Samsung has ushered in the S21 Galaxy lineup for the 2021 year. From the base Galaxy S21 to the mighty S21 Ultra, the company offers a range of devices sure to please many Android fans. Whether it’s your first time picking up a Galaxy smartphone or you’ve been around the block a few times, there are a few tips and tricks that everyone can learn. Here’s our roundup of the best Samsung Galaxy S21 tips and tricks to take your experience to the next level.
By default, Samsung smartphones continue to use the three-button navigation method. This means that you are presented with three buttons at the bottom of your screen that enable you to head back to your home screen, switch between open apps, and step back in an app. However, Android 11 offers a gesture-based system, similar to using an iOS device. This method can feel more intuitive and allows apps a tad more screen space. Here’s how to enable gesture navigation on your Galaxy S21:
Step 2: Select the Display option.
Step 3: Choose Navigation Bar.
Step 4: Select Swipe Gestures as your option.
One of the features introduced with Samsung’s Galaxy S21 lineup and One UI 3.1 is Google Discover. By swiping to the left of your home screen, you can access an automatically-generated and personalized news feed. Google bases the Discover feed on your online activity in an attempt to only display information that it believes you may be interested in reading. If Google Discover is not enabled, you can follow these steps to show it on your device:
Step 1: Hold down on the Home Screen.
Step 2: Swipe right to access the leftmost screen.
Step 3: Choose to enable or disable Google Discover.
Some Samsung fans don’t know that there is an entire desktop experience hidden inside their Galaxy device. With the use of an external monitor and an HDMI cable (wireless Miracast-enabled displays are also an option), you can gain access to an Android-based desktop, where you can drag your favorite apps around in a multi-window experience. For more info, check out our detailed guide on how to use Samsung DeX.
Apple fans love to showcase how they can access iMessages, text messages, and calls across all of their devices, but did you know Samsung devices can perform the same trick? If you have another Samsung device, such as a tablet, you can enable a feature that allows text messages and calls to be shared across your Samsung account. To enable this feature, follow these instructions:
Step 2: Scroll down to Advanced Features.
Step 3: Enable the Call and Text on Other Devices feature.
There was a time when Galaxy devices came with a dedicated button for Samsung’s Bixby virtual assistant, but that time is no longer. Now, the Galaxy S21 series offers a single side button (known as the “power button” to most people) that can be programmed how you wish. Do you want to access Bixby or quickly launch your camera? Choose exactly what the side button does when you press it, double click it, and more. Here’s how:
Step 2: Scroll down to Advanced Features.
Step 3: Choose the Side Key option.
Step 4: Select what function you want the key to perform.
Samsung smartphones, and others in general, appear to keep getting larger. If you’re having trouble accessing your notifications because your finger can’t reach the top of the screen, we have a solution for you. Disabled by default, you can choose to allow notification access by swiping down anywhere on the home screen, not just from the top. Here’s how to make notifications a bit easier to access:
Step 1: Long-press on your Home Screen.
Step 2: Choose Home Screen Settings.
Step 3: Enable the Swipe Down for Notification Panel option.
One of the cooler features Samsung’s smartphones include is an always-on display. This cool feature allows you to see information at a glance, even when your phone is locked. Always-on displays can have a slight impact on battery life, but for those who want information (such as the time) always shown, it’s a nifty trick. Here’s how to enable the always-on display for your device:
Step 2: Scroll down to Lock Screen.
Step 3: Toggle on the Always On Display.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series’ under-screen fingerprint scanner is a great way to keep your smartphone secure while feeling like James Bond every time you unlock it. However, it can sometimes be a bit tricky to find the right spot. Here’s how to show the fingerprint scanner location when your device is locked, so you know exactly where to place your finger:
Step 2: Choose the Biometrics and Security option.
Step 5: Enable the Show Icon When Screen is Off option.
If you have sensitive information on your Galaxy device, you can choose to store it in what Samsung calls its Secure Folder. Even after unlocking your device, the Secure Folder must be unlocked again with another password, adding a second level of security and protection to your device. Once Secure Folder is enabled, you can access it from the App Drawer. Here’s how to set it up:
Step 2: Choose Biometrics and Security.
Samsung offers some of the most vibrant displays on the market within its smartphones thanks to its screen technology, but did you know that there are two screen modes to choose from? A standard 60Hz mode is excellent for keeping your battery life in check, but enabling the Adaptive Smoothness mode allows your device to pick a refresh rate up to 120Hz, showing smoother animation and visuals on screen. Here’s how to choose between Adaptive Smoothness and Standard Smoothness on your Galaxy S21:
Step 2: Choose the Display option.
Step 3: Select Motion Smoothness.
Step 4: Choose your display mode.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 offers what it calls an Eye Comfort Shield, a mode that aims to eliminate blue light and reduce eye strain. If your eyes are feeling a bit tired after staring at your smartphone all day, this is one feature you might want to consider. Here’s how to enable the Eye Comfort Shield:
Step 1: Open the Settings apps.
Step 2: Choose the Display option.
Step 3: Select Eye Comfort Mode.
Step 4: Enable the feature and choose any customizations.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.