Motorola introduced the Moto G Stylus model in 2020 with some unique stylus features. Since then, Motorola has added two new models each year in the Moto G Stylus series: the 4G model, which is close to the base mode of Moto G, and the 5G mode, which is usually more powerful with higher specs and close to the Moto G Power (see Moto G naming conventions).

Many Moto G owners are not sure whether they need the stylus features. And some Moto G Stylus owners are aware of some of the stylus features.

This Moto G how-to guide explains the stylus features on all Moto G Stylus models, including the capacitive stylus, stylus menu (stylus shortcut), writing text in apps, Moto Note, Coloring book, taking a screenshot and editing, live messages (2021), creating GIFs from screen recording (2022), and handwriting calculator (2023).

Detailed usage of individual stylus features is covered in individual Moto G how-to guides.

A capacitive stylus: the stylus in Moto G Stylus is not an active pen

The stylus equipped with Moto G Stylus (all models, all generations) is a capacitive stylus, which is notably different from the active pens (e.g., S Pen) found in Galaxy Note devices and Galaxy S22, S23, and S24 Ultra devices. Unlike active pens, which typically feature pressure sensitivity, wireless connectivity, and various buttons for additional functionalities, the stylus included with the Moto G Stylus is a passive tool.

However, the Moto G Stylus has a finer tip than most capacitive styluses on the market, so you can get relatively precise control of the screen. Sometimes, it is more convenient than using fingers (e.g., selecting text to copy).

Moto G Stylus can also detect the stylus when it is removed or inserted. So, the phone can offer some advanced stylus features that used to be exclusive to active pens. For example, by default, when you remove the stylus from the slot, the stylus menu will be available.

The stylus features on all Moto G Stylus are almost identical. The stylus can be used on any Moto G Stylus phone. But the dimensions of the stylus change each year. So, you can use the stylus for Moto G stylus 2022 on Moto G Stylus 2023, for example. But you cannot insert it into Moto G Stylus 2023.

As a stylus with a fine tip requires a digitizer that … Read the rest

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Moto G 2024  (Moto G Play 2024, Moto G 5G 2024, and Moto G Power 2024) has been announced and is available in some regions. Moto G Stylus 2024 will very likely be announced this summer.

This Moto G guide explains the new features, improvements, commonalities, and differences of these latest Moto G 2024 models. It also includes a concise guide on how to choose the right model.

As Motorola adopted a confusing naming convention for Moto G, these Moto G 2024 models are mainly for the North American market. For the international market, Motorola released the Moto G04 and Moto G24 in 2024 and the Moto G34, Moto G54, Moto G84, and Moto G14 in the second half of 2023.

The commonalities of Moto G 2024 models

5000mAh Battery on all Moto G 2024 models

All Moto G 2024 models come with a 5000mAh battery, which can usually last more than one day for most users.

Although the battery capacity is identical, the charging speed differs. Moto G Power 2024 supports up to 30W USB charging. While Moto G Play 2024 only supports fast charging up to 15W. Read on.

Headphone jack

As usual, all 2024 models of Moto G still have the 3.5mm headphone jack, which has become a luxury. So, you can use any headset conveniently. You can also enjoy High-Res music without relying on Bluetooth codecs with a phone costing less than $300 (or $200), and owners of $1000+ phones can only dream of it.

SD card support

Similar to previous generations oh Moto G, micro SD card support is still available for all 2024 models. You can use the micro SD card to expand the internal storage or use it as portable storage.

FM radio

All 2024 models of Moto G have the FM radio feature. You need to connect a wired headset to the headphone jack as the antenna.

No charger in the box

Motorola has stopped offering chargers with new Moto G phones in most regions. Of course, you can use any existing USB charges. The cable included is a USB C to USB C.

USB C 2.0 (no display output)

Like other middle-range smartphones, Moto G 2024 only supports USB 2.0 for data transfer. The good news is that it supports USB on-the-go (OTG) natively. It is easy to connect and use a thumb drive or even a USB … Read the rest

The post What’s new in Moto G 2024? Moto G 5G 2024 vs Moto G Power 2024 vs Moto G Play 2024 appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

You are not alone if you are confused by Moto G model names. There are simply too many Moto G models.

Motorola has been introducing more than 10 Moto G phone models every year since 2020. However, the naming convention of these models has become quite confusing for most potential buyers and even the sales staff in Lenovo/Motorola stores. The naming convention is often complex and doesn’t make sense, making it difficult for people to understand which Moto G model they should choose.

This Moto G guide explains the naming convention of Moto G phones in the US and international markets to help you understand the meaning of Moto G model names. It also includes a list of known Moto G models.

Why are there so many Moto G models?

When Google sold Motorola to Lenovo in 2024, Moto G was the most valuable brand in assets. The first generation of Moto G (2013) was a success in the crowded Android smartphone market.

The first generation of Moto G (2013) actually set the standard for a real middle-range smartphone: reasonable price with decent performance. Moto G 2014 (2nd Gen) was also well-received in the market.

Compared to Moto E (which is in the death spiral) and the abandoned Moto X, Moto G has its unique brand value among Android users.

After years of trial, Lenovo/Motorola found Moto G to be the most valuable brand, and therefore, they put the Moto G stick on as many phones as possible. Since 2020, on average, you’d expect one new Moto G model each month.

With Samsung and Apple dominating the high-end smartphone market, Motorola has to seek opportunities in the middle-range market where Moto G targets.

Currently, Motorola has 4 major brands (series) for smartphones:

• Moto E for entry-level Android phones. It is actually in the death spiral. The lower end of Moto G competes against Moto E directly.
• Moto G for middle-range Android phones.
• Motorola Edge (and Edge+) for the high-end Android phones.
• Motorola Razr (and Razr+) for foldable phones.

Motorola Edge never claimed a meaningful market share in the high-end market. Instead, Motorola has to lower the price so that Motorola Edge (and Edge+) can compete in the middle-range segment.

So, in the current situation, Motorola has to put most of its eggs into the Moto G and some into the Motorola Razr.

Moto G model names in

… Read the rest

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Now, even Motorola support staff are confused about their current Moto G lineups. You can test this by asking them what the differences are among the Moto G8, Moto G8 Power, Moto G8 Power Lite, Moto G Power, Moto G Stylus, Moto G Pro, Moto G Fast, Moto G Play, and Moto G Plus.

In addition to the two Moto G8 phones released in 2019 (Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus), Motorola released three (3) more Moto G8 phones (Moto G8, Moto G8 Power, and Moto G8 Power Lite) AND four (4) more Moto G phones with the “8” numberings (Moto G Power, Moto G Fast, Moto G Stylus, and Moto G Pro) in the first half of 2020.

It seems Motorola is desperate, and Moto G is the only brand they can milk. Sadly, such chaotic releases are destroying the brand quickly and causing confusion among seasoned Moto G users.

In this post, I will “try” to explain the differences among all these nine (9) current Moto G phones if you are considering a Moto G phone. Moto G model names were explained on this page.

The most significant difference is the wallpaper!!

Ironically, the most obvious difference among these Moto G phones is the wallpaper.

Their sizes are similar, varying from 6.2″ to 6.5″.

Of course, two of them (Moto G Stylus and Moto G Pro) come with a stylus.

Moto G Pro is the dual SIM version of  Moto G Stylus.

Moto G Pro and Moto G Stylus are almost identical with a stylus,  a dedicated micro SD card slot, and Android 10.

The major differences are:

• Moto G Pro supports two SIM cards (dual standby only, of course). Moto G Stylus supports only one SIM card.
• Moto G Stylus is mainly sold in the US and North America. Moto G Pro is sold in the international market.

Moto G Pro and Moto G Stylus are Android 10 version of Moto G8 Plus.

Except for the stylus (you’ll seldom use it) and 128GB storage, Moto G Pro and Moto G Stylus are simply Moto G8 Plus with Android 10.

Please note, nowadays, Motorola is very slow in updating Android OS on their phones (if they choose to update). Moto G8 Plus is still on Android 9, and you do not know when (or even whether) you will get Android … Read the rest

The post Moto G8 vs Moto G8 Power vs Moto G8 Power Lite vs Moto G Power vs Moto G Stylus vs Moto G Pro vs Moto G fast: What are the differences? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Without Moto G8, Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play were released in October 2019. This guide compares Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus so that you can make a correct decision if you need to choose between these two phones.

This page lists the official user manuals for Moto G8 Plus and  Moto G8 Plus with Android Pie (Android 9.0), and Moto G8 with Android 10.

Due to the differences in the camera and a few software features, the user manuals for Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus are slightly different. You should check the corresponding user manual.

The Moto G8 user manual will also be added to this page once Motorola/Lenovo announces the phone, very likely in February 2020.

How to download and read these user manuals?

You can simply tap the download link to download the user manual for your Moto G8, Moto G8 Play, or Moto G8 Plus.

All of the user manuals are in PDF format.  Your phone (Moto G8 Play or Moto G8 Plus) is able to read them without installing any apps.

By default, Google Drive’s PDF reader will be used. If you installed other more PDF reader apps, for example, the official Adobe Acrobat Reader, then you can choose a default app to open PDF files.

Official Moto G8 User Manual (English, Android 10)

This is the official Moto G8 (2020) user manual in English language (UK/US) for Moto G8  with Android 10.

This user guide applies to all Moto G8 phones sold in all regions.

If you are using Moto G8 Plus or Moto G8 Play, please check the below ones.

Download link: the official Moto G8 (released in 2020) user guide in English with Android 10.

Official Moto G8 Plus User Manual (English, Android Pie)

This is the official Moto G8 Plus (2019) user manual in English language (UK/US) for Moto G8 Plus with Android Pie 9.0.

This user guide applies to all Moto G8 Plus phones sold in all regions.

If you are using Moto G8, please check the above one.

Download link: the official Moto G8 Plus (2019) user guide in English with Android Pie.

Official Moto G8 Play User Manual (English, Android Pie)

This is the official Moto G8 Play (2019) user … Read the rest

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Apparently, Moto G is the most valuable brand asset of Motorola now: Moto X is dead; Moto Z is dying, Moto C has gone, and Moto E is struggling.

Will Moto G save Motorola?

Motorola (Lenovo) cannot wait until 2020. So, they released “part” of Moto G8 for this holiday season. Remember, Moto G7 was just released earlier this year.

Of course, many potential buyers are wondering about the differences between Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play.

This Moto G guide first explains the common features of Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play, then discusses the top 10 differences of Moto G8 Plus vs Moto G8 Play.

The official user manual for Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play is now available here.

Update: Motorola now has a total of 9 Moto G models for the 8th Gen of Moto G. A comparison of all these nine Moto G phones is detailed in this post. You may check this guide on the meaning of Moto G model names.

Moto G8 Plus vs Moto G8 Play: the common features

Moto G8 Plus and G8 Play share similar dimensions with significantly different specifications.

As both bear the Moto G8 name, there are surely some common features.

Android Pie

Just like many other Android phones released this year, both Moto G Plus and Moto G8  Play come with Android Pie (Android 9.0).

Very likely, both phones will get the Android 10 update. But based on the recent track record of Motorola’s Android update, you will have to wait at least one year for the Android Pie.

4000mAh battery

The battery capacity in Moto G8 Play and G8 Plus is 4000mAh.  It should be able to last one full day for most users. All the latest Moto G phones (e.g., Moto G 2024) have a 5000mAh battery.

The massive battery can also be used as a power bank to charge other devices because both phones use a USB-C port.

micro SD card support

Similar to previous generations of Moto G, Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus support micro SD card.

So, you can insert a micro SD card to … Read the rest

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If you read on your Moto G phone (or any Android Phones), you do not need any apps to read these PDF files because the PDF reader is preinstalled on all Moto G phones.  If you need a PDF reader with more options, you may try the official Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader app.

You can also print them if you really need a hardcopy. Motorola, like other smartphone manufacturers,  does not offer a hardcopy of the user guide for their phones.

Please note, these official Moto G7 user guides are for Moto G7 (Moto G 2019) and its three siblings (Moto G7 Play, Moto G7 Power, and Moto G7 Plus).

For other Moto G phones, you may check other pages: Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) user manuals, Moto G5 (Moto G 2017) user manuals, Moto G4 (Moto G 2016) user manuals, Moto G3 (Moto G 2015) user manuals, Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014) user manuals, Moto G (Moto G 2013) user manuals.

Although Moto G7, G7 Plus, G7 Play, and G7 Power share many common features and configurations, the difference is also obvious as explained in this post.

So, the user guides are listed for each model individually. You should use the user guide corresponding to the G7 model you are using.

1. Official Moto G7 user manual in English

This is the official Moto G7 (Moto G 2019) User Guide in English language (UK) for Moto G7 (Moto G 2019) with Android Pie 9.0.

