Tasker is one of the best applications ever built for android and is among the important reasons why I chose an android as my companion. From automating phone profiles to acting as a location reminder tool, it does everything that I can think of and pushes the limit of the phone to a new height.
I’m not really a tasker guru but I’ve played with it for long and have collected a bunch of profiles that make my (already awesome) phone even awesome.
Basic Things to be known
Adding a new Profile
- Click on New –> Give it a name –> Add a Context. Here context simply means a condition. Like, if it’s time i.e., the time is between 00:00 AM and 6:00 AM, do something.
- To add multiple contexts, tap an existing contest and select “Add”.
New Task
- Tap on the + icon and then, select an action category. For example, if you want your phone to go offline at night, Select Net > Airplane Mode.
- Further, if you wish to save a particular task, click on the “New” button at top right corner. You can then use this task in any profile but also note that any change in the task will affect all the profiles which are using this task.
I suppose you’ve got the basic ideas. For more help, press Menu > User-guide or click the “?” button in any action window. (A web version of user-guide can be found here.)
Tasker Tutorials
1. Use it as an Anti-Theft Application
An anti-theft application is among the most essential app for your multi-hundred bucks phone. But instead of paying for a separate app, tasker can be easily configured to do many of the stuffs that a tracking app does.
a) Tracking with GPS
Lifehacker has written a very detailed tutorial on getting your phone’s location with GPS. Instead that I copy that and write the same thing here, with li’l re-arrangement of words, I recommend you to read it here.
b) Remotely enable GPS*
Context: Event –> Phone –> Received SMS.
Now, choose a number that you own and set the message to something like “GPS ON”.
Action: Misc –> GPS.*Doesn’t work on stock Android v2.3.3+, only supported by select ROMs
C) Email phone’s Location (Tutorial link)
d) Remotely wipe data
Context: Event –> Phone –> Received SMS
Action: File –> Delete Directory (check “Recurse” or it won’t delete non-empty folders)e) Take Photos Remotely
Context: Received SMS
Action: Media –> Photo or Photo Series
Check “Discrete” (for taking snaps secretly) and uncheck “Insert in Gallery”(Photo series will add increasing numbers when saving the photo, Photo will simply over-write the existing file)
f) Email the Photos (Tutorial Link)
g) Making Tasker Indestructible*
If you haven’t installed Tasker, open a file explorer with root capabilities and move tasker’s apk file to: /system/app
If it’s already installed then backup it’s apk installer and move it to the above location. Then, install it. (Replace – Yes)
This way, Tasker won’t be deleted even if a new ROM if flashed (Why? that “app” folder remains untouched)
*root required
2. Start music player when headphones are connected
Context: Headset Plugged
Action: 1) App –> Load App > Music
2) Audio –> Media Volume –> 10 (ensuring that loud music doesn’t hurt your ears)
3) Alert –> Popup –> “Music Time!”
3. Enable USB Tethering when USB is Plugged to a PC
Context: State –> USB Plugged
Action: Net –> USB Tether
4. Switch to Silent Mode When There’s an Appointment in the Calendar
Context: State –> Calendar Entry (Available – No)
In Title, add words like “*meeting*”, “*busy*” etc., separated by “/”. So whenever any calendar event contains these words, this profile would be activated.
Example: “*meeting*/*busy*/*party*”
Action: Audio –> Silent Mode
5. Enable WiFi when at Home
Context: State –> Cell Near
Tap the “Start” button and move around your home as your area may be covered by several cells (the “<” sign represents the tower you’re currently connected to). You may stop it after few minutes.
Action: Net –> WiFi
6. Automatically switch profiles in certain areas
The same way as I showed you above, how to enable WiFi when at home, you can do the same for switching profiles as well, like when you’re in your college, office or anywhere.
Context: State –> Cell Near
Action: Audio –> Silent Mode
This is not very accurate though, and you can use GPS (Context: Location) instead for this. Warning: It may use more battery.
7. Forward/Block Certain Calls During a Certain Time Period (At night?)
Context: Time –> 00:00 AM to 6:00 AM
Action: Phone –> Call Divert (or Block)
8. Shake to Control your Phone
Context: Event –> Misc. –> Gestures
Gestures can only record accelerometer gestures, like tilting of phone towards right or left. To record a simple gesture, hold the device and long press the volume up key. Tilt it, press volume up key. Then tilt back to the final position. Again, long-press the volume up key. Everytime you’ll feel a vibration. You get the idea now, go on and experiment with gestures.
