition. If that does not work to bring the device back into service, you will likely need to send it in to HTC or replace it.


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How can I unbrick my Droid Bionic?
The problem:
My Droid Bionic boots to a black screen
How I got here:

Successfully rooted the phone with SuperUser and SafeStrap.
Used SafeStrap to install CM11 into Rom-Slot-1.
Used CM Updater on the phone to install the latest snapshot of CM13 (for targa).
Used SafeStrap to install CM13 on to stock rom
Voila!  Boots to black screen.

Solutions I've tried so far:
I still have access to fastboot, and my PC recognizes the phone when it's booted into fastboot.
Can't find any CyanogenMod images to fastboot with, so I started looking for Droid Bionic stock images to flash with fastboot.
I found some and downloaded them.  My research shows that RSD Lite is the way to go here, so I've installed RSD Lite v6.2.4.  Unfortunately, it does not recognize my phone when I boot it up into fastboot (but fastboot devices still sees my phone).
So I tried manually flashing back to stock using Moto Fastboot as described in this thread:
http://androidforums.com/threads/droid-bionic-fastboot-fxz-files.540725/
Most of those steps worked, but some of them (most notably flashing boot.img) gave me "pre-flash validation" errors.
I tried rebooting the phone anyway and was greeted with a picture of the green android, and blue loading bar.  Then the phone rebooted itself and made some sounds (it sounded like the sound effects accompanying the Droid splash screen), but it still shows me a black screen.
I can still boot to fastboot, and my PC still sees the phone when fastbooted.
Any ideas?  I'm up for anything at this point.
EDIT:
I have also tried running RSD Lite as Administrator to no avail.

I fixed it.  Here's how:

Download moto-fastboot
Download the images for stock Motorola Bionic into the same folder you downloaded moto-fastboot to
Open a Command Prompt to that folder and run the following commands:

moto-fastboot flash mbm allow-mbmloader-flashing-mbm.bin
moto-fastboot reboot-bootloader
moto-fastboot flash mbmloader mbmloader.bin
moto-fastboot flash mbm mbm.bin
moto-fastboot reboot-bootloader
moto-fastboot flash cdt.bin cdt.bin
moto-fastboot erase cache
moto-fastboot erase userdata
moto-fastboot flash lbl lbl
moto-fastboot flash ebr ebr
moto-fastboot flash mbr mbr
moto-fastboot flash devtree device_tree.bin
moto-fastboot flash system system.img
moto-fastboot flash boot boot.img
moto-fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
moto-fastboot flash cdrom cdrom
moto-fastboot flash preinstall preinstall.img
moto-fastboot flash radio radio.img
moto-fastboot reboot

My problem was that I downloaded the wrong stock images for my Bionic.  I initially downloaded VRZ_XT875_6.7.246.XT875.Verizon.en.US_CFC_01.xml.zip but those image files gave me "preflash validation failure" messages.  6.7.246.XT875 was the previous stock version my phone was on.  But prior to rooting, I had upgraded to 98.72.22.XT875, which was not backward-compatible with the previous version.  As such, once you upgrade to the latest version, you can never go back to the previous stock version.
The stock images I should have downloaded were cdma_targa_9.8.2O-72_VZW-22_1ff.xml.zip  Once I downloaded these images, I was able to run the moto-fastboot commands successfully.
My phone is now running the latest stock version.  I don't have root anymore, but that can change :)


text:
Is the fast charge safe for long-term usage with Li-Poly battery?
Phone: Honor 8.
Question: Supposing I have Li-Poly battery, will the fast charging via provided Huawei Quick Charge 9V/2A charger affect the battery life?
Citation from the official site:

9V/2A fast charging technology promises a 47% charge in just 30 minutes.

My own test result from 0-100%: 1 hour 45 minutes.
Methodology:

Bought a brand new Honor 8 two weeks ago.
I waited for the phone several days to discharge on its own, no unusual usage.
After this morning the phone shut down on its own;
I plugged in the bundled Huawei Quick Charge 9V/2A charger.
I did not turn on the phone, I charged it while turned off.
Once 10 minutes I pressed the power button for it to show me the charge status.
After it reached 95%, I pressed the button once a minute.
I noticed for the last percents to take a long time, presuming tricke charge took place.

You can see first  two answers  of mine  to get  additional  inputs

A lot of sources on the Internet claim that fast charging immensely reduces your battery capacity over time. But you have to be careful interpreting them. For instance, take this figure:

As you can see charging at 2C ( = full charge within 30 minutes) reduces the battery capacity significantly. But charging at 1C doesn't seem to cause a lot of additional capacity degradation. I mean the degradation at normal charging rates is pretty close to that from my experience.
Honestly, I doubt that your charger would even charge at 1C (= full charge within 60 minutes). But even if it would be slightly above 1C you would probably be fine.
Unfortunately I couldn't find studies where charging rates below 1C where analyzed more closely.
If you want less capacity degradation you should avoid charging your battery at constant voltage. The constant voltage charging happens when it hits 4.2V-4.4. As the following figure shows, this is where most of the capacity degradation happens:

I can't tell you exactly at how much percent the constant voltage charging will kick in for your battery. It's probably at around 90%. So if you stop charging at that point. You should see less capacity degradation.
Very hight/low temperatures and very fast discharging will also degrade the capacity.
I recommend reading the following article:
https://accubattery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210224725-Charging-research-and-methodology
Edit:
You mention that charging from 0%-100% takes 1 hour 45 minutes. When your smartphone reports 0% battery the battery usually hit around 3V even though LiPos can safely be discharged to around 2.7V. (This is basically done to ensure a safe shut down.) So I would say your charger has a C-rate of about 0.5C. So you really shouldn't be able to notice any any additional capacity degradation.
And your suspicion about the trickle charging is probably right. As charging at constant voltage is significantly slower. So we can assume that your battery is being charged at constant voltage as soon as it its around 95%.
Conclusion: Only charge your battery until it hits 95% or maybe even better 94% and battery capacity degradation should be greatly reduced.

I added some more information based on the additional information you provided in your question. There really isn't a lot of additional information that can be given at this point as trustworthy studies about this are really rare.


text:
SIM card no longer recognised
I own a Sony Xperia Z5 dual SIM phone. Phone is unlocked and running Android 5.1.1
I always used it with the same SIM card (3 Network) and it always worked well. Yesterday I tried to add a new SIM card (Vodafone) in hope of using both SIM cards in my dual SIM phone. Unfortunately the experience resulted in only the Vodafone SIM working. 3 Network SIM stopped working and now even after removing Vodafone SIM it still doesn't work. When I say "doesn't work" I mean that I can see "emergency calls only" displayed on my screen.
What I tried:
-Reboot and hard reboot (yellow button near SIM slot)
-3 card still works in another handset
-Vodafone card works in this and in another handset
Clearly SIM card slot is not damaged seeing that Vodafone card works and 3 SIM card must be fine as well because I tried it in another phone. Phone cannot be SIM locked because I used 3 SIM card there for months or could it got locked somehow?
What should I do to make my phone work with my old 3 SIM card again?

What's your question?