For Moto G7 Play, G7 Plus, and G7 Power, please check the following three.

Download the official Moto G7 user guide in English (Android Pie).

2. Official Moto G7 Play user guide in English

This is the official Moto G7 Play (2019) User Guide in English language (UK) for Moto G7 Play with Android Pie 9.0.

For Moto G7, G7 Plus, and G7 Power, please check #1, #4, and #3 respectively.

Download the official Moto G7 Play (2019) user guide in English with Android Pie.

3. Official Moto G7 Power user guide in English

This is the official Moto G7 Power (2019) User Guide in English language (UK) for Moto G7 Power with … Read the rest

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Motorola released 4 models for the Moto G7: G7, G7 Play, G7 Plus, and G7 Power.

To make it even more confusing (although it is not new), Motorola decided not to release all models in all regions.

Anyway, if you are wondering about the differences between these four Moto G7 phones, this guide will help you.

To read or download the official user guide for Moto G7, G7 Play, G7 Power, and G7 Plus, please check Moto G7 user manual page.

Summary of the specs of Moto G7 vs Moto G7 Play vs Moto G7 Plus vs Moto G7 Power

The following table summarizes the key specification of Moto G7 vs Moto G7 Play vs Moto G7 Plus vs Moto G7 Power.

What are identical: Moto G7 vs Moto G7 Play vs Moto G7 Plus vs Moto G7 Power?

As shown in the specs, the 4 Moto G models are common in

• OS: Android Pie (Android 9.0).
• The fingerprint sensor is on the back.
• USB Type C port.
• Headphone jack.
• Micro SD card support up to 512GB.

Motorola normally releases two major updates for Moto G devices. So, very likely, Moto G7 will get Android R as the last update.

Please note, Motorola has become slower in releasing updates for Moto G devices in r4ecent years. But they still released at least two updates for previous generations of Moto G phones in most regions.

Moto G7 Play vs Moto G7 Power: which offers a higher value (per dollar)?

Moto G7 Play is the cheapest one and with the lowest specs compared to the other 3 (Moto G7, G7 Play, and G7 Power).

But Moto G7 Play does not provide the best value for your money.

The $50 more expensive Moto G7 Power actually offers better value for your money. The increased RAM (from 2GB to 3GB) can make big differences even for moderate usages.

Of course, the 5000mAh battery (with TurboPower) is the signature feature of Moto G7 Power.

Unless you are constrained by the budget, or you do not like the weight (198g vs 151g), then you should get G7 Power if possible.

Moto G7 vs

… Read the rest

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All user manuals for Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus are in PDF format. You can read them online, or download a copy to read or print offline.

Due to the differences in Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus, you need to get the user guide based on your phone model.

The official Moto G6 user manuals are organized in three sections:

• Official Moto G6 user manuals (for Moto G6)
• Official Moto G6 Play user manuals (for Moto G6 Play)
• Official Moto G6 Plus user manuals (for Moto G6 Plus)

Please note, the availability of the three Moto G6 models varies from region to region. Therefore, you may be not able to get all three models in your region.

If you cannot find the official user guides of Moto G6. G6 Play and G6 Plus in your language, you may let us know in the comment box below.  We will try to find and add them (if available).

For Moto G7 user manuals, please check this page.

1. Official Moto G6 user manuals

This section lists the official Moto G6 user manuals. They are for Moto G6 phones only.

If your Moto G6 is Moto G6 Play or Moto G6 Plus, please check the other two sections.

A1. The official Moto G6 User manual in English language (UK) for international versions of Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) (English, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia)

Official Moto G6 User Guide in English language (UK)  is for Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) sold in international market including Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia with Android Ore0 8.0.

If you cannot find the Moto G6 user manual in local language for your Moto G6, you may try this one.

Download link for Moto G6 User guide in English language (UK) (in PDF): The official Moto G6 User manual in English language (UK) for international versions of Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) (English, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia).

A2. The official Moto G6 User manual in English language (US) for Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) (English, USA)

Official … Read the rest

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These 3 phones may look similar. All come with the latest Android Oreo 8.0.

But the differences are obvious as well.

This post compares the 3 models of Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) and explains the top 6 differences among these 3 Moto G6 modes to help you understand the differences and therefore make the correct decision when purchasing a Moto G6.

You may check the official user manuals for Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus in this page.

1. Moto G6 vs Moto G6 Plus vs Moto G6 Play: Screen size and resolution

The 3 Moto G6 models have different combinations of screen sizes and screen resolution.

Moto G6 and G6 Play both have a screen size of 5.7″. Moto G6 Plus has a 5.9″ screen.

But for the screen resolution, Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus both have a 1080p (18:9) screen. Moto G6 Play comes with a 720p screen. This suggests Moto G6 has the highest pixel density (higher than both Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus.

Overall, for the screen, the difference between Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus is small.

2. Moto G6 vs Moto G6 Plus vs Moto G6 Play: CPU (SoC)

Motorola continued to use middle-range CPUs on Moto G6 (Moto G 2018) devices.

Moto G6 Play comes with a Snapdragon 430 CPU (or 427 in the US). There are eight (4 cores for Snapdragon 427) cores up to 1.4GHz.

Moto G6 has a Snapdragon 450 CPU, which is also an octa-core SoC with a higher speed of 1.8GHz.

As expected, Moto G6 Plus has the most powerful CPU (Snapdragon 630) compared to Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play.  The maximum frequency for the CPU is 2.2GHz.

3. Moto G6 vs Moto G6 Plus vs Moto G6 Play: rear cameras

Both Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus feature dual rear cameras (12MP+5MP). The 5MP f/2.2 camera will be used only when you change to portrait mode. It is designed for depth sensing, not real photo taking.

The 12MP camera sensor in Moto G6 Plus is slightly better with an aperture of f/1.7.  It is capable of capturing 4K (2160p) videos at 30fps. While the 12MP camera in Moto G6 has … Read the rest

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This makes some potential Moto G buyers confused: Moto G5 or Moto G5 Plus?

In fact Lenovo-owned-Motorola does not need to announce two Moto G models. They already have a comprehensive Moto line: Moto E, Moto G, Moto M, Moto Z and Moto X. In some regions, there is a Moto C as well.

But the trend is Lenovo and many other Android vendors still throw spaghetti on the wall to figure out what people want.

This guide will compare two phones, Moto G5 vs Moto G5 plus, to help you understand the differences between them.

Moto G5 vs Moto G5 plus: Moto G5 Plus is slightly larger and heavier

Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus share similar aluminum material. There are no difference in build quality, which is excellent among phones in this price range.

Although Moto G5 Plus is larger (5.2″ vs 5″) and heavier (155g vs 145g), the difference is only marginal.

The screens are also almost identical except the size.

Moto G5 vs Moto G5 plus: Moto G5 Plus performs better

When we talk about performance, Moto G5 Plus is a clear winner due to the faster and newer CPU used in Moto G5 Plus.

Moto G5 is equipped with the 28nm 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430; while Moto G5 plus comes with a 14nm 2G Hz Snapdragon 625.

The GPU in Moto G5 Plus is Adreno 506 (with Snapdragon 625), which is 2.6x faster than Adreno 505 (with Snapdragon 430) in Moto G5.

When you play some heavy games, you will feel the performance difference immediately.

But for daily tasks, you probably will not feel much difference.

Moto G5 vs Moto G5 plus: Moto G5 Plus has a better main camera

The 5MP front-facing camera in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus is identical.

But the main camera (rear-facing) in these two phones is different.

In the paper, Moto G5 has a 13MP main camera. Moto G5 Plus has a 12MP camera.

You should not be fooled by the number of pixels. The main camera in Moto G5 Plus is far better actually.

The 12MP camera in Moto G5 Plus has a larger aperture of f/1.7 (vs f/2.0 in Moto G5). This means Moto G5 plus can take better pictures in low light … Read the rest

The post Moto G5 vs Moto G5 plus: the major differences between Moto G5 and Moto G5 plus appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

This Moto G guide shows you how to install Moto G5 SIM card(s) and micro SD card correctly.

What’s the difference in SIM card slot for Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus?

One of the major differences between Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus is the removable battery in Moto G5.  Of course, Moto G5’s back cover is also removable.

This results in different design of the SIM card slots in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

As explained in Moto G5 Plus SIM card guide, Moto G5 Plus features a removable SIM card/SD card tray.

But in Moto G5, the SIM card slot and micro SD card slot are under the back cover. There is no removable SIM card tray in Moto G5.

This means you must remove the back cover to install Moto G5 SIM card (and micro SD card as well).

For SIM card size for Moto G5, as explained in this post, Moto G5 and Moto G5 plus both use nano SIM card.

How to install Moto G5 SIM card?

Moto G5 has two versions: single SIM version and dual SIM version depending on your region.

The dual SIM version of Moto G5 (and G5 plus) is dual standby only. If you need to keep both SIM cards available at all times without missing any calls, please read How to make two SIM cards always available in dual SIM dual standby Android phones?

Unlike other dual SIM Android phones, Moto G5 has a dedicated micro SD card slot in both single SIM and dual SIM versions. This means you can use two SIM cards and a micro SD card concurrently in dual SIM version of Moto G5.

To install Moto G5 SIM card, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Power off Moto G5

You must power off Moto G5 before installing SIM card.

You can hold the power button for 2-4 seconds and then follow the on-screen power option to power off Moto G5.

Step 2: Remove Moto G5 back cover

After Moto G5 is powered off, you can now remove the Moto G5 back cover.

As shown below, you can gradually peel off the back cover starting from the small gap (groove) in the bottom of the phone.

You … Read the rest

The post How to install Moto G5 SIM card? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

These user guides are for both Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus (Moto G 5th Gen, Moto G Plus 5th Gen).

You can find official user manual of older Moto G devices:

• for Moto G4 user manual (Moto G 2016, including Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus) in this page;
• for Moto G3 user manual (Moto G 2015) in this page;
• for Moto G 2nd Gen ( Moto G 2014) in this page;  and
• for Moto G 1st Gen (Moto G 2013) in this page.

Please use the correct user manual for your Moto G devices.

How to use official Moto G5 user manual and Moto G5 Plus user manual?

All Moto G5 user manuals and Moto G5 Plus user manuals are in PDF format. This means you can open them directly in Chrome browser if you read them online.

If you download the manuals to your PC or your Moto G5 (or Moto G5 Plus), you need a PDF reader app to open them.

You can get the official PDF reader for your PC or for Android devices.

To download the official user manual for Moto G5 user manual and Moto G5 Plus

• on PC, right click the link, then click Save as to download the user manual of Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.
• on Android devices (e.g., Moto G5 or Moto G5 Plus), tap and hold the link, then tap Download link to download the user manual.

After you download the files, you can read them with any PDF reader app.

You can also print them from your PC if you want. You can also use wireless printing to print them from Moto G5 or Moto G5 Plus.

Download official Moto G5 user manual and Moto G5 Plus user manual in different languages

We will update the list once a new language of Moto G5 user manual and Moto G5 Plus user manual is available.

So, if you cannot find the language you want, you may check it back later.

1. Official user manual of Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus in English language (Moto G 2017 official user manual in English)

This English language version of the official user manual of Moto G5 … Read the rest

The post Official Moto G5 User Manual and Moto G5 Plus User Manual appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Please note, the SIM card slots in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are totally different. This guide is for Moto G5 Plus SIM card. For Moto G5 SIM card, please check this guide.

If you want to learn other features of Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus, you may check the official user manual of Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

Why you need a SIM card for Moto G5 Plus?

SIM card is not a requirement for Moto G5 Plus and most Android phones.

But without a SIM card, you will not be able to make calls, send text messages or use mobile data.  You probably then will not call it a phone.

Actually, if you do not need mobile services, you can get a decent tablet with bigger screen at an even cheaper price.

If you want to use Moto G5 Plus as a phone, you should get a SIM card from your phone company.

Moto G5 Plus SIM card size

There are different sizes of SIM card.

Over the years, there are 4 different sizes of SIM card for mobile phones:

1. Full-size SIM card. Full-size SIM is often referred as 1FF (1st form factor). It is “giant” in size: 85.60 mm × 53.98 mm × 0.76 mm. It was phased out already. There are no Android phones using it.
2. Mini-SIM (2FF) cars. Mini-SIM usually is referred to as “big” or “normal”  or “standard” SIM card in some countries. It measures in 25.mm x 15 mm x 0.76 mm. Mini-SIM card was just phased out in last 2 or 3 years. You can still find some old phones use this “normal” SIM card.
3. Micro-SIM (3FF). Micro SIM is the most popular size of SIM card for smartphones. Most middle range and budget smartphones are using micro SIM card. In some regions, micro-SIM is referred as “small” SIM card.
4. Nano-SIM (4FF). Nano-SIM is the smallest SIM card available for smartphone today. Most flagship smartphones requires nano-SIM. More and more middle-range phones also started to adopt this size SIM card.

