Update 1 :Android lollipop 5.1 is now also covered in this Android Lollipop guide page.
Update 2: Android Marshmallow guide page is live now!
Android Lollipop (Android 5.0) was first unveiled as “Android L” on June 25, 2014 during Google I/O 2014. Its name (Lollipop) was officially announced on October 15.
Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 are the first two devices shipped with Android Lollipop.
Since the release of Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 on November 3, 2014, in addition to Nexus 4, 5 and 7, more and more other Android devices have been updated to Android Lollipop, e.g., Moto G, Mot0 X, LG G2
Because Android 5.0 is a major update, many device owners got confused on the new features of Android Lollipop.
So, we prepared these Android Lollipop guides for you to master Android Lollipop. We focus on new features or new settings in Android 5.0. For other common Android features, you may check our Android 101 page.
This Android Lollipop Guide is a live page. More and more how-to guides will be released gradually (we need time to test these guides on different devices before releasing them).
You can always leave a comment if you have any questions with Android Lollipop or you need any specific Android Lollipop guide. We will try to answer them.
What is new in Android Lollipop (Android 5.0)?
How to update your device to Android Lollipop?
How to access and use quick settings in Android Lollipop?
How to setup the notification and interruption in Android Lollipop?
How to use ambient display in Android Lollipop?
How to use smart lock in Android Lollipop?
How to use Android Lollipop guest user mode and multiple users?
How to use screen pinning in Android Lollipop?
How to install Flash player in Android Lollipop?
How to enable and use battery saver mode in Android Lollipop?
The top 5 new features in Android Lollipop 5.1
Android Lollipop 5.1 fixed some bugs in Lollipop 5.0, and brought a few new features and improvements . This Android Lollipop guide shows you the top 5 new features and improvements including, Android device protection, native voLTE support, native dual SIM support, improved quick settings, and improved interruption and alarm volume. Read on...
How to bypass device protection in Android Lollipop 5.1 when you do a factory data reset?
Device protection is a new security feature in Android Lollipop 5.1. It can deter smartphone theft. If the thief tries to do a factory data reset, he still cannot setup the phone without your Google account. But device protection may cause some inconvenience when you want to pass the phone to others. This Android Lollipop guide shows you how to bypass device protection when you do a factory data reset. Read on…
How to access Flappy Android game (Flappy bird clone) in Android Lollipop?
What is adaptive brightness in Android Lollipop?
How to access developer options in Android Lollipop?
How to add your photos for your user profile?
- and many more….
If you cannot find the Android Lollipop guide you want, please leave your questions or problems in the comment box below. The community will try to help you find the answer.
Josee says
can we quick access the flashlight or we have to scroll down the quick settings?
simon says
You can use Google Now voice command to turn the flashlight on or off, in addition to the quick settings. By default, you cannot turn it on / off with hardware buttons.
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jemdad99 says
My company software set a policy requiring me to use a secure passcode and to change the passcode periodically. How do I changet the device passcode? This topic is not covered.
simon says
You need check with your IT department. There are so many different enterprise software packages.
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reicnel says
hi how can i use my 4g data network in my galaxy s4 lollipop version 5.0.1 please reply back i nedd your helph
simon says
Turn on mobile data. S4 has a button on quick settings for you to toggle it on /off. You can also enable/disable it in settings – data usage.
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Akarsh h says
Y is cast screening option not working in lollipop??…..it used to work fine with kitkat
simon says
Cast screen in quick settings and settings – display is for Nexus devices only . For non Nexus devices, for example, Moto X or Moto G, you should use chromecast app. Inside the app you can find the cast screen option.
You can find more info on android screen mirroring at http://allaboutchromecast.com/android-screen-casting-for-chromecast-is-now-supported-on-all-android-devices-with-kitkat-4-4-2-or-later/
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DivaGirl says
Hello,
First of all, the general view of Lollipop looks great. But there are a lot of negative things. First: a lot of apps start to work slow or to close by itself, second: battery is charching for more longer time, third: on main screen the view of watch sometimes is half cut.
I hope my comment will help Android to improve Lollipop and make it works better.
simon says
You should try to clear cache partition to see whether it helps. For Moto E, Moto G and Moto X, you may follow this guide http://allaboutmotog.com/how-to-clear-cache-partition-on-moto-g-and-moto-x-after-android-lollipop-update/
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keni says
i m not understanding the audio output system while calling….
simon says
What’s the problem?
When calling, you can use the earpiece or the phone speaker or any Bluetooth speakers or the headset.