I would like to know what should I do to make my phone work with my old 3 SIM card again?


text:
2 years old Zenfone 5, how to control battery use?
Sorry for asking about such an overdone subject.
Question is, I have a (as of now) 2 years old Zenfone 5.
Android 4.4.2, ZenUI, not rooted (yet), Energy Management off, stock charger.
Configurations include minimal brightness, only antenna is constantly on, and I have touch feedback from Dev Config on.
For the last 3 months, my battery seems less able to take on Wi-Fi, and Google's apps specifically.
For a measure, I already had my battery last little less than 40h, by not using any Internet whatsoever. Now, I start using Wi-Fi and it drops at a rate of 0.3% per min. I remember a time I could use it the same way, and it'd last at least two hours more than now.
Apps recently downloaded include Piano Tiles 2, Avast and Malwarebytes, both of the latter I already uninstalled. Piano Tiles 2 force-stopped.
As of posting this question, I've force-stopped most non-crucial apps beyond aforementioned and turned Energy Manag. back on, to see if anything change. I'll report back any improvement.
Thanks in advance!

authors: Николай Урумов


text:
How to access the app battery optimization settings on Android 12 and above?
The menu appears to have been hidden on the more recent Android releases — currently on  Android 14 the only per-app toggle the users are given is 'allow background usage' (app info → app battery usage). On my Oneplus 8T device the OS is actively stopping some apps designed to be running on the background at all times, such as Shizuku.
On AOSP-based ROMs three settings used to be available for each app, the most permissive being 'unrestricted'. SystemUI Tuner didn't expose the menu.

Using ADB is an acceptable answer as well.

What is your phone's model? When you open Settings and search 'optimization', does it show/list Battery optimization or not?

@ReddyLutonadio Oneplus 8T with LineageOS 21 (Android 14). No, after typing optim, the settings' search no longer displays any results.

What happens if you follow the following steps: Settings → Apps → App battery usage → YourApp → Allow background usage (tap the text, not the toggle)

FWIW, since the question mentions Android 12, Pixel 3a on stock Android 12L and Galaxy M12 on stock Android 13 still have the Battery menu on per-app settings with 3 options shown on the screenshot. Perhaps some info from Don't kill my app! might help?

SetEdit is always an option, though you may need to grant additional permissions via ADB first.

@ReddyLutonadio By "tapping the text" next to the toggle I was able to access the familiar 'unrestricted' and 'optimised' values (screenshot)! Please post an answer.

Based on this answer from Reddit, the following steps allow to view the battery optimisation settings for individual apps:

Settings → Apps → App battery usage → [$APP] → Allow background usage (tap the text, not the toggle)

[$APP] being the app you want to verify the battery optimisation's setting.


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How to list all apps with a specific permission in ADB?
I want to list all apps with a specific permission.
For instance, output the package names of  apps with the VIBRATE permission. The apps with a specific permission then be revoked or enabled as instructed here.
adb shell 'pm list packages -e' outputs all packages.

See if my answer is still useful: https://android.stackexchange.com/a/129474/96277 or this one: https://android.stackexchange.com/a/123100/96277

@Firelord I will eventually. I'm very sure that I've used a one-liner command to achieve this in the past (likely saw in a now-deleted Reddit post).

Looks like there's a one-liner on another answer, but it may have a caveat.

...I've used the command adb shell cmd appops set.

You can try this:
adb shell cmd appops query-op PERMISSION
For example:
adb shell cmd appops query-op READ_CONTACTS


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OnePlus One bootloop, not related to flashing
My phone entered bootloop during charging, restarting doesn't solve the issue and I can't boot to bootloader, only "fastboot mode" text is stuck on screen. TWRP recovery can be accessed and I've tried clearing cache & Dalvik cache. I haven't flashed nor installed anything in months (CyanogenMod 14 installed), the phone has only been used for calling and messaging since late 2016. I've also had a similar issue before, happened during charging as well.
I found a potential fix by Ricardo Cerqueira of Cyanogen Inc., shared by Android Police:

While your phone is booted to TWRP, run these commands on your
  computer:
adb shell
make_ext4fs /dev/block/mmcblk0p15

Here's the output of the command:
make_ext4fs /dev/block/mmcblk0p15
Creating filesystem with parameters:
    Size: 33554432
    Block size: 4096
    Blocks per group: 32768
    Inodes per group: 2048
    Inode size: 256
    Journal blocks: 1024
    Label:
    Blocks: 8192
    Block groups: 1
    Reserved block group size: 7
Created filesystem with 11/2048 inodes and 1166/8192 blocks

Once everything is over, the OnePlus One should be restored without
  any data loss.

I get identical output when running the commands, but the phone is still persistently in bootloop.
When reflashing my ROM the installation fails. The installation processes finishes far faster than normally (around 10 seconds) and this error is displayed twice in TWRP log (in red):
E:unknown command [log]
E:unknown command [log]

What should I try and is the cause of this issue now known?

complete Windows PowerShell output, commands in bold:
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> adb shell
* daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
* daemon started successfully *

~ # make_ext4fs /dev/block/mmcblk0p15
Creating filesystem with parameters:
    Size: 33554432
    Block size: 4096
    Blocks per group: 32768
    Inodes per group: 2048
    Inode size: 256
    Journal blocks: 1024
    Label:
    Blocks: 8192
    Block groups: 1
    Reserved block group size: 7
Created filesystem with 11/2048 inodes and 1166/8192 blocks


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How to overcome the failure of data wipe? My smartphone's type is Huawei g730 - U 10
My mobile was restarting several times even when I touch the screen or trying to make a call...then I found this message:
Encryption unsuccessful Encryption was interrupted and can't complete.As a result, the data on your phone is no longer accessible
To resume using your phone, you must perform a factory reset. When you set up your phone after the reset, you'll have an opportunity to restore any data that was backed up to your Google Account.
There is such like a button entitled "Reset phone". When I press it, the phone restarts and enters in "Android system recovery <3e>"
There are more than a category or alternatives to choose from. When I choose the "wipe cache partition", everything is ok and this process completes successfully. On the other hand, When I choose the category of "wipe data/factory reset", unfortunately appears to me this phrase: "wipe data failed".
What should I do? Give me a hand, please!

Common issue with Huawei devices. This happens when the memory chip (eMMC) is damaged and become read-only.
This is a hardware failure, the only fix is replacing the chip or changing the motherboard. Sometimes heating the chip can solve (temporarily) the issue.
To be sure the eMMC is damaged, power off the phone, hold volume up and volume down at the same time then briefly hit the power button: if the screen goes purple or you get a more explicit message : Update exception. EMMC is readonly, you can't update your system - the chip is damaged. Otherwise you can flash the device to solve the issue.


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How do I copy damaged data partition from locked Google Pixel
I have a Google Pixel (sailfilsh) device that complains about damaged data partition upon boot. It only offers to reboot (the same thing happens again) or to wipe the data.
I have not previously unlocked the bootloader, so trying to boot TWRP fails. I can't unlock the bootloader at this point, because doing so would wipe the data partition.
I am able to boot to the recovery mode, but the options available there look useless on surface.
Considering that I know the encryption passcode (numeric), is there a way to dump to data partition via USB to a computer? How?
(I'm mainly interested in recovering photos that had not been backed up by the time the data partition got corrupted.)

you are screwed. you can neither repair device nor safe your data. believe it or not, there is no official way to flash ROM with locked bootloader because google rely on fastboot. buy new phone that is googles philosophy

Xiaomi Mi 5 looks similar specifications. i don't believe it (because it should be OEM signed) but if you are really lucky the prog_ufs_firehose_8996_ddr.elf works for your device https://android.stackexchange.com/q/221452


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Recently Used Apps crashing in portrait mode
When I try to switch to the "Recently Used Apps" screen (by holding the home button), the process com.android.systemui crashes.
However, in Landscape mode it works as usual (and rotating the device makes it crash again).
Device: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
Version: 4.4.2
ROM: Stock
EDIT: The system was not modified in any way (e.g. no root access).
Where can I find logs/files that provide me with additional info i.o. to trace the problem? Or what can I do to make it stop crashing (preferably not reseting)?
EDIT: Unfortunately, the issue mysteriously disappeared today and I cannot reproduce it any more.

Is that allways like that? Did recents worked fine in landscape or it was allways crashing? You might look at logcat there is a lot of apps for that but I don't know if you'll be able to look at it because you don't have root.

This is becoming a common issue.