Moto G5 Plus uses nano SIM card only. 

Prior to Moto G5 Plus,  all … Read the rest

The post Moto G5 Plus SIM card guide appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Android Nougat for Moto G4 is a major Android udpate with many new features and improvement you should try.

This Moto G guide explains to you the top 10 new features in this Android Nougat update for Moto G4.

Please note, although Moto G4 is used in this post, all these new features also apply to all Motorola Moto devices with Android Nougat.

1. Multi window

Android Nougat supports split screen (multi-window) view. You can run two apps side by side on your screen after applying the Android Nougat update.

For example, you can reply to a text message while watching a video, or browse the internet during a video call.

You can activate multi-window view by long-pressing the overview/recent apps button while in a compatible app.

Please note, whether an app is compatible with multi window view is determined by individual app developer.

You may check this guide on how to use multi window feature in  Android Nougat update for Moto G4.

2. Quick switch apps

Android Nougat also allows you to quickly switch between two recent apps.

You can double tap the overview/recent apps button to switch between two most recently used apps.

Quick switch apps works even when you are in Home screen.  In Moto G4 Home screen, you can double tap the overview button to open the last used app. Double tap again to switch the second most recent app.

3. Swipe to shrink the screen

Motorola added one more Moto action in Android Nougat update for Moto G4: swipe to shrink the screen.

You can shrink the screen by swiping up from the navigation bar in the bottom.

If you swipe upwards and towards left, the shrunk screen will align to bottom left. If you swipe upwards and towards right, the shrunk screen will be docked in the bottom right.

To enable this new feature, you need to open the Moto app, tap Actions, then tap Swipe to shrink the screen to enable it.

You can practice this feature before enabling it.

Please refer to this guide (coming soon) on how to use Moto Actions.

4. Change display size (display scaling)

Prior to Android Nougat, you can only change the … Read the rest

The post Top 10 new features in Android Nougat update for Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Unlike Moto G4 (Moto G 2016), there are no Play series for Moto G5. This does make sense.

Now,  for Moto G fans, it is easier to make decisions: G5 or G5 Plus. We will post a detailed comparisons of Moto G5 and G5 plus later.

In this post, I will explain to you some desired new features and improvements (compared to Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play) in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

For detailed features, please check the official user manual of Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus

Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are smaller

Moto G5 has a 5-inch full HD display and G5 Plus has a 5.2-inch display (full HD as well).

This means G5 and G5 plus are smaller than last year’s Moto G4 and G4 Plus (both are 5.5″).

The physical dimensions of Moto G5 and G5 Plus actually are comparable to the size of Moto G4 Play.

Lenovo didn’t give any explanation or justification on the scaling back in display. If you prefer big display, you may skip Moto G5.

Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus got a metal finish with aluminum backcover

Lenovo tried hard to give you a premium feeling on Moto G5  and Moto G5 Plus with full metal design.

The backcover is no longer plastic as in all previous generations of Moto G phones.  Moto G5 and G5 Plus got an aluminum backcover.

It seems we will see more and more all-metal or metal-glass middle-range phones.

Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus come with near-stock Android Nougat

Motorola was applauded for offering near-stock Android with fast update.

It seems Lenovo kept this practice in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.  Both phones have Android Nougat 7.0 pre-installed.

Furthermore, Google Assistant was also available in both phones.

Both G5 and Moto G5 Plus have fingerprint reader below the screen

Fingerprint sensor can be found in G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

And the fingerprint sensor was placed in the front of the phone below the display.

This is different from the implementation in Moto G4 Plus, which got a fingerprint sensor in the back.

Fingerprint sensor in Moto G5 and G5 Plus can replace the default

… Read the rest

The post What’s new in Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

For the differences of the 3 Moto G4 models: Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus, please check this page.

This page is a collection of user manuals (in PDF) for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play.

For Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus user manuals, please check this page.

For Moto G3 (Moto G 2015) user manuals, please check this page.

For Moto G2 (Moto G 2014) user manuals, please check this page.

For Moto G (Moto G 2013, Moto G 1st gen) user manuals, please check this page.

We will add new languages of Moto G4 User Manual once they are released. So, please bookmark this page and check it later if you cannot find the language version you want.

Official Moto G4 user manual is provided free to all visitors. No registration is required. You can download and read them at any time.

As these Moto G4 user manuals are all in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can read in the browser online. You can also download the PDF file and read it in PC, tablet or your Moto G4.

To read official Moto G4 user manual on PC, you can use any PDF reader, e.g., the free official PDF reader from Adobe.

On your tablet or mobile devices, you can use any PDF reader apps. For example, the pre-installed Google Drive app can open PDF files nicely. Of course, you can get a dedicated PDF reader, e.g., the free Adobe Acrobat PDF reader.

1. Moto G4 user manual in English language (for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play)

This English language version of Moto G4 user manual is for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play in US, Europe, Asia and many other regions.

If you cannot find a Moto G4 user manual for your Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play in your language, you may try this manual first.

Download link for Moto G4 user manual in English language (for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play) (PDF format, right click, choose save as to download): Moto G4 user manual in English … Read the rest

The post Moto G4 User Manual: official PDF user guide for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Then which one is for you? What are the differences of Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play?

This post will try to help you understand the differences of these 3 models so that you can make better decision when you want to buy one Moto G4 (Moto G 2016).

To download official Moto G4 user manual, Moto G4 Plus user manual anf Moto G4 Play user manual in your own language, please check this page.

Initial availability differences of Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play

Although 3 models of Moto G4 were announced, only 2 of them are currently available.

Moto G4 Play will be only available later this summer.

Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 are currently available in selected countries and regions, mainly India, Brazil, Mexico and a few other countries in Latin America.

In early June, Moto G4 will be available in Europe, the Middle East, and other Asian regions.

Moto G4 Plus will be available in Europe, the Middle East, other Asian regions, and other Latin American regions from the second half of June.

For US and North America, the availability of Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play has not been announced. (Motorola is not a US company any more; it is now a Lenovo company.)

So, many Motorola fans in US, Europe and other regions are a bit disappointed. Apparently, Motorola (Lenovo) is too short-sighted in Moto G4 release.

Will this help the success of Moto G4?

Very unlikely. The availability strategy of Moto G4 is probably a disaster for Moto G4 sales.

With 3 different models (G4, G4 Plus, and G4 Play) combined, Moto G4 probably cannot exceed the sales of Moto G3 (2015) or  Moto G2 (Moto G 2014).

Just may 2 cents.

Screen (display) differences of Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play

Both Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus share similar display: 5.5″ 1080p (full HD. 1980*1080) display.

Moto G4 Play is smaller (5″) with a 720p (1280*720) screen.

So, the size of Moto G4 Play is similar to previous generations of Moto G devices (e.g., Moto G 2015 and Moto G 2014).  Moto G4 and G4 Plus are bigger than previous generations.

CPU (chips)

… Read the rest

The post What are the differences of Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Motorola started to roll out Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0) update to Moto X Style, Moto X Play, Moto X Pure, Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen), Moto  G 2014 (Moot G 2nd Gen) and Moto X 2014 (Moto X 2nd Gen) in early December 2015.  Only Moto E 2015 (Moto E 2nd Gen) is still on the waiting list.

Now more and more Moto users are enjoying latest Android Marshmallow. Some prominent Android Marshmallow  features are explained on this guide and this post.

Although the overall experience of Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015 and other Moto devices is good, some problems of the Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015 are also reported.

This post will try to address the top 5 problems of Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015, and of course the solutions.

Please note, in the post, Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) is used, but this post also applies to Moto X (Pure, Style, Play, 2nd Gen) and Moto G 2014 devices. The code base for Android Marshmallow update for Moto devices are similar. So, the problems of Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015 can also be found on other Moto devices after updating to Marshmallow.

#1. Missing camera shutter sound control in Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015

Motorola camera app is functional and yet simple to use.  One of the handy features is togging on/off shutter sound. For Moto G 2015 camera guide, please check this page.

It seems the Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015 does not change much on the camera app. But soon you will notice that the shutter sound control is missing in the new camera app.

This is NOT a bug.

Actually, more and more Android phone manufacturers removed the shutter sound control in their camera apps.

There are two main reasons for removing shutter sound control from camera app:

• Legal considerations. In a few countries (e.g., Korea and Japan), shutter sound is mandatory.  More and more countries are debating on this issue. Privacy usually is in the center in such debates. To avoid possible legal troubles in the future, and to give good impression on privacy consideration, big Android phone manufacturers started to remove the  shutter sound control from the stock camera app even

… Read the rest

The post Top 5 problems of Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015 and solutions (for Moto X and Moto E as well) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

In some regions. Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0) update has been rolled out to Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen).

When you are enjoying the new features in Android Marshmallow update for Moto G 2015, you may notice that the shutter sound setting was removed from the camera app.

So, there is no direct ways to silence camera for Moto G 2015 as you can in Lollipop.

This is a known problem. But it is NOT a bug because most pre-installed camera apps in Android will remove the shutter sound option due to possible legal issues and some implementation changes in Marshmallow.  We are not sure whether Motorola will change mid to bring this feature back.

A simple workaround is to lower the ringer volume.  The camera shutter sound volume follows ringer’s volume.

You can press the volume down button when there are no apps are opened.  This will adjust ringer volume.

If camera shutter sound does not follow the settings, you may try to clear cache  and clear data for camera app in Settings– Apps–Camera.

For other problems after Android Marshmallow update, please check this post.

As discussed in this post, Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) got significant improvements in camera. The existing camera guide for Moto G and Moto G 2014 (Moto G 2nd Gen) here is inadequate for Moto G 2015.

So, instead of updating the Moto G camera guide, a new Moto G 2015 camera guide specially for Moto G 3rd Gen (Moto G 2015) is created here.

If you are a owner of Moto G or Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), please check the guide here.

How to launch Moto G 2015 camera?

There are several different ways to launch Moto G 2015 camera. Except for the quick launch (method 1), the methods apply to Moto G and Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014) as well.

1. Quick launch (new in Moto G 2015). Twist your wrist twice to open the camera in Moto G 2015. This used to be an exclusive feature in Moto X and Moto X 2nd Gen(Moto X 2014).  You can use quick launch at any time even when the phone is locked. This is the fastest method to launch Moto G 2015 camera.
2. From Moto

… Read the rest

The post Moto G 2015 camera guide appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

If you own Moto G 1st Gen  (aka Moto G 2013)   or Moto G with LTE, please check this page for the user guides for your Moto G.

If you own Moto G 2014 (Moto G 2nd Gen), Moto G 2nd Gen with LTE, please find the user manuals here.

For Moto G4  (including Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus, aka Moto G 2016)) owners, you can check and download official Moto G4 user manuals in 13 languages in this page.

For Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus user manuals, please check this page.

Official Moto G 2015 user guide is provided free to all visitors for your convenience. No registration is required. You can download and read them at any time.

The Moto G 2015 user guide (for Moto G 3rd Gen)  is in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can read in the browser online. You can also download the PDF file and read it in PC, tablet or your Moto G 2015.

To read official Moto G 2015 user guide on PC, you can use any PDF reader, e.g., the free official PDF reader from Adobe.

On your tablet or Moto G 2015 phone, you have more options. The pre-installed Google Drive app can open PDF files nicely. Of course, you can get a dedicated PDF reader, e.g., the free Adobe Acrobat PDF reader.

Please note, Motorola does NOT release hard-copy of  Moto G 2015 user guide. You need print it by yourself if you need a hard copy.

If you cannot find the Moto G 2015 user guide in your language, please let us know it in the comment box below. We will try to find one for you.

1. Moto G 2015 user guide in English language (Moto G 3rd Gen user manual in English)

This English language version of Moto G 2015 user guide is for Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) in US, Europe, Asia and many other regions.

If you cannot find a Moto G 2015 user guide in your language, you may try this manual first.

Download link (PDF format, right click, choose save as to download): Moto G 2015 user guide in … Read the rest

The post Moto G 2015 user guide appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

And in 2017, you can get Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

Of course. Moto G6 (Moto G 2018, 3 models) was released in 2018 and Moto G7 (Moto G 2019, 4 models) in 2019.

Unlike other Android vendors, Motorola tries hard to make the phone not only affordable but also easy to use.

But for many new Moto G owners, an official user guide is still needed to get started quickly.

This is the purpose of this page.

In this page, you can find the user manuals for Moto G8 (Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play), Moto G7 (4 models), Moto G6 (3 models), Moto G5  and Moto G5 Plus, Moto G4 (Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play), Moto G 1st Gen (Moto G 2013), Moto G 2014 (Moto G 2nd Gen) and Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) in different languages.

All these Moto G user manuals are in PDF format. It means you can download and read them offline on your PC, tablet or phones.

