Top 10 Things to Do With a New Samsung Galaxy Phone

If you've got a new Samsung Galaxy phone, but aren't quite familiar with all the things it can do yet, here's a list of the top 10 things you can try with your new device.

Here are the top 10 things you can do as soon as you buy a brand new Samsung Galaxy phone, which will ensure you a pleasant experience with your purchase.

1. Disable ads

The first thing you do when you get a new phone is to put the SIM card in it, of course. However, the process of the initial settings is also important, and if you forget to check certain functions, you may not have the best version of your mobile.

For example, Samsung is known for sending advertisements or promotions through notifications on certain models of its phones. Experts say that you can deactivate this in the initial process of setting up the phone, but you must be careful when the window appears and do not check "Accept" to everything that is proposed to you without reading, as we sometimes do for convenience . While some require your approval, others are optional, and you need to be careful about those. Thus, select only what is strictly necessary to continue and only then click at the bottom of the page for "I have read and accept the conditions", as in the image below.

End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy are absolutely essential and you will not be able to use the device without checking them. However, Sending of Diagnostic Data, Information Linking, and Receipt of Marketing Info are optional, and we encourage you to clear these checkboxes, especially the last one.

In general, users tend to select the "Agree with all of the above" option, but they should not do so. Some cheaper Samsung phones also come with a Lock Screen Stories option that displays unwanted content (ads) on the lock screen. Disable it if you see the option during setup. If you see any other option that has "Allow recommendations" ... in it, it's best to uncheck it.

Another thing to watch out for is not to install all the apps that Samsung recommends if you don't need them. Samsung will try to get you to install many partner applications.

2. Move the contents of the old phone to the new one

Samsung offers an option to transfer data from old phones to new ones. It's called "Smart Switch" and appears while you are setting up your new mobile phone. Thus, you can transfer all the data: applications, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Also, if you've had an iPhone running iOS in the past, don't worry! The transfer can be just as easy, just follow the steps that your phone shows you. However, this only works if your phone is new to the market and has this feature.

3. Customize your screen

One positive aspect of the Android system is that it cares a lot about personalization. On Samsung phones, you can also get specially designed applications that change the application interface, for example. You can opt for colorful or various shapes if you are bored with the usual logos.

In addition to these additional applications, Samsung also gives you the ability to customize your screen. You can change the main picture, add "widgets", create folders, move applications and sort them as you wish.

4. Create a secure folder

Samsung phones allow you to create a secure folder for extra security when it comes to sensitive data that you don't want anyone to have access to. If you choose to activate the option, a new folder will appear on the screen, but it will be protected by a pin code or a "pattern", but other than the one with which you can unlock the phone (such as a screen drawing or fingerprint finger).

In the protected folder you can add anything from images to bank information. With a password in it, the folder offers more protection. The function can be activated from Settings> Biometrics and Security> Secure Folder. However, the feature appears on the newer Samsung phones and which have a more "peppery" price.

5. You can change the function of the on / off button

At the factory, the button on the edge of the Samsung phone is designed to open or close the screen by pressing it. This cannot be changed, but an additional function can be added to the button if you hold it down longer. To do this go to Settings> Advanced Features> Side Key. From here, you can select from the list which function you want to appear when you press and hold the button, or when you press it twice in a row. Basically, it becomes a shortcut for opening applications. If you choose to do so, you can press the button twice and your camera will open, for example.

6. Set the "ALWAYS ON DISPLAY" option

When left untouched, the phone screen may turn off to save power. If this bothers you, and you're used to using your phone for long periods of time, you can turn on the "Always on display" option, which does exactly what its name says: the screen is always on, without closing.

This option is valid when the phone screen is theoretically closed. If you turn on the option, the phone will show recent notifications or the clock, for example, even if you are not currently using it.

The option can be activated from Settings> Lock Screen> Always on Display. From here you can choose whether to display the above only for 10 seconds after the screen becomes idle or all the time. You can also choose which information your phone should show.

