Right out of the box, the Galaxy S8 is set up in typical Samsung fashion. For example, the screen resolution is reduced, and the navigation buttons are rearranged (compared to other Android devices).
Luckily, you can customize your new smartphone the way you want with just a few taps. Here are 14 settings you should change as soon as possible.
Use all pixels.
While the super-clear QHD (2960x1440) display is the key selling point of the S8 lineup, Samsung is selling the S8 and S8 Plus with resolution downscaled to FHD+ (2220x1080).Change the resolution to QHD by going to Settings > Display > Screen Resolution. Move the slider to the right, click "Apply".
Better sleep at night...maybe.
With the official support for Night Mode in Android Nougat, Samsung has introduced a feature that removes blue light from the display for a set amount of time. Apparently it helps you fall asleep better by doing magic on your brain. Or something like that.Enable the Blue Light Filter (Samsung name for the feature) in Settings > Display > Blue Light Filter. It's better to let the phone do the hard work, so I suggest using "Scheduled On" and "Sunset to sunrise" to automatically turn the filter on and off as you approach bedtime.
Do not disturb.
Speaking of getting better sleep at night, Do Not Disturb is a must.Turn on Do Not Disturb to turn off notifications and calls in Settings > Sounds and vibration > Do not disturb.
Set up scheduled downtime and add any exceptions.
Get rid of app frames.
In an attempt to create a consistent style for app icons, Samsung has started adding borders to the icons. While some may appreciate this look, I suspect that many users would prefer the app icons to remain single. Open Settings > Display > Icons and select only the icons.
Customize "always on screen" to your liking.
When your device is locked and idle, the screen will remain in a low power state. Time, date, music control buttons and application notifications remain on the screen.However, you can edit and change the look of the lock screen, or get rid of this feature entirely if you so desire.
Go to Settings > Lock screen & security > Always on Display.
Here you can change the layout of the clock, add colors and a background image, and set a schedule for when you want the feature to turn off, such as when you sleep.
Adding widgets to the lock screen.
FaceWidgets is an odd name, that's understandable. What is unclear is what FaceWidgets are.These widgets are always shown on the display after double-tapping the clock. You can scroll through each FaceWidget to control music playback, view your schedule, and view upcoming alarms.
The last two widgets are disabled by default, but can be enabled by going to Settings > Lock Screen & Security > Information & FaceWidgets > FaceWidgets.
Use full screen or not.
Due to the S8's taller display and the need for app developers to make some changes to make use of the entire screen, Samsung included an option to force apps to either use the entire display or stay at the standard size.Change the settings for each app in Settings > Display > Full Screen Apps.
A list of all apps installed on your device will appear with a toggle to turn full screen on or off for each one. If you set apps to run in fullscreen, be aware that some apps won't run if this option is enabled (Dark Sky is a typical instance of this fullscreen issue).
Set up access to Samsung Pay.
If you're like me and find yourself launching Samsung Pay by taking your phone out of your pocket, you'll be happy to hear that you can change when your payment card shortcut is active.Open Samsung Pay and tap the three-dot menu button, then select "Settings > Use Favorite Cards".
Fingerprint gestures.
A hidden feature that is sure to quickly become popular is the ability to turn the fingerprint sensor into a trackpad. A swipe down on the touchscreen will bring up the notification bar, and a swipe up will launch Samsung Pay when you're looking at the home screen.To enable any gesture, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Fingerprint Sensor Gestures.
Enable multi-window.
For all Android Nougat devices, a long press on the recent apps button should launch multi-window mode. By default, this feature is disabled for Samsung, but it will take a couple of seconds to enable.Open "Settings > Advanced features > Multi-window".
Another option you'll find in the multi-window settings is the pop-up window, which allows you to place a floating application window on your S8's screen.
Skip the lock screen.
With Google's Smart Lock feature that unlocks the S8 when you're at home, it's convenient to opt out of having to scan your fingerprint or re-enter your PIN.However, you still have the extra step of waking up your phone and swiping your finger across the lock screen.
With the pressure-sensitive Home button, you can enable a feature that skips the lock screen when you press the Home button hard.
Go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar. Turn on home button unlock.
Rearrange navigation buttons.