Action: Add whatever you want. Like if you wanna control music, add this:
Media –> Media Control
9. Enable Silence Mode by Turning down your Phone (and do other stuffs as well)
Context: State –> Orientation –> Face Down
Action: Audio –> Silent Mode
10. Send Scheduled SMS (like Birthday Wishes?)
Context: 1) Day
2) Time
Action: Phone –> Send SMS.
Number: Anything you wish.
Message: “Happy Birthdayyy Anu! :D”
11. Scale Up/Down CPU Speed at Different Times
Yeah I know, there’s SetCPU app for under/over clocking CPU but it cannot be used to scale up or down when specific apps are launched or during a certain time period. So here’s how this can be achieved with Tasker. This is a very advanced profile and relatively long as well.
- You’ll need 2 apps for this profile: Locale Execute plug-in (free) and a terminal editor such as the Android Terminal Emulator. Download them from the link given and install ‘em.
- Download this script and save it to your sdcard.
- Open up the terminal editor and type these lines:
su mkdir /data/local/bin mv /sdcard/setcpu.sh /data/local/bin/setcpu chmod 755 /data/local/bin/setcpu
5) Now, Create multiple profiles, categorized like:
- Display off: “CPU LOW” (Context: Event –> Display –> Display Off)
- Playing a game: “CPU HIGH” (Context: Application)
- Battery > 50%: “CPU MED” (Context: State –> Battery Level)
Then, in each of them, execute the Locale Execute plugin the script in the following format:
/data/local/bin/setcpu <min> <max> <scaling type>
e.g.: “setcpu 200000 800000 ondemand” will set my cpu speed to 200Mhz at minimum and 800Mhz at most with the scaling type as “ondemand”. In most of the kernels, “ondemand” and “performance” are available as the scaling governor.
ondemand - When the CPU load reaches a certain point, ondemand will rapidly scale the CPU up to meet demand, then gradually scale the CPU down when it isn’t needed.
performance - It will keep the CPU running at the “max” set value at all times for best performance. (via)
(Credits to clvv for this tip)
12. Automatically Respond to SMS when you’re Busy (or when Phone is Docked)
Context: Time –> Select a time during which you usually sleep.
Action: Phone –> Send SMS
Number: “%SMSRF”, Message: “Sorry I’m busy right now, will catch you later”.
When the Phone is Docked
You can add extra tasks such as make your phone say out the sender’s name, message body etc.:
Action: Misc. > Say. Add some text and an Engine: Voice. Tap the Search icon to choose one.
(Variables: %SMSRF / %SMSRN / %SMSRB / %SMSRD / %MMSRS / %SMSRT
The sender address, name, body, date and time of the last text (SMS or MMS) received)
13. Disable Screen Lock when Camera is on (or another app)
Context: Application –> Camera
Action: Display –> Display Timeout (Set the time-out to a high value)
14. Automatically Change Wallpaper
Randomly
Context: Select any context, like set a time duration, during which wallpapers would be randomly rotated.
Actions: 1) Variable –> Variable Randomize.
Name – “%PICNO”, Min – 1, Max – 4
2) Display –> Set Wallpaper.
Image – “path/to/wallpapers/picture%PICNO.jpg
3) Tasker –> Wait –> 4 Hours (or any other value)
4) Tasker –> Goto Action –> Number 1
based on weather: Tutorial Link
based on battery level
Take this as my challenge for you. You need to do make this profile on your own.
Hint: State –> Battery Level
15. Instantly Take a Photo without waiting for Camera to launch
In life, some “perfect” moments will never wait for us to take our camera and shoot it. So here’s how you can create a shortcut on your home-screen to instantly take a photograph.
Long-press on the Home-screen > Shortcuts > Task
Action: Media –> Photo Series Time (So that new photos don’t overwrite the previous one and every new photo will have the time attached with its name.)
If discrete is checked, there will be no sign of the picture being taken.
16. Use it as a Location Based Reminder Tool
Context: Location
Action: Phone –> Send SMS.
Number: Add your own number
Message: “You gotta buy Milk dude!”
You also need to add a time for this. Tap the context again to add another context:
Time –> Due Time. Done!
Share your Secret Profile / Got a Problem?
If you’re either using a handy profile (not listed in this post) that makes your daily life easier or got any problem while using the profiles I mentioned above, I would be really happy to hear from you. Drop in a comment below!
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Rakesh Kumar says
Quite deeply tutorial you have mentioned. Is this steps will implement on Micromax android A60?
Advait Kunte says
A great in depth review! Reading your blog just makes me love android more and more! great post. Now this site goes in my google reader!
aaarggh says
Why the hell would someone send a SMS to himself when arriving at a location when Tasker can also trigger a Popup event?!
