This hidden Android feature is one you probably forgot existed

Android has evolved by leaps and bounds since the early days, and as a result, dozens of helpful features are hiding all over the place. Whether you're a long-time user or just switched from the iPhone, here's a hidden feature I use daily that most people have forgotten even exists.

I'm always amazed by how many useful Android features my friends and family don't know about , and a big one that's nearly 10 years old is App Shortcuts. Yes, this was announced with Android 7.1 Nougat back in 2016, and it's the best feature you're probably not using.

How to use App Shortcuts on Android

So, what are app shortcuts, and how do they work? The idea is simple: instead of tapping an app on your home screen or in the app tray, then doing whatever you're trying to accomplish, there are shortcuts that launch directly to a specific section inside the app . All you have to do is long-press the app icon, then take full advantage of the menu of shortcut options.

For example, instead of opening the Amazon app and tapping the menu buttons to view your cart or look up past orders, you can jump straight to "Orders" from your home screen. Just long-press the Amazon app icon on your home screen or in the app tray, and you'll get a pop-up menu with four app shortcuts: "Search," "Orders," "Cart," and "Deals."

I used to open Google Photos constantly to view my screenshots, but now I have a shortcut to the "Screenshots" folder right on my home screen. It's wonderful.

These shortcuts let you open Gmail directly to the "Compose" screen to send a quick email, or open Gmail in a specific Google account if you have multiple accounts on your phone. There's a pretty nifty Google Maps shortcut you'll love, too. These are amazingly fast and effective, as long as you know how to use them.

YouTube's shortcut menu lets you jump straight to a search, the "Subscriptions" tab, or the "Shorts" section. Spotify and YouTube Music have great shortcuts to launch directly to a playlist, downloads, or search mode. Open the camera app and go straight to video mode, etc., etc. You can even long-press on Google Messages and open the app into a specific conversation or the compose screen.

These app shortcuts make everything faster and easier to access, and they're hiding in plain sight. Just press your finger on an app icon for about a second, then enjoy the results.

Keep in mind that the options vary from one app to the next, and not all apps support App Shortcuts.

You can add these shortcuts to your home screen

This feature is extremely helpful, but it's easy to forget about. You'll find yourself just tapping app icons, fumbling through the menus, and tapping multiple things until you reach your destination. If you're anything like me, you know App Shortcuts exist, but you just don't use them. It's a habit to tap on app icons.

Thankfully, you can add any App Shortcut right to your home screen. Instead of tapping the Amazon app, I see the shortcut to my Amazon Cart. I use these shortcuts to open Google Photos right to my screenshots, YouTube Shorts, Compose in Gmail, and things of that nature.

To add any App Shortcut to your home screen, simply tap and hold the app icon with your finger. Once you see the pop-up menu of shortcut options, long-tap on the shortcut and slide it into your grid of apps on the home screen. You're taking the shortcut out of the pop-up menu and putting it front and center on your phone. It's that easy, and you're all set.

Now you can launch any app shortcut without having to long-press on the app icon. Instead, it's just on your phone, ready and waiting. I use Android's App Shortcuts feature daily, and you should too. Little features like this exist all over the place on your Android or Samsung Galaxy, but with so many new features arriving every year, it's easy to overlook some of the older ones that haven't disappeared yet .

Your Android phone is packed with helpful features , so make sure you're using them all.