7. Clone Applications: How to use an application on two accounts at the same time

Samsung has created a new feature that can be used on its phones. You can create an application clone and use both in parallel if you have a phone with two SIM cards. For the WhatsApp application, for example, you can use two separate accounts, with the two different numbers you have. Or two versions of Facebook Messenger.

You need to go to Settings> Advanced Features> Dual Messenger. There you will find a list of applications that can be "cloned". Choose the application you want and click "install". The secondary application (cloned) will have a distinctive orange mark, to differentiate the two. If you no longer want the secondary application, you can deactivate it from the same menu presented above.

8. How to do multitasking

The "Edge Panel" feature has been introduced on Samsung phones for those who want to enjoy several applications at the same time. The "tool" is a translucent bar that can be found at the edge of the screen. Clicking on it will give you several options, such as how to take screenshots in several ways or how to get to a desired function faster.

The feature also allows you to use two or more apps at once by splitting the screen so that you have access to all of them at the same time.

To activate and use Edge Panel, go to Settings> Display> Edge Screen and activate the button next to Edge Panels. You can now tap the small part of the screen on the edge to activate the Edge Panel on top of any application you are on. From here, you can also customize the Edge Panel to include all the features and options that are important to you. Please note that Edge Panel is only available on certain Samsung phones and not on all devices.

9. Extend battery life using power saving modes

Most smartphones today come with a good battery life and last all day long, if not longer. However, you may experience some situations in which you want to extend the battery life of your Samsung Galaxy phone even further.

If you know that you will be away from the charger for a long time, you may want to save a little battery for emergencies. This is where the different ways of saving energy on everyone's phone come into play.

Samsung phones come with three different battery modes - Normal, Medium Saver and Maximum Saver. Depending on the situation, you can switch between these modes.

Normal mode is for when you want your phone to work best with all available features. Make the best use of all resources and allow the fastest performance. In essence, this is the Energy Saver mode off. For regular use, this is how your phone should be activated at all times.

Mid Power Saving mode is for when you want to extend the battery life a bit without affecting the basic functionality of your phone. This mode will still allow you to use all applications and networks, but will limit the use of the background, reduce the refresh rate and screen resolution, limit the brightness of the display, and turn off the permanent display to extend battery life. Use this mode when you know you're only a few hours away from the charger, so you want your phone to last just a little longer.

Maximum power saving mode is the ultimate saving tool when you urgently need battery life. This mode essentially disables all the functions of your phone that are not absolutely necessary and limits it to a set of 8 applications to choose from.

You can configure applications such as dialer, messaging, browser, etc. and these will be the only applications you'll be able to use when you're in maximum power saving mode. Things like internet connection and Bluetooth will also be limited, and the wallpaper will be changed to a black background.

If you want to extend your battery life by a large margin and want your phone to stay alive for basic features such as making and receiving calls, use this mode.

To access the various power saving modes, go to Settings> Device Management> Battery and select the desired mode.

10. Customize every look with Good Lock!

I kept what was best for the last one! Good Lock is an application that can be downloaded through the Galaxy App Store. You can customize every aspect of your Samsung Galaxy phone with Good Lock.

From the notification center to recent apps, from the lock screen to the navigation bar, the app has it all. First, go to the Galaxy App Store and download Good Lock on your Samsung phone. Then open the app to find all the customization modules that serve different purposes.

There's NotiStar for notifications, LockStar for lock screen, Multistar for multiple windows and multitasking, NavStar for navigation keys, and lots of other customization options that you can use to completely change the way your phone looks!

If you have a foldable Samsung device and are struggling with the odd aspect ratio in some apps, Good Lock even has a module to change the aspect ratios per app to fit the screen. The possibilities are endless with Good Lock, informs XDA Developers.

We encourage you to install the application and spend a good amount of time going through all the changes you can make. Customize your device to make it your own and follow all the simple tricks to get the best results from your device.