Samsung has always rearranged the back and recent apps buttons on its devices compared to what Google does on the Nexus and Pixel phones, as well as almost every competing Android phone maker.If you have always used a Samsung device, you will not feel the difference, and you can ignore this advice. For those switching from another Android device, go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Button layout.
Application tray or not?
Some Android devices don't come with an app tray, so all app icons are placed on the home screen, just like on an iPhone. Samsung now gives you this same option, although the default setting is to see the app tray.To opt out of the app tray, press and hold on the home screen for a couple of seconds, then tap Settings > Home Screen Layout.
Where is the app button?
She disappeared. Starting with the S8, you need to swipe up or down the screen to see the app drawer. Swipe up or down the screen and your home screen will return.For those who don't like the new method, you can bring back the apps button. Long press on the home screen, then tap "Settings > Apps > Show Apps button".
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is the latest flagship device to be released by the South Korean manufacturer, and since it's only a few months old, you can't expect any problems with it - at least not yet. We intend to do our best to make sure you get the most out of your S8, and today we're sharing our compilation of all kinds of tips and tricks to get you there.
One of the best and least known features of the Galaxy S8 is Smart Select. This feature was present in the Note 7 phablet model and was built into the S Pen. Samsung adapted this feature for the S8 S8+ and built it into the edge of the display. The screen is still divided into separate panels, giving you quick access to your apps, tasks, contacts, and more. To enable Smart Select, go to Settings>Display>Edge Display>Edge Panels>Smart Select.
Editing Screenshots and Converting Video to GIF with Smart Select
The Smart Select feature also includes enhanced options for working with screenshots. This software allows you to create and cut a round or square image, add notes or markers, and immediately share or save them. Plus, you can split and convert video files to GIF format. Overall, this is a good way to improve your social media posts or WhatsApp messages.
First, find a video you'd like to use as a GIF, such as one from YouTube. Next, follow the steps below:
- swipe on the edge of the screen to open the Smart Select function panel and select "Animation";
- move around the video you decide to use by moving the edges of its corners;
- select "Record" while the video is playing and it will be processed.
While converting video to GIF format, thanks to the timer and file size indicator, you can see both the file size and the length of the video clip. At the end of the process, you will be able to find your GIF file in the Google Photos app and send it to other users for viewing.
Disabling Always On
Taking a quick look at your smartphone screen to check the time is handy, but it also drains your device's battery. You can easily get rid of this by turning off Always On Display. In the settings, open the "Screen lock and security" section, then select the "Always On Display" item and move the slider to the "Off" position. Now the lock screen will not display any information, and if you want to check the time, just press the home key.
Opting out of automatic display brightness adjustment
As many of you already know, one surefire way to conserve battery life is to control the brightness level of your display. As an option for such control, you can simply disable the Always On Display mode. You can do this by going to Settings and opening Lock Screen & Security, then selecting Always On Display and moving the slider to the Off position.
Low screen timeout
Limiting the amount of time your display is active is another proven way to increase battery life. The default display timeout setting on the Galaxy S8 is 15 seconds. You can leave it as it is, or choose a value of 30 seconds. If you choose a larger setting, it will negatively affect battery life. To access the timeout settings, in the settings, select the "Display" section, then open "Screen timeout".
Optimizing your smartphone battery usage
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ have an excellent high-resolution display that is not without its flaws. One of the main drawbacks is that the display can significantly reduce battery life at maximum resolution, and when some optimization settings are enabled. So that the average user of the Galaxy S8 does not scour in search of settings to adjust certain parameters, Samsung has created the so-called "performance modes". The S8 or S8+ is factory set to "Optimize" mode. In addition, there are additionally three preset modes: "Gaming", "Entertainment" and "High performance".
So that you don't have to deal with adjusting settings through Settings>Device Management>Performance Mode before you start playing games, watching videos, or listening to music, Samsung provides a shortcut to Entertainment Mode. Note that this shortcut will only work to switch between the "Optimize" mode and the other three modes.
Sending apps to sleep
With the release of the Galaxy S8, Samsung has unveiled a great new feature that will help users improve their chances of avoiding battery issues. Users now have the option to manually put apps to sleep. When an app goes to sleep, it will no longer run in the background and any push notifications will also be disabled. A resting app will wake up the moment you want to use it again, and you'll get updates and notifications again after that. To put the app to sleep, long press the app icon until the settings menu appears. Select "Sleep", and when the following window appears, click on "OK".
