Some tasks on your phone take a lot of time, especially something you need to do on a regular basis. But, there are certain apps you can automate tasks on Android that will earn you more free time. From auto replying to SMS to wiping off junk files, automation apps for Android are everywhere.
If you are not sure which automation app suits best your need, here are the best multipurpose Android automation apps you can try out.
Action Blocks
Action Blocks is an automation app from Google, and the app icon makes that pretty clear. It’s a very simple and basic app compared to something like Tasker. If you’re familiar with Siri Shortcuts on iOS, this is more in line with that. Action Blocks are basically programmable buttons or widgets you can place on your home screen. These can be programmed to do anything that the Google Assistant can do.The programming part sounds scary but is rather simple. Create a new action block and select one of the available built-in actions, or create a custom action. To create a custom action, you just type in a command that you would usually speak to the Google Assistant. For example, “Turn on the Living room TV”. Once the action block is created, you can tap on it. It will launch the Google Assistant, which will then execute the command and turn on your TV.
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Compatible with every Google Home automation
- Nice user interface
Cons
- Very basic in functionality
- Requires manual input to automate tasks
Key Features: Ad-free | Simple | Powered by Google Assistant | Integration with Smart Home devices
Download: Action Blocks (Free)
aProfiles
This is a little different than most Android automation apps. The aProfiles lets you create multiple profiles within the app. Each profile has its own set of settings such as Bluetooth status, Wi-Fi status, Brightness, etc. With one tap, when you select a profile, all the associated device settings are switched on or off depending on the profile’s configuration.
The basic idea here is to allow you to quickly change multiple device settings with one tap. A profile here is simply a group of actions that the app will do for you. For example, when charging, with one tap you can turn on Always on Display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and set the phone on ringer mode. These profiles can also be automated based on rules.
Pros
- Relatively simple app
- Wide range of functionality
- Intuitive interface
- Supports home screen widgets
Cons
- Free version has ads
- Free version is limited to 5 automatic rules
Key Features: Multiple profiles | Automatic profile activation | Home screen widgets | Big selection of icons for profiles
Download: aProfiles (Free, In-App Purchases)
Related: How to Add Lock Screen Profile Picture to Android
SkipLock
SkipLock is a relatively basic app and what it does is rather obvious from the name. The app lets you skip your lock screen when your device is connected to certain Wi-Fi networks. Since it only does one thing, it’s simple to set up compared to something like Tasker.
The automation app is now completely free. It does not contain any in-app purchases or ads. Apart from automatically unlocking the phone, it can also automatically turn on/off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Sync.
Pros
- Simple to use
- Free
- No ads or in-app purchases
Cons
- Limited functionality
Key Features: No background service | No status bar icon | WidgetLocker integration | Low memory usage
Download: SkipLock (Free)
Power Automate
Power Automate is an Android automation app by Microsoft. This app is focused more on work and professional scenarios rather than being a general-purpose Android automation app. For instance, you can use it to receive a notification when a particular contact emails you. This makes sure that you won’t miss any emails from your boss, or someone else that is important.
Power Automate can also allow you to automatically download all email attachments, connect to your CRM, capture, follow up on leads, etc. You can also create buttons to automate flows and share them with your team.
Key Features: Easily create new flows | Hundreds of popular templates | Integration with many apps and services | Create and share automation buttons
Pros
- Free, no ads
- Specially tailored for professionals
- Wide range of supported services
Cons
- Not useful for everyone
Download: Power Automate (Free)
Related: How to Turn Off WiFi Automatically on Android When You Leave Home
IFTTT
IFTTT is an acronym for “If This, Then That” which is a terminology often used for algorithms programmed to do tasks based on conditions. It’s an excellent app to automate Android smartphones with actions called recipes.
You can set the recipes or actions upon the trigger and the app will take care of the rest. Perform tasks like messaging people when you are near a location, and posting a photo on social media, among others. The best thing about IFTTT is that it is free to use and without any ads which is a big plus.
The app is well-integrated with the Internet of Things (IoT) tools including smart bulbs, fans, and air conditioners. You can use the Android automation app with more than 630 apps including Weather Underground, iRobot, Twitter, and Google Drive among others. You will find out that it cannot handle complex tasks. Plus, it can complete a single trigger at a time which isn’t necessarily a shortcoming.