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Dadacay says
I hate lollipop. I used to be able to immediately silence a call by hitting power button. now i have to fish my phone out of my bag and unlock or answer the call. why would you get rid of one of the most used functions? also my screen is blindingly bright. I have factory reset 3 times and I have the brightness adjusted to off. The forced update should be optional. some of the users are not 15 years old and do not need extra bells and whistles that are complex after just loving the phone with kitkat. I have an s5 for verizon. all this money to buy a phone that feels like someone stole and replaced with crap I never would have bought if it was like this to begin with! Ps. Phone turn over and place palm on screen functions do not work unless I UNLOCK my phone so they ae essentially useless.
Hayley Blakemore says
Hoe do I stop the phone vibrating when all sound are on their lowest setting.
simon says
It depends on the manufacture of the phone.
In some (e.g. Samsung) phones, you can set default vibration as none.
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Liv says
All I want to do is remove some of the extra HOME SCREENS. You used to have a helpful lower menu button but now that doesn’t do a thing. How do I remove the extra home screens on my phone?
simon says
You need remove apps and shortcuts from the home screen page. All empty home screen pages will be deleted automatically. This is the reason why you don’t need the delete option anymore.
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Elizabeth churchill says
I just set up smart lock using home address (Moto G Ext). I am still home, my phone is locked and will only allow me to make an emergency call and will not unlock using PIN. WHAT NOW?
simon says
Sometimes, the GPS or map error (inaccuracy) may cause the phone believe you are in nearby, not at home. You need check what’s the current location detected in Google map when you are at home.
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Noor says
Hi i just now get lollipop on htc820 but the feature of calls that i can still working on my stuff while someone’s call dosn’t work ?? How can i get it plz
simon says
Do you mean incoming calls and outgoing calls, or something else?
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Noor says
Yeah i mean incoming calls
simon says
What do you get if you call that number from other phones?
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Noor says
(With Lollipop, incoming phone calls won’t interrupt what you’re watching or playing. You can choose to answer the call or just keep doing what you’re doing)
This is what i don’t get
simon says
What notification mode are you in? Please check this guide https://gadgetguideonline.com/android/lollipop/how-to-use-android-lollipops-notification-and-interruption/
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Sandy says
How do you change the ringer for your individual contacts? How do you select a number to go straight to voice mail when they call?
Sandy says
I discovered the the answer to my above questions but when I try to choose a ring tone from the list of those offered there is no sound to test the various tones so how can a person choose one? When I go settings to check out my phone ringtone it says MOTO but again there is no sound to test it! Where is the sound for these???
simon says
After you select the ringtone, don’t press OK button. The ringtone will be played. If you are happy with it, then press OK button.
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Noor says
I’m in mode all
Naranbileg Idesh says
how can i disable sim card lock?
simon says
How did you enable it? This depends on phone brand and model. Usually it’s under lock screen and security.
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nyiko says
hi,i am using a sony xperia m2 and i forgot my pattern lock and i have been trying all different kinds of methods to reset my phone (mainly the one where you hold the volume+ and power button). can anyone please help.
simon says
I think Sony has its My Xperia service, with which you can reset the lock. Did you try it?
If you want to reset the phone (this will erase all your data, settings and files on the phone), you can do this in recovery mode. To enter recovery mode of Xperia devices, press and hold Power + volume buttons, then release the power button (still hold volume down button). In recovery mode, you can use volume buttons to navigate and power button to select.
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Sagar says
Hi, I have created 2 users mode on Android Lollipop one is the owner by default and 2nd new user. However, 2nd user is not able to access MicroSD card data. Could you please help me here?
Sagar says
In addition to above, this is a behaviour when I switch from one user to another user-
When switch from Owner to new user, external MicroSD card storage gets disable
When switch from new user to Owner, external MicroSD card storage gets enable again.
simon says
Whether the second user can access SD card or not is determined by the vendor. Most vendors choose not to allow other users to access SD card on phones. In tablet, most Samsung tablets allow all users to access the SD card.
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Don says
I’m a new user to android 5.1
I have been using an HTC phone with android 2.3.5
The android 5.0 quick start guide (can’t find a 5.1 guide) is OK,
– but no information on how to answer a phone call
– if the phone is on, it’s intuitive
– if the phone is off, and the phone rings, it’s not
– – touching the icon does nothing, sliding any way but right seems to cancel the call (I only found sliding right answers the phone after several lost calls.
Suggestion – add some basic “how to” instructions for new users
simon says
It depends on your phone maker. You need check there user manual of the phone on how to accept or reject calls.
In most Android phones, you need swipe the accept button to certain direction as shown on screen. It’s not just tap.
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Bridget says
I have an android lollipop but am unable to use the flashlight,it says th system UI has stopped so how do I enable/activate the system UI tuner?
simon says
System UI tuner is for Marshmallow as detailed in this guide.
The problem can be due to the app itself. Did you try other flashlight app? You can also try to reboot the phone to see whether it helps.
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simon says
System UI tuner is for Marshmallow, not for lollipop.
Just reboot the phone to see whether it helps.
You can also use flash in the camera for one time, then try again.
