8 of the Galaxy Note 10's best hidden features
The Note 10 Plus has a lot more to offer than looks.
Juan Garzon/CNET
that of Samsung
Galaxy Note 10 Plus
is a stellar device
(we're currently reviewing the smaller Note 10). From long battery life to an amazing screen to new S Pen tricks, there's a lot to like about Samsung's latest phone. got your phone, there's a lot to learn.
For example,
take screenshot and turn off Note 10 phones
work differently than on older Galaxy devices, and the camera itself has many new tricks. But there are also hidden features that can take your Note 10 to the next level.
From recording your screen, with the ability to include your voice, to activating the alarm clock so your screen is always on when you need it, your phone can do a lot of things that aren't. maybe not so obvious at first.
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Use raise to wake up
Pressing a button to wake up your phone screen is not really a laborious task, but it is a useless task.Use Notes 10
Lift to wake up
feature to have your phone always at hand whenever you pick it up.
Open the Settings app and go to
Advanced features
>
Movements and gestures
and turn on
Lift to wake up
.
Going forward, whenever you pick up your phone, the screen will wake up and you will immediately see your pending notifications.
Raise to wake - also called lift to wake - is a subtle but useful feature.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Display always on...all the time.
Out of the box, the Note 10's always-on display (AOD) feature isn't always enabled. In fact, you have to tap the screen to use it. It's... kinda pointless?
If you go to
Settings
>
Lock screen
>
Permanent display
to set a schedule, view anytime, or leave it on tap to view.
Combine the AOD on anytime with the lift to wake up and your phone will always be ready.
An always-on display should always be on, right?
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
A Different Way to Access Lock Screen Shortcuts
The lock screen has two app icons that serve as shortcuts to open said apps. By default, these apps are camera and phone apps. Not only can you change the available apps, but you can even change the location display shortcuts.
Open
Settings
>
Lock screen
>
Application shortcuts
and select
Floating button
if you prefer the app icons to appear next to the fingerprint sensor when you long press it.
Just below the layout section, you will find the option to change the left and right shortcuts.
For those who want something a little different.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
If you opt for the floating button setting, all you need to do is place your finger on the sensor and leave it there. After about a second, the app icon will appear; swipe your finger to the app you want to open and lift it.
I found that this shortcut only works when used from the lock screen. If you place your finger on the fingerprint sensor on the always-on screen, your phone will simply unlock.
Not sure why you would want to talk to Bixby, but for those who do, you can use it to shut down or restart your phone.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Restart the phone with your voice
We've already covered how shocking Samsung's decision to move the power button is when you start using the Note 10. The new setup is complicated by the fact that what should be the power button actually launches Bixby .
Luckily, you can set the power button to turn off your phone or launch another app (more on that in the next tip), then use Bixby to turn off or restart your phone.
Launch Bixby and use a variation of the "Restart my phone" or "Turn off my phone" command, then confirm your command when prompted.
Reprogram the side key to open any app
You're not limited to using the power button to sleep/wake your Note 10, open the camera, or trigger Bixby. You can reuse it to open any app you want.
Open the Settings app on your phone, then go to
Advanced features
>
side key
.
Once there, change the double-press command to
Open app
then select your favorite app.
Make the side key work for you, not the other way around.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Use multiple S Pens
Maybe you have a spare S Pen on your desk and want to use it so you don't have to remove the S Pen from your Note 10.
Go to
Settings
>
Advanced features
>
S-pen
and turn on
Use multiple S Pens
if you want the ability to draw on your Note 10 with another S Pen, even when your S Pen is still inside your phone.
Just below the feature's switch, you're warned that using the feature may cause your Note 10 battery to drain faster - so keep that in mind.
You can use multiple S Pens with your Note 10.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Record your screen and yourself
Screen recording is built into the Note 10 and offers some pretty neat features. You can use screen recordings to walk someone through troubleshooting their phone, show off a cool new feature, or even record yourself in playing Fortnite - with a video of your face as you enter.
Before using it for the first time, go to
Settings
>
Advanced features
>
Screenshots and Screen Recorder
>
Screen recorder settings
.
There are some pretty cool things you can do with screen recording on the Note 10.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Set if you want screen recordings to record audio only from your phone, use microphone and system audio or no audio at all. Additionally, you can set the video quality and if you Take a screen recording with a video of yourself using the front camera, you can adjust the side of the selfie overlay.
Once all of this is done, take a screen recording by swiping down from top and selecting
screen recorder
in the list of quick settings. I had to scroll a panel to the right to find it.
A toolbar will appear at the top of your screen, which you can use to trigger the drawing tool, activate the selfie function, or stop recording. Tap the Stop button when you're done recording.
Smart Select isn't new, but it's worth pointing out.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Take better screenshots
You can take screenshots of exactly what you want using the S Pen's Smart Select feature. When you remove the S Pen from the Note 10, a series of options will appear on your screen, tap on Smart Select.
Using the toolbar at the bottom of the screen, you can choose from a cropping tool that will use a square or a rectangle for your screenshot. Cloud is a freehand drawing tool that you can use for an irregularly shaped screenshot. The circle will use a circle and the GIF button will record a portion of your screen to create a screen recording that will be converted into an animated image.
Finally, the square thumbtack icon will take a screenshot and pin the image to your screen. This is especially useful if you need to reference something when filling out a form or writing an email. take and pin the screenshot, then delete it when you're done.
Do you have another hidden Note 10 feature that you can't live without? Leave us a comment below. If you're still undecided, be sure to
check out our full Note 10 Plus review
and see soft night mode camera comparison photos.
The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus are amazing
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Originally published last month.