Google Nexus 4 Tips and Tricks

Android 4.2 (Jellybean)
Phone: Google Nexus 4
Factory OS: Android 4.2 (Jellybean)

Have you updated your Operating System?
Then view tips for the most recent OS version(s): Android 9 (Pie) & Android 8 (Oreo)
Or view tips for all Android versions

If you want to receive calls during the night, but don’t want to be woken up by notifications like text messages, then you can turn notifications to silent.

Go to Settings – Sounds. Then change notifications to silent.

Another great option is to download an App called Profile Valet. This will help you switch profiles automatically based on the time of day or location. Perfect for when you have a regular work routine and don’t want to have to worry about switching profiles several times a day.

When browsing on your phone you may notice images are quite blurry. This is because your telecom provider is compressing the images before they are downloaded on to your phone.

There is no way to prevent this, but if you have a WiFi connection nearby, then you can turn that on. This will mean that all browser downloads come through the WiFi connection, rather than the carrier, and your images will appear normally.

There are two options to increase the font size on your phone:

The first is to simply install a new font that is larger than the default font. Font Changer and Type Fresh are two Apps that allow you to change Fonts on your phone (they do require Root access though).

The second option is to use dedicate Apps to change the font size, although they will normally only work for SMS and some Google Apps.

To enlarge the SMS font, go to the Android Market and download an App called ChompSMS. Among other things, the App allows you to increase the font size of your SMS messages.

For enlarge SMS and the standard Google Apps fonts, then download an App called SMS/Talk Text Enlarger.

To put your phone into night mode, go to your Clock application and press the screen once which will dim the screen.

Then press and hold on the screen and the clock will turn blue. This is Night mode.

Downloading loads of Apps is great, but sometimes they can cause havoc with your phone and a boot into safe mode is necessary.

To do this, long press your Power button. Then long press on the Power off option. You will then be asked to reboot into safe mode.

When your phone restarts it will not load any Apps allowing you to disable any troublesome ones.

To enable Face Unlock, go into Settings – Security.

Then select Screen lock.

If you want to find your phone’s WiFi MAC address (for improved WiFi security), then from the Home screen, go to Menu – Settings – About Phone – Status.

Then scroll down until you see WiFi MAC Address. The address should be a series of Hex numbers and letters.

While typing emails or notes, you can simply tap the space key twice and the phone will insert a full stop / period

There is a hidden easter egg on the phone. If you go to your Homescreen, then press Menu – Settings – About phone, then tap on the Android version option 5 times you will be surprised.

Sometimes it doesn’t work, so try a couple of times. By the way don’t expect to see an actual Easter Egg. That is just the name given to things hidden inside software or operating systems.

To gain access to features such as Airplane mode WiFi, Screen Lock Orientation, Brightness and so on, double tap on the Clock in the bottom right of the screen.