Bypass the lock screen with the Home key
You can bypass the lock screen and go to the home screen by simply pressing the home key when Always On Display is active. This feature can be enabled via Settings>Display>Navigation bar>Home key unlock. After that, you will have the option to adjust the sensitivity of the Home key to avoid unwanted presses.
Show or hide the navigation bar
Sometimes the navigation bar gets in the way, or vice versa, it's not there when you need it. With the help of the "Show or hide" button, you can get out of this predicament. This button is located on the left side of the navigation bar (see photo below). If you are using an app that completely hides the navigation bar, then you need to return to the main screen by pressing the Home key, then swipe up to see the above bar.
Enable Edge Lighting for Notifications
If you thought the Edge's display was something of little use, then after using it, you probably realized that, in fact, it is crammed with various functions. There's one feature you may have missed - the backlit display on the Edge. It can be used for notifications even if the device is face down. In addition, such a feature can display notifications without distracting you when you are playing games or watching videos. To configure your Edge display settings, go to Settings>Display>Edge Display.
Create reminders from URLs and messages
The Galaxy S8 has a really useful feature that allows you to set reminders for you. When you're in a web browser (even Chrome) and want to save a URL to use later, just go to sharing options and hit the reminder icon. After that, you can set the reminder notification time, or this function will notify you when you arrive at a certain place or leave it. You can also do the same for text messages in the Messages app. Make a long press on the message, and when the settings menu, select "Send to Reminder". Not enough notifications to keep you informed? In this case, you have the option to display reminders on the Always On Display lock screen. Just open the "Reminders" app, then select the reminder you would like to display, and then click on "Always on Display".
Take a quick photo with the "On" key
Tired of missing out on the best photo opportunities because you weren't fast enough? There is a solution! Double tapping the power button will launch the camera app instantly. To quickly zoom in or out, you need to swipe right or left from the white camera shutter icon on the display.
Quick response with heart rate sensor
This can be called an amusing trick for a business person. If you are in a meeting or meeting and cannot answer the call, then simply reject the incoming call using a text message template. This feature called "Quick Response" can be accessed by using a heart rate sensor. Just hold your finger on it for a couple of seconds and you'll have a choice of customizable, polite responses to send to your caller. You can activate this feature by going to Settings>Display>Edge Display>Edge Lighting>Advanced>Quick Response.
Stretched scrollable screenshots
If you've ever tried to take screenshots of a web page, you've probably come across a situation where the display wasn't tall enough to capture all the content you need to save later. The Galaxy S8 has a Scroll Capture feature to help you take a screenshot of the length you need. After you have taken a screenshot, a scroll button will appear. Hold this button down until all scrollable content is captured. Note that this function works not only in a web browser, but also in applications.
Keep an eye on another app with Snap Window
For those times when multi-window mode isn't enough, the S8's Snap Window feature lets you select a recently opened app and bring it to the top of the display. This is especially useful if you want to view a video or stock quote data line while you're busy with another application. You can activate this feature by opening your recently launched apps and then clicking on the Snap Window icon on the far left.
Activate funny iris scanner backgrounds
You've probably experienced the iris scanner and enjoyed the feeling of being James Bond. Can you have even more fun? Of course yes! Once you've set up your iris scanner, you can choose a cool background mask to display when the scanner is active. To choose from several options for such backgrounds, go to Settings>Screen lock and security>Iris scanner>Screen mask preview.
Sharing Large Files with Samsung Cloud Link
Samsung has packed a crazy amount of features into the Galaxy S8 and S8+. It's far from the insane level of software bloat we've seen on some Samsung devices, but there are plenty of options here to explore. You can tap menus for hours hoping to stumble upon all the cool stuff this phone can do. Or you can read this guide to learn all about the best tips and tweaks to get the most out of your new Galaxy S8.
