Help Migrating to new A54, q's!

[RASelkirk]

Hi All,

I had a LG G6 for the past couple years, fit all my needs until LG quit the phone business and started dropping features. So now I have a new A54 5G that I'm setting up and personalizing.

• I'm set for "home screen only" and have several pages of apps. When the LG got to the last page, it would roll back around to page one. This phone makes me scroll backwards thru all the pages instead. Can this be made to act like the LG?
• I have my screen timeout maxxed at 10 mins, as was the LG but the LG would black out after 15 secs of inactivity and not require a PW unless the 10 minutes had expired. The A54 stays "lit up" the entire 10 mins. Is there a setting for blank screen time?
• T-Mobile clerk who did the setup hot-swapped my memory card w/o shutting anything down, and I got several popups that the (external 64g) memory card could not be written to. I've been through all the menus and don't see a way to test it for function. Is there one?
• Is there a list of factory SPAMMO apps that can be safely uninstalled, or at least be disabled and moved into a junk folder?
• The "widgets" seem way lamer than those for the LG. Is there something else that needs installing?

I'll prolly be back with more as I get into setting up apps, PWs, and layout...

Thanks!

Russ

 

[Dannydet]

You can install a different launcher from the play store such as Nova launcher, which will take care of your home screen, and app drawer functionality.
Hell, you can install a new icon pack and change up your icons too. Widgets, etc... All using Nova launcher, prime is what I've been using.

 

[ocnbrze]

so i hate OneUI which is the skin or launcher that Samsung employs on all of their phones. never been a fan of it. not sure what LG calls their launcher as most manufacturers like to add the android experience by making their android os different from other phones.

i am with @Dannydet . i love the Nova Launcher. i have been using it since my HTC EVO 3G days. Nova is free, but if you buy the Prime key, it will unlock so much more customizations.

check them out:

Nova Launcher - Apps on Google Play

Your home screen, just the way you like it.

play.google.com

Nova Launcher Prime - Apps on Google Play

Your home screen, just the way you like it.

play.google.com

 

[RASelkirk]

Tried it last night but it doesn't seem to allow wrapping around to the homepage. While swiping thru the pages, still gotta put 'er in reverse and back out when I get to the last page. Unless that's part of the premo pkg? I looked at the LG's home screen app, there's no "about" page so it's prolly buily into their OS...

Russ

 

[ocnbrze]

Can't say for the free version, but with prime it does.

 

[Dannydet]

If this is pertaining to the home screens, set it as "infinite scroll" in the Nova settings... Not sure if this option is available in the free version

 

[RASelkirk]

Ahh, so it scrolls vertically and I'm used to horizontal scrolling. I'll keep poking around, maybe I'll find the magic switch yet. Or just try and get used to it...

Russ

 

[stevetaz]

Ahh, so it scrolls vertically and I'm used to horizontal scrolling. I'll keep poking around, maybe I'll find the magic switch yet. Or just try and get used to it...

Russ

I use the free version of Nova and if you are talking about your home screen of apps, in Nova settings, go to Home Screen --> Look for Scroll and select the box for Infinite Scroll. That scrolls horizontilly through your apps without stopping on the last page.
It does on my S21 5G.

 

[RASelkirk]

Whoo-hoo, got it all going sideways now, thanks! Got my SD card figured, just needed to be removed from the sleeve and reinstalled. Down to a couple minor aggravations now. Somehow I managed to put all my screen fonts in shadowbox mode, heavy border and hollow inner. I have been all over Nova and factory settings, don't remember what I did and cannot seem to undo it.

Can the screen blank out before it times out looking for a PW?

Is there a way to get a drop-down menu for sound functions?


Russ

 

[Dannydet]

Here's a shot of my home screen.
Nova will let you create a widget for your volumes if you want

 

[RASelkirk]

Thanks, I'll hunt that down. The font deal was under "Accessibility | Visibility Enhancements | High Contrast Fonts. Don't remember going there, but...

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Ahh, not able to locate the proper item. My Nova widgets show "Nova Action | Search Bar | Activity | Apps or Folder". I've tried them all with no luck. The last item seems like the right one and there is a checkbox for "Settings" but it won't let me select within settings, only the main page.

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Well, almost there. Turns out my SD card was indeed corrupted, had to run chkdsk /r overnight, saved almost all files to my 'puter desktop, reformatted card and dragged files back onto card. Now "Gallery" doesn't see them, how to I get that to work? According to ES File Explorer, they are all there and activate OK when clicked...

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Nevermind, figured it out. Shouldn't take (even a 70 year old!) 5 days to set up a new device, but there it is...

Russ

 

[Dannydet]

Glad to hear you sorted it out!
Hopefully we were able to help out

 

[RASelkirk]

Yes, thanks. I never did find a way to do the volume controls though. Let me know if you remember the steps?

Russ

 

[Dannydet]

I believe the volume controls can only be added to the home screen by an app, which is what I use. Basically a widget.
I use Volume Controls, from the play store :Volume Controls - Apps on Google Play

 

[RASelkirk]

Thanks, found and installed it!

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Oops, I'm back.

When I have multiple apps running, I can scroll thru them. How do I pick and choose what to close? All I see is a "clear all" button.

Russ

 

[ocnbrze]

Oops, I'm back.

When I have multiple apps running, I can scroll thru them. How do I pick and choose what to close? All I see is a "clear all" button.

Russ

swipe up on the app you want closed.

 

[RASelkirk]

swipe up on the app you want closed.

Awesome, thanks!

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Pandora Q:

I've had Pandora for a while, my first phone (Note 4) I could start, run, and stop it normally. Second phone (LG G6) was like that at first, then whenever I stopped Pandora, it appeared to be gone, but then I'd get a battery hog notification and I'd have to scroll through the apps panel, find Pandora, and forcibly shut it down. New phone (A54), I just cannot shut it down without a reboot. There's no forcing a shutdown that I can find and a down-swipe on the notification bar shows it's still there. Not sure if it's hogging resources but I hate seeing it all the time. Ideas?

Russ

EDIT: Correction, a reboot does not shut it down either. It's now acting like an integrated part of the OS...

 

[RASelkirk]

Errr, I hate being the dumb guy!

Pull down notifications panel, locate Pandora, swipe right, GONE.

Russ

 

[olbriar]

Errr, I hate being the dumb guy!

Pull down notifications panel, locate Pandora, swipe right, GONE.

Russ

You are not the dumb guy. The dumb guy doesn't ask for assistance and then learns.

 

[RASelkirk]

Lotsa great help here, thanks!

Changing phones, especially after 5+ years of added technology, can be quite humbling! For a 70 yr old at that. This one's ~ 98% figured, now we need to do the same for the wife's phone!

Russ