Of course, we also have 3 other sections to help you use Moto G:

1. Moto G how-to guides section. You can find detailed step-by-step guides on how to use some features of Moto G, or how to configure Moto G to get desired phone behaviour.
2. Moto G online manual section. You can find detailed guides on using Moto G features and apps.
3. Moto G Accessories guide.

These guides cover all Moto G devices.

Official Moto G8 User manual

These are the official user guides for Moto G8, Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus.  Moto G8 Play and Moto G8 Plus were announced in 2019. Moto G8 will be announced in February 2020.

Official Moto G7 user manual

Official user manual for Moto G7 (Moto G 2019), Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Power, and Moto G7 Play.

The differences among Moto G7, Moto G7 Play, Moto G7 Plus and Moto G7 power are explained in this guide.

Official Moto G6 User Guides

Official Moto G6 user manuals, Moto G6 Play user manuals and Moto G6 Plus user manuals.

You can also find the differences between … Read the rest

The post User Manuals for Moto G appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Update: Official Moto G 2015 user manuals in different  languages are available for read and download here.

Motorola updated Moto G to the 3rd generation last week (together with Moto X Style, Moto X Play and Moto X Pure Edition).

Now the question is what the exciting new features in Moto G 3rd Gen (Moto G 2015) are?

This post will try to answer this question so that you have better understanding whether you should get Moto G 3rd Gen (Moto G 2015), especially compared with Moto G 2014 (Moto G 2nd Gen).

You can customize Moto G 2015 as you want

Motorola used to keep customization as an exclusive feature for their flagship Moto X.

For the first time, you can customize your Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) in Moto Maker.  Now you can customize Moto G 2015 in following aspect:

• Black or white front color
• 1o back colors
• 10 accent colors
• Engrave text (up to 14 characters) in the back.

So, you can design your own Moto G 2015 with 200 possible color combinations!!

No other smartphone manufacturers offers such customization.

The bad news is that Moto Maker may be not available in some countries.

Moto G 2015 now has far better cameras (both rear and front)

Moto G is positioned as the best the middle-range smartphone.

So, it is not strange that Moto G does not have the cutting-edge camera sensors in previous generation.

In Moto G 2015, Motorola dramatically improved the camera.

Here is the list of some noteworthy improvements in Moto G 2015 rear camera:

• 13MP camera sensor (8MP in Moto G 2014);
• dual-LED flash (single LED flash in Moto G 2014);
• Quick Capture (twist wrist to launch camera). This used to be an exclusive feature of Moto X.
• manual focus and exposure controls.
• 1080p HD video (720p HD video in Moto G 2014);
• HDR for video.

For the front camera, the improvement is also huge:

• 5MP camera sensor (2MP in Moto G 2014);
• wide angle camera (72 degrees of field of view);
• display flash;
• HDR;
• Slow motion video.

You should expect dramatic improvement in photo and video quality in Moto G 2015.

You may check this Moto G 2015 camera guide to learn how to use the camera in your Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen)

Moto G 2015 is water resistant, IPX7 rated

Simply … Read the rest

The post Top 6 exciting improvements in Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

But some Moto G,  Moto X and Moto E owners are still confusing on software update. This guide will try to show you the details of software update for all Moto devices, including Moto G, Moto G 2nd Gen, Moto G 3rd Gen, Moto X, Moto X 2nd Gen, Moto X 3rd Gen, Moto E and Moto E 2nd Gen.

Why update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X?

Moto G, Moto X and Moto E are running Android, which is updated by Google regularly.

Once a new version or an update is released by Google, Motorola, like other Android manufacturers,  need test it on all their devices to decide whether they should update Moto G, Moto X or Moto E to this version.

Android update usually includes:

• New features
• Bug fixes
• Security update

So, it is usually recommended to update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X once the update is available for your device.

Of course, as software, it is not uncommon that new Android update for Moto G, Moto X and Moto E brings new bugs, and may cause new problems.

Some Moto G, Moto X and Moto E owners use this as an excuse to avoid the update.

If you don’t update Moto G, Moto X or Moto E, you may have other issues, for example.

• your phone may be less secure if you skip the security update.
• your may not able to run some apps which require newer version of Android.
• you may miss some new cool features.

Anyway, it is up to you to decide whether you update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X, or not.

If you decide to update Moto g, Moto E and Moto X, you can update it:

1. from your phone (Over-The-Air, OTA)
2. or from your PC through USB connection.

How to update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X from your phone (OTA)?

To update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X from your phone (OTA), you may follow these steps.

Step 1: backup your phone, backup your phone and backup your phone

Although Android update is supposed not to change any of your files, contacts, messages and settings, you should backup your phone before a … Read the rest

The post How to update Moto G, Moto E and Moto X? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

What are widgets on Moto G home screen?

Widget is unique to Android.  Sadly, iPhone users don’t have it yet.

Widgets on Moto G home screen are just “at-a-glance” views of an app. In other words, you can access some info or get control of the app directly on Moto G home screen without launching the app.

This is surely a step further from adding apps to Moto G home screen.

Proper use of widgets on Moto G home screen will boost your productivity on using the phone. In other words, you can get more values from the phone than other owners.

Widgets on Moto G home screen also offer more options for home screen customization.

Some widgets also allow you to adjust its size to meet you needs.

How to add widgets to Moto G home screen?

To add widgets to Moto G home screen, please follow these steps.

Step 1: Return to Moto G home screen

You can return to Moto G home screen in two different ways as detailed in this page:

• Tapping the on-screen Home button at any time.
• Keep tapping the on-screen Back button.

Step 2: Enter home screen edit mode

Once you are in any pages of Moto G home screen, tap and hold any empty locations (not occupied by apps or widgets) as shown below.

Moto G now should enter home screen edit mode as shown below.

In home screen editing mode, you will notice:

• Favorite tray disappears.
• You get 3 options: wallpapers (for you to customize the wallpaper), widgets (adding widgets to home screen) and settings as shown below.
• User accessible part of the home screen is marked  as a shaded area.

Step 3:  Enter widgets list

Tap Widgets as shown above in home screen edit mode. This will direct you to the widget list page as shown below.

Please note, it is up to app developers to decide whether widgets are available for their apps.

So, it is not strange that you cannot find widgets for some apps.

Navigate through widget list pages by flicking … Read the rest

The post Use widgets on Moto G home screen (for Moto X and Moto E as well) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

USB On-The-Go (USB OTG) is not a new technology. It allows a device to perform both master and slave roles in USB connections. Android fully supports USB OTG since Android Honeycomb 3.1.

Normally USB uses a master/slave architecture.  A host acts as a master device for the connection, the other USB device acts as a slave.

Devices are designed to assume one role only. For example, when you connect an external disk to the PC, the PC is always the host, and the external disk is always the slave.  When you connect two external drives through USB, nothing happens.

For Moto G, like many other phones, when it is connected to PC, it will be acted as a slave and be mounted as a storage device.  You can access the file on the Moto G from your PC.

But what happens if you connect a USB thumb drive to Moto G?

Moto G can mount it as external storage, and you can use it just like you use an external drive on a PC!

Because Moto G supports USB OTG.

Of course, there are some other requirements to make it work.

We will discuss them later.

How Moto G USB OTG can help Moto G owners?

So, basically, Moto G USB OTG makes it possible for you to use external USB devices on Moto G.

Storage is just an example. The miserable storage in Moto G usually is the motivation for some owners to find ways to expand the storage.

You can also hook many other USB accessories, e.g., even a USB keyboard or mouse.

In this guide, we will focus on storage because it is the most wanted Moto G USB OTG usage.

Also, this guide applies to Moto X and many other Android devices, although Moto G is used.

What do you need to use Moto G USB OTG to expand your storage?

To use Moto G USB OTG to expand your storage, you need one of them:

• a USB OTG adapter (less than $10). One end of the USB OTG adapter connects to USB storage, which can be a normal thumb drive or even a portable hard disk. The other end connects to Moto G directly.
• or, an USB OTG flash drive (price depending on the capacity. It is slightly more expensive than normal USB thumb drives with similar

… Read the rest

The post Moto G USB OTG guide (also for Moto X) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

So, if you want to add more apps to the home screen, or add some widgets to the home screen, you will need more home screen pages.

Of course, you can use app folders to manage apps in home screen.

This guide will show you how to add new home screen pages on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X, and how to delete home screen pages on these devices.

In the guide, Moto G is used  to simplify the text.  This guide actually applies to all Moto devices, including Moto G, Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), Moto E, Moto E 2nd Gen (Moto E 2015), Moto X and Moto X 2nd Gen (Moto X 2014).

As Nexus devices (e.g., Nexus 5 and Nexus 6) use the almost identical Google Now launcher, you can also follow this guide if you are a Nexus user.

Steps to add new home screen pages on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X

To add new home screen pages on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X, please follow these steps.

Step 1: Enter Moto G  home screen

You can enter Moto G home screen by tapping the on-screen home button (see Moto G layout).

Of course, if you keep tapping Back button, you will also be directed to the “home” of home screen pages.

Step 2: Tap and hold an app on home screen

Once in Moto G home screen, tap and hold (i.e., without releasing your fingers from the screen)  an app icon.

For example, in this guide, we tap and hold the Motorola Assist icon a shown below.

Step 3: Move the app rightwards to cross the last home screen page

Without releasing your finger from the screen, move the app icon rightwards as shown above.

Once the icon is approaching the edge of the screen, you will see a white line near the edge as shown above.

This white line is an indicator of next home screen page.

If you are already in the rightmost page of Moto G home screen, this white line tells you that you can add new … Read the rest

The post Add new home screen pages on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

So, this guide applies to Moto G (all models), Moto E (all models) and Moto X (all models), although Moto G is used in the text.

Why add apps to Moto G home screen?

As explained in this page, the home screen is the default screen after unlocking your Moto G.

The home screen is also one of the most accessible screens on any Android devices.  You can access Moto G home screen at any time by tapping the on-screen Home button (see Moto G layout page for the location of on-screen buttons).

So, by adding apps to Moto G home screen, you can save considerable time to launch the app without navigating to the app drawer (all apps).

In addition, Moto G home screen supports app folders, although app drawer (Apps page) in Google Now launcher does not have this feature yet.

You can organize apps with different App folders on Moto G home screen. Please check this step-by-step guide on how to create app folders on Moto G home screen.

Once your apps are well organized through app folders in the Moto G home screen, you can locate the app very quickly in the home screen. While in the apps page (app drawer), apps can only be sorted in alphabet order. You cannot organize them based on functions, publishers or features.

Essentially, you can use your Moto G more efficiently after you add apps to Moto G home screen.

How to add apps to Moto G home screen?

Please note, when you add apps to Moto G home screen, the apps are NOT moved or affected. You simply add a shortcut of the app to Moto G home screen.

So, it is possible to add several shortcuts of the same app to Moto G home screen. For example, you may add Play music in Google app folder, and the Music folder.

To add apps to Moto G home screen, please follow these steps.

Step 1:  Access Apps screen (app

… Read the rest

The post How to add apps to Moto G home screen (for Moto E and Moto X as well) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Please note, Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen, aka Moto G 2014; Moto G 2015, aka, Moto G 3rd Gen) and Moto E (including Moto E 2nd Gen, aka Moto E 2015)  can function normally without a SIM card. Just imagine a lot of WiFi only tablets.

What is the correct SIM card size for Moto G, Moto E and Moto X?

Currently, there are 4 SIM card  sizes (reference here):

• Full size SIM card. Actually no smartphones in the market are using it now. It has the size of a credit card (85.60 mm *53.98 mm*0.76 mm).
• Mini SIM card.  This is usually refer to as normal SIM card. Some old smartphones are still using Mini SIM card. Its size is  25mm*15mm*0.76mm.
• Micro SIM card. This has been the mainstream in last one or two years. It is smaller than Mini SIM card (15mm*12mm*0.76mm).
• Nano SIM card. This is currently the smallest SIM card for smartphones. It is not only smaller than Micro SIM card, but also thinner (12.3mm*8.8mm*0.67mm). The Nano SIM card is used in a few high-end smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S6,  Moto X, Moto X 2nd Gen, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 5, Nexus 6,

Moto G, Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen), Moto E and Moto E 2nd Gen (Moto E 2015) all use Micro SIM  card.

However, Moto X and Moto X 2nd Gen (Moto X 2014) use Nano SIM card.

Can I cut the SIM card with Mini SIM card or use Nano SIM card with adapter?

Although there are many online guides on how to cut Micro SIM card with Mini SIM card, it is NOT recommended to use such cards on Moto G or Moto E. Moto G and Moto E may have problems with the rough cutting/trimming edge.

In addition, some old Mini SIM card has larger metal part. If you trim such a card to Micro SIM, the metal part may touch the edge. This will cause unpredictable problems on Moto G and Moto E.

