Hot topics

Samsung One UI: The Best Hidden Features to Master your Galaxy Smartphone

NextPit Samsung Galaxy S23 Display
© nextpit

Read in other languages:

Do you own a Samsung smartphone and really want to master your Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 5, or Galaxy A54? Then take a look at this list of the best hidden functions and secret shortcuts in One UI 6.

In this list of One UI 6 tricks, I'll show you shortcuts via touch gestures, customization options for your home screen, secret settings in the photo gallery, or multitasking functions to become a true Samsung power user.

I'll also be bringing you a One UI 6 test soon and will update this article with new features. In the meantime, you can already see what the interface design of One UI 6 looks like.

Erase your fingers from scanned documents

The scanning function of Samsung's camera app has seen a number of improvements with the update to One UI 6. One of these is the ability to automatically delete unwanted objects from a scanned document.

By "unwanted object", Samsung means only your fingers, at least for now. It's a handy feature if you want to scan on the fly without taking the time to lay your sheet flat on a table, for example. To activate this function:

  1. Open your camera application's Settings.
  2. In the Intelligent features section, press Scan documents and text.
  3. Activate the Remove unwanted objects option.
Remove fingers from scanned documents.
For the time being, hands/fingers are the only unwanted objects this function is able to remove. / © nextpit

Combined with the automatic scan function, which is activated as soon as the Scene Optimizer recognizes a scannable document, this feature makes scanning much more intuitive.

But beware, if your fingers are too close to the text or other elements of your document, you'll end up with an unreadable mush of pixels. Sometimes, Samsung also has trouble recognizing a finger and doesn't erase it automatically. In any case, you can always use the object eraser in post-processing to manually "clean up" your scanned document.

Screenshots showing Samsung's camera app removing fingers from document scans.
This function doesn't work every time and sometimes creates large artifacts on your scanned photos. / © nextpit

Take photos at lightning speed

Well, to be honest, unless you want to spam photos endlessly like a paparazzi, I don't really see the point of this feature. In the camera application, Samsung lets you reduce the amount of software processing performed each time you take a photo. To reduce the speed of photo post-processing:

  1. Open the photo application and tap on the Settings logo in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
  2. In the Intelligent features section, press Advanced intelligence options.
  3. Set Quality Optimization to Minimum
Screenshots showing how to use less processing on camera images
The more you reduce post-processing time, the more you risk losing image quality. / © nextpit

So, apparently, this doesn't affect the shutter speed, but the processing algorithms only. And this allows you to take several photos in quick succession. Of course, you lose out on quality, as the processing is not as advanced.

How can I copy and paste photos between two apps at once?

This function is supposed to make sharing photos and media faster and more intuitive. Basically, you no longer need to go through Android's sharing menu. From your gallery, you can select one or more photos with one finger and drag and drop them into another application like WhatsApp with another finger without releasing the other.

It's the famous two-finger drag&drop gesture inaugurated on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. To use it:

  1. Press and hold on one or more images in your gallery.
  2. Hold down the finger used to select images.
  3. With another finger, navigate the interface as you normally would, and open the other application (WhatsApp, Gmail, Notes, etc.)
  4. Drag and drop your selection with the first finger and release.

Note that this function also works in Samsung's web browser (only this one, for now). And you can also use it to crop images and use them as improvised stickers in your messages.

How to change the language of a single application

I'm French, I live in Berlin and I speak English and German daily. But there are still plenty of apps that I prefer to keep in French, out of habit and because it's good to see your language when you're an expat.

Whatever your reason, you can change the language of an app individually, without having to change the language of your entire Samsung smartphone interface.

To do so:

  1. Go to Settings, then Global Management.
  2. Click on App languages.
  3. Select the application of your choice and choose the desired language.
Screenshot One UI application language settings
It's more convenient than juggling several languages for the entire interface. / © NextPit

How to disable Samsung Pay and Samsung Wallet

If you'd prefer to use another payment and virtual card management solution, you can disable Samsung's native Samsung Pay and Samsung Wallet options.

