I’ve got an Android phone (Motorola) and I like it…but I don’t know how to do certain things.
In Windows, you can do a hell of a lot with only two key-combinations: Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V. You can copy text, music, pictures, links, all sorts of neat stuff. In Android? I do not know how to move files. I don’t even know how to get a file directory, as in Windows Explorer.
Is there a good “Android for Dummies” book – not necessarily the actual “For Dummies” series, although if that’s a really good one, please tell me!
(I also regret that devices come without instruction manuals these days…)
Well, I’d say if you’re trying to move files around… well, you’re doing it wrong. The reason you have all those apps on your phone is to avoid having to dig around in the basement for what you want.
If you’re trying to copy text, including links, just highlight it and do a “long press,” then choose the copy icon. To paste, put your cursor in the field you want, repeat the long press, and choose paste.
To copy a picture - from what to what? A website to an email? Use a link. Your camera app to Facebook? Use the built-in Facebook share functionality.
If you Google your phone’s model (Motorola Droid of some kind?) I’m sure you’ll find a user manual.
Check Settings>Storage to see what your internal memory is being used for. And if you really want a file manager, you can easily download one.
Per araminty’s point it’s not really not set up like DOS or Windows with a bunch or universal shortcuts. There are some long press cut/copy/paste commonalities across apps but most functions are defined by the menus of the app you are in.
Here’s a tutorial for general android smartphone functionality
Every manufacturer has a different “skin” on Android, and there are lots of different versions of Android out there on top of the manufacturer’s look and functionality they’ve either added or removed. The best bet for you is to just google search by your phone model or Android version and what you want to do.
For instance, I have a Galaxy S6. If I didn’t know how to, say, take a screenshot, I would Google “take a screenshot Galaxy S6” and my answer would pop right up.
I don’t know if it’s manufacturer-specific, but my LG phone has a file manager. I can move files from the internal memory to the SD card and vice-versa, rename files, create folders, and all kinds of cool stuff.
I always compare the Android “long press” to the Windows “right-click.” That is to say, it will bring up a context-based menu of available options.
As for detailed instruction manual, generally you have to go to the manufacturer’s website (or your carrier’s website) to find that. The ones I’ve seen are very detailed.
Many manufacturers are no longer providing instruction manuals with their products. Some are not even providing them on their web sites!
If this is the case with your phone, let your cell provider and the manufacturer know this is RIDICULOUS!
To find a manual, search google.com for the following words…
(Note there may not be a manual for your specific phone, but manuals for other phones may have all sorts of basic Android instructions. So try substituting Motorola with LG, Samsung, etc.)