I Changed 10 Samsung Phone Settings To Significantly Improve The User Experience

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Samsung's One UI 7 is my favourite Android skin correct now. It is fast, responsive, and intuitive. But thing comes fine-tuned to your acquisition consecutive retired of nan box. You request to personalize your smartphone to make it much appealing. I alteration almost a twelve settings connected each Samsung Galaxy phone to champion suit my needs, and I judge these will elevate your personification experience, too.

Also: The champion Samsung phones to buy

From mounting nan highest disposable surface solution to much privacy-focused features, present are 10 Galaxy telephone settings (plus a bonus) that I urge changing to heighten your Galaxy telephone experience. Please statement that immoderate settings mightiness beryllium phone-specific.

1. Turn disconnected pop-up notifications

Pop-up notifications disconnected connected Galaxy S25 Ultra
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

I do not for illustration it erstwhile a connection from a interaction aliases an intrusive app notification pops up while I americium successful nan mediate of reference online aliases texting my favourite people. I get distracted easily. If a notification pops up, I pat connected it and hide what I was doing. 

Also: Everything Samsung conscionable unveiled astatine Unpacked July: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Watch 8 Ultra, more

If you are thing for illustration me, you should alteration this mounting moreover earlier switching to motion navigation. Go to Notifications > Notification pop-up style > Apps to show arsenic little > Toggle disconnected All apps.

2. Switch to motion navigation

Unless you are mounting up your caller Samsung Galaxy telephone from an older model, it defaults to nan older three-button navigation system. If you for illustration it, that is fine. But I find Android's motion navigation much intuitive -- everything is simply a swipe distant alternatively of an on-screen button. 

If you want that, you tin alteration nan strategy navigation to gestures by going to Settings > Display > Navigation barroom > Swipe gestures.

3. Set to nan highest surface solution

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra screen
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra has nan champion show connected a smartphone correct now. Thanks to second-generation Gorilla Armor, it is little reflective and displays colors amended than its predecessor. You get a crisp QHD+ screen, but it is not group to that solution by default.

You request to spell to Settings > Display > Screen solution to get nan champion disposable show experience. It will usage much battery, but nan Ultra is an businesslike smartphone. Even aft maxing retired nan surface resolution, I still get an all-day artillery life.

4. Change nan broadside key's usability

Smartphones nary longer person a "power button." It is called a broadside cardinal aliases broadside fastener now, and it is 1 of my astir disliked changes successful caller times. Phone companies person renamed nan powerfulness fastener to accommodate their smart assistants connected agelong press.

Also: Samsung launches One UI 8 beta - what's caller and really to join

Google's Gemini is disposable by different methods, and Bixby is not arsenic useful anyway, truthful I propose changing nan broadside key's usability to connection a powerfulness menu. You tin do truthful by going to Settings > Advanced features > Side fastener > Long Press > Power disconnected menu.

5. Adjust fastener surface notifications

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra fastener screen
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

One UI 7 has changed really notifications look connected your fastener screen. It is group to show icons connected nan apical near area by default, which is simply a large alteration from nan erstwhile paper view. I for illustration apps to show notifications successful nan second form. To alteration this, you tin spell to Settings > Notifications > Lock surface notifications > Cards.

I besides hide delicate notification contented connected nan fastener surface because I do not want anyone to locomotion up to my telephone and spot my individual messages. To alteration this setting, you tin opt for Hide contented nether nan aforesaid Lock surface notifications menu.

6. Sign successful aliases motion up for a Samsung relationship

I juggle betwixt different phones but support coming backmost to Samsung phones for One UI. Having a Samsung relationship is simply a large portion of nan personification acquisition connected Galaxy phones. From Samsung Wallet to Samsung's ain password manager, I person a batch of accusation saved successful them.

Also: I've tested each Samsung Galaxy S25 exemplary - and my favourite isn't nan Ultra

Many mightiness want to move to Google Passwords for amended cross-device functionality, but I still urge signing up for a Samsung relationship to entree Galaxy Themes (more connected this below) and nan Galaxy Store. It will besides use you erstwhile you move from 1 Samsung telephone to different pinch a seamless transfer.

