There is more that your phone can do than you maybe realise. We share some of the tips and tricks you can do with your Samsung phone, as well as some fixes for common problems.

Contents

These are the topics covered in the guide. Read on or select a topic you'd like to discover more about:

Samsung Tips and Tricks

• Using Two Apps at Once
• Simplified Home Screen
• Smart Alarm
• Take Photos With Your Headset
• Smart Select
• Hide Files in a Secure Folder

Common Problems With Samsung Phones and How to Fix Them

• • Broken Screen
  • Poor Battery Life
  • Broken Buttons

Samsung Tips and Tricks

Samsung phones are full of incredible tips and tricks that aren’t available in many other devices. Some of these are hidden features that you may not be aware of. To experience your Samsung Galaxy phone at its full potential, we share some of the amazing features the device can offer.

Using Two Apps at Once

While many modern smartphones now allow for you to split your screen between two apps, this is often limited so that you can only actively use one of the apps at a time.

By enabling the “Multi Window” feature on your Samsung Galaxy device, you can run two apps at the same time. For example, you can watch a YouTube video while browsing the internet.

Some apps will not be able to be used in Multi Window mode, such as most games and Instagram.

How to Enable Multi Window

- Go to Settings > Display and tick the “Multi Window” checkbox.

- To launch, long press on the back button of your smartphone. The application launcher will appear at the side of the screen. The apps that are supported by Multi Window will appear.

Simplified Home Screen

If you are an inexperienced smartphone user and would like your device to be easier to use, then the home screen can be modified to be more simplistic.

Instead of a standard home screen, a simplified interface will be displayed that gives quick and easy access to chosen features and settings.

You can choose up to three contacts to have a speed dial shortcut for, so you only need to press the button on the home screen to call a family member or close friend.

There will also be larger icons for the most commonly used apps and adjusted settings. For example, settings for font size, volume and brightness can appear on the home screen so that they are easily accessible if you want to adjust them without having to navigate the settings menu.

How to Enable Easy Mode

To use your phone in a simplified and more accessible manner, you need to switch it to Easy Mode.

To do this, go to Settings > Home Screen Mode, select “Easy mode” and click “Apply”.

Smart Alarm

For many people, their phone doubles as an alarm clock. Samsung phones try to make the waking up function a little more pleasant by offering their ‘smart alarm’ function.

When enabled, the feature starts your alarm 3 minutes before the time it is set for, playing relaxing music at a steadily increasing volume, with the intention of waking you up gradually. As well as the sound, the screen also lights up gradually.

It allows you to wake up more naturally, and may help you to feel a little happier in the morning!

How to Enable Smart Alarm

When setting your alarm, click on “more”, scroll down and enable the “smart alarm” feature. Here you will also be able to adjust the settings for your smart alarm, such as how long it will try to gradually wake you and the sound that is used.

Take Photos With Your Headset

A useful feature for those who like taking photos or recording video, the Samsung supports using a headset to zoom and take photos.

Instead of using the screen or volume buttons to zoom in or out of an image, the volume or skip button on your headphones can do the same thing on Samsung phones. The button can also take a picture or start recording a video.

This means you can use the camera without touching the phone, which can be useful if you are trying to record a video or take a photo while keeping the phone steady.

Photos can also be taken remotely using a voice command function. This feature can be easily set up in your camera settings.

Smart Select

Smart Select is a feature on Samsung Galaxy devices that allows you to easily clip and collect content you see online or on apps that you want to send to your friends or share on social media.

The feature also allows you to create GIFs from videos very easily, so you can post exactly the right reaction GIF to a message or comment on social media!

Smart Select is an app that can be used on Galaxy phones that were released in 2017 or later.

How to Create a GIF on a Samsung Phone

- Open YouTube and select a video you want to make a GIF from.

- On a Galaxy phone, swipe right. On a Note device, remove the S Pen. The Air Command Menu should appear on the screen to the right.

- Select ‘GIF Animation’.

- Arrange the frame box where you want it, start playing the video and tap ‘Record’ to capture your chosen clip.

- Click ‘Stop’ when you’re done. The GIF should appear in your gallery. It can then be shared like a photo.

Hide Files in a Secure Folder

Samsung Galaxy devices have a Secure Folder app which can be used to hide apps and files behind a password, PIN or fingerprint. The folder acts like a safe, hiding away documents or apps that you don’t want other people accessing, like banking details or images.

You can even use the camera app within the Secure Folder, and images taken this way will remain in the Secure Folder and not show up in your regular gallery. Likewise, you can set up appointments in the calendar app in the Secure Folder that won’t show up on the calendar app you access on your home screen!

How to Set Up the Secure Folder

- To set up the secure folder, launch the Secure Folder app.

- Follow the instructions on the screen to set up your security lock.

- Use the ‘Add apps’ and ‘Add files’ buttons to place the files you want hidden into the Secure Folder.

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Common Problems With Samsung Phones and How to Fix Them

As with all devices, we can sometimes run into issues or cause damage to our phones that can reduce its functionality. We take a look at some of the most common problems and how you can get them fixed.

Broken Screen

Screen damage is a big issue for all phones. It is all too easy to drop or knock your phone and cause the screen to crack or shatter.

Prevention

To prevent damage happening to your phone, it is recommended that you use a screen protector and phone case. These items can reduce damage to your phone and keep the screen intact, even if you do drop your phone.

Each device is a slightly different shape and size, so make sure you are buying a screen protector and phone case that are designed to fit the specific model of phone that you have.

Repairs

Broken screens aren’t something most people will be able to fix at home. If you have broken your Samsung phone screen, you will need to take the device to a repair shop for a professional to fix.

You should check the warranty your phone has, or if you have insurance, see if this covers cracked screens, as you may be able to get a replacement via your phone contract, or money to cover the repairs.

Poor Battery Life

More recent Samsung Galaxy devices have a larger battery, so battery life should be longer than in previous devices. However, with many of us using our phones more and more each day, we can still run into issues with our battery running out halfway through the day!

Check Your Apps

It could be the case that one of your apps is draining your battery. You can see what percentage of the battery each app uses in the settings.

- Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage.

You can then scroll down and see which apps are using up your battery the most. If there is one that is using significantly more battery than the others, and it is an app you can live without, then uninstalling it could help to extend your battery life.

Check Your Charger

Check that the fault isn’t with your charger. Your device may need a different amperage to that offered by the charger you are using.

Adjust Settings

Adjusting your settings can extend your phone’s battery life. Try lowering the display brightness, reducing time-out settings or try switching to Power Saving Mode.

Replacing the Battery

A phone battery’s life is only around two years, so if you are noticing that your battery is not performing as it should, then you may need to get it replaced.

If you have a Galaxy S6 or newer, the battery cannot be removed from the device by you and will need to be repaired by your service provider or a repair shop.

If you have an older device with a removable battery, then you can purchase a replacement from many electronics retailers. You should only use a Samsung battery in a Samsung device.

Broken Buttons

Finding that the buttons on your phone have become non-responsive can be very frustrating. This could be because your phone is temporarily overloaded and unresponsive, or it could be a more serious hardware issue.

Before going to a repair shop, try gently cleaning around the button with a cotton bud to see if there is any dirt that is in the way of the button making a proper connection.

Next, try plugging the phone into a charger for twenty minutes and see if the issue resolves itself.

If this does not work, try holding down the Power and Home buttons to reboot the phone. This may solve the problem, but if it still does not work, then you will need to take the device to a repair service.

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