Galaxy S7 Guides

What is Galaxy S7 camera burst mode?

Galaxy S7 camera burst mode (aka  continuous high speed mode) allows you to take quick succession of photos during important moments.

You can later use the photos taken in burst mode to create animations, or select the best one.

In Galaxy S7, the maximum number of photos you can take in burst mode is 100 in one shot.  In Galaxy S6, the maximum number is only 30.

After using Galaxy S7 camera burst mode, the Gallery app in Galaxy S7 can identify one of the best photo for you.

Also, Galaxy S7 camera burst mode works for both front and rear cameras.

How to access Galaxy S7 camera burst mode?

There are no settings for Galaxy S7 camera burst mode in Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

In other words, burst mode is always enabled in Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

To use or access burst mode in Galaxy S7, you simply press and hold (aka long tap) the camera button in preview screen (aka camera interface, which is detailed in this guide)

The camera will take photos continuously at the maximum speed, and all burst mode photos are saved in the internal storage even if you set SD card as storage location for photos.

You can release your finger from the camera button to stop shooting at any time before the number of photo taken is less than 100.

Or, Galaxy S7 camera burst mode will stop automatically after 100 photos were taken.

How to manage Galaxy S7 camera burst mode photos?

Photos taken with Galaxy S7 camera burst mode can be managed as a group in Gallery app in Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

If the photos were taken in burst mode, a special icon (marked as 1 as shown below)will be shown in the center of the photo. The number of photos in this burst mode shot is shown below the icon.

For example, as shown below, there are 17 photos included.

Delete all burst mode photos

If you want to delete all of the 17 photos, you can tap anywhere (for example area marked as 2 in the screenshot below) except the burst mode icon.

Then tap Delete as shown below to delete all 17 photos included in this burst mode group.

Identify the best photo in bust mode photos

If you tap the burst mode icon (marked as 1 in the screenshot above), you can then manage individual photos taken in burst mode.… Read the rest

The post How to use Galaxy S7 camera burst mode? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Flipboard is a good app for reading news and feeds.  But you may want to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Why you may want to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

Flipboard Briefing is a special version of Flipboard app for Samsung devices. Samsung wants to make flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge a personalized magazine so that you can get news from around the web based on your interest.

To be honest, Galaxy S7 Flipboard briefing has decent visual design for your stories.

The problem is that Samsung put the Flipboard briefing on the Galaxy S7 home screen with one dedicated panel.  It always occupies the leftmost Galaxy S7 home screen panel.

This is similar to Google Now page in Google Now launcher.  But Google Now is more useful and more intelligent.

You may want to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge:

• if you are not a fan of the app;
• if you prefer a widget style of the app so that you can put it on any home screen pages and re-size it;
• if you are happy with the standard Flipboard app;
• when you want to scroll through all home screen panels. When Flipboard briefing is enabled, you cannot scroll through it.
• if you want to save battery and data. Some pre-installed apps like this may suck battery and data very quickly in the background. The doze mode in Android Marshmallow usually excludes such apps.
• if you have privacy concerns on the app.

The good news is that it is very easy to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

How to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

To disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Return to home screen.

If you are using any apps, you can return to Galaxy S7 home screen by:

• tap Home button
• or tap Back button (may be a few times depends on the app you are using).

If you are not sure about the buttons on Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, please check Galaxy S7 layout page.

Step 2: Enter Galaxy S7 home screen Edit mode

In Galaxy S7 home screen (or Galaxy S7 home screen), tap and hold any blank area as shown below.

Your Galaxy S7 home screen now enters Edit mode as shown below.… Read the rest

The post How to disable Flipboard briefing on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge introduced some changes in icons and buttons. This page explains to you two of the most confusing new Galaxy S7 status icons you may find in the status bar: data saver status icon and performance mode notification icon.

Some Galaxy S7 status icons are carrier specific, for example, voLTE, WiFi calling. For these icons, they may be different in different phones.

But for data saver and performance mode status icons, they are identical in  all Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge devices.

New Galaxy S7 status icons: Data saver icon

By default, after you apply the Android Nougat udpate for Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, data saver will be automatically turned on.

And therefore, you may notice the following icon in the right side of the status bar.

Data saver is a new feature in Android Nougat.

Prior to Android Nougat, there is an option called restrict background data in stock Android. Data saver in Android Nougat is a replacement for this option.