Watch the video review of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus:
Customize navigation buttons
Samsung has finally figured it out with the times and moved to on-screen navigation buttons, which means you can customize them to your liking. The default layout is similar to other Samsung phones, with a back button on the right and a browse button on the left. You can change it to the standard Android back-home-browsing layout by selecting "Settings" > "Display" > "Navigation Bar". You can also change the background color of the navigation bar here. Remember, the Home button is pressure sensitive. It works with a hard press even when the display is off. At the bottom of the navigation bar menu, you can change the level of pressure required to trigger the button.
Set up or turn off Hello Bixby
Samsung's Bixby smart assistant isn't very smart yet, so you probably won't be using it. At the same time, when you press the physical Bixby button, a screen called "Hello Bixby" appears. You will also find this screen to the left of the main panel of the main screen. It's a bit like Google Now, but not as good. You can customize Hello Bixby to show you more useful information - by default, it has things you don't want, like random Giphy animations and suggested themes in the Samsung store. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to edit cards and customize what they display. If you don't want to use Bixby on the home screen, you can enter edit mode by pressing and holding the spacebar, then turn off the toggle above the Bixby panel.
Get rid of the icon frames
Icons on the Samsung home screen, all squircles and third-party apps you install, will be encased in white squircle frames. It's consistent, but not very attractive. To get rid of icon frames, go to "Settings" > "Display" > "Icons". Change it to "Icons Only" and you're done.
Reorganize apps
The default sort in the Galaxy S8's apps folder is "custom", which is a fancy way of saying "you'll never find anything". You should immediately change it to alphabetical order by opening the folder, pressing the menu button, and selecting Sort. Unlike previous versions of the Samsung home screen, the apps folder will remain in alphabetical order even when you install new apps.
Faster unlock via iris scanner
Samsung decided to put the Galaxy S8's fingerprint sensor in a really awkward place on the back of the phone, so you should check out the iris scanner. It works surprisingly well, and you can make it even more user-friendly with a few tweaks. You can add Iris Scanner in Settings > Lock Screen & Security > Iris Scanner. Make sure scanner unlock is enabled so you can unlock your phone by looking at it, then enable "Iris scanner unlock when screen turns on". In this mode, you do not need to swipe the lock screen to enter the iris scan mode. Just wake up your phone by looking at it and it will immediately unlock.
Selecting the Display Calibration Mode
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ have several display calibration modes available in Settings. Default Calibration is an adaptive mode that includes customizable color sliders to adjust colors to look just the way you want them to. Some GS8 owners find the display too red, but you can change that with the sliders. There are also AMOLED photography, AMOLED cinema and Basic modes. Native mode offers the most accurate colors in the sRGB specification, while Adaptive has an extended color gamut.
Change the default volume level
When you press the volume key, the default action is to change the ringer volume. How often do you need to change it? Changing the media volume is more useful and you can set it as the default. Just go to Settings > Sound and vibration. There you will find "Default volume control". Touch it and select "Media".
Set up Always-on display
Samsung's Always-on display feature allows you to see basic information about your phone without waking up. This feature drains the battery a bit, so either turn it off or set it up to make the battery drain more worthwhile. Always-on display is shown in Settings > Lock screen & security > Always-on display. The display style can be changed to different clock, calendar, photo or minimal clock on the edge. On the other hand, Always-on display doesn't always have to be enabled. At the bottom of the settings screen is a toggle for "Always-on display". Turn it off and you can set a schedule to turn it on and off.
Editing the Edge Panel
There is no flat version of the Galaxy S8, so it's time to make friends with the Edge Screen. It's a small tab on the right edge of the screen that shows you various shortcuts and tools while shooting. You can customize what you see on the Edge Screen by tapping the gear icon at the bottom or by going to Settings > Display > Edge Screen. The Edge screen can be turned off if you don't want to use it, but set up Edge Panels first. There are almost a dozen panels by default, including a handy clipboard manager and weather. Don't forget to click the menu button in the top right corner to rearrange the panels and edit the Edge Screen. You can make the panel bigger, smaller, more transparent, or even reposition it.
Improved multitasking with Snap Window
The Galaxy S8 runs on Nougat, so it uses the standard Android multi-window system. However, Samsung has added a small bonus in the form of the Snap Window. You'll find the Snap button right next to the split screen button on the app cards in the multitasking interface. Pressing allows you to define a section of your application that will remain at the top of the screen while you use the bottom section for another application. It's ideal for video streaming in Snap Window as it takes up less space and will keep playing even if it loses focus.
