Samsung Galaxy S8 tips and tricks: 22 ways to become a smartphone pro
The
Samsung Galaxy S8
- with the
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
– is arguably the most anticipated Android phone of the year, so when your pre-order finally arrives at your doorstep, you'll want to get on it right away.
We're not just talking about its headline features like its large 5.8-inch edge-to-edge display or its brilliant 12MP camera. The S8 packs a treasure trove of impressive features, some of which got a little less shout-out than others. .
Yes, the phone's octa-core chipset packs a lot of grunt and it's packed with innovative new biometric security features, but it scratches beneath the surface, and there's a whole host of other Samsung Galaxy S8 features just waiting to come. to be explored.
These are the features that will make you feel like a tech wizard, the ones that will turn you from smartphone user to handset master. These are the 22 Galaxy S8 tips and tricks you need to know.
Read our in-depth reviews:
Samsung Galaxy S8
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Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
1. Access the Notifications tab using your fingerprint reader
Its overall footprint might not be huge, but the Samsung Galaxy S8 packs a lot of screen, so much so that you might struggle to comfortably reach the top of the screen while holding the phone in one hand. That doesn't mean the Notifications drop-down tab should be out of reach, though.
Instead, you can enable gesture controls on the rear-mounted fingerprint reader. This will allow you to pull down the Notifications window simply by swiping the biometric sensor down, and without needing to contort your hand to the edges of the screen.
To enable it, you need to go to Settings > Advanced features > Finger sensor gestures and toggle this switch to the on position.
2. Customize your Edge panel
The curved edges of the Samsung Galaxy S8's stunning Super AMOLED display are so much more than pure eye candy. They hold secret access to a host of hidden features and functions, plus shortcuts to all your favorite apps and apps. favorite contacts.
To access it, pull from the tab on the right edge of the screen. This will bring up shortcuts to your most used apps. Swipe again and you'll see your favorite contacts, while swiping once more features Smart selection buttons allow you to capture a range of screen capture options.
On any of these windows, tapping the settings cog at the bottom of the screen allows you to change and customize the type and amount of content presented to you.
There are over a dozen pre-installed Edge panels to choose from, ranging from weather and live sports score panels to ones that offer instant calendar checks and even access to the phone's compass and torch. those looking for something more, additional panels can be downloaded.
3. Enjoy split-screen multitasking
Thanks to that Infinity Display, you have plenty of screen real estate to play with on the Samsung Galaxy S8, so might as well make the most of it, right? One way to do that is to use the Split-screen multitasking, allowing you to run two apps side-by-side.
Some apps won't work fully in split-screen mode - your games will have looked better - but if you want to enjoy browsing Facebook while keeping an eye on your emails, or checking a recipe while looking for ingredients in line you can , and with minimal fuss.
To open split-screen apps, you must first tap the "Recents" button on the softkeys at the bottom of the screen. Now tap the multitasking tab of your already open apps (it's the one that looks like two rectangles on top of each other) to open them in a compressed half-screen view. Once opened, you can drag to resize or return to a full-screen view.
4. Make Screen Unlocking Fun
If having your phone read your irises in order to authenticate your use and automatically unlock it didn't make you feel like Iron Man enough, this fun S8 feature sure will. You can add a range of scanner previews iris to your screen and replace those dull eye alignment circles with some more entertaining graphics.
To access it, you need to go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Iris scanner > Preview screen mask. Here you will be able to choose whether you want to adorn your eyes with a cute bunny face or a helmet driver, owl head, or sci-fi HUD glasses inspired by Iron Man.
We know what we'd choose, and it's not a pretty woodland creature.
5. Use the Google Assistant
Just because Samsung's Bixby AI is still MIA doesn't mean you have to do without Siri-rivaling voice control skills. Thanks to its Android Nougat innards, the Samsung Galaxy S8 runs the Google Assistant right from the box.
Allowing you to perform tasks, access certain features, and perform online searches, all with nothing more than the power of your voice, Google Assistant can be accessed with a long press of the home button. the phone's programmable key.
You'll need to set up the assistant before first use, adapting it to your voice, but once that's settled, you can remove any "OK, Google" prefixed questions and commands you might want.
6. Use Smart Lock for easier access
Fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, facial recognition capabilities. Samsung Galaxy S8 is packed full of biometric security measures. There is also the option of traditional unlocking methods by PIN, pattern or password. And if the phone was smart enough to automatically unlock when it detected it was safe to do so?
That's where the S8's Smart Lock feature comes in, which lets you set the phone to automatically unlock in certain situations, like at home or on your body.
To enable it, you need to go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Smart Lock. Here you will be able to select the criteria for the phone to unlock, such as when it is near your
Samsung Gear S3
smartwatch or in your car.