To check logs there are a few options, for instance:

Given that you have a Samsung, try opening SysDump by going to Phone dialer -> *#9900# (no need to press Dial).
To get the logs, you might need to root your phone. This shows methods for accessing files in data/data without rooting, and it may apply to data/log as well.
Use the adb to check the output of dmesg.
Use aLogcat.
Details for checking an app adapted from here, it may require some tweaking for Recently Used Apps, if useful at all:

Start your target app (e.g., "Myapp") on the device. If it crashes, repeat this step 2-3 times.
Next start "aLogCat app" and wait for approximately ~1 minute.
Press the "Menu" button and select "Filter".
Type "Myapp" in the text field and press "OK" button.
Wait for approximately ~1 minute.
Press "Menu" button and select "Share".
Collect the log via any sharing option you have access (e.g., email, Bluetooth).

Use CatLog - Logcat Reader!. You might need root Access.

For completeness, I leave here a few related posts
Android device crash logs?
How can I view and examine the Android log?
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/24407984/how-to-locate-app-crash-logs-in-android-phone
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/24305180/error-erasing-old-data-from-logcat

authors: Једноруки Крстивоје


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Is it possible to use Recent Apps to close all open apps less the one I want to stay open?
I have a scenario, or many, where I end up opening a ton of apps, and later on want to close them all at once, but keep 1 or 2 open. As an example, I use WhatsApp at home, and as we all know you cannot use the web portal without the app on your phone being on. So ideally I would have wanted to be able to use the Recent Apps feature of Android to close all apps, less say those selected as 'keep on.' And then if I really wanted to close them, I could then go into Recent Apps and manually close them.
Is there perhaps an app would allow me to script such a task, or any other solution?
I'm running Android 10 on a Galaxy A71 5G
Thanks in advance.

From the recent apps panel, select the app you want to lock, for example Chrome.

Press the 3 dots menu (above the Chrome panel) to show the lock option. Lock it.

and the small lock symbol shows up.

Now the app is locked and cannot be swiped away to dismiss the app. To unlock follow similar steps. You can clear unwanted apps by manually swiping away.
Alternatively, you can use apps such as Kill Apps, which allow you to customize the list of apps to be killed. Such apps are not usually recommended as Android manages memory space efficiently and such task killers can cause more harm by abruptly killing running apps.
See Recents Screen-Android Developers for more information.


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How to hide your SSID from apps / keep your Android apps from finding your Wifi SSID?
As far as I know, all android apps are able to scan nearby / available Wifi networks. They can either get a list of nearby SSIDs, or at least they can get the SSID of the Wifi you are currently on. Correct? I remember the "get wifi scan results" unrevokable permission from some time ago (stoppable only if you were rooted and had xposed framework) (Also, exhibit B: Google, SkyHook, and Apple SSID databases).
This means that even if you are on a VPN, even if you turn off wifi scanning, even if you turn off location services and take out your sim card, even if you stop broadcasting your router's wifi SSID, your apps will be able to know what wifi SSID you are currently on.
This means that an attacker (read: the surveillance capitalism :) ), can figure out if/when I am home, and which other devices that are/were online have used the same SSID. E.g. all my family's (mandatory) banking apps will know where my family members congregate, and could change my insurance score, or other "insert dystopian scenario here".
Considering what I described, I don't think there is any wiggle room for you to ever hide your real location from a bad (state, corp, hacker) actor. Am I wrong? Can I hide my SSID from the apps that are on my phone?
I can't believe there aren't any hits on this subject on the internet.
(PS: obviously, the point of the question is not whether or not I am paranoid, the question is whether this is technically solvable)

[EDIT] To be clear, I haven't technically analyzed recent Android versions, but my question is about the most recent Android versions, as those are the versions everyone's obviously moving forward with. E.g. Android 10, Android 11.
[EDIT2] Would also be interested if iOS offers better privacy / protection in this regard. I created a sister question on "Ask Different", and spoiler alert: APPLE DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. (as much as I hate apple's UX and lack of customizability and user control, at least rogue apps don't get that control either)

Wifi scanning has been changed a lot in recent Android versions. Therefore please update your question and include the info about which Android version you are talking about.

Hi, for iOS-related questions, we have a sister site [apple.se] for Apple products. We, as mostly are Android users (regardless of using other OS), might not have sufficient knowledge to answer that question.

I've been living under a bit of a rock, but with a bit of research on my own, seems at least theoretically, starting with Android 8.1, apps should not get SSID info (and I guess also MAC addresses and bluetooth) if you don't grant them Location Permission. Apple does not bundle location permissions with ssid/network permissions. The trouble being that e.g. banking apps kinda "require" some of the things under the blanket "Location" permission.


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Stop cursor from moving to end of word when touching text
The default android behaviour when interacting with editable text seems to be to move the cursor to the end of the word you've touched, regardless of your touch location.
This is undesirable in many situations, e.g. if you have a stylus or a precise hand or a big screen and big text, or custom left and right arrows on your navigation bar, or a very long string without spaces.
Is there any way to prevent android from moving your cursor?

Future captain me here with an answer! Apparently this tap on word + cursor placement thing is not managed by the OS but by the keyboard app you use.
So here's a config that works great:

Use Swiftkey keyboard.

The problem is Swiftkey sucks big time:

it doesn't solve the question's problem, which is a crime against human competence.
it always inserts a space after a period, making urls or "e.g." impossible to write.
it doesn't let you capitalize the next letter after space only after pressing space after the dot, ie if you weren't writing a url.
you keep accidentally tapping on dot instead of space while typing quickly and you can't change the layout.

The following steps will de-suck Swiftkey and solve all your keyboard problems:

Root your device. Don't listen to your "parents". Best security is on rooted phones unless you're really unsavvy in which case it's just as bad as not rooting. (but for this you can unroot afterwards)

If you're concerned about Swiftkey privacy now you can install a firewall that blocks or monitors its internet access.

Install the Android Xposed Framework and Xposed Installer (may not work (yet) on the latest version(s) of android) (needs root, but you can unroot after the install if you must).
Download and install the "Exi for Swiftkey" Xposed module (github).

Just crawl through Exi's settings and you'll find the right checkboxes. It magically changes swiftkey's tap on words and other behaviours.
*flies away*


text:
To restore my newborn photoes: How to root LG G3 D852 (Canadian variant)?
I connected my LG D852 with MM to the LG software, I had a pop-up that there is an upgrade so clicked OK thinking that the data will not be wiped as long as I will be still on MM. That was wrong! ALL data are wiped including my newborn first photos which are priceless to me. I tried some apps like diskdigger and some software on the PC but all of them require root to perform. I tried all rooting methods that I am aware of, but nothing is working. I can't downgrade to LP since writing on the internal memory is not a wise move to restore my data. Any ideas how to root that without having to downgrade?

When rooting, you normally have to wipe all data again, so I think any data rescue program will be unsuccessful here.

@timoschwarzer that is not entirely true. (1) Apps like kingoroot can root most devices without wiping all data. (2) Wiping data doesn't mean it is gone or overwritten and that is exactly how recovery programs work.


text:
Terminal app launch and subordinate intents
I'm using Tasker to open an app at certain time and state. I wanna open the Run log menu of Tasker at the end of the app launching task.
I know that's no need to flash on screen this log but when I tried, I haven't found a way. I
can only open tasker but not launch a subordinate intent of this app.
Any help about this basic programming question will be appreciated.
Tnx in advance!
This is the description of the Tasker Manifest.xml:

Provided that you have root access, you can use this command to launch the Run Log window:
am start -n net.dinglisch.android.tasker/.RunLog

RunLog activity, without root access however, fails to launch and throws the error:
Permission Denial: startActivity asks to run as user -2 but is calling from user 0; this requires android.permission.INTERACT_ACROSS_USERS_FULL

Perhaps the following attribute, as mentioned in the manifest, is the cause of the issue.
android:exported="false"

Hi Firelord! Tnx. I tried lot of commands. First using always --user 0 permission to access all users. The RunLog intent doesn't have the dot in its name so I didn't get the result of open it. I'll try your solution. Tnx again

Unknown command

If you're using a terminal app, then the correct command is: su -c 'am start -n net.dinglisch.android.tasker/.RunLog' (note that root access is needed). If you're using Tasker and want to run this command from inside it for automation, then try Run Shell -> Command: am start -n net.dinglisch.android.tasker/.RunLog, check Root.

