The recently launched Honor 9N is a midrange smartphone with a notch at the top and offers dual 13 MP + 2 MP cameras as well as a 16 MP selfie camera. It runs on customized Android 8.0 Oreo having EMUI 8.0 skin on top with numerous inbuilt features. Here’s what you can do with your Honor 9N, these tips and tricks will help you to get most out of it.
Note: Some actions are performed on the Honor 10, but the process is the same.
1) Ride Mode
Honor added a new feature to the EMUI, Ride Mode was first seen on the Honor 7C and now it’s available on the Honor 9N too. The Ride mode is basically a bike safety feature for the users who use the drive bikes while using the phone.
The Ride Mode can be enabled in three ways, either from the shortcut in the notification panel, Homescreen icon or inside the settings.
Here’s how to enable Ride Mode, go to Settings -> System -> Ride Mode and turn on the slider. You can also turn it on from the homescreen app as well as from the notification panel shortcut.
When you turn on the Ride Mode, all the calls will be answered by the voice or by a pre-defined SMS depending on the Ride Mode settings you choose. The caller will be notified with a message – the user is currently riding and cannot answer calls. It will also disable earphones and Bluetooth headsets during the ride.
If the caller wants to call the rider in emergency cases, they need to press 1 during the call to allow the phone to ring. The receiver then can stop the bike and receive the call further.
Here are the options you get in the Ride Mode.
- Preferred answering method – Set the preferred answering method, either by voice or by text. The third option will decline the call automatically.
- Auto-answer by voice – Answer through the built-in multilingual voice or your recorded voice.
- Auto-answer by text – Send automatic messages to the caller.
- Ride tracking – Track your ride for a total distance and total time covered in a day, week, and month.
- Distance unit – Units shown in Miles or Kilometers
To edit the Ride Mode, tap the edit icon on the top right corner.
2) Hide Notch
Honor 9N comes with the latest 2018 design, the notch. You will find a notch at the top which adds a better full-screen experience. If you want to disable the notch or don’t want it, you can hide it from the settings.
To hide the notch, go to the Settings -> Display -> Hide Notch.
3) App Twin – Run Dual Apps
One of the features of the EMUI that I like is the App Twin. It’s easy to clone apps and the Honor 9N supports it. You have the option to run two WhatsApp accounts and other social and messaging apps, so you don’t have to worry about getting a new phone.
Enable it under the Settings -> Apps & Notifications -> App Twin and choose the available apps you want to clone.
4) Lock Apps With Fingerprint Scanner
Adding more to the security, the Honor 9N has a feature that you can make use of it to secure your apps. I was asked by several people how to lock apps with fingerprint scanner via third-party apps. Fortunately, the Honor 9N locks the apps with fingerprint scanner with one of its built-in EMUI features.
To lock apps using your fingerprints, head to Settings -> Security & privacy -> Fingerprint ID and add your fingerprint if you haven’t done it yet. And then under Security & privacy, tap the App lock and choose the apps you want to lock with your fingerprints.
5) Unlock Honor 9N With Your Face
The Honor 9N supports face unlocking which means it can be unlocked with your facial data.
To enable the Face Unlock feature, go to Settings -> Security & Privacy -> Face Unlock. Enroll your Face data, that’s all. Now lock the phone, hold it in front of your face and try to unlock it with your face.
6) Three-finger Screenshot
Aside from taking screenshots using the buttons, you have a three-finger gesture that requires just one hand. Swipe to the bottom with your three fingers to take the screenshots.
Enable it from Settings -> Smart assistance -> Motion control -> Three-finger screenshot.
7) Record Screen Activity
Recording screens is easy on the Honor 9N, you open the navigation panel from the top and tap the Screen Recording shortcut. Follow the instructions on the screen and start recording.
If you can’t see the option, swipe from the top, tap the edit icon beside the settings gear icon. Tap and hold, and drag the shortcut to the panel.
8) Navigate With Floating Dock
No, you don’t get the navigation gestures found on the higher-end phones like Honor 10 and Honor View10, but Honor 9N still offers the navigation dock that allows you to navigate via a floating ball. This will disable on-screen buttons and increases the one-hand capabilities.
To get the floating navigation dock, go to Settings -> System -> System Navigation -> Navigation Dock, turn it on by sliding on that button.
9) Display Network Speed & Battery Percentage In Status Bar
The one thing that people want to see when they buy a new phone is the battery percentage. Many phones don’t show battery percentage at first, they need a quick setting to be enabled.
To display battery percentage on Honor 9N, head to Settings -> Battery -> Battery percentage and select the appropriate option.
Alternately, it’s available in the Settings -> Notifications & status bar too.
From here, you also can enable the network speed indicator in the status bar by selecting Display network speed slider.
10) Show App Drawer
EMUI based phones have a homescreen style without app drawer, everything you see is available on the homescreen itself. If you are a person who likes the app drawer style homescreen, Honor 9N offers it. Turn it on in the Display settings -> Home screen style and select Drawer.
11) One-Handed UI
Eating a burger? If one of your hands is occupied, this one-handed feature lets you use the phone with one hand. Swiping on the bottom on-screen navigation buttons will enter the one-handed screen.
To enable this feature, Settings -> Smart assistance -> One-handed UI and enable the mini screen view. You can also enable one-hand keyboard which shifts the keyboard and dialer on either side.
12) Flip To Mute
Also available in the Motion control is the flip-to-mute feature that stops the phone vibration and ringing the incoming calls when you flip the phone facing down.
13) Optimize Apps For Full Screen
Honor 9N sports a full-screen notch display, the apps might get black bars due to the unsupportive 18:9 aspect ratio. If the apps are not compatible with the new display standard, take advantage of the full-screen mode in the display settings that forces the apps to start in full-screen.
Note: Not all apps work in full-screen, the app content may get cropped from the sides. If you encounter the same, disable the full-screen for those apps.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Full screen display. Choose the apps you want to enter full screen.
14) Change Screen Resolution
Changing screen resolution can lead to a longer battery life, there are two options from which you can choose. Keep the default Full HD+ resolution or change it to HD+ which further lowers the battery usage and lasts longer than before.
You can also select Smart resolution which automatically lowers the screen resolution to help save the battery.
15) Eye Comfort Mode
Honor 9N also comes with Eye comfort (night mode) which eliminates blue light from the screen to relieve visual fatigue. To turn it on, enter Display settings and turn on Eye comfort. There’s a shortcut in the notification panel as well.
That’s all we know. There are several other features that we might have missed here, you can share them below if you know.
Also check out our hands-on with the Honor 9N and its unboxing video.
