How to Make Your Smartphone a Better Phone, Smartphones do everything these days—stream videos, manage schedules, even control smart homes. But at their core, they’re still phones, meant for communication. If your smartphone’s call quality, messaging, or contact management feels lackluster, you’re not alone. Let’s walk through some practical ways to optimize your device to be the best phone it can be, focusing on clear calls, efficient messaging, and streamlined contacts. Whether you’re juggling work calls or catching up with friends, these tips will help you get back to what phones were made for.
1. Optimize Call Quality
Nothing’s worse than a dropped call or muffled audio. Here’s how to ensure your calls are crystal clear:
Check Your Signal Strength: Weak signals ruin calls. If you’re in a low-coverage area, enable Wi-Fi calling (available on most modern smartphones). Go to Settings > Phone (or Cellular) > Wi-Fi Calling and toggle it on. This uses your Wi-Fi network for calls, bypassing spotty cell service.
Use a Quality Headset: Earbuds or headsets with noise-canceling microphones (like AirPods or wired options) reduce background noise. Test your mic in a quiet room to ensure it’s not muffled.
Update Your Phone: Manufacturers often release updates that improve call performance. Check for updates in Settings > Software Update.
Choose the Right Network Mode: If your phone supports 5G but you’re in a weak 5G area, switch to 4G or LTE for more stable calls. Find this in Settings > Cellular > Network Selection.
Pro Tip: If you’re on a call-heavy day, restart your phone to reset network connections. It’s like a quick nap for your device.
2. Streamline Your Messaging
Texting is a huge part of phone use, but bloated apps or disorganized chats can slow you down. Here’s how to make messaging smoother:
Pick the Right App: Stick to apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Signal for reliable, encrypted messaging. If you’re juggling multiple apps, consolidate to one or two to avoid confusion.
Organize Chats: Pin important contacts or group chats to the top of your app for quick access. On iOS, swipe right on a conversation in Messages and tap the pin icon. On Android, long-press and select “Pin.”
Enable Read Receipts (or Not): Turn on read receipts for close contacts to confirm messages are seen, but disable them for work or casual chats to avoid pressure. Check your app’s settings under Privacy or Messages.
Use Voice-to-Text: For faster replies, try your phone’s built-in voice dictation. Tap the microphone icon on your keyboard and speak clearly—it’s a game-changer for long messages.
Fun Fact: WhatsApp handles over 100 billion messages daily, so you’re not alone in texting overload!
3. Master Contact Management
A cluttered contact list makes calling or texting a hassle. Keep it tidy:
Merge Duplicates: Both iOS and Android have tools to merge duplicate contacts. On iOS, open the Contacts app, tap “Duplicates Found” (if available), and merge. On Android, use the Contacts app’s “Clean Up” or “Merge” feature.
Add Context: Add notes to contacts, like “Sarah – book club” or “John – work project,” to jog your memory. Edit a contact and use the Notes field.
Sync Smartly: Sync contacts with a cloud service like Google Contacts or iCloud for easy access across devices. Ensure sync is enabled in Settings > Accounts.
Create Speed Dial Favorites: Mark key contacts as Favorites for one-tap calling. On iOS, open Phone > Favorites > Add. On Android, use the Phone app’s Favorites tab.
4. Enhance Accessibility for Calls and Texts
If hearing or typing is a challenge, your phone has built-in tools to help:
Visual Alerts: Set up LED flash alerts for incoming calls or texts. On iOS, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > LED Flash for Alerts. On Android, check Settings > Accessibility > Flash Notifications.
Text-to-Speech: For visually impaired users, enable screen readers like VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android) to read texts aloud.
Custom Vibrations: Create unique vibration patterns for specific contacts so you know who’s calling without looking. Find this in Contacts > Edit > Vibration.
5. Block Spam and Stay Secure
Spam calls and texts are annoying and risky. Protect yourself:
Enable Spam Filters: Most phones have built-in spam blockers. On iOS, enable “Silence Unknown Callers” in Settings > Phone. On Android, use “Caller ID & Spam Protection” in the Phone app.
Use Third-Party Apps: Apps like Truecaller or Hiya identify and block spam calls effectively. Download from your app store, but check privacy policies first.
Secure Messaging: Stick to encrypted apps like Signal or iMessage to keep your chats private. Avoid sharing sensitive info over SMS.
6. Battery and Performance Tweaks
A dead battery or sluggish phone can disrupt communication. Keep it running smoothly:
Enable Low Power Mode: When your battery’s low, turn on Low Power Mode (iOS) or Battery Saver (Android) to prioritize calls and texts over background apps.
Close Unused Apps: Background apps drain resources. Double-tap the home button (iOS) or use the app switcher (Android) to close them.
Clear Storage: A full phone slows down. Delete old texts, call logs, or unused apps via Settings > Storage.
FAQs
Q: Why do my calls keep dropping even with full bars?
A: Full bars don’t always mean a strong signal. Try switching to Wi-Fi calling or restarting your phone. If it persists, contact your carrier to check for network issues.
Q: How can I recover deleted texts?
A: If synced to iCloud (iOS) or Google Backup (Android), check your cloud service for backups. Otherwise, use apps like Dr.Fone or EaseUS, but success isn’t guaranteed.
Q: Can I block spam texts without blocking the sender’s calls?
A: Yes, most messaging apps let you block texts but allow calls. In your messaging app, select the contact, choose “Block,” and ensure call blocking is disabled.
Q: What’s the best app for international calls?
A: Apps like WhatsApp, Skype, or Google Voice offer free or low-cost international calls over Wi-Fi or data. Check rates for non-Wi-Fi calls.
Q: How do I make my phone’s speaker louder for calls?
A: Clean the speaker grill with a soft brush, ensure media volume is maxed during calls, or use a Bluetooth speaker for amplification.
By tweaking these settings and habits, your smartphone can be a communication powerhouse. Try one or two tips today, and you’ll notice the difference. Got a favorite phone hack? Share it with us!