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Kaley says
I HAVE A LG V10 AND I GOT LOCKED OUT BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION GOOGLE LOCK SO I WAS FOLLOWING YOUR VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO UNLOCK IT. I WAS ON THE STEP WHERE IT SAYS TO GO INTO ACCESSIBILITY THEN SWITCH ACCCESS THEN GO TO VISION THEN TALK BACK THEN SETTINGS BUT ON MY PHONE IT WONT ALLOW ME TO PRESS SETTINGS BECAUSE ITS DISABLED !! WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INTO THE SETTINGS?
KH says
So how do you recover lost notifications in 5.1 on a Samsung Note 5? It seems similar models allow you to do this with the settings widget, but there isn’t one on this phone.
simon says
What are lost notifications? If you dismissed a notification, it’s gone by default. Maybe there are some third party apps that can manage them. But I never used any of them.
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kelly says
I have a lollipop tablet on a couple tablets for the kids and they locked themselves out I did a factory rest and now they want the orgional email and password I setup to move forward on the setup again. I don’t have the gaming because they set these up on their own. How do I bypass this? Please help hate to not be able to use them now. They’ve only played games on them in the past. Thanks
simon says
Device protection (factory data reset protections) requires the Google account used on the tablet. You cannot bypass it as it is implemented in Lollipop 5.1 as a security feature.
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Tom roberts says
I have a folder on desktop. I want to put the two files from the folder onto desktop and delete folder. How?
simon says
I didn’t get what you want to do. Are you referring to home screen?
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Satish Gupta says
After pressing right side upper button ,it do not show option for restart.It directly gets power off.How can I resolve this?
simon says
In stock Android, there is no restart option. There is only power off button for you to power off OR reboot into safe mode.
If you want to reboot the phone normally, you can power off, then power on.
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jm says
I set up my moto g to only allow text message interruptions from starred contacts when in priority mode. However, I also receive text msg updates from craigslist when items i’m tracking are put online, and when I receive these messages, they appear from my own phone number. Since I can’t star or unstar my own number in contacts, android lets these messages interrupt me. Is there a way to disable these interruptions using priority mode?
Thx
simon says
Probably no solution if your carrier allows the sender to set identity. Some carriers don’t and the message should then be seen as from the actual number.
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Gavin says
I’m using a J5 and recently I received an update to Marshmallow OS but after downloading it fails to install. J500FXXU1APE1. Is it a problem of region or what?
simon says
Did you try to update again? Any error messages?
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Nabin Raz says
I have android 5.1im my mobile colors k3 can I get android 6 version in my mobile?
simon says
Not sure about Colors K3. But most of these small Android manufacturers may not update their phones.
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BRUCE DROUIN says
my plt9650g goolge mail did reboot is can ifind a way arond it
Liam says
Is there a way to make more than 3 users (including Guest) with android Lollipop? I noticed once I made 3 profiles (including Owner and Guest) that the add profile button wouldn’t do anything. I couldn’t find anything in developer settings so I’m really not sure if its possible.
Liam says
I have a Moto E second gen by the way.
simon says
No, you cannot add more. The stock Android, be default, only allow one owner, one user and one guest user. Android manufacturers is able to add more. But up to now, most Android manufacturers actually disabled this feature because this feature requires more resources.
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V.V.Viswanathan says
I recently purchased Micromax 4G Q417 smart phone. It has ANDROID LOLLIPOP 5.1 as OS.
I want to make the best use of this smart phone which is very good.
I shall be obliged if I can get USER MANUAL COMPLETE WITH ALL DETAILS.
I could not get the same from website.
Awaiting your help & guidance. tks. rgds. Vish
V.V.Viswanathan says
OK fine. i need your reply. tks
simon says
Not sure about the phone. You can check with their service centre to see whether such a manual was released or not.
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Dilshad says
Hey there . I’m using Lenovo a7000. I buyed 32 GB sandisk memory card last year. with the new feature of marshmallow I formatted it as internal storage. Day before yesterday my apps gone . somehow I moved files to lap.but now I can’t format memmory card. and it’s not supporting other phone.
please give me a feedback
simon says
Any phones or other devices can format the SD card if the card is not corrupted. What error did you get when you try to format the SD card?
If the card is corrupted, of course, you cannot use it any more.
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Sam says
How do i upgrade ma samsung j3 2016.android lolloipop to marshmellow is it possible? Pliz help.
simon says
You cannot update your J3 to Marshmallow because Samsung has not released the Marshmallow udpate for Galaxy J3 (2016). I don’t think Samsung will release the update in the future.
You should consider Moto phones if you want to use latest Android. Samsung usually releases udpate for Gaalxy S, Note and A serirs only.
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Shane says
Cannot find ring tones phone doesnt ring
simon says
Settings– Notifications and sounds?
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