If you have the smaller Nano SIM card, some … Read the rest

The post Insert SIM card into Moto G and Moto E appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Just like other Android phones, Moto G Home screen is usually the start point for you to use the phone.

By default, some apps, Google app folder and  a few widgets are already put in the Moto G home screen.  You can tap on the app to use the apps immediately.

Of course, you can customize the Moto G home screen, e.g.,  add more apps (actually app shortcuts) to home screen, add widgets to Mot G home screen, change wallpaper for Moto G home screen, add app folders to Moto G home screen.….

How to access Moto G home screen?

After unlocking the lock screen, you are directed to Moto G home screen.

You can also return to Moto G Home screen by tapping the on-screen Home button (please refer to Moto G layout page on the on-screen buttons) at any time.

Another way to return to Moto G home screen is to keep tapping the Recent apps button.

The look of Moto G Home screen

Moto G home screen is shown below.  There are several components in the home screen.

In the home screen, by default, you can find status bar, Google search bar, clock widgets, Google app folder, Play store apps and favorite tray .

Some carriers  may add other apps or widgets to the home screen.

Status bar

The top of Moto G home screen is the status bar.

Status bar gives you quick glimpse of system status such as, time, battery level, signal strength, WiFi status, notification icons. Most of such info is presented as small icons. You may check this page on the meaning of Moto G status and notification icons.

You can swiped down from the the status bar with one finger to access Moto G notification panel.

If you swipe down with two fingers, you can access Moto G quick settings panel. The Moto G quick settings panel in Android Lollipop is different from that in KitKat.

Google search bar

Google search bar is a widget which you cannot remove from the Moto G home screen because Moto G is using Google Now launcher by default.

Favorites tray

Favorites tray is always in the bottom of  Moto G home screen.  The tray is on all Moto G home screen pages except the Google Now page (the leftmost page).

You can put up to 4 … Read the rest

The post Moto G Home screen appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

For Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen), the SIM card slot is under the back cover. So,  to insert SIMcard, you must remove Moto G back cover.

In addition, the micro SD card slot in Moto G 2014 is also under the back cover. You have to remove the Moto G back cover to put in your SD card.

However, for many new Moto G or Moto E owners,  it can be frustrating to find the correct way to remove Moto G back cover due to Motorola’s unique design for the back cover.

You cannot peel off the Moto G back cover.

Please follow this guide if you want to remove Moto G back cover properly. Otherwise, you may damage the back cover.

How to remove Moto G back cover? (for Moto G and Moto G2, Moto G3, Moto G4, and Moto G5)

Step 1: Power off your Moto G

It is recommended to remove Moto G back cover only when the phone is powered off.

To power off Moto G, press and hold the power button and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 2: Turn Moto G upside down

You need to turn Moto G upside down so that the USB port is facing up. This is the most comfortable orientation to take off Moto G back cover.

Anyway, Motorola designs it in this way.

Step 3: Put your finger in the USB charging port, as shown below.

Step 4: Press your thumb of the hand in the centre of the back (Motorola logo), as shown below.

You need to use two hands to remove Moto G back cover.

You also need to press the Motorola logo hard (apply some force, not just put the thumb there) so that it is easy to pry the cover off.

Step 5: Pry the cover off.

Please remember it is not necessary to use any tools to remove Moto G back cover. Such tools may damage the cover or internal parts

If you still have problems to take off Moto G back cover, you may check this official video.

How about Moto E back cover?

Moto E back cover shares a similar design of Moto G back cover.

So, you can remove Moto E back cover with the identical method mentioned on this page.

This applies to both Moto E and Moto E … Read the rest

The post How to remove Moto G back cover? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Please note, this page is for Moto G 2nd Gen (aka  Moto G 2014, including Moto G 2014 with LTE). The Moto G layout for other models is different.

The front view of Moto G layout is illustrated below.

Moto G layout: front

In the front of Moto G, you can find:

• LCD screen
• front facing camera
• dual stereo speakers
• LED indicator, for charging and notifications.

Moto G layout: Right

In the right side of Moto G, you can find:

• Power button
• Volume button

Moto G layout: bottom

In the bottom of Moto G, you can find:

• Micro USB port. It can be used to charge Moto G, to connect Moto G to a PC, or to connect a USB OTG device.
• Microphone

Moto G layout: top

In the  top of Moto G, you can find:

• 3.5mm standard headphone jack
• Microphone

Moto G layout: back

In the back of Moto G, you can find:

• main camera (rear camera)
• flash

Moto G layout: SD card slot and  SIM card slot

For Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), Micro SD card is supported, the SD card slot is under the back cover.

In other words, you need remove the back cover to access the SD card slot.

Similarly, the SIM card slot is also under the back cover and you need remove the back cover to insert the SIM card. MicroSIM card is used on Moto G. Please try to get the correct size of SIM card from your carrier.

For dual SIM models, both SIM card slots are under the back cover. Please refer to this guide on using dual SIM cards on Moto G.

Moto G layout is simple. There is no physical Home button.

Home button, back button and Recent apps button are implemented on the touch screen as software buttons.

Do you know Moto G layout for your Moto G 2014 now?

If you have problems or questions on Moto G layout, please leave them in the comment box below.

The community will try to hep you.

For more Moto G online manual pages, please check this page.

For detailed step-by-step guides, please check Moto G How-to guides page.… Read the rest

The post Moto G layout appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

A lot of Moto G owners come to this community to find solutions for many different kinds of problems. It is better to serve these owners with a new online manual page with broader topics.

Moto G How-to guide page will continue to offer guides in depth.  This Moto G online manual page will offer guides to complement them.

We will try to cover all topics related to using Moto G.

With Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen) to be released in a couple of weeks, there are many variations of Moto G:

• Moto G
• Moto G LTE
• Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto E 2014)
• Moto E 2nd Gen with LTE
• Moto G 3rd Gen (Moto G 2015)

This Moto G online manual will try to cover all these models and future models. If a page is specific for a specific model, we will highlight this.

For the system OS, most Moto G phones are on Android Lollipop 5.0. Some are on Android Lollipop 5.1. There are still a few on KitKat 4.4. Again, we will try to highlight this if a specific page is for a specific version of Android. For Android Lollipop, you may also check some guides on GadgetGuideOnline’s Lollipop guides.

This is a live page. More and more pages will be added. Some will also get updated. So, it is a good idea to bookmark this Moto G Online Manual page and check back regularly.

1. Layout of Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014)

   Get to know the layout of Moto G 2014 and the functions of the buttons,  the location of the cameras, microphones, speakers, antennas….Read on to know your Moto G 2014 layout in detail.

2. Moto G Home screen (applies to all Moto G models)

   Home screen is the center part of your Moto G. This page shows you the elements and their meaning of Moto G home screen.

3. How to remove Moto G back cover?

   Motorola adopted a very unique design for Moto G back cover so that you can easily customize the phone as you want. But this can be a problem

… Read the rest

The post Moto G Online Manual appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Almost all Android devices offer a special mode called safe mode, which let you test the device with only pre-installed apps.  Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen), Moto E (including Moto E 2nd Gen.) and Moto X (including Moto X 2nd Gen.) are not the exceptions.

Essentially, Moto G safe mode (as well as Moto E safe mode and Moto X safe mode) can help you find out the possible cause of some phone problems due to third-party apps.

As we mentioned in this guide, after any major update in your Moto G, you may want to clear cache partition if Moto G performs worse than before the update.

But if the performance or weird problem is caused by some apps,  clearing cache partition on Moto G will not help.  You need boot your Moto G into Moto G safe mode.

Once you boot Moto G into safe mode, you can check whether the problem persists:

• If the problem disappears, it means the problem is very likely caused by some apps you installed.  Moto G safe mode will NOT tell you the culprits. Actually, as mentioned, all apps installed by you are temporally disabled by Moto G safe mode.
• If the problem persists, it means you may have to reset the phone or visit service center to check the phone.

So, Moto G safe mode is needed only when you have some problems with the phone.

Usually, you should try to clear cache partition before trying Moto G safe mode, when you have some problems with your Moto G.

How to reboot Moto G into Moto G safe mode?

To reboot Moto G into Moto G safe mode, please follow these steps.

Step 1: Get power options.

Press and hold power button until you get the power options on the screen as shown below.

The pop out window should appear in 2-3 seconds after you hold the power button.

Please do NOT hold the power button too long. Moto G will simply reboot if you hold the power button too long (more than 5 or 7 seconds).

Please note, the power options are different in KitKat and Lollipop.

If you Moto G is still on KitKat, the sound mode (sound, vibrate and mute) option is available in the pop out window. As detailed in … Read the rest

The post How to use Moto G safe mode (applies to Moto X and Moto E safe mode as well )? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Finally, most Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen) and Moto X (including Moto X 2nd Gen) owners received the Android Lollipop update.

After getting the Android Lollipop update, you may be excited with the many new features (see this post for top 5 new Lollipop features in Moto G and Moto X) and improved performance.

But for some Moto G and Moto X owners, the phone may behave weirdly. A few owners  may feel the phone is less responsive although Android Lollipop update should bring a faster Moto G or Moto X.

Some owners may face battery drain problems. Again, Android Lollipop should give you slightly longer battery life on Moto G (including Moto X 2nd Gen) and Moto X (including Moto X 2nd Gen).

So, what’s wrong with the Android Lollipop on these phones?

Someone may suggest you to do a factory data reset. But it is usually not necessary.

Very often, the weird behavior or poorer performance is caused by some leftovers in your cache partition.

Clearing cache partition can surprisingly solve most of such problems, without losing any personal settings.

Actually, you should clear the cache partition after any major Android update.

Will clearing cache partition remove my files or accounts or apps or settings?

Clearing cache partition does NOT affect any of your settings. It does NOT delete your files or accounts or apps.

In short, clearing cache partition is totally different from factory data reset, which will erase all your data, apps and settings.

Normally, factory reset is the last resort to solve software related issues. Before trying factory reset, experienced Android support engineer will try to clear the cache partition first. Most of the problems can then be solved without resetting the phone.

Step-by-step guide on how  to clear cache partition on Moto G and Moto X after Android Lollipop update

After the Android Lollipop update, the procedures of clearing cache partition on Moto G and Moto X are slightly changed. If you follow old guides, you may find you cannot get the wipe cache partition option in recovery mode. I will highlight this next.

Step 1:  Power off Moto G or Moto X

Press and hold power button for about 2-3 seconds.

You should get the Power off option on the screen as shown below.

Tap Power … Read the rest

The post How to clear cache partition on Moto G and Moto X after Android Lollipop update? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

After updating your Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen) and Moto X (including Moto X 2nd Gen) to  Android Lollipop (Android 5.0, you may refer to this post on top 5 new features in Android Lollipop update for Moto G, Moto X and Moto E), you may find you cannot enable auto-rotate screen because you cannot find the settings in the Settings–Display as in Android KitKat.

If you go to quick settings in Lollipop in Moto G or Moto X, by default, there is also no icon for auto-rotate screen.

Is auto-rotate screen removed in Android Lollipop update for Moto G and Moto X?

The answer is no. Auto-rotate screen is an essential feature in today’s smartphones.  Motorola is not so crazy to remove such a feature.

In the Android Lollipop update for Moto G and Moto X, auto-rotate screen setting is just placed under Settings—Accessibility as shown below, not  the old location (Settings–Display).

Once you enabled the auto-rotate screen, you will be able to find the corresponding icon in the quick settings panel as shown below.

You only enable auto-rotate screen once from Settings–Accessibility.

From now on, you can just use the quick settings panel to quickly toggle on auto rotate screen or lock it to Portrait mode as shown below.

If you are not familiar with the quick settings panel in Android Lollipop, please check this guide.

Please note, you can only lock the screen in portrait mode. There is no way to lock the screen in landscape mode for Moto G and Moto X because most pages of the Google Now launcher only work in portrait orientation.

If you need to work in landscape orientation in your Moto G or Moto X, your only option is to enable auto-rotate screen.

Another exception of screen orientation is the Camera app.  Camera app does NOT respect the auto-rotate screen settings.

In other words, even if you turn off auto-rotate screen  (i.e., lock the screen in portrait orientation), the camera app may still … Read the rest

The post Where is the settings for auto-rotate screen after Lollipop update for Moto G and Moto X? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

All the Moto G 2nd Gen user manuals are in PDF format and therefore you can download to read them offline in almost all devices: PC, tablets, phones.

If you are looking for the Moto G  1st gen user manual, please check this page. We put these user guides for Moto G 2014 in this separate page to avoid confusions.

For Moto G4 (including Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus, aka Moto G 2016)) owners, you can check and download official Moto G4 user manuals in 13 languages in this page.