  1. Open the Samsung Wallet application.
  2. Press the Menu in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
  3. Now, press the cog-shaped settings icon at the top right of the screen.
  4. Press Quick Access, then Access Point.
  5. Deactivate all the switches labeled Lock Screen, Home Screen and Screen Off.

You can also uninstall the application altogether, if you prefer a more radical and immediate solution.

Screenshot One UI settings Samsung Wallet
You can also simply delete the application. / © NextPit

How to automate your tasks with Routines

Routines is a digital productivity and well-being app. It lets you automate certain tasks on your smartphone. But you can also automate automation. Basically, you can create different scenarios that trigger different automations. And you can automate the transition from one scenario to another according to your usage.

It would take a whole article to explain it all to you (and I can do that if you'd like and let me know in the comments).

Basically, it's a two-step process. First, create one or more modes. Then add that mode(s) to one or more routines.

To create a mode:

  1. Go to Settings, click on Modes and Routines and select the Modes tab at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Choose one of the pre-set modes (sleep, cinema, driving, etc.) or create your own.
  3. Select the time slot during which the mode is to be active, as well as the days of the week.
  4. Choose the notification options for this mode.
  5. Choose the screen settings for this mode.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Screenshot
Modes and Routines are the equivalent of Concentration mode on iOS, and I find this feature very useful. / © NextPit

To create a routine:

  1. Go to Settings, then press Modes and Routines and select the Routines tab at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Press the"+" sign to add a mode.
  3. Press"If" to select the mode's trigger conditions.
  4. You can then either decide that the routine is activated when a specific mode is active, or choose your own activation conditions.
  5. Press"Then" to select the task to be automated with the routine.

How to rearrange the quick-share menu

The share menu is the window that appears when you try to share a file via your Samsung smartphone's quick share function. A number of applications are suggested for sharing. There are also suggestions of contacts to send the data to.

In One UI, you can reorganize this menu to display the applications and contacts of your choice first, and kick out the rest you don't use.

To do this:

  1. Go to Settings, then Advanced Functions.
  2. Now, deactivate the switch entitled Display contacts when sharing content.

Do this only if you don't want to have suggestions of contacts to whom you want to send the data you want to share. Otherwise, leave the switch on.

  1. Open your photo gallery or any other application where you can share files,
  2. Select a file and press the share icon,
  3. In the sharing window that has just appeared, scroll right through the list of applications at the bottom of the screen until you see the More button.
  4. Press the Plus button, then in the new window that has just opened, press the pencil icon,
  5. Modify the layout of applications to suit your preferences by dragging and dropping icons into the Favorites bar.
One UI screenshot Share menu settings
Simply drag and drop the applications of your choice into the Favorites bar (after a long press on the icon) ./ © NextPit

How to make notifications less intrusive

Tired of pop-up notifications polluting your screen? In One UI, you can make them less intrusive on the screen of your Samsung smartphone.

To do so:

  1. Go to Settings, then Notifications.
  2. Press Notification pop-up style.
  3. Choose the Brief option.

You can apply this setting to all your applications, or just those of your choice. And rest assured, you'll always have the option of expanding the notification for more detail if you wish.

One UI screenshot pop-up notification settings
You'll always be able to expand notifications to show more detail if you wish. / © NextPit

View the screen time of your Samsung smartphone

Screen time is an important metric in Android's digital wellness settings, and Samsung offers a version that's a bit more customizable than Google's native solution. My colleague Ben has written a comprehensive guide to show you how to check screen time on your Samsung smartphone. But here I offer you the condensed version:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.
  3. Tap on Digital Wellbeing.
  4. Under Your Goals, select Screen Time.
  5. There you'll see the cumulative screen time for the last few hours, days, and weeks.
Samsung Screen Time
Samsung hides the screen time display under a nest of menus. / © NextPit

