Android has a new feature to help you remember your friends birthday: Heres how it works

It happens to some of us that we phone a friend for a casual chat, and they say it’s their birthday today. Well, if you are an Android user your smartphone can save you from this awkward situation. Google is now rolling out birthday alerts in Google Contacts to help people remember their friends’ birthdays and get in touch with them on their birthdays. Also Read: High-Risk Alert Issued For Google Chrome Users: Update Your Browser Now

This update has started rolling out. So, if you have it rolled out on your device, on tapping the Highlights tab on Google Contact, it will show “Add Birthdays” under the “For you” section. The prompt under the “Add Birthdays” also says, “Save your contacts’ birthdays to see them on your birthday calendar and get helpful cues here and across Google services.” Also Read: Gemini Nano Banana AI Image Editor Rolls Out To Google Search And NotebookLM: Here’s What’s New

On tapping “Add Birthdays”, a new screen will appear, which will show “Notification off” for contacts that have birthdays added to them and others will have a cake icon next to them to add birthdays. Also Read: How To Create Unique Rangoli Designs For Diwali Using Gemini Nano Banana AI Tool: Check Prompt

Users can add birthdays by scrolling through days, months and years. In addition to this, users can also add birthdays to individual contacts from the three-dot menu in the right top corner. On tapping it, users will find a new “Add birthday notification” option in the menu.

Further, if someone’s birthday in your contact list is coming up, a reminder will show on their contact page and will also offer an add notification button.

This update is yet to be widely rollout and it lacks many customisation options.

What else?

Meanwhile, Google said it will widen its Dark Web monitoring for all Gmail users in the US and later in other countries. Gmail users can now check if their Gmail address shows up on the Dark Web and get advice on how to protect themselves.

The Dark Web scan feature was only for Google One subscribers in the US before, but it will be for all Gmail users in the next few weeks.

“We’ll soon be expanding access to our Dark Web report to select international markets,” the company informed.
Google Core services SVP, Jen Fitzpatrick, said that the company protects Gmail users from nearly 15 billion unwanted messages daily, blocking more than 99.9 per cent of spam, phishing and malware.

“Now, we’re further expanding spam protections in Google Drive by introducing a new view that makes it easier to separate and review your files, decide what you might view as spam, and stay safe from potential unwanted or abusive content,” he announced.