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Sometimes it feels like our phones take up more of our time than they save. Between constant notifications, repetitive tasks and digital clutter, it’s easy to forget they’re supposed to make life easier.
But with a few simple setting tweaks, your phone can actually help you stay organized, reduce distractions and save time.
These built-in tools don’t require any extra apps or subscriptions, and once you set them up, they work quietly in the background so you don’t have to.
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An iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
5 ways to make your phone work harder for you and save time
1. Use keyboard shortcuts to speed up typing on your phone
If you’re constantly typing your email address, home address or the same greeting, you can save time by using built-in text shortcuts.
On iPhone:
- Click Settings.
- Click General.
- Click Keyboard.
- Click Text Replacement (2nd row).
- Click the “+” button at the top.
- Enter a phrase and the associated shortcut.
- Click Save in the upper right-hand corner.
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On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Click Settings.
- Scroll to General management.
- Click Samsung Keyboard settings. If you have a different keyboard set as your default, head to Keyboard list and default to find Samsung Keyboard. For this trick to work, you’ll need Samsung Keyboard set as your default. You can do that at the top of this page. Then select “Samsung Keyboard” before the next step. Finally, select Text Replacement.
- Click More typing options, or on some devices you may not see this, and you can proceed to click Text shortcuts and then click the ADD/+ button in the upper right.
- Enter the shortcut and the expanded phrase and then click add.
A few of the shortcuts I use include “@@” for my email, “adr” for my address and “gm” for a quick “Good morning!” but I’ve also put together a full guide of my most useful keyboard shortcuts here.
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2. Schedule Do Not Disturb mode to reduce phone interruptions
Instead of turning off notifications manually, let your phone do it for you based on a schedule or even your physical location.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Focus.
- Here you’ll find different Focus modes, like Do Not Disturb, Work and Personal, and each can be customized with its own schedule, app filter and notification settings.
- Select the Focus mode you would like to set up and then click Add a Schedule.
- From there you can customize Time, Location and App.
For example, when you click Work, you can allow notifications from key apps like Outlook or Slack and silence the rest. You can also allow for notifications from important people, like your co-workers and family members. When you click Add a Schedule, you’ll be able to customize a Time for your phone to know exactly when to turn Work mode on and off. Or, if you work odd hours, you can even set up Location, so when you arrive to work, your phone does, too.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Go to Settings.
- Click Focus.
- Then click Do Not Disturb.
- Tap Schedules to create custom rules by day, time or calendar event.
This feature helps reduce distractions while working, sleeping or commuting without needing to remember to toggle it on.
3. Set location-based reminders to never forget important tasks
Rather than setting reminders for a specific time, you can have them appear when you arrive or leave a location. This can be useful for reminders like “Pick up eggs” when you arrive at the store or “Bring laptop” when you leave home.
On iPhone:
- Open the Reminders app.
- Click New Reminder in the bottom left of the screen.
- Tap Details.
- Then toggle on Location.
- From here, select the Location where you would like to be reminded of your task.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open Google Keep and create a new note.
- Tap the reminder icon and then select Place.
- From here, select the Location where you would like to be reminded of your task.
Now, your phone works like a virtual assistant, reminding you of your tasks when you need them most.
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4. Automatically delete old text messages to free up phone space
Instead of scrolling back through months or years of messages to clean up, you can set your phone to delete them automatically.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Apps, then find and tap Messages.
- Scroll down and click Message History.
- From here, you’ll have the option to keep messages for 30 Days, 1 year or Forever.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open the Messages app.
- Go to Settings, then Message history.
- Look for an option to auto-delete old threads or limit stored messages.
This keeps your device from getting bogged down with old group chats or spam texts.
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5. Enable auto-updates for apps to keep your phone secure and updated
Make sure your apps stay up to date with the latest features and security fixes without needing to check manually.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Apps.
- Then find and tap App Store.
- Toggle on App Updates.
On Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- Open the Play Store.
- Tap your profile icon.
- Click Settings.
- Tap Network preferences.
- Click Auto-update apps.
- Choose whether to update over Wi-Fi or on any network.
Turning on auto-updates saves you time and helps keep your phone running smoothly and securely.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
These five small automations can make a big difference in how you use your phone. Setting up text shortcuts helps you type faster. Scheduling Do Not Disturb cuts down on unwanted distractions. Location-based reminders take the mental load off your to-do list. Auto-deleting old messages keeps things tidy. And auto-updating apps ensures you always have the latest improvements without lifting a finger.
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