Once when buying a new mobile phone there was always a nice booklet of multilingual instructions that explained all the functions and all the ways to use the mobile phone. Today, however, after buying a new phone, you need to look for information and instructions on blogs like this (fortunately for me), if you do not want to remain in the dark about some of its special features, often hidden.
For example, on the phones of the Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series they have several hidden features and tricks that do not exist in other phones and that you really need to know.
We have already seen, in another article, the best unique functions of the Galaxy S9 / S9 Plus and now expand the discussion with the most useful hidden tricks that can be found in the Settings menu of the Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Note .
(Note: Being a general speech, some of these functions may be missing on one model or another even depending on the version of Android or they can be activated by options with different names in the settings).
1) Screenshot with one touch
To take the picture on the screen of an Android mobile phone, the standard method is to press the Volume Down and Power keys together.
On the Samsung Galaxy, on the other hand, it is done in another way, by pressing the power and home buttons together, which, however, is much less comfortable because it requires the use of two hands.
There is therefore an alternative system to take a screenshot of the screen, simply by passing the entire palm of the hand on the screen, from left to right, as if you were caressing.
If this trick is not already active, you need to activate the option in the Settings menu.
Depending on the phone, the option is found in the Movement menu.
Note that in the Movement menu of the Samsung Galaxy there are many interesting and tasty options to automate certain functions.
The only problem is that these options eventually consume the precious energy of the battery, so you only have to activate them if you think they are useful for us.
2) Easy mode
Samsung's TouchWiz UI interface and its myriad of buttons and options can be a daunting experience for less tech-savvy users.
If you prefer to make the phone easier to use, you can activate " Easy " mode, with larger icons and quick access to basic and favorite applications such as phone, Internet browser, e-mails.
In practice, it is the perfect way to make parents, grandparents and children use the smartphone.
The option can be activated in the Settings, in the Personalization section.
3) Fingerprint scanner
Fingerprints are the safest way to protect your Samsung Galaxy phone from unauthorized access and thieves.
There are two different types of screen lock with fingerprints on Samsung phones: the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 use a less precise sensor where you have to swipe your finger down from the screen to the home button while from the Galaxy S6 onwards there is just a sensor like that of the iPhone, where you just need to place your finger on the home button.
The fingerprint can also be used to access the Samsung account, websites and to make secure payments with PayPal.
On phones, where present, the fingerprint scanner is always activated from the Security menu in the settings .
4) Glove mode
When it's cold and gloves are used, it becomes almost impossible to use any phone except a Samsung Galaxy S4, S5 or Note.
The sensitivity of the mobile phone display can be increased to work with gloves by activating the high touch sensitivity option in the display settings.
To activate it quickly, if you are wearing gloves, just make a two-finger swipe down from the notification bar and open the quick settings menu where there is the option to activate " touch sensitivity ".
On Galaxy S9 the higher sensitivity is already activated by default so you can use it with or without gloves indifferently.
5) Find my Samsung
We have seen in the article on all the ways to track down a mobile phone that on Samsung Galaxy smartphones there is a proprietary location function very similar to that of the iPhone, to know where the mobile phone is when it is lost or stolen.
To activate the function, in the Settings -> Security menu, you need to create and access a Samsung account, in the Security menu.
6) Open two apps on the screen together
Two apps can be opened in two separate windows on the screen in each Samsung Galaxy Note, S6, S7, S8, S9.
To activate the multi-window window you have to touch the screen with two fingers by swiping down from the notification bar, open the settings and go to the Screen section.
To use the multi-window mode, you must then hold down the back button (on Galaxy S6 instead pressing the multitasking button to the left of the home button).
It is also possible to make the video window smaller to see it in a small box while doing something else.
7) Unlock with face / voice / signature
On GS3, GS4, Galaxy Note and Note II you can lock the phone with facial recognition, which is actually an option also present in the latest versions of Android.
On Samsung Galaxy, however, you can also strengthen the security of the screen lock by using your voice, selecting the Face and voice option in the settings.
On the Galaxy Note 3 there is the possibility to unlock the phone by making your signature with the stylus (not your finger) on the touchscreen.
8) Smart standby
This option, introduced by the Galaxy S3, allows you to use the front camera to detect when to turn off the display.
So if the camera detects that we are facing the phone and, therefore, we are using it, it does not turn off the screen as it does in any other Android phone.
This trick is hidden in the display settings.
9) Use Samsung as a remote control
It is incredible how nobody or few people know that the Galaxy S4, S5 and Galaxy Note can work as remote control of almost any TV thanks to the Samsung WhatchOn or WatchOn Plus application, to be searched on the Google Play store.
READ ALSO: Options to customize screen and settings on Samsung Galaxy