ChrisPy says
Hey there, cool things that are really worth trying (esp. the instant photo and the earphone tasks)
I’m a bit overstrained with this program, but maybe you could help? What I want to do is preventing certain apps from transferring data through WiFi and the mobile connection. Or let’s say it this way:
IF
one of the apps called “Blah”, “Yippee”, “Oh yeah” and “Dingdong” is started
THEN
shut down WiFi and mobile data connection
AND
leave it this way until I close that app
I would be insanely happy if you could help me out with this.
Saket says
Hi Chris, if your phone is rooted you can try using a firewall application which would block internet access to any app you want. Two good ones:
Avast and Droidwall. Feel free to ask more.
ChrisPy says
Yeah well, the problem is that I don’t really want to root my phone because that’ll void the warranty. And the phone is just brand new…
So it seems like I have to deactivate mobile internet and in the options manually before starting the apps. Anyway, I just wanted to have it more comfortable.
Saket says
Most of the phones can always be un-rooted so you’ll get your warranty back. Rooting my SGS2 was the first thing I did after purchasing the phone, it unlocks so lots of possibilities
ChrisPy says
It used to be easy to root/unroot the Xperia X10 mini pro according to my research in the web. I saw some apps for it where you could root/unroot the phone with just tapping the icon.
But with the Xperia mini pro (the follow-up of X10) that isn’t possible without flashing and stuff. So I’ll better wait for some app that can do it the above mentioned way… I’m good at computer stuff etc but I’m a noob with smartphones and especially Android. :-S
Saket says
Hmm okay I leave this decision over to you
P.S.: Your email address is interesting.
Abhi says
Application -> Select applications
Action ->Net -> Mobile Data/ Wifi Off
ChrisPy says
I got some other help from a forum. First of all I can save the existing Apps via AppMonster. And then, for Windoes, there is an APK editor with which you can unpack and modify the contained XML file and then re-pack them again. In the XML-file you can edit what you want to allow and what you don’t want to allow.
But thanks a lot for YOUR help anyway.
The email address, well… i’m much into harder music, and “Voice Of Disrepair” is a song of the band Only Living Witness. They did some cool mix between hardcore and blacksabbathish metal back in the 90s.
Saket says
Hmm that seems quite tricky, can you point me to that tutorial please?
ChrisPy says
No problem, this is the link: http://blog.widp.de/medien/android-apps-rechte-einschraenken
Unfortunately, it’s all in German. But to make it simple, just do:
1. Get AppMonster on Android Market or similar and save all your desired installed apps. Then transfer them on your PC. Some Apps are already in APK format, so you don’t need AppMonster for those ones. Transfer all the desired apps to your PC.
2. Download APK Editor here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=890199
3. On the above-mentioned tutorial, I think I’ll make a translated summary:
..a. First the Editor asks you where your Java exe is. It’s commonly in C:\Program Files\Java and then somewhere in the jre7blabla folder. Choose that once.
..b. Then you can load any APK, but the options in the GUI are not very satisfying. What you need is the “browse” option that you’ll find on the 2nd tab called “Details”.
..c. In the browsing window, you can load the “AndroidManifest.xml” with a code editor like Proton, Notepad++ and edit it. Scroll down to the tag.
..d. Above this tag you can find the rights the app is demanding. Delete the ones that you don’t want to allow. A description of all the rights can be found here: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission.html
..e. When done, click “apply”, then “ok”. This lets APK Editor “re-pack” the APK
After this, you can install the re-packed app.
Important: Check the license of the apps to make sure you don’t violate the law.
Saket says
The process sounds quite tricky. But this way you cannot let the application use the internet again na? You’ll again have to modify its apk file for that.
ChrisPy says
It’s less tricky than it looks. And yes, the process has to be done again to undo the changes (unless you still have the non-modified apk)
ChrisC says
I have tasker setup to go into airplane mode 10 mins after my tablet sleeps. I want it to do this all the time unless it is playing music or any sound is coming from the tablet. I use it a lot to listen to internet radio and music. I dont want to set it up to not go into airplane mode when these apps are running because I may stop the music but forget the close the app.
Can you help?
Saket says
Ah sorry Chris but I don’t know of any way to detect sound in Tasker
I tried to find about it in few forums (I guess you too must have did that) but couldn’t find anything useful.
ChrisC says
Well thanks for the help anyway. I may put a toggle to turn that profile off or just have it check to see if the app is running.
Tjoppi says
This may be a bit late, but you can always make a profile that sets a variable when the apps that need the internet are running and unsets it when they exit. Then you add a check to see if the variable is set in your profile that turns on airplane mode.
ksavai says
Just installed tasker and experimenting few things cant figure out following scenario, it will be great if you can help.