If you want to keep an eye on your screen time, you can also activate a widget. It allows you to display statistics on your home screen, which will be regularly updated. Follow these steps to activate the widget:

  1. Long press on the home screen.
  2. Select Widget.
  3. In the selection, you will find a widget called Screen Time.
  4. Choose one of the designs and add the widget to your home screen.
Samsung Screen Time Widget
The Screen Time widget is particularly useful / © NextPit

Enable Find My Mobile feature if you lose your Samsung smartphone

Find My Mobile is a feature that could be a lifesaver if you've forgotten your unlock code for your Samsung smartphone or worse, misplaced the handset. Once again, my colleague Ben has dedicated a tutorial on how to activate Find My Mobile on your Samsung which I'll let you refer to for additional details.

On the Find My Mobile website, you can log in with your Samsung account and access the following functions:

  • Make the smartphone ring
  • Lock the smartphone
  • Track smartphone location
  • Erase smartphone data
  • Create a backup
  • Receive calls and SMS
  • Unlock the smartphone
  • Extend battery life
  • Manage parental control features

To activate these features:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Go to Biometrics & Security followed by Find My Mobile.
  3. Enable Remote unlocking, Last known location transmission, and even a tracking feature when the smartphone is turned off

And if you still can't get enough of dear Ben's guides, do take note that he also wrote a guide on unlocking your Samsung without a PIN or password.

Customize the Material You theme for One UI

This feature is specially reserved for One UI 4 & 5 users since it involves setting the dynamic Material You theme, which is available in Android 12. This feature allows you to adapt the interface color to the dominant color palette of your wallpaper.

On your compatible Samsung smartphone:

  1. Go to Settings and then select Wallpaper & Style.
  2. Tap on Color Palette and choose the palette of your choice.

You can also choose to apply this theme to application icons. But in 99% of the cases, only the icons of the native applications of Samsung and Google will be modified.

Samsung Galaxy Home Screen setup
Google's "Dynamic Theme" is called "Color Palette" in One UI. / © NextPit

Switch from Samsung Free to Google Discover on the home screen

The integration of the Google Discover news feed on the left pane of the home screen is now democratized on Android. There are some manufacturers who still put up a bit of resistance, Samsung included, as they offer their Samsung Free feed (formerly known as Samsung Daily) by default to its users.

Regardless of any debate about Google's dominance of the Android market, here's how to replace Samsung Free with Google Discover on your home screen:

  • From your home screen, perform a long press (not on the icons).
  • In the editor, swipe right.
  • Select Google Discover and return to the home screen (swipe up or home button) to confirm your choice.
Screenshots comparing Google Discover and Samsung Free
Are you more into Google Discover or Samsung Free? / © NextPit

Change the icon layout on your Samsung home screen

Well, it's far from being a hidden function but sometimes, going back to the basics can be just as useful. If you're a neat freak or want a more feng shui-friendly home screen, you can change the layout of the application icons, the size of the grid (4x5 / 4x6 / 5x5 / 5x6) of the home and application drawer, etc.

Just go to Settings and then Home screen or, as in the previous steps, long press on the home screen and then select Settings.

Galaxy Smartphone with a clean App Drawer
Marie Kondo probably has a Samsung smartphone. / © NextPit

Adding widgets to the lock screen in One UI

Like the home screen, the lock screen of your Samsung smartphone can be customized. In particular, you can add widgets that appear when you tap the clock on your always-on display or lock screen. You can't add just any widget though, as only a handful of apps are compatible. You can also change the vertical layout of the widgets, according to your preference, based on your priority.

