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How to use Search button to turn off HTC EVO screen

Evo-screen-off-lock (1) If your HTC EVO 4G has unfortunately acquired a hairline crack near its power button through no fault of yours, then I'm sure you don't like being reminded of it every time you turn the screen off.

Maybe you'd even like to minimize your use of the button, even if only for superstitious reasons. I've never heard of anyone's power button breaking from excessive use, but if you're worried about it or you just don't want to go anywhere near that hairline crack, there are a few ways to free the button from some of its duties and turn off the EVO's screen without its help.

The completely hands-free way to do it would be to adjust the automatic screen timeout to its lowest interval (Menu > Settings > Display > Screen timeout) and let the screen turn off by itself. Of course, this isn't always practical; the lowest interval is 15 seconds, after all, which is often much too long to sit there and wait for your phone to turn off.

That's where Screen Off and Lock comes in. It's free app that lets you turn off and lock your EVO's screen using an app shortcut, a persistent icon in your notification shade, or even the Search button. What's even better is that the app will turn off the screen with style, thanks to 15 different screen-off animations, including the popular "old TV style" used in Gingerbread (Android 2.3).

Follow these simple instructions to be able to turn off your HTC EVO's screen without using the power button.

1. Download and install Screen Off and Lock from the Market.

Screenoff-qr

Links: Market (EVO) | Market (web)

2. Locate the new "Configure Screen Off" icon in your app drawer and tap to open it. Adjust the settings as desired (select a screen animation, choose a screen lock/unlock sound).

Evo-screen-off-lock (2) Evo-screen-off-lock (3)

Evo-screen-off-lock (4) Evo-screen-off-lock (5)

3a. If you want to use the Search button to turn off the screen:

  • Long press the Search button
  • Tap the "Use by default for this action" checkbox (shown at the top of this tutorial)
  • Tap "Screen Off and Lock"

The last two taps only have to be done once. From that point on, long pressing the Search button will automatically turn off and lock the EVO's screen with the screen-off animation of your choosing. To clear this default, go back into "Configure Screen Off and Lock" and tap the "Clear default aution of long pressing the search button" key.

3b. If you want to use a shortcut to turn off the screen, add the app to your home screen or dock (if you're using a third-party launcher) in the same way that you would add any other shortcut.

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If your lock screen is disabled or you're using an app like WidgetLocker, you can use the volume buttons to turn the screen back on and never use the power button again.

Thanks for the app tip, Eli!

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Jenn K. Lee

Jenn K. Lee is the founder of Pocketables. She loves gadgets the way most women love shoes and purses. The pieces in her tech wardrobe that go with everything are currently the Samsung Galaxy Note II, Sony Tablet P, and Nexus 7, but there are still a couple of vintage UMPCs/MIDs in the back of her closet.

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