Compared to simply restricting background data, data saver uses some algorithms to decide how to save data usage without comprising the phone functions.

Data saver can prevent some apps from sending and receiving data in background.

For apps you are actively using, it may also reduce the frequency of data usage to save data.

You can turn off  or turn on data saver in Settings —Connections-–Data usage–-Data saver in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

After data saver is turned off, the data saver status icon will then disappear from the status bar.

New Galaxy S7 status icons: Performance mode icon

After applying Android Nougat udpate, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is in optimized mode. You can manually adjust some settings to meet your needs.

For example, the default screen resolution was scaled down to 1080p in optimized mode. You can adjust the screen resolution to WQHD 1440p or HD 720p as explained in this guide.

To make your life easier, Samsung also introduced three pre-defined performance modes for gaming, entertainment and high performance.

So, you can switch to any of these 3 modes with one tap to get the optimized settings for each mode without fiddling around various settings.

When any of the 3 performance modes is activated, you will find the performance mode icon as shown below.… Read the rest

The post New Galaxy S7 status icons in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Nougat update appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?

Android Nougat is the latest version of Android released in August 22, 2016.  There are lots of new features and improvements in Android Nougat (both Android 7.0 and Android 7.1).

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge was released with previous version of Android (Android Marshmallow). Samsung invited beta testers for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update in November 2016 to try the unofficial firmware in selected regions.

The beta program stopped by the end of 2016. Now, Samsung is ready to roll out the Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 globally.

Since January 2017, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will start to receive the Android Nougat (Android 7.0) udpate gradually. It is expected that by the end of Q1 2017, majority of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge devices will get the Android Nougat update.

List of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update guides

Because Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update is a major software udpate, the change is significant.

New features in Android Nougat (Android 7.0) were introduced in the udpate. At the same time, Samsung also tweaked the UI for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. The new UI is similar to that of the recalled Galaxy Note 7.

Many owners of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge may find it is hard to use the phone after applying Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update.

Therefore, a series of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update guides has been prepared and released gradually.

• Official user guide for Galaxy S7 edge with Android Nougat udpate
• Official user guide for Galaxy S7  with Android Nougat udpate
• Top 7 new features in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update
• How to use the new multi window feature in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?
• How to use the grouped notifications and quick reply in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?
• How to use the new quick settings panel  and customize quick setting buttons in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?
• How to use new camera app features in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?
• How to use new features in Gallery app in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update?

… Read the rest

The post Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge Android Nougat update guide appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Why you should back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge regularly?

Samsung Galaxy S7 (or S7 edge) is an electronic device. This means it may fail at any time!

Even if your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge is still under warranty, or if you bought extended warranty for your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, only the “phone” is insured.

Your data are NOT protected. You can get a replacement of Galaxy S7 (or S7 edge). But your data may be not recovered/restored.

Actually, there are no warranty plans for your data on Galaxy S7 or S7 edge currently.

This is why you should back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge regularly.

It is your responsibility to back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge so that you can restore them in case the phone is lost, or is reset, or replaced.

Anyway, backup is about your data.

Luckily, most of your data in Galaxy S7 (and S7 edge) can be automatically backed up to the cloud.

Of course, you should always keep a local copy of your Galaxy S7 backup data.

What cannot be backed up in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

Before I show you how to back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge manually or automatically, you should know some items generally cannot be backed up including:

• Account password. When you back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, account (e.g., Google account, Samsung account, Facebook account…) passwords cannot be backed up.
• Lock screen security and smart lock settings. When you restore a phone from a backup, it should NOT modify your lock screen security settings. And in Galaxy S7 backup, lock screen security and smart lock settings are NOT included.
• Some app data. Not all app data can be backed up. This is app-dependent. Some apps can be fully backed up, a few may not.

How to manually back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

The best way to manually back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is using Samsung’s Smart Switch on your PC.

As discussed in this guide, you can use Smart Switch to transfer data from old phone to Galaxy S7 or S7 with or without a PC.

But to manually back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge with Smart Switch, you need a PC.

Actually, if the data in your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge are important for you, you should regularly back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge and keep at one copy locally.… Read the rest

The post How to back up Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

When you need install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes?

As explained in Galaxy S7 camera modes guide page, there are 10 pre-installed camera modes for the rear camera, and 5 for the front camera.

Although these 15 pre-installed camera modes probably are sufficient for most owners of Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, some owners may still want to install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes to take some special photos.