To add widgets to the lock screen of your Samsung smartphone:

  1. Go to Settings and then Lock Screen.
  2. Tap Widgets and choose the widgets that you want to display.
  3. Arrange the vertical layout of the widgets in order of their priority.
  4. Lock your smartphone and, from the lock screen, tap the clock to display the widgets.
Screenshots showing different Samsung Widgets
The choice of widget types are rather limited in my opinion. / © NextPit

Hide or unhide an application in One UI

With One UI, you can "hide" applications on your Samsung smartphone. The app will no longer be visible from the home screen and app drawer. To hide an application on your Samsung smartphone:

  1. Long press the home screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. In the Home Screen Settings, select Hide apps.
  4. Choose the apps you want to hide and press OK.
Screenshots showing how to hide apps.
Hidden apps can still be found via the search tool / © NextPit

We might as well warn you that you just have to search for the name of the app to find it. And you can always "unmask" an application by following the same method and simply removing the concerned application from the list of hidden apps.

If you really want to hide an application, it is better to use the Secure Folder function. However, you will first need a Samsung account for that. This "secure folder" is hidden from the home screen and the application drawer and its access is protected by a password/biometric fingerprint.

To hide an application or file in Secure Folder:

  1. Swipe down to display the quick access menu.
  2. Tap the Secure Folder shortcut (or add it by editing the Quick Access menu).
  3. Return to the Home screen and select the Secure Folder icon.
  4. In the Secure Folder, tap the "+" sign to add an application/file.
Screenshots of Samsung Know
Secure Folder works with the Samsung Knox platform. / © NextPit

Use the Wireless Powershare feature of your Samsung smartphone

Wireless PowerShare is a feature in One UI that allows you to transform Galaxy smartphones into wireless chargers. It's simply the name that Samsung has coined its reverse wireless charging technology.

You can charge your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds or any Qi-certified device by placing it on the back of your Samsung smartphone. Just enable the Wireless Powershare feature from the Quick Access menu (if the icon is not listed as a shortcut, you will need to add it by editing the Quick Access menu).

Screenshots show how to activate Wireless PowerShare
Don't expect a very fast recharge time / © NextPit

Customize the Side Panel menu in One UI

Side Key is a feature of One UI that allows you to have a side shortcut pane hidden along the edges of your Samsung smartphone's screen. Double tap or long-press the translucent bar on the right edge of your screen and you're good to go, where you can add your favorite apps and even app pairs that will open in split screen directly.

Screenshots of Samsung's Side Panel setup
Samsung's Side Key menu is very handy if you use a lot of app pairs / © NextPit

Enable dual messenger to use two WhatsApp accounts

Messaging applications that are associated with the phone number normally accept only one line in the profile. The Dual Messenger function allows you to "clone" applications such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram, which in turn allows you to use, for example, the personal number and work number in the corresponding instance of the application.

To activate this function:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Select Advanced features followed by Dual messenger.
  3. Choose the corresponding messaging application.
Screenshots of Samsung's Dual Messenger setup
The Dual Messenger feature allows you to create two instances of WhatsApp at the same time on a Samsung smartphone, provided that you have dual SIM cards. / © NextPit

After a few seconds, the app list will display a second icon for the selected app, highlighted by an orange symbol for the secondary account. After that, you need to follow the registration procedures of the service as usual.

Disable (or reassign) the Bixby or power button

The Bixby virtual assistant is not exactly a hit with everyone. If you have a device with the dedicated Bixby button but don't want to use the assistant, you can set it up as a shortcut to other tools. But this also applies to owners of newer Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

The latter lacks a dedicated Bixby button, but the power button remains linked to the Samsung assistant by default. It has gotten to the point where Samsung has to provide a tutorial on how to turn off your smartphone because a long press on the power button, the universal gesture to turn on/off your phone, activates Bixby. Good for you, Samsung. Really, bravo!

To reassign the power button:

  1. Go to Settings followed by Advanced Features.
  2. Press Side Key.
  3. Under Press and hold, select Power off menu.
Explanation how to turn off your Samsung smartphone. Yes, really.
When you need a tutorial to explain how to turn off your smartphone, there is a serious problem indeed! / © NextPit

Share your Wi-Fi easily

Recent versions of Android already offer the ability to share your Wi-Fi network ID and password using QR codes. And Android 12 promises to integrate sharing with the "Nearby Share" feature, but if it doesn't make it to your smartphone, One UI offers a few shortcuts to send and receive access credentials.

