By Bobby Jefferson on Thursday, 24 October 2024
Category: Tech News

This hidden Android 15 feature turns your screen saver into a smart home control center

My Colts Santa keeps watch over my phone.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

I have Nest cameras, doorbells, and speakers at home. I regularly access those devices from my phone, which is easy to do from the Notification Shade. However, when my phone is docked on its charger, I don't always want to pick it up to go through the Notification Shade or go into the App Drawer to open the Home app.

Also: I upgraded my Pixel 9 Pro to Android 15. Here are my 5 favorite features so far

Thankfully, in Android 15, the new Home Controls feature offers an easy solution. With this enabled, your Android phone will display controls for your Google Home devices as your screensaver when charging. The new feature allows you to view those devices with a single tap. 

If you sleep with your phone charging by your bed, this could be a real gamechanger if someone rings your doorbell or approaches your house in the middle of the night, and you don't have the brain capacity to go through the usual steps to access the interface for either the Nest camera or Nest doorbell.

Also: How to use Android 15's App Freeze feature to clear space on your phone

But how do you enable the feature?  It's a bit tucked away but simple to switch on, so let me show you how.

How to enable Home Control for Android 15

What you'll need: To use the new feature, you'll need a device running Android 15. Although the feature works great on phones, it's even better on tablets. You'll also need some Google devices (such as Nest doorbells, cameras, and speakers). Even some non-Google devices may work, but your mileage may vary.

You'll find the "Display & touch" entry on the main Settings page.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

As you can see, I already have Home Controls enabled.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

You can choose from four different screen savers in Android 15.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

If your camera is unavailable, tap the entry and it'll go live.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Once you've finished, tap Save, and you're ready to experience Home Controls on your device. Plug in your phone or place it on its dock to see it in action.

Also: Here are the top five Android 15 features I love the most

Congratulations, you now have easier access to all your devices connected to Google Home.

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