Currently, Samsung released the following 6 additional Galaxy S7 camera modes free of charge:

• Beauty face.
• Sports shot.
• Animated GIF.
• Dual camera.
• Rear-cam selfie.
• Surround shot.

You can download and install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes from camera app in Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

Please note, the APK files for these additional Galaxy S7 camera modes are different from those for the same camera mode in Galaxy S6 or Note 5.

You should download the correct APK files through your Galaxy S7 camera app, and not to use the old APK files.

How to download and install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes?

To download and install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Launch Camera app on Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge

To launch camera app on Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, you can use any of the 4 methods, including quick launch detailed in this guide.

Step 2: Enter Galaxy S7 camera mode page

In Galaxy S7 camera preview screen, tap MODE as shown below.

In Galaxy S7 camera mode page, tap Download as shown below.

Step 3:  Download and install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes

Now, you are directed to a hidden page in Galaxy Apps.

In different regions, this page may be slightly duifferent.

The list of available additional Galaxy S7 camera modes can be found.

Currently, all (6 in total) these additional Galaxy S7 camera modes are from Samsung. And all are free.

For example, you want to install Beauty face mode for your Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge.

Tap Beauty face as shown below.

In the Beauty face details page, you can find the screenshots and short description of this camera mode.

Tap INSTALL as shown below.

After accepting the permissions, the beauty face mode are installed to your Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge.

A progress bar as shown below flashes before the installing is finished.

Step 4: Check the additional Galaxy S7 camera modes

Once the installation is finished, you can install other additional camera modes if you want

In Galaxy S7 camera modes page, as shown above, now you can find the newly installed camera modes.… Read the rest

The post How to download and install additional Galaxy S7 camera modes? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Galaxy S7 SIM card slot is identical to that of Galaxy S7 edge. This guide applies to both Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, although Galaxy S7 is mentioned most of the time.

What is Galaxy S7 SIM card size?

Galaxy S7 SIM card allows you to connect to carrier’s and its partner’s mobile network to use voice service and mobile data services.

So, although you can use most features of Galaxy S7 through WiFi without installing SIM card for Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, you cannot use any mobile network related features before you install Galaxy S7 SIM card.

SIM card are always issued by your carrier, NOT Samsung. You should get SIM card for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge from your carrier (your phone company)

There are 4 different sizes for SIM card for smartphones from big to small:

1. Full-size SIM. it is hard to find one unless you have a phone that is more than 15 years old.
2. Mini-SIM. Mini-SIM usually is referred as “big” or “normal” SIM card in some countries. Again, it is seldom used for today’s smartphones.
3. Micro-SIM. Micro SIM is still the most popular size of SIM card for smartphones. Most middle range and budget smartphones are using micro SIM card.
4. Nano-SIM. This is the smallest SIM card for smartphone today. It is usually used in most flagship smartphones.

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge use nano SIM card. In other words, Galaxy S7 SIM card size is nano SIM (4FF).

Here is a list of some popular phones using nano SIM card: Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy Note 5, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S+, iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, iPhone 5, Moto X (including  all generations) and many more. If you have any of these phones, the SIM card is interchangeable with Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

If you own a Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4 or earlier Samsung devices, micro SIM card is normally used, and therefore, you cannot use the existing SIM card for Galaxy S7.

You should get official nano SIM card from your carrier. Do NOT try to trim the SIM card by yourself.

Galaxy S7 SIM card tray and Galaxy S7 edge SIM card tray

Galaxy S7 SIM card tray has 2 slots as shown below. Slot 2 is bigger than  slot 1.

Slot 1 is always for a nano SIM card.… Read the rest

The post Galaxy S7 SIM card guide appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is apps edge in the edge screen of Galaxy S7 edge (and Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S6 edge)?

In edge screen of Galaxy S7 edge (as well as Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+), you have edge lighting,  edge panels and edge feeds.

Apps edge is the first (leftmost) edge panel in the edge screen (as shown below). In other words, when you open edge screen, the first panel in the edge panel is apps edge.

Apps edge allows you to put up to 1o apps into this edge panel of the edge screen so that you can access them quickly without navigating to Galaxy S7 home screen or Galaxy S7 apps screen.

So, you can imagine apps edge is the mini home screen for Galaxy S7 edge screen.

Please note, apps edge in edge screen of Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9 and S9+, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+ is almost identical.  This guide applies to all these phones although Galaxy S7 edge was used as an example in this guide.