I solved the problem. The package is the name of the activity. In this case .taskerm instead of .tasker


text:
Keep getting strange words in Google Keyboard's dictionary
I keep getting strange words getting predicted by Google Keyboard's dictionary. I know I've never used them and doubt they would've come with the keyboard. One example is "Lync". I think some are names like "Bahar". Also slang words that I don't use like "kiddo" and abbreviations like "MSI and "SV". Also just the prediction seems strange, like I tried typing "something" and it came up with "softcover", which is a word I rarely use. How do I make it stick to more common words? I've tried resetting the custom dictionary but it didn't help.

Gboard suggests words based on some factors, including selected languages, and contact info (if you enable it). Are those words possibly related to the contacts in the device?

@AndrewT. there are some very bizarre words and names

The Mysterious Japanese Dictionary
I can only think of one thing right off the top of my head. Gboard is reading and automatically importing a ASCII text encoded zip file from somewhere. Most likely  in the emulated/0/ path and everything within aka all recursive subdirectories and all content of said subdirectories. It could be an app that is using a zip file to run its code somehow or storing don't sort of data in a zip format that the app utilizes. It could be a bad extension somewhere, For example a folder or a file that contains ASCII text somewhere within and the extension of that folder\file somehow got changed into .zip...The possibilities are quite numerous now that I really think about it. The one concern I have about all this is the frequency and verbosity(intensity) that Google spies on everybody content... Personal or otherwise.
The reason I am interested in this topic(and I realize that this "answer" does not solve the issue at hand) is because this has and still is happening to my Gboard dictionary, Though I don't get random words that make no sense or don't go with what I am typing. So I tend to ignore the glitch/bug.
In fact Gboard somehow (without my knowledge/permission) located a .zip file, said hey this looks like a Japanese dictionary, processed to import the file, create an actual Japanese dictionary, and finally somehow created all new shortcuts for every single word. I've literally just sat here and scrolled down this mysteriously looking Japanese dictionary and still did not get to the bottom. There are thousands and thousands of "words" in the Japanese dictionary. So yeah, I think I will give it another go and try to track down the source of this mysterious Japanese dictionary that Gboard wants me to have so badly. (I tried to uninstall the app and reinstall it and it still searched through ALL folders and files to once again locate and import the Japanese dictionary that is completely unreadable, only to confirm my suspiciousness  and make me free like I was not going crazy for a second.


text:
Searching for Android apps
Searching an app on the Play Store for new apps results in a failure most of the time. By failure I mean we don't find the desired app although the name matches exactly. Popular examples are Temple Run (1st week after release) and Instagram (right now too). Searching on Google for terms like "Instagram for android" results in an immediate hit. Is this is a problem only in India or is it everywhere? And why is the Play Store search so backward compared to Google Search which has better success over a bigger search pool?
edit1
To clear up things, I was able to download the apps from http://play.google.com onto my phone.

I don't see a question here. What exactly is the problem you're hoping we're going to help you solve?

The general opinion everywhere is that the Web marketplace is much better with search results than the marketplace app (it is really puzzling as to why is such the case). And no, the problem is not India specific, it is faced everywhere. The same opinion holds for other stores as well, including Apple's AppStore. The good news is, there are a few companies trying to make it better, namely Chomp and Tapjoy:
Chomp has been pretty successful and has been solving a truly-existing problem, which is evident since Verizon now includes Chomp in its tethered phones.
For more info, see xconomy.com news article discussing the search issues in the mobile market places and apps like Chomp and Tapjoy.

Alright, thanks for that answer, but why is it that we need a 3rd party search provider for this ?

Maybe your phone doesn't support the app you're searching.
Also, some apps only can be install from certain locations(example Google Listen is available in a few countries).
From Google Play website all apps are going to appear, but when you try to install this apps its gonna say "this app is not compatible with your device".

Did you even read the question? I said the search is not showing up results, plus did you read the answer provided above by another user?

@AadiDroid From what I understand, sometimes apps don't show up in results if they aren't supported; you didn't mention that you were able to install it from the website until your comment on the other answer. Regardless, no need to be so hostile.

alright my bad, sorry about that!


text:
Can a faulty Micro-USB cable cause damage to your device?
Hardware damage caused by USB Type-C cables by drawing too much power has been widely reported:

https://www.howtogeek.com/240777/watch-out-how-to-buy-a-usb-type-c-cable-that-wont-damage-your-devices/
http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/4/10916264/usb-c-russian-roulette-power-cords
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3002064/computers-accessories/beware-bad-usb-c-cables-google-engineer-warnswhile-naming-names.html
http://gizmodo.com/cheap-usb-c-cables-could-kill-your-phone-or-laptop-1757115350
http://www.androidcentral.com/usb-c-problem-isnt-going-away-anytime-soon

Is Micro-USB affected?

USB-C cables are "intelligent" (own chip in the cable) and the USB-C PowerDelivery (PD) standard allows higher voltages for loading. In USB-C the power supply, the cable and the phone have to agree on who is the source, who the sink and how much power in what voltage will be delivered. This is very complex with the result that there is a non-negligible chance that something goes wrong or event extremely goes wrong (damages something).
Micro USB cables are "dumb": They have no no chip. Hence the only effect an Micro USB cable can have is that it is too thin and therefore reduces the electrical flow, delaying the charging process.
However theoretically you can still damage your phone if you use a non-charger that is not backward compatible. But in this case the cable will be innocent.

Root of the problem is non adherence to standards and not type C as a class of faulty cables.
The damage caused specifically relates to :

poor adherence of standards to the extent of being non standard
Using a wrongly rated resistor by one plus
in their products, which fried other devices connected to such cables

Benson Leung is a Google Engineer who carries out extensive testing of practically anything related to type C, which you can read on his Google Plus
If you use any non standard product, you always run the risk of damage / poor performance. This is equally true of micro USB cables, though I haven't come across such bad press for micro USB ( barring chargers of spurious quality)


text:
How to edit the Android context menu?
I've encountered apps which create global Android context menu entries.

Librera Reader

Poet Assistant

Suggesting to uninstall apps isn't an answer. Using ADB is fine.
One may also want to remove some of the default Android options such as 'cut' (for text).
LineageOS 21 / Android 14. The screenshots are from Firefox version 130.0.

From Ian Lake
's Medium article, Intent.ACTION_PROCESS_TEXT should be the culprit. However, I haven't researched if it's possible to block/disable it as an end-user.

How to set which options appear on the text selection toolbar?

Still applies to the 8.4.52 version (Android 11).

To see if this is still an issue, I just installed Version 8.9.175-fdroid (6090) of May 17, 2024 from F-Droid and it doesn't seem to add this context in Firefox or Brave.
Is this still an issue for you, @user598527 ?

@lnz43 The same version 8.9.175-fdroid adds the entry Librera FD when highlighting text in Firefox (130). The said entry may be behind the "three-dot menu" (screenshot) on your device.

@lnz43 The LineageOS default browser org.lineageos.jelly (version 14) in turn has its context menu intact, no Librera entry.


text:
How to disable browsing history in Android Firefox (Fennec)?
Unlike in the desktop Firefox, there's no setting in Firefox for Android options to disable saving browsing history.