Pros:
- Super easy to use
- Free to use
- Works with 630+ apps
- Doesn’t impact battery life
Cons:
- Limited to a single trigger at a time
- Cannot perform complex automated tasks
- Might not work at times
Key Features: Well-integrated with IoT devices | Ad-free & no in-app purchases | 630+ apps integration
Download: IFTTT (Free)
Related: Automatically Set Android into Silent Mode in Bedtime & Volume Up in Morning
MacroDroid
Set your Android smartphone on automatic mode with MacroDroid. It is the easiest way to automate things on Android. It already has 100+ macros that trigger and pull off the set action accordingly.
MacroDroid allows users to set up triggers, events, and further actions to follow. Once any trigger goes off and rules are met, MacroDroid will launch the related actions automatically.
It includes uploading a selfie on Facebook or turning off Wi-Fi when the battery is too weak, setting up alarms for a certain time, and so on. The app reminds you of any tasks via timers. It is one of the best ways to automate Android devices without needing any special training. The user interface is simple, easy to use, and a bit retro but powerful to use.
Pros:
- 100+ ready-made macros
- Intuitive user interface
- Configurable macro
Cons:
- The free version is limited to 5 macros
- Requires premium subscription
- Contains ads
Key Features: Supports comprehensive constraints | Made for both beginners & experienced | Supports rooted/non-rooted devices | Easy to use | Compatible with Tasker and Locale plugins
Download: MacroDroid (Free, In-App Purchases)
Tasker
Unlike MacroDroid, Tasker is a sophisticated and advanced device automation app for Android. You can automate almost anything right from turning on the music, to engaging DND after setting up particular triggers.
The Android automation app offers a trove of 350+ actions that allow you to customize every aspect of your phone. It puts your phone on autopilot with triggers initiating the required events and actions with human intervention.
The app doesn’t need rooting your phone and it especially highlights that you mustn’t root your phone either. If you are looking for an advanced automation Android app, Tasker should be your companion.
Apart from the bundles of automation available, you can manually set up triggers as well. For example, the app will detect a Bluetooth head when you enter your car and start playing music. Moreover, a remote tasker app lets you control Tasker with your PC or any other Android phone as well.
Pros:
- Advanced task automating app
- Plenty of triggers & actions for all moves
- No ads
Cons:
- A steep learning curve
- There’s no paid version
Key Features: 350+ actions | 130+ states and events | Manual configurable triggers/actions | Remote Access | Control hardware & software
Download: Tasker ($1.99)
Related: How to Automatically Move WhatsApp Media to Memory Card?
Automate
Automate requires a slight bit of work but can be your best companion to automate tasks on Android. The app is competent to automate every aspect of your device including location, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Volume, NGC, SMS, E-mails, etc.
You can program it to take photos based on the time of the day or battery level or use it to copy files to the cloud automatically. Create your flowchart with building blocks, connect them, and bingo, your tasks are automated.
It is simple, easy to use, with interactive and intuitive UI but really powerful. If you know how to create flowcharts with variables and expressions, it will be a cakewalk for you. The automation app offers a never-ending supported list of building blocks to automate things on your Android. However, its free Android automation app limits it to 30 blocks at a time. You can pay for its premium subscription to unlock its feature-rich set of triggers, actions & rules.
Pros:
- Feature-rich
- Text-to-speech support
- Automate all aspects of an Android device
Cons:
- Includes in-app purchases
- Seeks a lot of permissions
Key Features: 330+ Blocks | Easy to use yet powerful | Use flowcharts, login, expressions & variables | No ads | Built-in user community
Download: Automate (Free, In-App Purchases)
Related: How to Automate Android Phone for Office with NFC Tags
AutomateIt
If you ever look out for the best app to automate Android phones, AutomateIt is a must-try. The app makes life a lot easier where you don’t have to do repetitive things over and over again.
Select a trigger, select an action, note down the rules to comply with and your job is done. It could be anything from turning on music as soon as you reach your home location. AutomateIt makes linking triggers to actions very straightforward.