Update: for Galaxy S8, S8+, S9, S9+, Note 8 and Note 9, you can also use app pair, which is an extended feature of Multi Window,  on the apps edge as explained in this guide.

How to manage apps in apps edge in the edge screen?

By default, there are 8 apps in the apps edge as shown below.

You can add any other apps (up to 10) and remove any apps from the apps edge.

To add and manage apps to app edge directly, tap the + button as shown below.

Because apps edge needs to know the top 3 apps you used, special permission to access app usage data is required for apps edge.

So, after tapping the  + button, you will be directed to grant accessing app data usage permission for apps edge.

In Usage data access page, tap Apps edge as shown below.

Now, enable “Allow usage tracking” as shown above.

This would allow the apps edge to list the top 3 frequently used apps as shown above (marked as 1).

In the edit mode for apps edge page as shown above (marked as 2), you can tap the “-” icon next to apps which are currently  in the apps edge, to remove them  from edge screen

To add an app to the apps edge, tap and hold (aka long tap) the app icon (e.g., as shown above, Allo), then drop it to any spot in the right side as shown below.… Read the rest

The post How to use apps edge in edge screen of Galaxy S7 edge (and Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, and Galaxy Note 7) appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

You can use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera

As explained in Galaxy S7 layout, there is a LED flash for the rear camera (main camera) in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

But many owners of Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge may not be aware of that they can also use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera when taking selfies.

Of course, there is no LED flash in the front of Galaxy S7  or Galaxy S7 edge.

So, how to use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera?

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge can use the screen as flash so that your face will get better lighting conditions.

Because you are usually close to the screen when taking selfie, the additional light offered by the screen usually is sufficient for selfies even you are in total darkness.

Using screen as flash is not a new feature in Android phones. There are even some third-party apps  (e.g., this one)for this.

But for Samsung phones, this is new.  And it works surprisingly well.

How to use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera?

Just like for rear camera, you can set to use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera as the following 3 modes:

• Off.   This will not use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera when taking selfies.
• Auto.  Flash will be used only if the lighting conditions are not good. If this mode is used, you will see the flash icon if flash will be used as shown below.
• On. Flash will be always used regardless of the light conditions.

When flash is used for Galaxy S7 front camera, the screen will light up as white for 1-2 seconds and photos will be taken during this period.

Please note, when burst mode is used, flash will not work.  This is true for rear camera as well.

But you can use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera together will any of the 5 shooting methods for Galaxy S7 front camera and using volume keys to take photos.

Do you know how to enable and use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera when taking selfies in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

If you have any questions or encounter any problems to enable and use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera when taking selfies in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, please let us know your questions or problems in the comment box below.… Read the rest

The post How to use flash for Galaxy S7 front camera? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What are edge panels on  Galaxy S7 edge?

As mentioned in this page, when Galaxy S7 edge screen is off, you can access edge feeds by swiping up and down in the edge screen area.

When Galaxy S7 edge touch screen is on, by default, you can drag the edge panel handle towards the center of the screen to access another feature of edge screen: edge panel, as shown below.

Once edge panels are accessed, the first edge panel is shown. For example, as shown above, Apps edge is in the first spot (by default) and therefore, you get apps edge as shown above.

You can tap app shortcuts (marked as 3 in the screenshot above) added to apps edge to launch them quickly without navigating to Galaxy S7 Home screen or Galaxy S7 Apps screen.

Please refer to this guide on how to add, remove, rearrange apps in apps edge in the first edge panel, and this guide on using tasks edge in edge panel.

You can swipe left and right o access other edge panels. The location of the current panel is indicated as a white dot (marked as 2 in the screenshot above).

You can tap gear icon (marked as 1 in the screenshot above) to access edge panel settings directly.

So, edge panels (part of edge screen) are actually place holders for frequently used apps and tools. It is not just a software gimmick. It can be a very useful productivity tool for Galaxy S7 edge owners if used properly.

This guide also applies to Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+ with Android Marshmallow update.

How to enable edge panels on Galaxy S7 edge?

By default, edge screen and edge panels are enabled on Galaxy S7 edge.

To enable or disable edge panels, you can go to Galaxy S7 Settings— Edge screen.

In Edge screen page as shown below, tap Edge panels.

In edge panels page, you can tap the switch button to turn on or turn off this feature as shown below.

Please note, edge feeds, edge panels and edge lighting all work independently in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge. You can turn on/off them individually.