Go to about:config.
Create a new boolean value (+ icon) called places.history.enabled and set to false.

source
note: the answer only applies to the eventually deprecated Firefox Fennec, not Fenix which is currently in the beta phase.

I wish I could do the same on the stable version on Firefox on Android.


text:
How to set alarm at a specific date and time?
My phone is a Huawei Ascend Y511 with Android 4.2.2.
I like the Alarms feature in the built-in Clock app, but it only lets me choose a time (and days of the week, if using a recurring alarm), not a date. Any way to set an alarm (reminder) for a specific date and time?
I don't wanna use Google Now's reminders, as I don't like GNow from a privacy standpoint. I tried Google Keep which works but only produces a one-off, short sound, rather than a looped melody, and doesn't show any notification on the screen except a tiny icon in the top black bar.
I'd like something that works close to the Clock app: show a full-screen notification that lets me drag an icon in one of two directions to either snooze or discard the reminder. And don't stop playing the sound until I react.

What is a full-screen notification? Anyhow, you can have Tasker to create a persistent notification or a full-screen dialog or scene or name it, on a particular day/date or time . You can configure Tasker to continue to play the sound unless you take an action. The action can be in the form of button or even touch gestures (if you use Plugins).

@Firelord: A full screen notification is what the Clock app gives me - a screen with a slidable button on it, which doesn't go away until I choose an option on it.

Use Early Bird Alarm Clock.
It has all the features that you wanted.

✔ Select alarm date for shift worker
  Complete schedule such as day-night-off-holiday will be okay!

Third-party apps face the risk of being killed by the Android OS. Your app also contains advertising.

After some testing, the app works as promised and there are instructions for configuring Android's battery optimization settings. Internet access isn't mandatory.


text:
Auto reply to sms from specific contact
I would like to send an automatic reply sms to a specific text. Is there an app or way this could be done? I am using the default Android sms app. I have searched for auto-reply apps but most don't allow selection of a specific contact. Also I would like something simple and don't need things for Whatsapp, Facebook messenger etc.

automation app from playstore is exactly what i use for tracking my kids. i send sms with specific text "where are you" and receive auto reply sms with location (to my specific number only)
found this in changelog to my favorite automation app
Due to new Google Play policy restrictions to prevent apps accessing the SMS inbox:

Removed monitor inbox option for incoming SMS
Removed SMS Sent trigger
Removed Delete SMS action

assuming this rules apply to every app in playstore, you need to find older apk (Dec 2018)
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/arlosoft/macrodroid-device-automation-2/macrodroid-device-automation-2-3-30-3-release

You could try Tasker
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm&hl=en_GB
It can be a little intimidating at first but there are lots of guides online for automating stuff, including this one for sms auto reply.

Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Especially, the Tasker Profile & Task needed to do this.


text:
Mounting external sd-card on rooted Android 7.1 tablet fails, but only if partition not empty
Edit: I have tried mounting the sd-card with an empty ext4-partition, and it worked just fine, but after I ran debootstrap on the sd-card, the problem reappeared with identical symptoms.

I want to mount an ext4-formatted sd-card, but
 # mount -t ext4 /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 mountpoint
returns
 mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 on mountpoint/ failed: Invalid argument
So far I have:

made sure the sd-card itself is OK (mounts fine on my debian laptop)
made sure the block device is the right one
replaced mount with busybox mount , which is a different binary, but gives the same error

The mountpoint exists, and the kernel supports ext4. My device is a rooted Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 running a Lineage OS 14.1 ROM (Android 7.1), SELinux is set to permissive.

Any pointers are appreciated!

Does sdcard mount Android storage setting?
Run blkid command, see what say about partition.
Also what is mountpoint? I.E. /mnt/sd-ext
If you call mount like this
# mount -t ext4 /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 mountpoint

You have to be in same directory as mountpoint


text:
Recovery Mode on tablet with no volume buttons?

I have a Yarvik TAB10-201. The default launcher is corrupted.

I can get the tablet onto the recovery screen (Dead Android with red
exclamation mark).
I can't bring up the options menu without volume up and down keys.
I can see the device in Android Multi Tool, but when doing wipe data, it just restarts back into recovery mode.
Rockchip does not detect the device for rooting as I can't hold volume up on boot.
I can see the device running ADB devices (shows as recovery status).
ADB reboot bootloader just turns the device off.
fastboot devices returns no devices.
I have the default ROM for the Yarvik tablet, but unsure how to flash if fastboot is not locating the device.

What other options do I have to recover? I am happy to root or recover.
I can't access the OS at all, on boot it just throws errors regarding the launcher.

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

Thanks to esQmo for helping me look for a solution.
Turns out it was a Windows 8 problem, I switched to a different PC using Windows 7 and had no problems with RKBatchTool. For some reason even with correct drivers installed that worked when the tablet was plugged in, when the tablet was in Flash Mode Windows 8 had problems with the USB drivers.
For anyone that comes across this question.
I got the stock Firmware for Yarvik TAB10-201 from here.
I used RKBatchTool 1.7 and the RKB Driver Assistant for the drivers.

You can also use an OTG Keyboard... I had similar problems with my rockchip tablet


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flash a firmware of HTC device with different main version? FIX HTC corrupt - relocked - s-on
I have an HTC U11 Life, bricked, CID 332, Telcel operator, main version 2.16.600.1, and S-On. Unfortunately, there is no firmware with this build.
I found firmware for this phone, but the only problem is the main version is different.
How can I flash the phone with a different main version? Or even unlock the bootloader without enabling OEM unlock because the phone won't fully turn on?

I searched on the internet for months and nothing because there is no RUU or firmware for my phone's main version. Finally, I found a way by myself:

Decrypt the RUU file with "HTC RUU decrypt" software. When the program asks you to keep firmware files, press yes. Or use "HTC OTA downloader" software for downloading OTA ZIP files and extracting IMG files for flashing. Note that your file should have the same CID. If you modified your CID, it might work.

You should disassemble the phone, remove eMMC, and put it on the Jtag interface of the UFI box. If you are not an expert, go to a repair shop and ask them to do it.

When the UFI box recognizes the eMMC and shows you some info, skip it and go to the "Userarea partitions" section. From the "Special tasks" menu, choose factory reset and wait for the operation to finish.
After that, look at the partition list. Next to each partition, there is a text that says "click for load image". Click on each partition that you want. Necessary partitions are "system", "boot", and "recovery". If you want, you can backup them from your eMMC.
Load those partitions (do not touch other partitions, you may damage your network). After the images are loaded, just check the checkbox and press the write button.
After that, from the "Special tasks" menu, choose factory reset again.

Put the eMMC back on the phone and boot normally, the job is done!


text:
How to access a private network on Quest2's Android 12
I am trying to connect MetaQuest2's Android 12 to a Wi-Fi network that does not broadcast SSID, but the connection button is not enabling. The certificate installation was successful and the proxy settings are correct, so what could be the cause?

What is your definition of a private network? A wifi network that does not broadcast it's SSID? But usually you don't need certificate for a Wifi. Certificates are mostly used in combination with a network that sues  802.11x radius authentication. So please edit your question and describe in detail what type of network you are trying to connect to and what requirement this network has.

This Wi-Fi network is a company network with a "WPF/WPF2-Enterprise" authentication.

I was able to press the connection button by changing the save location of the certificate file, but I can't connect. Am I doing something wrong with the installation of the certificate itself?