Moto G3 (Moto G 2015, aka Moto G 3rd Gen) user manuals can be found here.

For Moto G4 owners, please check Moto G4 User Manual: official PDF user guide for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play.

For Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus owners, you may check Official Moto G5 User Manual and Moto G5 Plus User Manual.

If you cannot find the Moto G 2nd Gen user manual in your language, please let us know it in the comment box below. We will try to find one for you.

1. Moto G 2nd Gen User  Manual in English

This user guide is for Moto G 2nd generation (Moto G 2014). The language used in this manual is English (US).

If you cannot find the user guide for Moto G  2nd Generation (Moto G 2014), you may try this user guide. It applies to most Moto G 2014 models sold internationally.

Download link (PDF format, right click, save as to download): Moto G 2nd Generation (Moto G 2014) User Manual in English

2. Moto G 2nd Gen User Manual in Dutch language (Nederlands, Netherlands)

The Dutch language (Nederlands, Netherlands) version of Moto G 2nd Gen user  manual is for Motorola Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014) smartphone sold in Netherlands (Nederland).

If you Moto G was bought in other markets, please try to find the matched user guide, although the difference may be marginal.

Please download the Moto G 2nd Gen User Manual in Dutch language (Nederlands, Netherlands) here.

3. Moto G 2nd Gen User Manual in Danish Language (dansk, Denmark)

The Danish Language (dansk, Denmark) version of Moto G 2nd Gen user  manual is … Read the rest

The post Moto G 2nd Gen User Manual (Moto G 2014 User Manual) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Motorola did a nice job again!  After rolling out Android Lollipop 5.0 update to Moto G 2014  (2nd Gen)  in November, Motorola started to roll out Lollipop update to the old Moto G (Moto G 1st Gen, aka, Moto G 2013) last week.

For dual-SIM Moto G 2013 and Moto G LTE, the Lollipop 5.0 update will come soon.

Now, Motorola is the only Android vendor who even beats Google to roll out Android updates.

Android Lollipop is a major  update. Many new features are introduced, in addition to many improvements you will enjoy.

Even some seasoned Moto G or Android users may get confused on how to get the best from Android Lollipop, we are preparing some detailed tutorials to show you how to use the new features in Android Lollipop in Moto G.

Please check out Moto G how to guide page in coming days.

Before releasing these guides, let me first introduce you the  top 5 new Android Lollipop features in Moto G and Moto G 2014 with the update.

1. Ambient display

One of the most prominent features of Moto X is  the Active display (which was re-branded as Moto display later).

Ambient display, which is a new feature in Android Lollipop 5.0,  works in a similar way.

Once ambient display is enabled, Moto G will wake up to display the notification as soon as it is picked up or new notifications arrive.

You can even use it to wake up the display by picking it up without pressing any buttons.

2. New notification system

The notification was revamped in Android Lollipop 5.0.  You have full control on notifications now on Moto G with Android Lollipop update.

But it may be a bit complicated for some Android users.  Some Mort G users may also get confused.

For example, for notifications you can choose sound (the old sound mode), none (turning off all notifications including alarms, more aggressive than old silent mode), and priority (new, you have full control over the notifications).  You can even set a downtime if you are in campus.

3.  Battery saver

Finally, Android gets its official battery saving mode in Lollipop 5.0.  You can choose to turn it on only when battery level drops to certain value.

It can also predicate how … Read the rest

The post Top 5 new Android Lollipop features in Moto G and Moto G 2nd gen appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Sometimes, you may want to want to block some callers for whatever reason.

But in Moto G (including Moto G 2014, or Moto G 2nd generation, Moto G 2015, or Moto G 3rd Gen), Moto E (including Moto E 2015), or Moto X (including Moto X 2014, Moto X 2015), you cannot find the feature to block certain callers.

Then, how to block certain callers on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X?

This guide will show you 3 different methods to block certain callers on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X.

Method 1: Divert calls to voicemail to block certain callers on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X

The most polite way to block the caller is to transfer the calls to voicemail automatically. The caller usually would think you are on holiday or you are busy with some other tasks.

To divert the calls from certain callers to voicemail, you may follow these steps:

1. Start People app (or Contacts app) in your Moto G, Moto E or Moto X.
2. Open the contact you want to block.
3. Tap menu button (3 vertical dots) as shown below.
4. Tap “All calls to voicemail” to check it.

Now, all calls from this contact will be diverted to the voicemail.

Please note, this method of blocking certain callers only works when your phone is on. If you turn off the phone, the caller will get unreachable notification per the settings of your carrier.

If you set call diversion (to other numbers) when the phone is not reachable with your carrier. The calls from these “blocked” callers will also be transferred to that number when the phone is not reachable.

In other words, this setting is on your phone only. It cannot overwrite the settings of your carrier. And it will be overwritten by the settings of your carrier.

Method 2: use an app to block certain callers on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X

If you want to block certain callers that are not on your address book, you may use some apps to do the job.

There are many such apps in … Read the rest

The post How to block certain callers on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Moto G (including Moto G 2014, aka Moto G 2nd Generation), Moto X (including Moto X 2014, aka Moto X 2nd Generation), and Moto E all support Wi-Fi Direct. This means you can use Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files from or to your Moto G, Moto X and Moto E, with any other devices that support Wi-Fi Direct.

File transfer through WiFi Direct is usually far faster than that through Bluetooth or even that through USB.

So, using Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X usually is the best choice to quickly share large files with any devices with Wi-Fi Direct support.

However, Motorola does not provide any client apps for Wi-Fi Direct file transfer on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X.  So, many owners are not aware of this nice feature.

This guide will show you how to use Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X. This includes sending and receiving files through Wi-Fi Direct on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X.

Install SuperBeam app on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X for Wi-Fi Direct file transfer

As mentioned, Motorola does not ship any client apps for your to use Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X.

So, it is better to get an app that can make your life easier.

SuperBeam is one of the best apps for Wi-Fi Direct file transfer. The free version is sufficient for most users. Of course, the Pro version has some more advanced features.

To install SuperBeam, you can search “SuperBeam” in Google Play store.

Tap SuperBeam | WiFi Direct Share as shown below.

Tap Install as shown below.

Tap Accept  as shown below to acknowledge the permissions this app requires.

Once the installation is finished, you can find the SuperBeam app in the app drawer. You can also put a shortcut in the home screen.

Now, it is ready to send and receive files through Wi-Fi Direct using SuperBeam with your Moto G, Moto X and Moto E.

How to use  Wi-Fi Direct to send files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X?

To use Wi-Fi Direct to send files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X, you may follow the following steps.

Step

… Read the rest

The post How to use Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Bluetooth

Moto G, Moto G 2nd Generation, Moto E, Moto X, and Moto X 2nd generation all  support Bluetooth fully.  So, you can use Bluetooth to transfer files between Moto devices, and/or with other mobile devices.

This guide shows you how to use Bluetooth to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X.  Although in the guide, Moto G is used, instead of listing the devices again and again, this guide works exactly identical on Moto E and Moto X (including Moto X 2nd generation).

How to use Bluetooth to transfer files on Moto G: pairing devices

To use Bluetooth to transfer files on Moto G, you need pair your Moto G with the other mobile device first.

On your Moto G, go to Settings–Bluetooth, drag the off button to right to turn it on as shown below.

Once the Bluetooth is turned on in your Moto G, it will search for two types of devices:

1. Paired devices (with which you paired Moto G before). For such devices, you can tap the name in the paired devices list to pair with it immediately.
2. Visible Bluetooth devices (which turn on their visibility to the public). If this is the first time you are trying to pair with such a device, you must make sure to make that device visible to others.  You need check the manual for these devices on how to turn on the visibility.  On Moto G, Moto E and Moto X, you can simply tap the own device name as shown below to turn on visibility for 5 mins by default. You can change this setting by tapping the menu button (3 vertical dots) in bottom right. Anyway, to pair two devices for the first time, one of them must turn on visibility.

In this tutorial, I turned on the visibility of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (named as GN3).  Moto G will then find this device and list it under “available devices”.

Tap the GN3 as shown below. You will then give the prompt of the passkey. Tap pair to finish the pairing.

On the other device, a warning message is given as below:… Read the rest

The post How to use Bluetooth to transfer files on Moto G, Moto E and Moto X? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

USB cable connection is probably the fastest way for transferring files between your Moto G and PC.

This guide works for Moto E, Moto E 2nd Gen (Moto E 2015), Moto G 2013 (Moto G 1st generation), Moto G 2014 (Moto G 2nd generation), Moto X 1st generation and Moto X 2nd generation, although in the text, Moto G, not all these 8 devices, is mentioned.

Why/when do I need to connect Moto G with a PC?

All Android devices can connect to a PC through a USB cable. For developers, this is very useful for them to test and debug the apps through the ADB shell.

For most Android users, we use this feature mainly for transferring files, photos and videos.

Moto G is not an exception.

You can easily connect Moto G with a PC through a USB cable. Once Moto G is recognized by the PC, you can:

• Transfer files between Moto G and the PC;
• Take screenshots for Moto G if you want to take a lot of screenshots. For occasional users, you can always use this guide;
• Share your mobile data connection on Moto G with the PC (USB tethering);
• Run ADB commands;
• Update Moto G firmware;
• And more…

How to install Motorola USB driver on PC so that you can connect Moto G with PC?

To connect Moto G with a PC through USB, you must install the Motorola USB driver on the PC.

Motorola named the software as Motorola Device Manager, which contains USB drivers and software to connect your Moto G  with a PC using a USB cable.

You can download the Motorola USB driver for your PC or Mac from: https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481

Once the software is downloaded, you can then install it as other software packages.  You need Administrator privileges to install the Motorola USB driver.

On Windows Vista or Windows 7, it is better to run the Motorola USB driver installer as Administrator (even if you are already a member of administrators). You can right-click (instead of double click) the downloaded … Read the rest

The post How to connect Moto G with PC through USB cable? (for Moto E and Moto X as well) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Moto G 2nd generation is already available in some countries and regions: UK, India, France, Brazil, Spain and France. More countries will be added the the list gradually

You may wonder what’s new in the new Moto G vs old Moto G (1st generation). The purpose of this post is to show you the difference and similarity of the new  Moto G (Moto G 2nd generation) vs Moto G (1st Gen).

 1. The best news:  no price hike ($179) for the Moto G 2nd generation

In most regions, the new Moto G (Moto G 2nd generation) will sell at the identical (or even lower) price as last year’s Moto G. This means the you can get the new Moto G (2nd generation) with about $180 (8GB model)  or $200 (16GB model).

So, the new Moto G is  still very affordable and probably gives you the best value for your money. In this price range, the new Moto G is probably the best smartphone.

2. Good news:  SD card support with  the Moto G 2nd generation

Actually, Motorola added SD card support to the 4G LTE models of the old Moto G (1st gen) a few months ago.

But for most Moto G (1st generation)  owners,  lack of storage is one of the biggest concern. In most regions, only 8GB model is offered.

Now, Motorola corrects its mistake by adding SD card support to all new Moto G (Moto G 2nd generation)  models.  You can easily expand 32GB storage for your photos, videos and other files. Some apps (app data) can even be moved to SD card so that you can install some big games.  You may refer to this guide on how to move apps to SD card on Moto E and Moto G.

3. Good news:  real stereo speakers and they are on front-facing in the Moto G 2nd generation!!!

The new Moto G ( Moto G 2nd generation) have dual front-facing speakers. You can easily enjoy music when Bluetooth speaker is not an option.

Of course, it is not comparable to HTC BoomSound. But the dual front-facing speakers really beat all other smartphones, including … Read the rest

The post Moto G 2014 (aka Moto G 2nd generation) vs Moto G: top 10 facts you should know appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

In some regions, Moto G supports dual SIM cards. In other words, you can use up to two SIM cards simultaneously.

But Moto G dual SIM (and Moto E, Moto X and Moto Z) phones are dual standby, NOT dual active. Please refer to this dual SIM Android phone guide on differences between dual standby and dual active in dual SIM phones.

For correct SIM card size for Moto G (Moto E and Moto X as well) and how to insert SIM card  into Moto G, please check this guide.

How to access Moto G dual SIM settings?

All the settings related to Moto G dual SIM cards can be accessed through Settings— Dual SIM settings.

You can choose icon colors for each SIM card, choose the SIM card used for mobile data.

Please note, only one SIM card can be used for 3G. The other one can only be on 2G.

If you are using one SIM card, you can ignore all setting here.  The settings here are only relevant to owners who are using two SIM cards on the Moto G.

How to get rid of the Moto G SIM card selection when making a call?

By default, when you dial a number, you will be asked for the SIM card to be used for that call. This is useful if you want to use different SIM cards for different numbers, and you need switch them frequently.

However, this can be annoying when you mainly use only one of the SIM cards for outgoing calls.