7. Familiarize yourself with Pro camera features
The Samsung Galaxy S8's 12MP rear camera is awesome. Its large f/1.7 aperture, phase-detection autofocus, and image-stabilized optical sensor are all perfectly suited for capturing stunning photos in auto shooting mode.
The camera skills are more in-depth, however, and allow you to tweak and tailor all settings to your individual shooting needs in Pro mode.
In the Camera app, swiping from the left side of the screen brings up a number of shooting options, including Panorama, Slow Motion, and Hyperlapse modes. Clicking on the "Pro" option, however, you will have full control over the phone's built-in snapper.
Here you can change everything from the camera's ISO value and shutter speed to the focal point and white balance. You can also adjust the camera's exposure levels at the shot. specific lens, ensuring you get balanced and impactful shots, whatever the conditions.
8. Make the screen one-handed friendly
All that screen real estate is great from a visual standpoint. However, it can get a bit heavy and difficult to manage with one hand. one-handed mode.
Allowing you to make on-screen content more compact, users can activate one-handed mode by swiping up diagonally from either bottom corner of the phone or by quickly pressing the button three times quickly. 'homepage.
However, for any of these options to work, you must first enable the feature. You can do this by tapping Settings > Advanced features > One-handed mode.
9. Turn your phone into a lifesaver
The Samsung Galaxy S8 isn't just a handset that all your friends will be coveting as soon as you pull it out of your pocket, it's also a device that could end up saving your life. For that to be the case, however, you need to activate the SOS Messages function.
To activate it, you must go to Settings > Advanced features > Send SOS messages, and toggle this switch to the on position.
Once you've set up your emergency contact, press the phone's power button three times at any time to automatically send a message to your SOS contact, alerting them to an incident and requesting assistance.
You can also enhance the message beyond a standard alert and location link. You can also choose to attach images automatically captured by the phone's front and back cameras, or a 5-second audio recording.
10. Rearrange your softkeys
Android's softkey controls are a very subjective thing. Some love them, some hate them, and while many will say the back key should be to the left of the three-key layout, others will say its real home is right things. Well, luckily, with the Galaxy S8, you can make your own choices.
Whichever configuration you prefer, be it "Recents - Home - Back" or "Back - Home - Recents", you can customize the phone layout to suit your needs, just go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Button layout, and make your choice.
In addition to tweaking the layout, you can also customize the sensitivity of your phone's controls and even give your programmable keys a new background color for a more standout, fully personalized look. Someone for the Keys roses ?
11. Use Bixby AI Assistant
Bixby - this phone's artificially intelligent assistant - is more than just a voice-activated bot butler. It responds to touch, text, and voice - essentially making it the brain of your phone that helps you make better use of its functions.
Want to find something you saw in a picture? Tap and highlight it, then ask Bixby to search the web for it.
Need to set up a meeting? Just tell Bixby by holding down the hardware button on the left side of the phone and it'll line up everything in your calendar ready.
It will even alert you based on location, reminding you to water plants when you get home, for example, or alert you when a relevant store is nearby.
12. Use Samsung Health to visit a doctor
Samsung Health might seem like a simple app that helps you monitor your health, track your steps in a day, and even lets you keep track of all the calories you put in your face. But - for those who live in the United States - this will also help you find medical help.
Agreed, it won't scare you away if you collapse or whatever. It won't even call an ambulance for your fleshy little human form.
What it can do is remind you that you need to see a doctor before things get worse. The US market can take full advantage of this with deep integration of WedMD and Amwell.
That means finding pharmacies, scheduling a doctor's visit online, or booking an appointment in real life.
13. Disable annoying in-app notifications
Notifications are annoying you but you still want the app to work normally? With the Galaxy S8, you can turn off notifications on an app-by-app basis.
This not only applies to stopping notifications, but also muting them, so if you want to take a break from that WhatsApp group, without opening the app, or just need Facebook to stop harass you for an hour, they can be easily silenced.
If you head to settings, you can make the adjustments by tapping on Notifications, where you can find the offending app and take appropriate action (you can also get the same by long-pressing on the notification itself).
It's a nice middle ground between going crazy and deleting the app altogether. Who knows, you might find the silence refreshing rather than horrifying - a good way to end social media addiction without going cold turkey then .
14. Turn your S8 into a desktop computer with DeX
There's a whole lot of power in the Samsung Galaxy S8, the phone now more powerful than many computers of just a few years ago.
To that end, Samsung has created DeX, a small puck-shaped object that turns your phone into a PC-like experience with just a click.
Dex is a docking station that has USB ports for keyboards, mice, and thumb drives. It's also, of course, output to a display (which is pretty crucial for the big-screen experience on the desktop).
This means you can use your phone as a full-fledged computer. The operating system itself is similar to Chrome OS with apps in resizable windows, and you can type like on your PC, copy and paste, do right-click and more for easy navigation and controls.
Both Microsoft and Samsung apps are optimized for DeX, which means you don't really have to compromise when working directly on your phone rather than your PC. It's not cheap though, as you'll have to pay $150 (£100, AU$190) for your DeX.