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No WLAN connection for one Xiaomi MiA2 mobile phone?
We bought some days ago a new WLan Router (FRITZ!Box 7530). Everything went fine, only one single mobile doesn't connect properly. We reseted all settings of this phone to (Xiaomi MiA2), tried to connect - didn't work.
We switched on and off the power of the mobile and the router several times. Chose "delete network" at the mobile and wrote the password again. No change.
Furthermore, and that's really weird: If we build a WLAN bridge from another mobile, then this WLAN connection works with the Xiaomi. Therefore, the WLAN ability of this phone is not broken. Seems to be only something wrong with the settings.
How can we connect this mobile to our network?
Addendum:
When we try to connect it shows "connection saved" ("gespeichert" in German). But no connection is established. The mobile doesn't appears in the Connection list of the Router.
What security method does the new Wi-Fi use (WPA2, WPA3, etc.) and to your knowledge is the phone compatible with that security method?
I think it's WPA2
What version of Android is the phone running (is it up-to-date on its security updates, etc.)?
Android 10. No Updates available (2021)

Lot of wifi related problems, factory-reset, changing time/day seems to have worked for some //From personal experience, don't expect any help from OEM//searching in MI forums is another option

Thank you @Sam Forbes, I tried to add in the question

I would try with to connect with other WIFI security protocols/settings.
If your router supports multiple WIFI networks, you could try creating another network to test older security protocols without breaking the already set connections of other client devices.
Also could try WPS authentication.


text:
Why is CyanogenMod zip not being found when I try to install it?
In order to help fix my problems with USB connectivity, it was suggested to me that I upgrade my kernel and ROM. I upgraded the kernel fine, it seems, but for some reason upgrading the ROM, which is CyanogenMod, keeps failing.
I have tried both ways of upgrading, via recovery and via the ROM manager (for which I purchased the full version). However both fail the exact same way, which is that I get an error message in the recovery interface that says the zip file for the ROM is "not found", despite the fact that the location it says it can't find the file is exactly where the file should be.
Here's what it looks like:

It says there is a log in /sdcard/clockworkmod/ directory, but when I look at that directoty, all that I see is a file called recovery-update.zip. There are no log files that I can see anywhere.
I have re-downloaded the zip a couple times to be sure it is not a corrupt file or anything, so I think the file is okay.
How do I get the zip to be found so that it can be installed?

Try renaming the file to update.zip.

It was necessary to completely wipe all system data before flashing the ROM. Once I did that, the file was found as normal.


text:
Can I use (via wifi only) my original VZW Droid without a voice or data plan?
I have a situation similar to Can I use an Android phone without an Internet access plan? but with one key difference, I don't even want to use it as a phone. Just a PDA.
I have an original VZW droid, the phone powers up and I can start apps etc; however, I cannot even connect to WiFi (it tries and fails with an error that just says unable to connect, try again). Is this a limitation of the phone being not activated? I used to use this phone as my every day driver, but I've since upgraded to a new phone, but would still like to use this droid as a wifi web browser around the house.

Don't know why it would prevent you from being on Wi-Fi. Try putting it in Airplane mode then turning on Wi-Fi and connecting again?

@jlehenbauer Thanks. That sounds like a good test. I'll try that and report back.

stock motorola's usually want you to log into motoblur but apart from that it should just work

@ce4: The original Droid did not have Motoblur.

I use my Droid for wifi-based apps without any problem.   It's been off contract since last October.   Perhaps try a battery-out power off; if that doesn't work, try to forget your Wifi network and then re-add it.

Does your droid use a sim card? If nothing else works, try pulling the sim and see if that has any effect.

@MichaelKohne: VZW og Droids don't have SIMs.

Yes you can, there shouldn't be any problem for using your phone as PDA only.

There shouldn't be any problems using WiFi without having an active account on your og Droid.  There's a pretty good discussion of this same question on the thread "repurpose old android phone".

I had the same issue with my HTC Hero. Even though I could toggle Wifi on and off while in Airplane mode, it would fail to connect. Turning Airplane mode off solved the problem.


text:
Can Google services be firewall-filtered (market yes, sync no)?
I recently asked about the availability of calendars with limited sandbox permissions, since I felt that most of them ask for access that is too wide, and hence are not as secure as I'd like. I also explored in that question what options were available to sync only to local computers, and to definitively prevent the device from syncing private data (calendar, contacts, todos) to Google. I plan to do my own backups locally.
Side note: not syncing private data with Google is a little trickier than a new user would expect. This is because a Google account is required to use the marketplace, and once the phone has that account, it cannot be removed without a factory reset (at least in version 2.2). The sync to it can be disabled, but if one accidentally turns it on - easily done momentarily, in my view - contacts and calendar are likely to whoosh to the cloud in short order.
One of course has to balance security requirements with usability, and my favourite calendars thus far (Business Calendar, aCalendar) do not offer their own private calendar repositories (they just work with any calendar sync provider). Ergo, they are equally at risk of accidental cloud synching as the stock Calendar application.
So, I am wondering if rooting the device and installing a firewall would be the way to go? I was originally of the view that I could grant application permissions to Market/Play to contact Google, but not Calendar. However I see in the DroidWall FAQ, if one wishes to continue using the market after installing the firewall:

Enable the following applications:

"Market";
"Media Storage, DRM Protected Content Storage, Download Manager" and
"Calendar Sync Adapter, Google Services Framework, Contacts Sync Adapter"

It seems odd that, to use the market one needs to grant permissions to the latter, but would be entirely in keeping with Google's policy of making it hard to avoid their services. Any root owners here have thoughts as to whether it is possible? I'm hoping I can filter+block on calendar.google.com etc whilst permitting play.google.com - or similar.
(I suppose the easiest answer to this Q is "try it!", but I'm looking for expertise before I risk rooting my phone).

To firewall, you need a root, as it modifies the iptables and filters the network stack. The iptables comes with Droidwall which is btw, an excellent tool and a must have if your ROM is rooted :)
Edit: Just checked mine, in theory its possible to create a script to modify the iptables to block the domain calendar.google.com whilst allowing play.google.com to pass through. Droidwall's set of rules are a bit too generic though, but you can most certainly set the custom script by hitting menu from within Droidwall itself and use it to suit your custom needs :)
The IP address for calendar.google.com is 173.194.33.37. and for  play.google.com is 173.194.33.37. Sure they are the same, but you need to find out what port is the calendar using, same for play.
# Block all connections in the TCP port nn for calendar!
$IPTABLES -A "droidwall" -p TCP --destination "173.194.33.37" --destination-port nn -j "droidwall-reject"

Linky here that explains how to do add custom script.

Ah, splendid. I'm a programmer, though quite unfamiliar with iptables - but I should think it's not beyond my wit to figure it out. Is there a danger if I put a bad rule in that I freeze the device and make it unsalvageable? :o

@halfer no, what will happen is iptables will not work properly, you will not freeze the handset as a result of bad rule! :)

NOTE this rule is the top of my head and may not work, maybe might need to tweaked a bit.. :)

Great, and thanks for the example rule. I'll have to do some digging to see what ports are used (and I expect I can use DroidWall's logging feature for this - just block everything by default, and start opening things up so basic services work again). Interesting weekend project :-)

@halfer have fun with it :) and yes you can log with Droidwall :)


text:
Revoke permission of system apps without root
I was wondering if there is any way I could revoke permission of a system app without having root. And if the is a way and I managed to do it are there any side effects that might result in the app crashing or not opening at all. The permission I want to revoke is HIDE_NON_SYSTEM_OVERLAY_WINDOWS.
And the apps are Package Installer and Permission Controller.
Thank you


text:
Recover WhatsApp chat history using crypt14 file
I tried to restore WhatsApp chat history using the crypt14 file following the steps on the WhatsApp page (https://faq.whatsapp.com/6181521285295518/?helpref=hc_fnav&cms_platform=android&cms_id=6181521285295518&draft=true), the backup file is detected by WhatsApp, the restoration process ends, but at the end a message appears stating that it was not possible to restore the conversation history. Can someone help me please? I even tried to put other folders from the WhatsApp folder that I had saved in the WhatsApp folder (Media, Backups, etc.), but it still didn't work. I don't have a backup on Google Drive, so there is no such restore option. Thanks in advance.


text:
How to find the PID of an app without ADB?
The ADB method is easy enough, but I may not have a computer at hand. Can I retrieve the PID with a Termux package or an app, or any other methods (including those which require root)?