It is easy to designate one of the SIM card for all of your outgoing calls. You can go to Settings–Dual  SIM settings– Call settings, tap Making calls. Then you have 3 options:

1. use SIM card 1
2. use SIM card 2
3. let you select each time (this is the default setting).

How to use Moto G  automatic SIM selection?

Moto G also has a nice feature in dual SIM cards models for those who have to switch between SIM cards for outgoing … Read the rest

The post How to use dual SIM cards on Moto G? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Have a problem to silence your Moto G?

There are 2 different methods to silence Moto G notifications and ringtones.

Sometimes, for example, in the library, you may want to quickly silence Moto G notifications and ringtones.  If you want to know how to silence Moto G ringtones and notifications, this guide is for you.

Method 1: put your Moto G into vibrate mode

You can put Moto G  in vibrate mode by holding down the volume button on the right side of Moto G  until your Moto G vibrates.

This is the quickest way to silence Moto G. But you know the limitation:  Moto G actually enters vibrate mode. It will not ring, but it will vibrate.

If you do not want Moto G to vibrate, use method 2 to completely silence your Moto G.

Of course, you should hold down the volume down button while Moto G is not playing music or videos. If the music player or video player is running when you press and hold the volume button, it will simply silence your music or video. It will NOT silence Moto G notifications and ringtones.

So, normally, you should exit music player or video player before holding the volume down button. After your Moto G enters vibrate mode, you can play music or video as usual. Vibrate mode is for ringtones and notifications only; it will not silence your music or video.

Method 2: Silence Moto G ringtones and notifications completely.

If you do not want Moto G to vibrate as well, in other words, silence your Moto G completely, you can put Moto G in silent mode.

Press and hold the power button until you feel a vibration.  The following box will show up in the center of the screen:

Touch Silent mode to silence all sounds (including call and notification ringtones) except media and alarm (you must silence media and alarms in their own applications).

Of course, you can also put your Moto G in vibrate mode here by tapping the … Read the rest

The post How to Silence Moto G Notifications and Ringtones appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

What is Motorola Assist on Moto G?

Motorola Assist on Moto G is one of the most useful apps you can find.  It was provided by Motorola and, of course, it works on Motorola devices.

Motorola Assist on Moto G simply suggests actions to automate tasks, based on how you use your device. The app  works like your personal assistant, and works quietly.

Driving Assist is not available in the Motorola Assist on Moto G

The  Motorola Assist in Moto X and Droid (Droid MAXX, Droid Mini, and Droid Ultra) has three assists: driving, sleeping and meeting.

The Driving Assist lets you keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Meeting and Sleeping will eliminate interruptions unless it’s an emergency.

But in Moto G, the Motorola Assist only comes with 2 assists: Sleeping and Meeting. The Driving assist is NOT available on  Motorola Assist on Moto G.

The explanation from Motorola is due to hardware limitation in  Moto G. So, do not waste time to find driving assist in your Moto G. Even if you manage to get the APK file, Driving Assist would not work.

Sleeping Assist on Moto G

Once you let your Moto G knows your normal sleeping time, Motorola Assist on Moto G will automatically silence your phone. of course, if you want, certain callers can still get through if needed.

You need setup your normal sleeping time first in the Motorola Assist on Moto G. Then , you can enable “Silence”  to turn on the sleeping assist..

If you want,  by tapping the “>” button (in the right column of  Silence, see attached image), you can create exceptions for favorite contacts, or someone who calling you twice within 5 mins.

If you change the phone volume when it is in sleep mode,  the sleeping assist will stop working and un-silence the phone .

If you manually silence your phone when Moto G is in sleep mode, you must un-silence the phone the next day. In other words, Motorola Assist on Moto G will not un-silence your phone if the silencing is set by you manually.

Sleeping Assist only silences the notification and ringer. All other apps and … Read the rest

The post How to use Motorola Assist on Moto G? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Although Moto G does not have the prominent touchless control feature sported in Moto X, you can use your voice to control some functions of Moto G.

You can use  Moto G voice command to call your contacts, sending emails, send messages, play your playlist, turn on/off WiFi and Bluetooth settings,  and perform some other common tasks.

Of course, Moto G voice command only understands pre-defined (built-in) commands. You cannot add more.

In addition, only the following languages are supported in Moto G voice command:

• English (US)
• French (European)
• German (European)
• Italian (European)
• Spanish (Americas)
• Portuguese (Americas)
• English (UK)
• French (Canada)

List of available Moto G voice command

The voice commands that Moto G can understand are listed below.  To use them, you  should replace the contents in ” ” for your needs.

• Call “Simon” ——-> Make a phone call to Simon if Simon is in your contact. You can use phone numbers directly instead of name, if the person is not in your contact.
• Send text “Simon” ——–> Send a  text message to Simon if Simon is in your contact. You can use phone numbers directly instead of name, if the recipient is not in your contact.
• Send email “Simon” ——–> Send an email to Simon, who must be in your contact.
• Play “playlist 1” ——–> Play the playlist. You can also use the title. But this would be tricky.
• Go to “calendar” ———-> Starts the application.
• Redial  ——–> Redial the last dialed number.
• Turn WiFi on ——–> Turn on WiFi.
• Turn Bluetooth on  ——–> Turn on Bluetooth.
• Help  ——–> Get voice command help.

Moto G voice command also fully supports Google Now Voice Actions commands. Some of these commands can be located at: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2842392?rd=1

Using Moto G voice command

To use Moto G voice command, you need launch the voice command app in your app drawer.  If you are using Bluetooth headset, you can press the call button to launch the app.

Once the voice command app is launched, you can speak the command. You Moto G will pick up the voice command and perform corresponding tasks.

How to change setting for Moto G voice command

You cannot add your own voice commands.

Sometimes, Moto G voice command fails to do things you expected. The main reason is usually misunderstanding, i.e., Moto G does not recognize your command properly.

You can … Read the rest

The post How to use Moto G voice command? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

As some Android users know that Miracast is officially supported since Jelly Bean 4.2. Most Android phone manufactures usually name this feature as wireless display. Of Course, some vendor give it a different name for marketing purpose, for example, Samsung uses the name of “screen mirroring” for Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3.

Moto G wireless display simply does not work

Moto G come with Jelly Bean 4.3. In last December, Motorola updated the phone to Android KitKat 4.4.2. But you may find out that there is no option to enable Moto G wireless display no matter it is in Jelly Bean 4.3 or KitKat 4.4. There is no way to get wireless display in Moto G.

Of course, if we check the brother of Moto G, you can find out that Moto X fully supports wireless display.

So, missing Moto G wireless display is not an inadvertent mistake; it is done deliberately.

Why Moto G wireless display is disabled?

The question is why Motorola disable this very useful feature.  We haven’t got any official clear answer from Motorola on disabling Moto G wireless display.

The untold truth about Moto G wireless display is that wireless display is enabled in hardware level, but disabled in software level. It is actually due to hardware limitations.

Motorola chose to disable the Moto G wireless display for two reasons:

1. WiFi connection and Miracast cannot be used simultaneously in Moto G. If the wireless display is enabled (it uses WiFi direct per Miracast standard), the WiFi connection to your router will be shutdown and therefore you have to use mobile data for internet connections.  Some Sony devices (2013) suffer from this issue either. To avoid negative feedback, and inadvertent usage of mobile date (remember that Moto G is targeted at users with moderate mobile data usage), Motorola has  to disable this feature.
2. Even you manage to enable Moto G wireless display (root is needed, and it is not a simple task. Do NOT ask me how to do this. I do not show things that I do not recommend), the performance is not so good. There is noticeable delay and sound sync seems not good as well. Probably due to hardware issue, or Motorola did not do any optimization, or both  (because it will be anyway disabled).

Alternative solutions

… Read the rest

The post Moto G wireless display: the problem and the solution appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Normally, in the top left, there are notification icons. You usually get the corresponding notification messages.

In the top right, there are status icons. These icons indicates the system status, e.g., mobile network signal strength, WiFi status, battery level…

In this guide, to make it simple, we use notification icons or status icons to include all icons.

Most of the Moto G notification icons are straightforward for experienced Android users. But for new users, especially those who just switch to smartphones, occasionally, it is a bit difficult to under stand the meaning of these Moto G notification icons.

This Moto G  how-to guide  lists the most commonly encountered Moto G notification icons, and their meaning.

  Google Hangouts notification. When new SMS, MMS, or Hangout message/notification comes, you will see this notification icon.

 Screen lock is enabled.

  A trusted device is connected to your Moto G. This is a special feature in Moto G  (and Moto X).

 There is one (or more) missed call.

  A new voicemail  is arrived for your Moto G.

   Moto Care  help tips for Moto G. You can enable disable such notifications through Settings — Motorola Privacy — and turning on/off Moto Care. Once enabled, you can select what tips are shown

  Google Play music is on.

Protect your phone. Once enabled, you can locate, lock, and even wipe your phone when you link it to a Google account and sign in at www.motorola.com/support. If you cleared this Moto G notification icon during initial settings, you can re-enable it through Settings–Security–Device Administrators. Then activate Motorola Device Policy.

  Moto G notification icon indicates a screenshot was taken. You may check this guide on how to take screenshot on Moto G.

  Moto G notification icon when alarm is active.

  Something wrong with your Moto G when you see this Moto G notification icon.

Airplane mode is activated. Once you see this Moto G notification icon, your Moto G is disconnected from mobile network (no calls, no SMS, no mobile data). However, you can manually enable WiFi.

WiFi network in range, but your Moto G is NOT connected to any of them.

 Mobile network signal strength. The bars in the icon indicate stronger signal. If the signal … Read the rest

The post Meaning of Moto G notification icons appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Although Moto G  is very affordable, you still should invest a few bucks on Moto G case to protect your phone from scratches, bumps, smudges and dirt.

There are many options for your Moto G case.  The price varies from a few dollars to more than $50. Of course different Moto G cases give different levels of protection. But the expensive Mot G case does not necessarily give better protection.

This Moto G case guide will show you some cases or covers for Moto G that give you the maximum value for your money.

The 5 secrets of  getting a “right” Moto G case for you

When purchasing a Moto G case or Moto G cover, there are five secrets :

1. Limit your budget. You’d better have a clear idea how much you plan to spend on your  Moto G case. Do  not  just check the price tag. Expensive case or cover is not necessarily better than cheap ones. Or course, if you have more budget, you may have more options. You may set the budget for your Moto G case as less than $10, $20, $40, $60…
2. Understand  the protections you need. If you drop your smartphone quite often, you probably need Moto G case with decent impact protection, e.g., OtterBox case.
3. Check the quality. The material used for case or cover is extremely important. Poor quality material actually may not provide any protection to Moto G. A non-fit case may even damage your phone. When pursing online, you should read the reputation of the store and reviews of the specific Moot G case.
4. Know your preference. What design do you like for your Moto G case? A back case or a flip cover? Black? white? Anyway, this is purely personal choice. You should be able to find the desired case for your Moto G. Don’t be lured by any “sales” pitches.
5. Have a targeted weight (and size) of your Moto G case. Some Moot G cases or covers may be heavier than your phone. Some may be just  20-30 grams. Most bumper cases are slight larger.

Of course, the following Moto G case recommendations will save you time in comparing the cases and covers for your Moto G.

Moto G case recommendation #1 (less than $10, slim and style): Tudia Ultra Slim Melody Bumper  Case

This Moto G case … Read the rest

The post Moto G case guide appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Moto G is one of the most affordable smartphones ever, with acceptable quality.  Most of Moto G accessory is also quite affordable. But some sellers may over-charge you on Moto X accessories.  Some accessories may have poor quality.

Why another Moto G Accessory Guide?

So, we decided to start a Moto G accessory guide to help you get quality accessories for your Moto G at an affordable price. We will try to introduce you some practical (enhance your experience with your Moto G)  not “luxury” accessories. It simply does not make sense to buy a $150 Moto G accessory for the $180 phone.

This Moto G accessory guide introduces you some commonly used accessories for your Moto G, e.g., case, screen protector, external battery bank, handset for Moto G. We will try to introduce the most reliable, yet affordable Moto G accessory.

This is a live Moto G accessory guide: we update this page regularly to add more contents. So, please do check again if you do not find the guide you need. You may also leave your feedback in the comment box below and we will address them as early as we can.

What are covered in Moto G accessory guide?

The Moto G accessory guide covers:

1. Moto G case guide
2. Moto G screen protector guide
3. Moto G battery guide
4. Moto G price guide
5. Moto G bluetooth keyboard guide
6. Moto G handsfree guide
7. Moto G battery charger guide

How to contribute to Moto G accessory guide?

If you have some cool or interesting Moto G accessory to recommend, please let us know in the comment box below.

