I unbox a new Android phone and there are two things I want immediately: the ability to find anything on the device in a heartbeat, and a handful of apps that turn hardware quirks into useful tools. Over the years that list has evolved — some apps faded, new ones arrived — but a few installs never change.

Make search feel native again

If you’ve ever wished Android had a true system-wide Spotlight, you’re not alone. For me the conversation starts with Pixel Search. It does what Google’s home-screen search used to do on Pixel launchers: one bar, everything searchable — apps, contacts, messages, shortcuts, and quick actions. Recent updates resurrected the app with fuzzy search, faster indexing, built-in Perplexity AI as an option, contextual long-press actions (call, message, navigate) and a widget that can double as a calculator. That last bit alone shaves dozens of taps from daily tasks.

Why this matters now: Google has been steering Pixel search toward an AI-mode experience via its own app, which leaves some people missing the old fast, local search behavior. If you prefer a quick, device-first lookup instead of a cloud-first AI encounter, Pixel Search fills that gap. And if you tinker with launchers, it’s worth noting the wider launcher ecosystem keeps changing — Nova Launcher’s recent surprise updates are a reminder that launcher and search apps evolve fast Nova Launcher isn't dead — surprise 8.1.3 update followed by 8.1.4 beta.

Replace clunky gadgets with one phone

A few utility apps let your phone do the job of small, single-use tools. They’re not perfect replacements for professional hardware, but for most people they’re more than enough.

  • Light Meter – Lux Meter: Uses the ambient sensor to give readings in lux and footcandles. Calibrate against a known meter if you need precision, but for photography or studio tweaks it’s handy.
  • Sound Meter: Grants mic access and shows sound pressure levels in dB. Great for checking noisy neighbors or concerts; don’t expect continuous background logging unless the app explicitly supports it.
  • Accurate Compass: Useful for outdoors or as a quick navigator; just calibrate the magnetometer by rotating the phone if it drifts.
  • Google Lens: Scans barcodes, translates text, and reads QR codes — a Swiss Army knife for visual searches and quick product lookups.

    • These apps show how sensors that companies include for camera and orientation can be repurposed into practical tools without extra hardware.

    Scan, save, and stop digging through drawers

    Modern phones have excellent cameras and apps that make scanning painless. CamScanner (and similar scanner apps) can crop, correct perspective, and run OCR so that receipts, forms and notes are searchable. For anyone who still keeps a pile of paper in a drawer, this is liberation.

    Quick tip: use a flat, well-lit surface and let the app detect crop edges automatically — the difference between a usable scan and a fuzzy photo is often just lighting.

    Daily essentials I always add

    Across many phones and many years, a few non-obvious apps became indispensable:

  • Firefox: A privacy-friendly browser with reliable sync. If you value cross-device history and tab continuity that actually works, Firefox is a solid switch.
  • Paprika: Not just a recipe collector — it normalizes messy blog posts into consistent recipes, scales servings, builds grocery lists and tucks everything into a weekly plan. If you cook, it pays for itself quickly.
  • Pocket Casts: For podcast lovers, a dedicated app beats music-first services that bolt on podcasts. Better playback controls and discovery make it worth reinstalling.
  • Backdrops: Wallpapers matter. This app delivers a steady stream of original art and community uploads so your home screen never looks stale.
  • Guava: If you want a single app that scans health data, ties together multiple fitness services and surfaces meaningful correlations (sleep vs. exercise, for instance), Guava is doing interesting work in that space. It pairs well with Health Connect and other data providers.

    • These are the apps I sign into after restoring a phone, the ones I open multiple times a day.

    A few setup tips so they work well together

  • Put Pixel Search in a home-screen widget or Quick Settings tile for instant access. You’ll use it more when it’s literally one swipe away.
  • Grant mic permission to any sound meter app and run a quick calibration check (compare to a known environment like a quiet room and a busy street).
  • Link your scanning app to cloud storage so receipts and documents are backed up automatically.
  • Use a dedicated recipe manager (Paprika) instead of saving recipes as bookmarks; the time you save scaling ingredients and building grocery lists adds up.

Google’s push toward on-device AI and agent-style features means some built-in search behaviors are changing; if you don’t like the direction, third-party tools can restore the fast, local experience many of us prefer. For context on Google’s AI shifts and how they touch product discovery and booking, see how the company is expanding its AI Mode features Google’s AI Mode Adds Agentic Booking for Tickets, Salons and Wellness Appointments.

Think of these installs as the difference between a new phone that looks pretty and one that starts working the moment you turn it on. A few minutes, a little configuration, and that fresh device feels unmistakably yours.

AndroidAppsMobileProductivityHow-to

Related Articles