If root is required, F-Droid https://f-droid.org/ apps are certainly preferred.

@Firelord: A root method is fine, I forgot to mention this in the question.

@ReddyLutonadio: It seems that you deleted the answer -- do you know what the number string displayed on every app page in Netguard was? As noted by Firelord apps can't retrieve PID in modern Android versions.

I deleted it after realizing that I misunderstood UID for PID. So, it would have given information that would not have been useful.

@user598527 that must be UID. Also an app might have multiple PIDs e.g. if it forks native processes.

If you are using Android 7 or above, you need to have access to ADB (either command-line client, or an app which used adb on localhost) or root access to see the PIDs of other processes.
If you are in Terminal emulator app or in Termux app, and you have root access, do this:

su
ps -A -o PID,USER,NAME

This would output text segregated in three columns: first column as PID, second column is the user which owns the process, and the third column showing the name of the process.
Example output (posting only a snippet of it here):

28574 system       net.oneplus.odm
28622 u11_a149     com.oneplus.gallery
28646 u0_a149      com.oneplus.gallery
28701 u11_a149     com.oneplus.gallery:recyclebin
28727 u11_a149     com.oneplus.gallery:contentdetector
28778 root         [kworker/1:2H]
28789 u0_a329      su
28794 root         sh
28872 u11_system   com.oneplus.opbackup

Instead of ps command, can also use pidof as suggested by Yahya Uddin here.
Note: PID and UID are altogether different things. If you are after UID, see How can I find app name by UID?


text:
TWRP fails to decrypt data on OnePlus One
During charging my OnePlus One turned off and I wasn't able to turn the phone back on by pressing the power button. I wasn't able to get the phone to recharge. I managed to boot to recovery (power + volume down). Now TWRP fails to decrypt with the current, correct password and can't be used in any way. I have rebooted several times, considering doing a factory reset.
TWRP error I get:
E: Unable to mount storage.
Full SELinux support is present.
E: Failed to decrypt data.

Latest TWRP and a recent CM 13 nightly ROM installed.

 This can happen due to many reasons ! A common issue is the fail in the boot order sequence which indeed is stored correctly in the TWRP from which you booted into.  Now, Are you able to boot through the normal method ?  . If not, then boot to bootloader and select the normal startup option. Try fixing permissions from TWRP and see if it fixes the problem.  Good Luck!

Good to know your problem is solved.

Not solved. From what I've understood there's a bug in OPO software that causes issues with TWRP. I currently can't use TWRP at all, only boot and I'm not sure if even a factory reset would fix the issue.
TWRP error message I get:
E: Unable to mount storage.   Full SELinux support is present.   E: Failed to decrypt data.

Booting via bootloader solved the issue.


text:
How to mount in TWRP?
I've never mounted in TWRP, a script advices doing so. Can I mount directly from TWRP's mount screen? I can select the partitions to mount, but see no option execute.
Does rebooting/booting to the system the device mount the selected storage partitions?

As soon as you check (tick) the entry of a partition, it is mounted. If you untick the entry, the partition is unmounted.

@Firelord: You can post as an answer. Cache is enabled by default, should I keep it enabled (I have to mount data)?

@user598527 Leaving a partition mounted or not is a mere personal preference, as long as the partition itself isn't touched.

@DeathMaskSalesman: What do you mean? Should I "unmount" after mounting once?

@user598527 I mean that, if the script doesn't make changes to a partition's content, then mounting or unmounting it is irrelevant and you don't need to worry about it.

@user598527 Death is right. Mounting has no impact but only if the install does not effect it. I just mount SD/OTG to make backups, and leave the rest as-is.

Can I mount directly from TWRP's mount screen?

Yes. Under the category Mount you would see a range of partitions available to be mounted. Selecting an entry (check-mark) would automatically mount the corresponding partition and deselecting the entry would unmount that partition. You can mount/unmount multiple partitions.
You can verify the said method by executing the command mount when selecting/deselecting the partition(s), via adb or through Advanced tab → Terminal Command.


text:
Permission denied when working with/without "su -c" in /cache
I am trying to issue this command
adb shell "su -c echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command"
//OR//
adb shell "echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command"

outputs the same: /system/bin/sh: can't create /cache/recovery/command: Permission denied
I granted root permission for adb and i can run other commands with root normally like touch for example
I tried the command both ways when the file did and did not existed.
I tried checking for the existence of the file:
adb shell "if [ -f /cache/recovery/command ]; then echo "file found"; else echo "error"; fi"

it returned error even though the file does in fact exist
The Goal is to add a few lines to the recovery queue so the run the next time the device boots into recovery
Please correct me, I'm not so good at android command line, do I need to use a different command to achieve this goal?
More info: Android 8.1 (RR oreo) ... Magisk SU ... TWRP 3.2 (But need this to be compatible with as many android versions, recoveries, and su binaries as possbible .... I hope lol)

It's better to Ask your question on superuser community.

adb shell 'su -c "echo \"boot-recovery\" > /cache/recovery/command"'
adb shell 'su -c "'"echo "boot-recovery" > /cache/recovery/command"'"' #Alternative
adb shell "su -c \"echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command\"" #Another alternative
adb shell 'su -c "'"echo "'"boot-recovery"'" > /cache/recovery/command"'"' #yet another alternative

That should work. I'm not sure why. This answer from codeforester might help you out if you're looking for a reason.
My take is that, in:
adb shell "su -c echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command"

adb shell launches a non-interactive shell, the double quotes are expanded  , leaving
su -c echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command

However, in this, only echo 'boot-recovery' gets to be run with root privilege and the resulting output falls back to shell user (id=2000) which doesn't have the privilege to write into cache directory, hence the error.
Quoting everything after -c passes whole echo 'boot-recovery' > /cache/recovery/command instruction to su executable, and so, that does work.

Thanks for the info .. how to avoid getting it in the hands of the user and keep it in root mode...  are the 4 commands you wrote a solution? because they output the same Permission denied

I don't know why it outputs permission denied in your case. It works here. Does the shell/adb has permission to switch to root user in your superuser app?

in magisk su it lets apps and adb have root access... I will try to play with another option related to owner/user/something root access

omg.. The 2nd one of your commands worked after i changed the Multi-user mode from Device Owner Only to User Independent... and now i opened the command file, it has "boot-recovery" in it (success) ..... It worked even tho powershell doesn't like it (it colors it wild)

Sorry for commenting a lot.. Now i tested it it does write to command but nothing happens when booting into recovery, so the main goal is not achieved

@NHKomaiha it is an altogether different question, so please ask a new question. Thanks. :-)

Although it was my main goal to do the queue but ok.. at least i learned something useful here, thanks for help

For me, this worked:
adb shell "su -c 'boot-recovery > /cache/recovery/command'"

You start with a double quote before su -c. Then single quote for the command, a single quote after the command and close with a double quote.