7. Install this app

Swipe Diagonal down motion pinch Good Lock connected nan Galaxy S25 Ultra
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

I urge installing nan Good Lock app from nan Galaxy Store. It enables a slew of Samsung-exclusive features connected your phone. I recovered nan champion usage lawsuit for it erstwhile I was reviewing nan Galaxy S25 Ultra. It features a module called Home Up that has a One Hand Operation+ function.

Also: 12 Android telephone settings you should alteration to dramatically summation artillery life

Since nan caller Samsung flagship is simply a large phone, I group up a swipe down from nan correct separator to entree Quick Settings. You tin do nan aforesaid for six shortcuts wrong nan Short swipe and Long swipe gestures, and entree galore much features wrong nan Good Lock app.

8. Uninstall nan bloatware

Samsung Galaxy phones travel pinch galore apps that you mightiness not use. Unlike erstwhile years, you tin now uninstall aliases astatine slightest disable them to prevention memory. For example, I do not person a Samsung TV and do not want nan Microsoft CoPilot app connected my phone, truthful I uninstall TV and CoPilot, respectively. Other apps I disable aliases uninstall see Facebook, Samsung Tutor, and OneDrive.

9. Customize nan location surface

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra location screen
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Samsung has immoderate of nan champion widgets connected a phone. I emotion nan Calendar widget because I tin set nan transparency. As a result, it looks amended and keeps nan functionality intact without disturbing nan layout of my location screen. I person it located connected nan apical truthful everything is conscionable a glimpse away, yet it ne'er asks for attraction -- dissimilar different opaque Calendar widgets.

Also: I replaced my Samsung S25 Ultra pinch nan Edge exemplary for 3 weeks - here's my verdict now

I besides alteration my icon grid to nan 5x5 layout to accommodate much icons connected nan bottom-most row. They are conscionable a thumb pat away. Additionally, I use my wallpaper colour tones to nan app icons for a much pleasing look. You tin spell to Wallpaper and style > Color palette and toggle it connected to use wallpaper colors to nan full system. It is not perfect, and immoderate icons mightiness still not beryllium supported. However, it looks amended than nan basal colors.

10. Fix always-on show

You get businesslike displays connected Samsung phones -- make usage of them and alteration everything, including nan Always On display. I for illustration having nan time, day, and day accusation correct location connected nan screen, disposable astatine a speedy glance. Samsung defaults it to nan Tap to show setting, meaning you request to pat connected nan surface for information.

I urge changing that to Always to make it much functional. Go to Settings > Lock surface and AOD > Always-on Display > Always. You tin take if you want to show nan wallpaper aliases not -- I person group it to conscionable show a achromatic surface truthful it does not drain much battery.

Bonus. Revert changes to nan Notification Panel

Notification sheet creation alteration connected Galaxy S25 Ultra
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Samsung changed its notification sheet creation to an iOS-like drawer. A correct swipe down gives you entree to Quick Settings, whereas a swipe down from nan near broadside of nan surface gives you entree to notifications. However, if you for illustration nan erstwhile creation better, you tin alteration it.

I for illustration having my notifications nether Quick Settings, for illustration nan bully aged days. To revert this caller creation element, swipe down from nan apical correct area of nan location surface > Pencil icon > Panel Settings > Together. You tin besides edit nan apical speedy settings wrong this menu.

Also: Every Samsung Galaxy S25 exemplary compared: Which telephone should you buy?

A fewer different things I do connected my Galaxy phones see changing nan keyboard to Google Keyboard and sorting nan location drawer icons successful alphabetical bid truthful it is easier to navigate. Samsung phones are immoderate of nan champion connected nan market. While they do not committedness over-the-top features, they are reliable and connection nan astir polished personification interface pinch One UI. Just set these fewer settings, and you are each set. Enjoy your caller Galaxy phone!

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