To generate a Wi-Fi sharing QR code in Samsung One UI, Samsung offers several shortcuts from the Quick Access menu or Wi-Fi settings. In all cases, simply tap the QR code icon to view your code and share it. You can also press the "Scan QR Code" shortcut to scan someone else's code and access their Wi-Fi.

Screenshots explain how to share your Wi-Fi password through a QR code
The QR code makes it easy to share your Wi-Fi password / © NextPit

Open an application in split screen or floating windows

Samsung offers some alternatives to work with two applications simultaneously on your smartphone. The usefulness of this feature depends on the size of the screen and the capability of the handset, but you don't need a powerful Galaxy Z Fold 4 to experiment with multitasking.

To view two apps in a split-screen format:

  1. Swipe up and then hold from the home screen to display recent apps.
  2. Select the application of your choice, then press and hold the icon at the top of the window.
  3. In the pop-up window, choose Open in split screen view.
  4. Select the three horizontal dots icon in the center of both windows to create a pair of applications, which will open in split-screen by default each time via a dedicated shortcut.
Screenshots showing how to create app pairs.
You can also create pairs of applications to open in split screen by default / © NextPit

To display one or more applications in a floating window:

  • Swipe up and hold from the home screen to display recent apps.
  • Select the application of your choice, press and hold the icon at the top of the window.
  • In the pop-up window, choose Open in split screen view

You can also simply press and hold anywhere on the application window in step 2, it works just as well and you can then give step 3 a miss. You can move the window as you like and resize it to boot.

Screenshots showing Samsung's multitasking tool.
The multitasking tool allows you to share the screen between two applications. / © NextPit

Save a screenshot on your Samsung smartphone

One UI's full-screen capture capability is a well-known feature of the system, but some users don't know that Samsung also offers a tool to record videos from the smartphone screen.

Recording works fine in most apps and games, but it's not used, for example, to capture protected content. Basically, it does not allow you to record a Netflix stream or certain apps due to security restrictions. To record a screen video, open the Quick Dashboard and tap the corresponding icon.

From One UI 4, you also have the option to shoot yourself with the selfie camera while recording your screen. Just press the human-shaped icon (I don't have a more suitable description, sorry).

Screenshots: How to set up screen recorder.
Password, banking, and streaming apps usually prevent screen recording! / © NextPit

Enable gesture navigation

Gesture navigation within the user interface allows you to eliminate the smartphone's navigation bar, revealing more space to display apps. To enable gestures on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, simply open the Settings app and follow these steps:

  1. In Settings, go to Display.
  2. Select Navigation Bar.
  3. Select Swipe Gestures.
How to setup gesture navigation.
There are plenty of options to configure the navigation of your Galaxy Smartphone. / © NextPit

With this setting, the navigation bar—with the buttons to switch applications, start and go back—will disappear completely and you will have to use gestures to move around the system. The Gesture Tips option displays the horizontal line that serves as a reference to the area for performing navigation gestures.

Customize dark mode

A welcome addition to the One UI for smartphones and tablets is the Dark Mode option. For devices with an AMOLED display, this feature saves battery power without having to install alternative themes. Moreover, you can program the activation/deactivation of the dark mode.

  1. In Settings, go to Display.
  2. Select Dark Mode settings.
  3. Tap on Turn on as scheduled.
  4. Customize your preferred schedule.
Dark Mode Setup shown on screenshotsDark mode does contribute to visual comfort, as well as reduce power consumption on AMOLED displays. / © NextPit

In the Dark Mode Settings option, you can schedule the mode to be activated only at certain times of the day, whether the setting also applies to the smartphone's wallpaper, or whether the setting also activates the blue light filter, which promises better visual comfort.

Put some applications to sleep to preserve your battery life

I would strongly advise against enabling this option because Samsung kills background applications very aggressively. But if you really need a few extra percent of battery life to get through the day peacefully, then who am I to judge?