I dont like to listen to whole song so I skip and go to next song after say 2 min. How can i configure that so it will play next song after 2 min.
dan says
is there a way to set up tasker to trigger an event on a PC that’s on the same wifi network?
Saket says
Hey, I’m sorry but I don’t think this is possible
Joe Sacher says
Tasker has HTTP Get and HTTP Post capability. If you run a lightweight web server on the PC, then you should be able to send a request to that machine and have it do whatever you want. You would need to script a certain page on the server that would kick it off.
CBrown says
The stupid floating “social” bar on this website needs to go. It blocks content on the main page and there is no way to disable it. Dumb Dumb Dumb!
Saket says
Hi CBrown. The social bar is designed to float on the left edge of the browser without blocking the content. Can you please share a screenshot of your screen?
Clyde says
That’s hilarious. Why don’t you pay someone to troubleshoot your blog for you rather that asking the public to do it?
Saket says
There’s no need to hire someone for fixing it. It is designed not to block the content and it appears perfectly on most of the screen resolutions.
Shane says
It’s very easy to disable:
In Chrome (standard) or firefox (with firebug installed) right click on it, and click on “inspect element”. Next, locate the tag whose ID is equal to “simplereach-slide-element”, right click on it, and click “Add attribute”, then type “style=’display:none;’”.
In IE, press F12. Click on the mouse arrow button. Then click on the node you want to hide. As above, locate the node by the above mentioned ID. Next, click on attributes, and create one called “display” and set its value to “none”.
Very simple.
Saket says
You can simply click on the “X” button to close it
Srikanth says
I have a useful profile for someone using 2 androids like I do-
I use only one phone when i drive on my wired headset and when I plug headset into one, I want second phone to divert all calls automatically to my plugged phone so that i dont have to take risks to take up calls on unplugged phone.
I created a profile on the first phone (to be plugged to headset) with the context >headset plugged> entry task to send sms to second phone with content “calldivert” and exit task to send another sms with content “callrevert”. On second phone, I created a profile to autodial **21***(first phone number)# on detecting a received text message from first phone with content “calldivert” (this number may be different for your service provider). This call enables unconditional call divert from second to first (plugged) phone. When I unplug the headset from the first phone, as per exit task it sends another sms to second phone with content “callrevert” and this makes second phone dial another number ##21# and this disables call diverts. Working perfectly for me. Now I dont have to remember to enabling call diverts on second phone and again remembering to disable it after i finsh driving. Isn’t it useful?
Srikanth says
Alternatively you can make your first phone go into airplane mode too with an sms from second phone, but you need to manually remove airplane mode later as once it is in airplane mode, i dont think you can send sms to it.
Dylan says
There’s a quite simple one that I don’t think many people think about. Simply use the light sensor to detect strong sources of light and adjust the screen brightness respectively. The biggest issue though, is finding a good median between indoor lights and sunlight. I know a lot of phones come with this built in but mine hardly works and talking to other people, they seem to agree its not as helpful as it could be.
Also very helpful if you have transition glasses!
OFB says
I have a droid 4 with skype. When I’m in my car and connected to bluetooth and want to make a call from the car’s phone interface, the phone presents a pop-up asking me to choose whether I want to make the call using skype, or the phone.
No outbound call is made until I pick up the phone and choose ‘phone’.
Can I have tasker detect that I’m connected to my car bluetooth and detect when this specific pop-up appears and make the choice of ‘phone’ for me?
If so, how would I do that???
Jeswin says
Hai there, actually i want my galaxy s2 (2.3.5) to run music in the night from 23.30 – 01.30(next day). I had done; context->Time->23.30 – 1.30, Task->Media->Music play dir & 2nd Task->Media->Media volume. Music started at correct time but wont stop at the mentioned time. Pls help…
Tjoppi says
Add an exit task to your profile and use App->Kill app to stop your music app. You might have to disable Beginner mode under the Preferences->UI tab. To add an exit task to a profile long press the tasks in the profile and select ‘Add exit task’.
Saleem says
Yes, go to the Market and download one of the Profile apps, for doing just that. Set a time of day or day of the week porifle, and it does exactly what you are looking for.There are porifles in the market for LOCATION or just RING/ALERT as well as the time and day Profiles.
kernel-panic says
Can Tasker login to a WiFi web portal by auto filling a stored username and password?
Tjoppi says
Tasker itself doesn’t contain the functionality, as far as I know. If your browser supports saving usernames and passwords, you might be able to get something working. If you find a solution, please post back here.
vhick says
Regarding profile #11. I have a problem setting the script.