15. Make the most of always-on display
You've probably taken advantage of this always-on display to get a glimpse of the time without touching any buttons. But there's a lot more you can do beyond just accessing the time.
At the most basic level, you can get weather, calendar data, and even an option to add your own image to watch with love... but you can do more. Additional themes for always-on display can be downloaded at from the Samsung Apps portal and activated as needed.
Go to settings, then display and wallpaper, then always-on display to turn the feature on and off, or go to settings, then themes, to find new options to further customize the experience.
16. Hide Anything in Secure Folder
Even if you're not a secret agent with sensitive information dumped on your smartphone, you may still have some items that you prefer to keep personal.
Being discreet, Samsung has created a Secure Folder that lets you do just that.
This portal lets you hide pictures, files, and apps from anyone who might be using your unlocked phone. It's Samsung Knox-level security, which means that even if that person has your phone unlocked, then she will need a password, PIN, fingerprint or iris scan to access hidden folders.
To launch Secure Folder on your S8, you will need to go to the Samsung Galaxy Store to install the Secure Folder app. Then sign in using your Samsung account details, add password, PIN, fingerprint finger or iris scan and you are ready to use the new Secure Folder.
17. Record a Proof of Time Video
You've already splashed the fancy phone, you've probably got plenty of storage on there, so why keep recording basic Full HD video? The Galaxy S8 can handle 4K UHD video recording, so you can as well use enhanced sharpness.
If you haven't enabled it, you'll need to head into the camera app and tap the right items to coax sharper images from the handset while you record - yes, it will take up more space, but if you If you have a decent microSD card, it's worth upgrading, so when you watch the videos again in 2025 things won't look so gross.
Go into the camera and tap the cog icon to access the settings. Then under Rear camera tap Video size and you can change. Standard settings puts you at 1080P at 30fps , but if you select UHD you'll get 4K recording. Or if you want really smooth video for action, the 60fps 1080p option might be useful - it's not as clear, but it's really easy to watch.
18. Create GIFs using videos
What if it was as easy to make a GIF as to record a video? This is what Samsung offers with its Smart Select mode which makes it easy to create content suitable for social networks.
This smart video to GIF converter isn't just for videos you create though, as you can grab movies from just about anywhere you want, including YouTube.
Swipe the edge of the screen to activate Smart Select, then choose “Animation.” Make a frame around the video you want to capture by moving to the edges of its corners.
Then select Record while the video is playing at the desired part. The smart tool will capture whatever is playing in that framed area and convert it to a GIF. It will even display, while recording, the size and time of the file so you know what you are doing.
The file is saved to your phone, making it super easy to share your wonders with the world.
19. Save a load of battery
Samsung has given us one of the clearest screens ever put in a smartphone, but if you fancy crank it up it will eat away at your battery.
As such, Sammy has placed several power modes that allow you to change the device depending on what you are doing, thus saving battery life.
Three modes are available: Game, Entertainment and High Performance. While High Performance will max out everything for maximum resolution and brightness, Game and Entertainment tunes the processor power to give you exactly what you need for what you're doing.
Just head to the Device maintenance section of the settings, and you'll see an option for performance mode where you can change that.
After that you have two power saving modes (available in Battery, in Settings) called “Medium” and “Max”.Mid will slow down your device and stop background syncing, and is good if you fear not to spend the day.
Max dials just about ANYTHING, and is best for emergencies when you know you'll have to make a call in an hour and you're looking scary at 3% battery remaining.
20. Save even more battery by sending apps to sleep
Send an app to sleep and it will stop running in the background, which means no push notifications and constant updates will chew up your power. This will save you battery life.
So if you have an app you're not using, just tap and hold the icon until a settings menu opens where you can select Sleep. You've just extended the time your battery life - the Galaxy S8 will also constantly monitor your apps to do the same for you.
21. Disable Screenshot Notifications
Do you love taking tons of screenshots throughout your day, but are you tired of notifications telling you that you've taken another screenshot? Well, luckily, there's a way to shut them down for good.
All you have to do is take any screenshot, and just or long press the notification that pops up, and it will bring up the notification settings for screenshots, and you can quickly turn it off from there. Because after the hundredth screenshot, do you really need your phone to tell you that you took another screenshot?
22. Delete unused apps in bulk
We've all been there, installing dozens of apps when we buy a new phone, just because we can. Unfortunately, many of these apps end up no longer being used, taking up valuable storage space. The problem is that going through and uninstalling every app you don't use is a laborious and tedious exercise. But what if we told you there's a better way?
If you want to get rid of all the unused apps quickly, go to your settings, then Device maintenance, then Storage, then Apps. From there you can just select all the apps you want to uninstall and get rid of it. Now you have room to start all over again.
This article has been brought to you in association with Vodafone
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