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(Samsung) Possibility to check bootloader status using PC
Is it possible to check bootloader status using adb of a samsung device back from 2014 or older?
(s5 and below) there's no fastboot, and no "OEM Unlock" in developer options
and since i need to get the info using pc
Do I need to program an android application to go with my desktop one to detect bootloader status?
If so, is it even possible to get bootloader status using an app?
Context:
I'm creating a desktop program which needs to determine bootloader status to do certain tasks. I have searched for ways to do it, i found 3 only, none work in my case
Using dialer to find it, I get no output at all..
Using fastboot, There's no fastboot, only download mode
Using an adb command, it helped but it did not output the bootloader status

Try this app to see if it reveals bootloader status

@beeshyams thanks, but it does not

On Samsung devices, if there is no OEM unlock in the Developer Settings, then the bootloader is unlocked by default. OEM lock is enabled on carriers models only.
Moreover Samsung devices don't have fastboot, they have a proprietary protocol instead.

thanks for the info... that's wierd because my phone is T-Mobile and doesn't have OEM Unlock.... Anyway  So I guess i'll have to program my app to either check for the existence of that option in settings, or use fastboot if available

Which variant model is your device? Check in About device options

SM-G900T .. it is T-Mobile  (kltetmo) (s5 lte (snapdragon) tmobile)

This variant has a locked bootloader I guess, like most T-MO devices

it is. because it blocked my first ever flashing try and bricked itself  ..i don't know how i unlocked it later... and I can't try again because it's unlocked forever

Maybe because you downgraded it to a build with an unlocked bootloader

I remember my first successful flash was the official update from 5.1.1 to 6.0.1 using odin (success because unmodified binaries)... so you're saying they made it unlocked in 6.0.1 update maybe... I don't remember exactly when it became unlocked but this could be the case


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How to use Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to sync Hotmail and Outlook contacts to Android?
I have sync issues with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, when using its service with my Hotmail account. (I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 with Android 6.0.1, if that helps)
These are the steps I took to reproduce the issue,

Go to the settings page
Under the Personalization Section I select Accounts
Select Add Account
Select Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync
Entered my Email Address and Password
Select Next
Uncheck all the checkboxes except Sync Contacts.
Select Next
Name the Account and select Done

Now that I had setup the account, I took the following steps to test my contact sync

Create a new contact on the device using the contacts app and selecting the microsoft exchange activesync as the account and fill in a name and contact number.
Save the contact.
Go to outlook's webapp
log into the same microsoft account and create a contact.
Save the contact.

Finally I went to my phone and made sure sync was switched on and looked for the contact I had made using the outlook's webapp. I also looked on outlook's webapp for the contact created on the phone.
The final result:

Sync from Outlook.com to android => WORKING

(The contact I created using the outlook.com web app was visible in both the web app and the phone)

Sync from Android to Outlook => BROKEN

(The contact was only visible on the phone ie: missing from the outlook web app)
How can I fix the BROKEN Android to Outlook sync?
___________________________________________UPDATE___________________________________________

I haven't tried using another android phone, I don't have one lying
around at the moment. I'll give it a shot when I can and let you
know.
I do not sync my contacts with my google account, how is this
possible? I am trying to sync my MS account contacts to my android
phone. I wasn't aware of a connection between the MS account and my
Google account contacts.
I've already tried syncing the emails, no luck. Issue still
persists.

It turns out that Microsoft Does NOT Support 2 way sync between android devices and hotmail or windows live accounts.
I got in touch with the outlook customer service rep for android and they confirmed this.
I hope MS figures this one out sooner rather than later.

Have you tried connecting another Android phone? It would be a nice AB testing to see where's the problem.
The first answer that comes to mind is to check whether your contacts not set to sync with Google contacts. In some cases that prevents everything from working correctly.
Another solution is to enable syncing email alongside with syncing contacts. Some Android phones don't update other data correctly till emails syncing is turned off.
And the last option is switching to the software called Akruto to check if that could fix everything. You can find all instructions and video guide on the official website: http://www.akruto.com/best-ways-to-sync-android-with-microsoft-outlook/
Hope this helps!

Unfortunately that application will not provide me with a constant 2 way sync between my phone and MS......

Found the issue. Please see my answer.

So after a few weeks of trying to figure out the root cause of the issue, it turns out that Microsoft Exchange Active Sync only supports One Way sync for your windows live accounts to your Android devices.
This was confirmed by MS Customer Service once I installed the Outlook App for Android and had a chat about Sync Issues.
Apparently MS is working on fixing the Sync Issues and providing us with true two way Sync, but as of 29th of April 2017, this has not yet happened.


text:
android app install overwrites /data/data/com.my.app
Background: As part of an upgrade to A6/MM, I ended up having to wipe my phone. I did however back up /data/app and /data/data before I wiped. After the upgrade I rsync'ed /data/data back to the phone. Then I proceeded to re-install some apps from google play.
I expected the app data in /data/data to be used, but instead the app install first failed, but on 2nd attempt the install worked (finished), BUT it overwrote all my settings (etc) that I had restored into /data/data. My question is, how do I avoid this? Was the first install fail because the app installer saw the old data?
The app in question was Zoiper Lite, but I don't think the specific app is terribly significant. Is there something about wiping (factory reset) that causes the apk install process to expect no data and therefore fail, but then erasing data if you insist with a 2nd attempt? Of course, what I really want is a workaround so I can install the app AND keep the old data. I have lots of apps for which I would like to do this, so it is definitely a problem...

Why not install the app and then rsync its data? That said, some apps generate install-specific data in there (such as API access tokens), so it can't necessarily be reused from one install to another.

DO NOT create the folders before the app itself does, as you often won't be able to get permissions, ownership and contexts right. Instead, after a new install, run the app once to let it create the file structure, then proceed to overwrite. It's also highly recommended to find which exact file(s) stores the preferences/data you want to restore - usually just some XML files in shared_prefs sub-folder - and restore them only.
The final solution to such problems in the future would be just using apps like Titanium Backup to automate the backup/restore process.
EDIT: I downloaded Zoiper myself and tested: I modified some preferences, backed up /data/data/com.zoiper.android.app/shared_prefs/com.zoiper.android.app_preferences.xml, then cleared data and re-ran the app to let it generate structure. I restored the pref file afterwards, and they did get restored after I did the 1st trick. The thing is, don't forget to first force close the app before you try to replace stuff, or the running app will simply ignore it.

When replacing files, take very good care of ownership. Each app gets a Unix user/group assigned on install – and with a fresh install, it's rarely the same it was before. So full ack on "TiBu does the job" :)

@Izzy Damn, ownership! I knew I missed something but couldn't grasp it when writing... Edited

@Izzy Weirdly, in my experience, although putting a full structure without taking of ownership, etc. won't work, overwriting a single file does, and after opening the app next time, the permission and ownership are corrected to their intended values... Android sure works in ways I can't comprehend right now.

Nothing unusual, Andy. If the app owns the directory, it can delete/replace all files within. If it doesn't own the directory, it cannot do a thing with the contents. So if you replaced the entire structure, the top-level directory (and all within) belonged to "another user", and the app couldn't deal with it – while when you placed a single file, it could. Same thing on Linux/Unix; I remember it back from my days at the university, where we shared folders in our students' group: who owned the folder had the power :)

@Izzy Wow. So it's *nix working in ways I need to learn badly. Now I gradually know why seniors said to me "you're never too old to learn Linux"...

Highly recommended indeed – as you can see, not only for the sake of understanding Linux/Unix, but Android as well :) After all, Android is based on those very same concepts, though it applies them differently sometimes (e.g. counting each "application" as "user").

I have now tried letting the app generate the data files, exit/kill app, and then replacing data files with the backup, AND running  chown -R app_168.app168 /data/data/com.zoiper.android.app. After that, I still get "Error occurred. Crash report has been sent." when I start the app again. I used rsync  -rltDv, the permission settings should not have changed.

I don't know about rsync; you should talk about that with @DanHulme above. As for myself I still insist on finding the exact file so that I avoid permission problems.

Andy, I have mucked around with  restoring only some files in the /data/data/com.zoiper.android.appshared_prefs folder, but so far no luck. This is turning out to be a LOT more difficult than I expected.

I'm outta words... Probably I'll try the app and try the data restore trick on it myself later.

@reikred Did some experiment and turned out successful - see edit.