Or, if you want to read more topics on Moto G accessory guide, please let us know in the comment box below.

Of course, you can discuss your experience with your Moto G accessory in the corresponding guide pages or this page.… Read the rest

The post Moto G Accessory Guide appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Update 2: Now, you can choose one of the audio output devices: headset, phone speaker, and Bluetooth speaker. 

Maybe it is a surprise for you when you notice you can use FM radio on Moto G, including the latest Moto G 2024. Nowadays, most smartphones do not provide FM radios anymore.  This guide teaches you how to use FM radio on Moto G, and some tips and tricks of using FM radio on Moto G.

How to get FM radio on Moto G?

If you cannot find the FM radio app on your Moto G, you can install the app from the Google Play Store here: Motorola FM Radio. Of course, it is free. The version of this app on the Google Play store is newer than the stock one. So, even if you can find the app on your Moto G, you may try to update it to Google Play to get all the features and achieve the best performance.

Once the Motorola FM Radio app is installed on your Moto G, you can start using FM radio on Moto G, just like any other app.

Why does FM radio on Moto G require a wired headset plugged in?

To use FM Radio on Moto G, a wired headset must be plugged in. This is very common for mobile phones.

The wired headset acts as an antenna and is needed to receive transmissions from broadcasting stations. The receiver is for FM broadcasting stations. AM stations are NOT supported.

For  FM Radio on Moto G, any wired headset should work. It is not necessary to use Motorola headsets.

How to play the audio of Moto G FM radio on the headset, phone speakers, or Bluetooth speakers?

First, you can NOT play audio out of Moto G’s speaker when use the FM radio on Moto G. This is simply not supported, although the speaker in Moto G is quite loud.

However, in addition to  listening to FM Radio on Moto G through the wired headset, you can also listen the audio out of a Bluetooth accessory such as a wireless speaker or wireless headset. Once the BT device is paired with Moto G, the audio of the FM radio on Moto G will be routed to the BT device.

Even … Read the rest

The post How to use FM radio on Moto G? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

But since Android Jelly Bean 4.2, Google decided to hide the developer options in an effort to reduce accidental usage of these options

However, it is very easy to enable the developer options on Moto G.

To enable the developer options on the setting menus of Moto G, you can follow these steps:

• Tap  
• Tap Settings–
• Tap  About phone
• Tap the Build number field 7 times
  You will begin seeing a message as you approach the 7 touches

•  Tap the back arrow once complete, and Developer options will now appear under Settings.

Once the developer options are enabled under settings in Moto G, it will be there permanently. So it is not necessary to repeat these procedures again.

Of course, you can also disable the developers options if you want.  Once you tap developer options under settings, you can drag it to left to disable the options.

Do you have any problems to enable the developer options menus on your Moto G?

Leave your feedback  in the comment box below.

More step-by-step guides , tips and tricks for your Moto G phone are available at  our most popular Moto G how-to guide page.… Read the rest

The post How to access developer options menu in Moto G? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Most owners like Moto G’s camera because using Moto G camera is so simple and straightforward.  And changing the settings of Moto G camera is very intuitive as well.

Please note, all generations of Moto G, Moto E and Moto X use an identical Motorola camera app (with slightly different options). This means this guide equally applies to Moto X and Moto E.

For Moto G 2015 (Moto g 3rd Gen), please check this special Moto G 2105 camera guide.

Use Moto G camera

Once camera is launched, you can touch anywhere on the screen to take photo, as shown in the image left.

To take multiple photos (burst mode), for example, the object is moving, and you want to capture different the object in different locations, you can just touch and hold the screen.

As updated in Android 4.4, Moto G camera also supports drag to focus and exposure. You can drag the green bracket anywhere in the screen. Moto G camera will adjust the focus and exposure of the photo based on this location.

To use the digital zoom (of course there is no optical zoom in smartphones) of Moto G camera, simple drag up or down with one finger (as shown in right). The available digital zoom of  Moto G camera is  between 1X – 4X.

To switch between front and rear camera, touch   in the camera screen

To switch to video mode and start recording, touch   in the camera screen

To stop video recording, touch   in the screen.

You can also take a still shot when you are using Moto G camera for video recording. To save a photo, touch anywhere on the screen while recording.

All photos and videos taken can be easily accessed from the Gallery app.

Moto G camera settings

Changing settings of Moto G camera is also a snap.

You can get the camera options by swiping the screen right. All  Moto G camera settings are there.

The interface is simple and very intuitive.

The symbols and … Read the rest

The post How to use Moto G camera and change camera settings? appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Your smartphone, Moto G, is a bit complicated if you are new to Android. This Moto G user guide will help you setup and use the smartphone. The manual is in PDF format. You can read online with the embedded reader, or download it to your own device or PC to read or even print.

This page is a collection of user manuals for Moto G 1st Gen.

If you are looking for user manual for Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), please check this dedicated page:  Moto G 2nd Gen User Manual (Moto G 2014 User Manual).

Moto G3 (Moto G 2015, aka Moto G 3rd Gen) user manuals can be found here.

For Moto G4 owners, please check Moto G4 User Manual: official PDF user guide for Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus and Moto G4 Play.

For Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus owners, you may check Official Moto G5 User Manual and Moto G5 Plus User Manual.

1. Moto G Manual in English

The English version of Moto G user manual is for Moto G phone bought in US, UK or some international market.  If you can find the version of your own language, please try to use that one.

It is recommend that you try to download the Moto G manual.  The online reader does not support the internal links (due to limitation of Google Doc viewer); while the downloaded PDF version has all features.

2. Moto G Manual  in Brazilian Portuguese (Português do Brasil)

Moto G manual in Brazilian Portuguese (Português do Brasil) is for Moto G phone bought in Brazil and South America market.  Motorola Moto G has two variants here: normal Moto G with single SIM, and Moto G with dual SIM. This user manual covers both.

Download the Moto G manual in Brazilian Portuguese (Português do Brasil)  is receommended.  The online reader does not support the internal links (due to limitation of Google Doc viewer); while the downloaded PDF version has all features.

3. Moto G Manual in German (Deutsch)

The German  (Deutsch) version of Moto G manual is for Motorola Moto G … Read the rest

The post Moto G Manual (Mot G user guide) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

A lot of reviewers regarded Moto G as an affordable middle or low range smartphone. They may be correct as long as hardware specification is the criterion.

In the reality, software is equally important for a smartphone.

The Moto G KitKat update  indicates that Motorola treats all customers as VIPs. Moto G,  just like its bigger brother Moto X,  is also a top-notch smartphone in Motorola’s perspective.

At the end of the day, users enjoys the experience, rather than clock speed. Most of Moto G owners are very satisfied with Moto G, not only for its affordability, but also the excellent (and surprising) user experience it delivers.

Moto G  Kitkat update just improve the user experiences again. Some new features are added.

In this post. I will share with you the top 5 new features of Moto G KitKat update.

1. Faster Moto G

Although the hardware specs are not impressive, Moto G is surprisingly fast. Some users even compared this $179 smartphone with Galaxy S4, which is 3 times more expensive in most regions. They found out there is marginal difference in responsiveness between these two for most apps (not the heavy games). Of course, the slowness in Galaxy S4 could be partially due to the packed features in TouchWiz. Moto G is leaner and lighter.

One of the main improvements of KitKat 4.4 is to better the usage of resources. It simply means updating to 4.4 does not demand better hardware. If the handset can run Jelly Bean 4.3 smoothly, it should run KitKat even better.

Moto G’s KitKat update proves this. After the KitKat 4.2.2 update, you will simply feel  your Moto G is even more buttery.

Some former Samsung users may be scared of updating. For example, the recent Jelly Bean 4.3 update for Galaxy S4 make some users unhappy for various reasons. I even listed the top 5 problems after Android 4.3 update for Galaxy S4.

So, my suggestion to these former Samsung smartphone users is to get the update. You will not be disappointed. You will enjoy all of the  new features of Moto G KitKat update.

2.  Simplified and unified  

… Read the rest

The post Moto G KitKat update: top 5 new features you may enjoy appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

Of course, it is only the screenshot, not the video file, or the app itself.

Taking  screenshot on Moto G is actually very easy.

You do not need any apps.

Actually most screen capture apps require a rooted phone. So, don’t consider any apps to take screenshot on Moto G.

You do not need ADB, which requires a USB connection to a PC for your Moto G. Many developers and Android geeks like to use this heavy tool.

To take screenshot on Moto G, you can simply  press and hold both the Power and Volume down key for about three seconds. You will hear the camera shutter click. Then, the screenshot is saved into your Gallery.

The trick is to press and hold the two buttons (see Moto G layout here) simultaneously.

If you press power button too early, you will get power options.

If you press power button too late, you will get volume options.

You can check the screenshot taken in Apps— Gallery — Screenshots.

If you want, you can edit the screenshot in Moto G. The screenshot is just a normal image file.

You can also use any file explorer (e.g., ES File Explorer) to access individual screenshot files directly. All Moto G screenshot files are saved in the /sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots folder.

Is it very simple? This method of taking screenshot is native to all Android phones. So if you have other Android phones, you can try this method to take  screenshot next time.

It should work.

If you have any questions on capturing screen for Moto G, please let us know in the comment box below.

More step-by-step guides , tips and tricks for your Moto G phone are available at  our most popular Moto G how-to guide page.… Read the rest

The post How to take screenshot on Moto G (without using apps) appeared first on Moto G Phone Guide.

These Moto G how-to guides are your lifesaver. So bookmark this page to get more tips and tricks, and how-to guide for your bling-bling Moto G phone.

Some guides are very short, some are quite long. Each Moto G how-to guide will try to help you solve one problem

This page is dedicated for  how-to guide of Moto G. All Moto G models are covered: Moto G dual SIM, Moto G with LTE, Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014)  and Moto G 2nd Gen with LTE.

This is a live page, so it will be regularly updated to add more and more guides  for Moto G owners.

If you want to download PDF version of the official User Guide in English and your own languages, please visit Moto G Manual page.

The following topics are now covered. More are coming….

1. How to use dual SIM Moto G?

   Some Moto G models support dual SIM cards. In other words, you can use two SIM cards on one phone.  This guide shows you how to setup and use dual SIM Moto G (including dual SIM Moto G 2nd Gen).  Read on….  If you want o know how to insert and remove SIM cards from Moto G, please read this page.

2. How to take screenshot on Moto G (Moto G screen capture)?

   Screenshot can be very useful when you want to share what’s shown on the Moto G screen. Android has a built-in method for you to take screenshot without using any apps. This guide shows you how to take screenshots on Moto G with hardware buttons. Read on…..

3. How to use Moto G camera and change settings for the camera?

4. How to use FM radio in Moto G?

5. How to to access developer options in Moto G?

6. Moto G wireless display: the problem and the solution

7. How to use Moto G voice command?

8. How to use Motorola Assist on Moto G?

9. Meaning of Moto G notification icons

10. How to Silence Moto G Notifications and Ringtones?

11. How to reset Moto G pattern lock or passcode (if you forget them)?

12. How to add custom ringtones for Moto G?

13. How to reset Moto G?

14. How to connect Moto G with PC through USB cable? (for Moto E

… Read the rest

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The community is about Moto G, and it is for you.

There are various sections in the website:

• Manual section: you can  find the official Moto G user manual here. You can read online with the embedded PDf viewer, or download the PDF file to your desktop to read it later.
• How-to guide section: you can find both short and long guides on how to use all features in your Moto G phone.
• Buyer guide section: you can find the comparison between Moto G and other smartphones. This will help you decide which phone is for you.
• Accessories guide section: you can find some essential or cool gadgets for your Moto G.
• The Moto G forum section:  you are free to discuss anything related Moto G.
• More sections will be added

If you have any suggestions, you may leave your message in the comments or relevant pages, or contact us privately.

Don’f forget to subscribe to our free Newsletter: Moto G Update, to get the latest updates, tips and tricks, and other info on Moto G. Some contents are exclusive on the newsletter.… Read the rest

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You may just got this new Moto G. How-to guides are for you! The accessories guide will also recommend  the most value-for-money gadgets for you.

You may not decide whether this Motorola’s new Moto G is right for you. Check the buyer guide to know whether you should get this smartphone or any others.

Of course, you can read or download the Moto G user  guide in case you want to know the  phone better or find some features of this phone.

You can also discuss anything related to Moto G in the discussion forum.

Lastly, if you have any questions on this Moto G, you can always contact us, or leave comments on relevant pages, or start a conversation in the forum.… Read the rest

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If you want to find how-to guides, you may check Moto G how-to guides page.

The Moto G user manual page has the official user guide for Moto G  in different languages. You can download them (PDF) to your own devices.

You are also welcome to start a discussion in the Moto G World, a public forum for Moto G.… Read the rest

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