Turn the brightness to the maximum
By default, you can access the screen brightness slider from the advanced quick settings, but with one more change, it's even easier to access it. Open quick settings and click the arrow next to the brightness slider. Then toggle the Brightness to Maximum slider and tap Done. The brightness slider now appears below the settings bar at the top of the notification shade.
Dual Audio via Bluetooth
The Galaxy S8 is the first Bluetooth 5.0 phone that comes with a pretty cool twist. The GS8 can stream audio to two different Bluetooth devices at the same time, but the option is fairly hidden. Select "Settings"; "Connections"; Bluetooth; "Menu"; "Double Sound" After enabling this feature, you will be able to pair a second Bluetooth Audio device with your phone. Both will receive the same flow, but one may be slightly delayed.
Use Smart Select
Samsung makes a big deal out of Smart Select on Note devices, but this screen selection and cropping tool is also available on the Galaxy S8. You can access it using the Edge Screen, so add the Smart Select panel first. Smart Select can be used to capture a square or round portion of the screen rather than a full screenshot. These clippings can easily be scanned to text with OCR. It is also possible to make a GIF animation or crop the screen in a floating window. It's not very convenient to use without a stylus, but you can get close enough.
Turn on Download Accelerator
Download Booster is a feature that Samsung released a few years ago and then hid in the menu, never to be seen again. You might want to use it on the Galaxy S8. Download Booster links your LTE and WiFi connection, allowing you to download files over 30MB at faster speeds. It's on the menu Settings > Connections > Other connection settings > Download Booster.
Full screen app settings
The Galaxy S8 has little to no bezel around the display, which comes with an unusual 18.5:9 aspect ratio. This means some apps and games will look odd, either with black bars or interface fragments. The phone tries to guess which of the settings is correct, but you can always switch between full and not full by opening the multitasking screen and tapping the button at the top right of the deck. In addition, there is a complete list of applications and their screen modes in the section "Settings" > "Display" > "Full Screen Apps". Just visit this menu and set the applications to one of the modes without opening them individually.
Setting Energy Saver Options
There are several ways to save power on your Galaxy S8, and they're all conveniently located inside the device management settings. You will find them in the section "Settings" > "Device Maintenance" > "Battery". There are "Medium" and "Maximum" power saving modes, each of which can be changed using user settings. Just choose one of them and click on the Customize link at the top. You can choose the screen resolution, brightness level, CPU limits, enable/disable background mode, etc. To activate the power saving mode, click the "Apply" button instead of "Customize". The medium power saving mode can also be accessed from the quick settings. There is also an advanced section, accessible from the menu button in the top right corner. There you can adjust the application's power monitor by increasing or decreasing the time before the application goes to sleep (other Android devices cause this application to sleep).
Save data in Secure Folder
We all save important data on our phones and Samsung offers a way to keep it all locked up. It's called Secure Folder and it only takes a few seconds to set up. Simply choose a new unlock method, decide if you need fingerprints or a retinal scanner, and wait for the encrypted container to be created. Secure Folder can store files as well as copies of apps from your phone with completely separate data directories. Secure Folder even has a camera app, and yes, the photos it takes are saved to Secure Folder. This is the perfect place to store sensitive data that you don't want to show to others.
According to Greenbot
Samsung has tried to concentrate all the technological trends of our time in its top smartphones Galaxy S8 and S8 +. This is a curved display, and a retinal scanner, and a "night mode". Of course, to match the hardware and software interface. We will talk about it today, more precisely, about its hidden and non-obvious possibilities. So what's in store for the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ interface?
Navigation Bar Secrets
The navigation bar on the Galaxy S8 and S8 has a few tricks up its sleeve, including allowing users to bypass the device's lock screen and instantly access the home screen.
To do this, you need to activate the unlock from the Home button in the settings - Settings > Display > Navigation bar. Now a strong press on Home will unlock the device, and a double press will force it to block. In addition, the user can hide the navigation bar in applications where it is not removed automatically, as well as configure it to suit their tastes. In some applications, the navigation bar can disappear completely, to call it you need to swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
Screen edge
The screen edges on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ give you access to apps, news, and key features by letting you display apps, shortcuts, and notifications on the curved edges of the screen. In addition, there are notifications in the form of luminous strips along the edges, so you will not miss a message even if the smartphone is face down. The same mode works well during game battles.