I cannot set the script. after the “mv” command I have an error like “failed on ‘/sdcard/setcpu.sh’ – cross-device link”
I’m using stock rom rooted.
Saket says
Hi Vhick, I think you should use SetCPU if you’re experiencing problem with this profile. SetCPU is available for free on XDA.
vhick says
SeuCPU turns to paid app now, and if I wish to use the “per app” frequencies, I need to buy it. I used another Tasker profiles made by brandall, here. I cannot use the “per app” frequencies, but prevents me to use another apk for that task.
Cheers…
bob says
waaaay to much focus on dead end sms!
let’s have some XMPP interactivity in tasker
i pay a data fee. i am not interested in an ADDITIONAL fee to communicate in text
Alan says
I personally, have absolutely no idea what this means!
Please learn English before you communicate in these forums.
Thanks
Josh says
Translation:
SMS is a dying technology.
Tasker should be able to work with a standard chat protocol (XMPP) as well.
I pay a data fee on my monthly bill, I don’t want to have to pay for data AND SMS charges.
While his comment lacked some punctuation and capitalization, it was very coherent English.
daniel says
LOL!!!
That is all.
Tord says
Thanks for a great list!
Here are my favourite Profiles:
When near any cell towers that are near work or home -> turn on wifi
When contact whith work’s or home’s wifi net -> connect and syncronize
When mobile data on -> autosync off (for gods sake!)
When time=night AND charging -> No sounds except calls (might be important)
When in messages -> autorotate off (never useful)
When appointment in work calendar -> sounds off (probably meeting)
When appointment containing word “fly” -> flight mode
Bornigan says
Nice suggestions. Now using three of them. Thanks so much!
Stephen says
How about making on that uploads new photos to a php script
maetis says
Hi, I am trying to set up a “date in notification bar” script.
So basically it should show an icon displaying weekday and date (just the day). I set up a few icons, but I am not able to change them each day. I found the “Automatically Change Wallpaper” script, but this changes the wallpaper ramdomly… I hope my explanation is lucid.
I appreciate any help.
Thanks
Nicolas FORCET says
I use a profile to trigger Wifi when i’m home (“cell near” function). I also use one that cycles data on for 3 minutes and off for 15 minutes whenever the screen is off. This saves a lot of battery.
Brandon Horwath says
For maetis, your “date in notification” profile needs to use a master variable, like %TIME or %TIMES, and most likely a variable section command to isolate what you want specifically, and then you will need a variable convert command. The easiest, but sloppiest way, would be variable set %something to %TIMES then variable convert %something -> Time in seconds to date, either short-mid-long based on what you want to see. You can use goto top of loop to repeat refresh rates, but that will be heavy on battery use. I would set another profile context to set variable %something when the screen turns on instead. Although, I should mention it will need to be a capitalized global variable, I.e. %Something for reference outside a given task. UNLESS, you use perform task command suppling local variable parameters. But, keep in mind if used for an entry task then any settings changes do not revert.
Brandon Horwath says
Try using display on + proximity sensor = display setting max brightness
for reading a quick text message in the glare of the sun (your hand trying to cover the glare naturally activates max display brightness this way)
You can also use shake commands to adjust the intensity up or down quickly
I should mention, tasker has a LOT of plug-ins that are needed to REALLY take advantage of the app. But I wish I could detail all my uses here. Here are just a few…
Automatically load web browser and insert clipboard contents when starting with http
Automatically reply to missed call with a text based on my calendar events to let a caller know when the earliest availability I have is, and if my phone is on silent for the time being.
Automatically forward any work based shift requests to my wife so she knows what to expect with my ever changing work schedule.
Automatically reduce all volume during times my kids are asleep and I’m not at work
Automatically set reminders vocally based on times and dates
Automatically read reminders or text messages on command
Automatically adjust my phone profile for work, silent device when operating, only play certain playlists when audience is detected (not an easy one), and revert desired settings only based on specific commands
Automatically sync files between specific devices
Automatically lock phone and content remotely when needed
Tasker can even offer me a way to record my calls if I wanted
I honestly have dozens of profiles… even a way for my device to change its voice, based on voice commands. Tasker’s limit is your imagination, and logic.
Xantilon says
That’s a really nice post for starting with tasker! I have some idea for a task and need someone to poke me in the right direction.
I often get messages in chinese, that I have to translate. My current solution is to have Finger Translate running and let tasker copy the message to clipboard. Then the translation is just one tap away. Well, in theory, because that solution is not very reliable.
Is there a way to control a translation app or send the text to translate.google.com?