In One UI's battery utility, you have the option to limit the background operation of certain applications according to 3 levels that determine how aggressively Samsung will "kill" them or not:

  • Applications in standby.
  • Applications in deep sleep.
  • Applications that are never in standby.

To activate this function:

  1. In Settings, go to Battery and Device Maintenance.
  2. Tap Battery.
  3. Select Background usage limits.
  4. Enable the Put unused apps to sleep radio button.
  5. Choose your custom settings across 3 levels for specific apps.
Screenshots of power saving options
Suspend apps to reduce the volume of incoming notifications. / © NextPit

Reduce animations to increase the interface smoothness

As you probably already know, the development options in the Android operating system allow you to reduce the animations in the interface. This helps make smartphones perform faster, as the animations of closing, opening, and switching between applications are faster.

But many people don't know that with One UI, Samsung lets you speed up the system performance even more with a simple tweak. Just open the Settings app and follow these steps:

  1. In Settings, go to Advanced Features.
  2. Scroll down and select Remove Animations.
  3. Activate the Remove Animations radio button.
Screenshots of animations setup
The option eliminates some visual effects and gives the impression of faster system responses. / © NextPit

Note that this is an option that you have on almost all Android overlays, not just One UI. We also have a more detailed guide to make your Android smartphone faster by reducing animations.

How to rotate the screen on your Samsung smartphone

Yes, this trick may make some smartphone pros out there laugh. But hey, not everyone knows how to enable or disable the automatic screen rotation on a Samsung smartphone. Here are the steps to follow to activate the Rotate function that will allow you to rotate the screen of your device:

  1. Swipe down on the screen with two fingers to bring up the quick settings bar.
  2. Press the portrait icon to bring up the screen rotation.
  3. Alternatively, just tap Screen Rotation to avoid going into landscape mode when you rotate your smartphone.
Screen rotation setup explained on screenshots
Normally, screen rotation is already enabled in the quick settings (left). If it's not activated, you can hit the Button labeled "Portrait" (middle) to activate the feature (right). / © NextPit

How to unlock your Samsung smartphone without a PIN or password

There are few things more frustrating than forgetting your smartphone's unlock code. On your Samsung smartphone, you have several options to unlock your Samsung smartphone without a PIN or password. Here is a summary of our dedicated tutorial:

Option 1: Unlock a Samsung phone with Find my Mobile:

  1. Open Find My Mobile in your browser.
  2. Login with your login details or with your Google account.
  3. Select the registered device on the left menu.
  4. Tap on the Unlock option at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Confirm the action by selecting Unlock.
    1. The procedure will delete all current PINs, passwords, patterns, and biometric protections on the device.
  6. Re-enter your password and select Unlock.
One UI remote unlock
Remote unlocking removes all lock screen protections on the phone / © NextPit

Option 2: Reset the phone via a browser

  1. Go to the Google Find My Device service page.
  2. Sign in to your Google account.
  3. Select the device you want to delete.
  4. Select Erase data to delete all data from your smartphone, including the forgotten lock code.
Screenshots of phone reset via browser
You can also reset your phone via a browser. Your data will be lost though. / © NextPit

Option 3: Reset your smartphone without a browser

  1. Turn off your smartphone – Warning: All data will be lost!
  2. Press and hold both the Power and Volume keys to enter the reset mode.
  3. Navigate here with the volume rocker. With the power button, select an option.
  4. Choose the Recovery mode, then select Wipe data/factory reset and confirm again.
  5. As soon as the process is finished, your smartphone will restart and you can log in as usual with your Google account.
Screenshot of recovery mode on Galaxy S7 edge
You can also reset your smartphone using the keys. / © NextPit

How to use the keyboard of your Samsung Galaxy as a trackpad

Typing long text on your smartphone keyboard can quickly become a pain if you often have to reposition the cursor to make corrections. Fortunately, it is possible to use your smartphone keyboard as a trackpad to quickly place the cursor in the right place. My colleague Camila shows you how to use your Samsung Galaxy keyboard as a trackpad in her dedicated tutorial.