Users can access screen edge settings by selecting H Settings > Display > Screen edges.
Creating Convenient Reminders
Found interesting articles that you would like to see later? The Galaxy S8 allows users to simply save URLs with a reminder feature. To do this, click on the icon Reminder in stock browser. The URL is saved automatically, and you can also set the time for the reminder to appear.
In addition, the smartphone allows you to create reminders in instant messengers. To do this, click on the menu item Message options and select a sub-item Send a reminder. Finally, you can pin reminders to the display. To do this, select an application Reminders, select the desired reminder from the list and select Always On Screen.
Power buttons and camera
Sometimes you only have a couple of seconds to take a good photo. On the Galaxy S8 and S8+, double-click the power button to instantly launch the camera. You can zoom in on a photo from the camera app by dragging the shutter button left and right.
In addition to unlocking the device, the fingerprint scanner allows users to open apps and control key functions. A simple swipe down or up will show or hide the notification bar, and a swipe from the screen to the sensor on the home screen will launch Samsung Pay. The function can be found under Settings > Advanced features > Fingerprint gestures.
If you cannot answer the call, you can reject it by sending pre-formatted messages. For this, a heart rate sensor is used - a double tap will send a message. The setting is done like this: Settings > Display > Screen edge > Lighting > More options > Quick reply.
Screenshots of the game
To quickly take a screenshot of the game and merge the batch, you need to press the volume down button and the power button. You can also swipe the screen from edge to edge, and then select an area of the screen to save.
Customizable in Settings > Additional features > Smart capture
Pin an app as part of a window
A new feature on the S8 allows users to select a portion of the last opened app to pin to the top of the screen. For example, it can be a video or stock reports. This allows you to keep two applications on the screen at the same time. To launch, you need to click the arrow button in the application header.
Chip to unlock
If you are using a retinal scanner, then in the authorization window you can select different masks for this. Not too interesting, but still - for sure someone will like it. You can find it here: Settings > Lock screen & security > Retinal scanner > Mask preview screen.
Samsung Cloud offers users an easy way to share large video clips and photos with other users. The feature supports FullHD videos and files up to 1GB in size. Users can save up to 2GB of content per day. After two days of storage, the files will be deleted from the server.
Users can also grant other users access to shared content by sending them a code. Those who receive the code will be able to view the materials at the link.
Of course, this is not all the chips, but we will talk about others sometime next time.
already bought by more than five million users. After the initial familiarization with the devices and minor, you may want to explore them in more depth, install your own applications and make additional changes without having to root, change firmware and perform other complex gestures that can interfere with work.
Below will be presented programs just for this. They allow you to set wallpapers suitable for the AMOLED display, give access to FM radio, and allow you to change the functionality of the Bixby button.
An AMOLED screen consumes a lot of power if it displays a non-white color, the pixels turn off when it displays black, so the wallpaper under OLED should consist of a minimum of colors with significant areas of black. These wallpapers are offered by this application. There is a large selection of wallpapers available here that look beautiful, unobtrusive and allow the screens of these smartphones to save energy.
The official list of hardware characteristics of the Galaxy does not indicate work with FM radio, but it is here as part of the Snapdragon processor (with which the smartphone is sold in the United States). This chip is not even locked like on some other smartphones. The NextRadio app contains new flagship smartphones in its database, so you can download it, connect your headphones as an antenna and enjoy local radio stations without the need to spend mobile data or have a cellular connection.
On some Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices, Samsung closed a loophole that allowed third-party apps to assign different functionality to the Bixby digital assistant button. Don't worry, as enterprising developers have found another way to change the purpose of this button. The BixBye program does not even require the launch of a digital assistant for its work, you can immediately assign another function to the button.
If the remapping of the Bixby button with the bxActions app does not work after the release of the Samsung patch, if the functionality of the BixBye program described above seems insufficient to you, then you can use this suggestion. In it, you first need to launch the Bixby digital assistant, then assign the button to another action. All this works quickly, there are many options available, you can set the action to single, double and long press on the button.
