Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Best apps to automate your Android phone

Access to your Android settings can be achieved more quickly and more easily than ever before on the latest version of the platform. It’s important to be able to turn Wi-Fi or GPS on or off when you want to. There are various apps that allow you to add widgets to your home screen or even a settings panel to your notifications (it comes as standard in Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay now).

You may be able to access your settings more easily than before, but you still have to decide when to turn things on and off, and you still have to manually swipe and tap your way through the process.

Recommended Videos

Is there an easier way?

There’s always an easier way. That’s one of the great things about Android. You can actually automate your Android settings for different scenarios. By using the right apps or employing NFC tags you can make life run more smoothly.

We’re going to take a look at some of the best apps you can use to automate your Android settings by creating “if this then that” rules to trigger specific profiles. We’ll also discuss what you can do with programmable NFC tags.

Motorola Smart Actions (Free; Google Play)

Sadly, this app is only available on Motorola smartphones. It allows you to set specific phone profiles for different locations and you can create “Smart Actions,” which are essentially the same as “if this then that” rules. For example, you could tell your phone to switch the ringer off at bedtime, automatically play music when you plug in headphones, or turn power-draining features off as soon as your battery dips below a specific level.

There are various triggers you can use to create actions, which makes this app quite versatile. Other potential actions you could set up include switching to vibrate instead of the ringer when you connect to your work Wi-Fi, to avoid those meeting disruptions. You could also trigger maps, GPS and a specific playlist for music when you connect to your car’s Bluetooth. It’s a real time saver.

Tasker ($6.50)

You may have heard about Tasker before. It’s basically the most comprehensive automation app for the Android platform. It provides you with lots of potential triggers, over 200 possible actions, and the ability to create extremely complicated rules. If you want to unleash the potential power of Android automation, and you don’t mind a learning curve, then Tasker is the only choice.

It will take some time to get to grips with and it’s probably overkill for some people, but the things you can do with Tasker are impressive. For example, it goes beyond setting a basic alarm for a specific time in the morning. You could specify that on a certain day of the week your alarm goes off, plays a specific music track, loads up a news app, and says “Remember to drop Amy at swim practice.” The things you can achieve by tweaking the rules make it worth persisting with and you can find help on the Tasker website and elsewhere online.

AutomateIt (Free)

The free version of AutomateIt offers an impressive array of options and it is relatively straightforward to use. You can easily set up rules based on a wide variety of triggers and there are plenty of possible actions. It’s not as comprehensive as Tasker, but it is also slightly easier to use. If you don’t like ads then you can pay $1.60 for the Pro version, which also gives you a few extra triggers and the ability to set multiple triggers and actions for specific rules.

Other apps

There are quite a few automation apps for Android that you might want to check out. They each have a different set of capabilities so shop around and read the reviews to see what might suit you best. Take a look at Llama – Location Profiles, Modus Operandi, Timeriffic, and Smart Settings. If you know of any others you would recommend then post a comment and tell us why they’re worth checking out.

Samsung TecTiles ($15 for 5; Amazon)

There are a lot of potential uses for NFC and Android automation using programmable NFC tags is one of them. TecTiles from Samsung are basically wee stickers that you can program with a set of instructions for your phone and then place somewhere useful. You’ll need the free TecTiles app, along with a pack of tiles to start. They come in packs of five and you can reprogram them for new instructions or you can lock them down to a specific instruction or function.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

You could have a bedside tile that sets your alarm at night or a tag on your dashboard that sets your preferred car profile. You could also set one up to display a message to whoever taps their phone on it or it could automatically link them up with your LinkedIn profile or register a Facebook like. You could have a tile that launches a specific app or automatically sends an SMS to a specific number. There are loads of great possibilities, from simple directions or web page links, to sharing contact details, all with a simple tap.

TecTiles are new and not as far-reaching as you might like. The ability to program tiles to trigger multiple events from different categories would really elevate its potential usefulness. At $15 for five tiles you may feel it’s a bit expensive and underpowered right now.

Automation is the future for Android

As Android has developed, each release has offered new features to make life easier. Things that used to only be available as apps or widgets have been rolled into the operating system. It would be great to see some automation options in the next major platform update.

Have you tried any Android automation apps yourself? Do you like the idea of TecTiles? Do you have any tips or recommendations for anyone looking to automate their Android phone? Post a comment and tell us what you think.

Simon Hill
Former Associate Mobile Editor
Simon Hill is an experienced technology journalist and editor who loves all things tech. He is currently the Associate Mobile…
Two of 2023’s best Motorola phones are finally getting Android 14
Apps on the Motorola Razr Plus.

The Motorola Razr Plus 2023 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Motorola Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 were announced not so long ago, with both running Android 14. That's great for those who wanted to buy the new devices, but not so great for owners of last year’s models, the Razr 2023 and Razr Plus 2023, who had been waiting for almost a year without an update to Android 14 in sight.

Read more
The best data recovery apps for Android
Pixel 4 running Android 11 beta

Losing important files or data is never fun. This can happen on your computer and laptop, and it can also happen on your Android smartphone or tablet. However, while Android owners might assume they have fewer options available to them in such a situation, there are a surprising number of applications out there for Android data recovery. We run through the best of them in this article, covering a range of software that can help you recover photos, messages, files, contacts, documents, music, and more.

Note that, in a majority of cases, these applications need to be downloaded to a Windows PC, although we'll state otherwise if you can also download any app for Mac computers as well. Also, remember that some of these apps require you to root your Android device to recover certain files types.
Tenorshare UltData

Read more
Google’s Gemini AI app gets a wider release. Is your phone on the list?
Google Gemini app on Android.

More people can now use and enjoy the Google Gemini AI app on their smartphone, as the company has expanded the list of regions where the Android version of the app is available through the Google Play Store. Specifically, it has launched the Android app in the U.K. and Europe, opening the service up far beyond its start in the U.S., where it was released in February.

What’s more, Google says Gemini will soon be available to iPhone owners, as the AI chatbot will appear on iOS in the next few weeks. It won’t be a standalone app though, as Gemini will instead work through the official Google app that can be downloaded now through the Apple App Store.

Read more