Ain't nobody got time for that? Follow these steps to take it on your smartphone:

  1. Open the Samsung keyboard.
  2. Long press on the space bar.
  3. Wait until the cursor control symbol appears on the screen.
  4. Move your finger on the keyboard to position the cursor at the desired editing point.
Screenshots showing how to use your Samsung keyboard as a trackpad
Turn your Samsung Galaxy S22 or Galaxy A53 or any other Samsung phone's keyboard into a trackpad in no time / © NextPit

How to customize the Always-On-Display on your Galaxy smartphone

The Always-On-Display is a pretty clever feature that allows you to access essential information like the time or some notifications without having to turn on the screen of your smartphone. One UI 4.0 allows you to really customize your lock screen to display a lot of things. I invite you to read my colleague Carsten's tutorial to learn in detail how to customize the Always-On-Display on your Galaxy smartphone.

No time? Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Go to the Galaxy Store and open Applications (via the navigation bar at the bottom).
  2. Go to the Themes section then hit Always On Display items.
  3. Select the AOD of your choice.
  4. Press Apply select Clock and Image and hit Done.
AoD themes in Samsung's Galaxy Store
In the Galaxy Store, you can download many different AoD styles. / © NextPit

How to create a note on your Galaxy S22 Ultra quickly

Among the many S Pen shortcuts on the S22 Ultra is one that allows you to create a note automatically as soon as you take the stylus out of its slot. I also wrote a tutorial showing how to create notes faster than your shadow on your Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Below are the steps to set up the feature of removing the S Pen to automatically create a note:

  1. Remove the S Pen from its slot.
  2. Go to the Air Command menu (if it does not appear automatically, tap the small transparent pen icon on the edge of the screen).
  3. At the bottom left of the Air Command menu, tap the cog-shaped Settings icon.
  4. In the S Pen Settings, go to the Removal section.
  5. Under Removal, tap When S Pen is removed.
  6. Select Create Note.
Screenshots: Configure the S Pen behaviour on your S22 Ultra
You can also choose to assign nothing at all to the removal of the S Pen, which I recommend if you use the stylus frequently for various things. / © NextPit

How to connect your Galaxy smartphone to your smart TV

If you want to mirror your Galaxy smartphone or tablet to a Samsung smart TV, you will need to use the Smart View feature. This feature allows you to broadcast the content of your smartphone screen to your smart TV. My colleague Rubens has written a tutorial showing you how to connect your Galaxy smartphone to your smart TV. Here is a summary of the steps:

  1. Open the Quick Settings menu (by swiping down from the top of the screen).
  2. Press the Smart View button.
  3. Wait for the screens to be detected and click on the device of your choice.
  4. Some TVs may require a pairing menu to open—see the manual for instructions.
  5. Confirm the screen broadcast by pressing Start Now.
Activating Samsung Smart View on a Galaxy Phone
This is how you activate Samsung Smart View on your Galaxy smartphone. / © NextPit

Hide or block your phone number on your Galaxy phone

A rather hidden setting on the Phone app can let you hide your phone number when calling. To disable showing your number on other people's Caller ID, follow Casi's instructions:

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Tap the 3-dot icon () in the upper-right corner and select Settings.
  3. Tap Supplementary services.
  4. Hit Call barring, then select Hide number.
Supress Caller ID
Hide phone number / © NextPit

Remove a Samsung account from your Galaxy phone

If you have added a Samsung account by accident, or created a new login and want to remove the previous one, you can follow these instructions to remove it from your Galaxy smartphone. Read this article to learn how to delete your account permanently, something that must be done on the web browser.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap on the top tile to access the Samsung account page.
  3. Scroll down and tap Sign out.
  4. Confirm your choice.
How to delete Samsung account
How to remove your Samsung account / © NextPit

How to create stacked widgets

This function allows you to stack several widgets in a single location, as on the iPhone. This can be very handy to help you customize your home screen without putting a billion application shortcuts and widgets. Here's how it works:

  1. Add a widget (long press on the home screen > Widgets).
  2. Long press on an existing widget.
  3. In the Smart Suggestions window that just appeared, tap Create Stack.
  4. Choose the widget you want to stack and press Add.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Screenshot
Stacked widgets are a great addition to One UI 5 to customize your home screen / © NextPit

Once the stack is created, you can long press on it to edit it and add or remove widgets to the stack.