All the options and features are self-explanatory so you don’t have to master it much like Tasker. This automation app for Android is totally free which is a major point of its credits. Plus, you can set out your rules or you can download more from the Rules Market. You either need points to download rules or you need to buy them.
Pros:
- Multi-language support
- Works perfectly
- Doesn’t requires root
- Abundant rules, triggers & actions to configure
Cons:
- Limited in terms of functionality
- Most of its features are behind a paywall
- Bugs are common
Key Features: Easy to use | Crowd-sourced rules market | Text-to-speech support | Free
Download: AutomateIt (Free, In-App Purchases)
Related: How to Share WiFi Password from Android to Android Quickly
AutoResponder for WA
WhatsApp is everywhere and more than one-third of users on board. Now that almost every smartphone user has WhatsApp, especially if you are a business owner, it becomes imperative to stay connected to them. Responding to them when they seek out you, answering queries, and whatnot.
AutoResponder for WA will respond to your business queries on WhatsApp, in turn making your life easier as a businessman. It requires you to set it up, create custom messages that will match on receiving a message from any sender, and reply to them. You can create Welcome Messages for users who reply to you for the first time.
The automation app has multiple replies too, works with known and unknown numbers, and even in groups. An Automatic scheduler with delay makes it even handier than before. The app has a tonne of automation tools that you would need to stay connected in and out.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Customizable messages & rules
- Automatic scheduler
- More features are being added
Cons:
- Contains Ads
- Advanced features might be behind paywalls
- Expensive
Key Features: Send out welcome messages | Live answer replacements | Auto-Reply on WA and WA Business | Plenty of automation tools available
Download: AutoResponder for WA (Free, In-App Purchases)
Related: WhatsApp Business: How to Register, Setup & Use Features for Business?
RuleBot: Automation Tool
Nobody likes to do repetitive tasks because they are boring. It could be anything from keeping your phone on a Silent profile at night or connecting to the Wi-Fi as soon as you enter your home. Turns out RuleBot can do it.
RuleBot is a great Android automation app that allows users to automate things via its events, conditions, and actions that can be programmed in less than 5 minutes. RuleBot lets you select an event such as you entering your home, a condition like the Wi-Fi is available, and then, an action like connecting to it. That’s all.
The automation app for your Android phone offers you both event-driven and time-based tasks. This is great if you those who want scheduling and get tasks done on an auto-pilot mode. The automation app for Android has 10+ predefined sample rules and 4 operators on-board to better plan a task.
Pros:
- Easy to understand and use
- Preset conditions and tasks
Cons:
- There are a lot of ads
- There’s no trigger for DND
Key Features: Event & time-based tasks | 30+ events, conditions & actions
Download: RuleBot: Automation Tool (Free, In-App Purchases)
Locale X
Locale X is still in its early development but it is worth a shot. As the name suggests, it is a location-based Android automation app. It uses advanced algorithms and geofencing technology to get things done. You can select the region using its geofencing function and only then, any said action would be initiated automatically.
For instance, you want the phone to switch to silent mode when you are entering a meeting place, use geofencing to select the area and it is done. It can turn on Wi-Fi when you are near your home location and so on.
The Android automation app has conditions for driving, calendar, battery, location, headphones among others. It has a sophisticated sensor fusion technology that uses Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, cell towers, and an accelerometer to detect the user’s location. Set up actions called recipes on Locale X with the available conditions and settings and automate many aspects of your daily life.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Power-efficient
Cons:
- Limited functionalities
- Limited triggers/recipes
- Still in its early development
Key Features: Sophisticated sensor fusion technology | It uses AI and geofencing algorithms | Plenty of settings, conditions & recipes available
Download: Locale X (Early Access, Free, In-App Purchases)
Well, there you have it. A list of the best automation apps for Android that will help you use your phone on autopilot. We know there are still lots of apps out there, other than the ones mentioned above. Let us know which app you like the most to automate tasks on your Android phone.
The problem with Android are the security restrictions that increase with each version, making these programs less and less functional and useful (for example I use Tasker), unless you have root permissions (more and more difficult to obtain with newer cells)