Mobile banking is perhaps one of the most useful features of the smartphone. You can check your balances remotely before making big purchases and monitor your accounts on the go. Even though mobile banking is becoming more and more popular, some features can be a little daunting. Here are the four most useful features that you can easily master on most banking apps:<\/p>\n
1. View Your Transactions<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve downloaded the app to your phone and set up your account information, you can view your recent transactions. First, sign into your account. Your account balance should appear on the main screen. Next, click on the account you want to view. You can see money you\u2019ve spent \u2014 usually represented with a dash or in red font \u2014 and the money that\u2019s been deposited into your account \u2014 often represented in blue. You can also see which transactions are pending and which ones have been cleared.<\/p>\n 2. Pay Bills<\/strong><\/p>\n Another helpful feature, Bill Pay, lets you add payees, schedule automatic payments, and transfer funds directly into others\u2019 bank accounts. First, you\u2019ll need to add payees to your list. Under Bill Pay, you\u2019ll see a screen that says something like \u201cManage Payees.\u201d To add a new one, you\u2019ll likely need your intended recipient\u2019s account number. Once that\u2019s set up, you can schedule either one-time or recurring payments directly from your phone.<\/p>\n 3. Deposit Checks<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re still receiving paper checks, you don\u2019t have to go to the bank anymore. Instead, online apps use your phone\u2019s camera to deposit a check directly to your account. First, click on the \u201cDeposit Check\u201d button in your app. Next, sign the back of your check as usual. The app will require you to take a picture of the front and back of your check. Be sure to position the check in bright light on a dark surface so the shot is clear enough to read the account information on the check. After you fill in the check\u2019s amount, the app will deposit the money into your account immediately or within a few hours.<\/p>\n 4. Set Alert Notifications <\/strong><\/p>\n Your online banking app will send you text message notifications for any parameters you specify. For example, you could set your app to notify you when you\u2019ve made too many withdrawals in one day or when an account dips below a certain dollar amount.<\/p>\n