Swipe to switch to split screen

Split screen mode allows you to use two applications at the same time. One UI has a gesture to quickly activate this feature. Activate this gesture by following these steps:

  1. Go to Settings and then to Advanced Features.
  2. Go to Labs.
  3. Activate the switch labeled Swipe for split screen.
  4. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen with two fingers.

Swipe to open an app in windowed mode

This is another simple but convenient gesture that makes your life easier every day. Just follow these steps to activate it:

  1. Go to Settings and then to Advanced Features.
  2. Go to Labs.
  3. Activate the switch labeled Swipe for contextual display.
  4. Swipe diagonally from the top left or right corner of your screen, then release.

How to edit a photo in the Gallery

Samsung has improved the photo editing options and the feature that allows you to remaster a photo is quite effective. Here are the steps to follow to correct your photos:

  1. Go to the Gallery and select a photo.
  2. Press the 3-dot menu icon at the bottom right of the screen.
  3. Press Remaster Photo.

You will then have a slider that you can drag from left to right to compare the result before and after remastering. You can restore the original by following the same procedure above. The option "restore original" will appear instead of "remaster photo".

How to erase objects in your photos

Like Apple and Google, Samsung has created its magic eraser function to delete objects in your photos. Here's how to use it:

  1. Go to the Gallery and select a photo.
  2. Press the pencil-shaped edit button at the bottom left.
  3. Press the 3-dot menu icon at the bottom right of the screen.
  4. Select Object Eraser.
  5. Select the area(s) of your photo you wish to erase.
  6. Press the Erase button.

You can either save the photo as a copy, to keep the original. But in any case, you will always be able to restore the original using the same process described above.

This guide highlights useful features in One UI, Samsung's Android skin. What are your thoughts on the article and the shared tips? Did you find them helpful? Share any other useful or hidden features missing from the article in the comments!


Article updated in December 2023 with additional tricks available in One UI 6.

 The best smartphones under $400

  Editorial tip Price tip 3rd place 4th place 5th place
Product
Image Google Pixel 6a Product Image Apple iPhone SE (2022) Product Image Samsung Galaxy A53 Product Image OnePlus Nord N20 Product Image Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) Product Image
Review
Review: Google Pixel 6a
Review: Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Review: Samsung Galaxy A53
Not yet tested
Not yet tested
Price (MSRP)
  • $449.00
  • $429.00
  • $449.99
  • $299.00
  • $399.00
Offer*
nextpit receives a commission for purchases made via the marked links. This has no influence on the editorial content and there are no costs for you. You can find out more about how we make money on our transparency page.
Go to comment (1)
Antoine Engels

Antoine Engels
Senior Editor

Black belt in specs sheet analysis. OnePlus fanboy in (slow) remission. Average estimated reading time of my articles: 48 minutes. Tech deals fact-checker in my spare time. Hates talking about himself in the 3rd person. Dreams he was a gaming journalist in another life. Doesn't get the concept of irony. Head of editorial for NextPit France.

View all articles
Liked this article? Share now!
Recommended articles
Latest articles
Push notification Next article
1 Comment
Write new comment:
All changes will be saved. No drafts are saved when editing
Write new comment:
All changes will be saved. No drafts are saved when editing

  • 9
    Fullmetal Jun Apr 23, 2019 Link to comment

    I must admit that Samsung really got a trump card with the One ui. The ui feels more modern & usable than other ui like stock Android or any other.
    It feels going backwards when using other phones

    Elfyn