How to manage edge panels on Galaxy S7 edge?

As shown above, you can enable or disable individual panels for edge panel by selecting it (marked as 4 in the screenshot).

You can have up to 9 active panels.… Read the rest

The post How to use edge panels on Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Why you may want to review photos before saving to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge?

Sometimes, what you see on the preview screen may be different from what you taken with Galaxy S7 camera.

This is not uncommon.

For example, you may move your hands when press the shutter button (or using voice control, or using volume button, or using other methods to take photos). At the end of the day, you may find you saved a blurry photo.  The OIS in Galaxy S7 camera and Galaxy S7 edge camera may help you avoid some of such photos, but it may not avoid such photos in many cases.

Also, when your hand moves, the auto focus may change the focus unintentionally.

Anyway, if the photo is important, you should review it immediately.

There are two ways to review photos immediately after they are taken:

• After saving the photo, you can check the photo by tapping the Gallery thumbnail in Galaxy S7 camera preview screen. Of course, you can review photos in any Gallery apps or photo editing apps.
• Before saving the photo, you can review it before saving.

This Galaxy S7 camera guide will show you how to review photos taken with Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge before they are saved.

How to review photos before saving to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge?

By default, in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, after photo is taken, it is saved to the phone storage or SD card immediately.

If you want to review photos before saving to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, you need to enable this feature.

You need to start Galaxy S7 Camera app.

In Galaxy S7 camera preview screen, tap Settings icon as shown below.

Now in Camera settings page, as shown in the screenshot below, you can enable “review pictures“.

Please note, Review pictures setting is shared by front and rear camera. In other words, it does not matter which camera is active when you change the setting.

After enabling Review pictures, you now will be prompt with the photo after  taken it and you have the option to save it or discard it.

You can enable/disable review photos before saving in Galaxy S7 Settings as well

In addition to enabling/disabling photo review in the camera app, you can also do it in Galaxy S7 settings.… Read the rest

The post How to review photos before saving to Galaxy S7 and S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Why you may want to disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

Multi Window is actually one of the most useful features that Samsung introduced into Galaxy phones.

Initially, Multi Window was designed for Galaxy Note devices since Galaxy Note II with large screen so that owners can use two apps side by side.

You can also let one app (window is re-sizable) floating around and over another app. This is often referred as pop-up view.

So, Multi Window is a cool feature that Samsung phone users have enjoyed for years.  We have a detailed guide on how to use Multi Window on Galaxy devices.

FYI, Android will only start to offer similar multi window feature in the coming Android N (which is currently in Preview 2).

But for some owners, they may not use this feature. They want to disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Because it is so easy to enter Multi Window mode inadvertently.

It is a bit annoying when you enter Multi Window mode accidentally.

And to make it worse, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is very responsive: it responds so fast that you have no time to stop.

Sometimes,  Galaxy S7 responds to several accidental taps when you realized the error.

Tapping and holding left Recent button to enter Multi Window button is not the a good choice. Due to the tiny bezel, most Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 owners probably have entered Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge inadvertently at least a few times.

It is hard to avoid it.

Another way to enter Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is dragging down diagonally from either end of the top edge inside supported apps. This will convert the app to pop-up view (floating).

Some Galaxy S7 and S7 owners may also enter Multi Window mode accidentally through this method when they actually just want to scroll the page.

So, at least some Galaxy S7 and Galxy S7 edge owners are looking for settings to disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Unfortunately, since Galaxy S6, Samsung removed the settings entry to disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge (and S6 as well).

Does it mean you cannot disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

No, you can still still disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge with an app.… Read the rest

The post How to disable Multi Window on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is “home” of Galaxy S7 home screen panels?

When we talk about Galaxy S7 home screen, actually, we are referring to more than one home screen pages. These pages are usually referred as Galaxy home screen panels.

Among Galaxy home screen panels, one of them is defined as “home” of these home screen panels.

If you tap home button (no matter what you are doing, what apps are running) several times, you should be always redirected to the home of Galaxy S7 home screen panels.

Please note, one, and only one, home screen panel can be defined as “home” of Galaxy S7 home screen.

And there is always one panel is defined as the home of Galaxy S7 home screen panels, even if you do not assign any of them.

By default, in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the panel next to Flipboard briefing is the home panel of Galaxy S7 home screen.

How to assign home panel of  Galaxy S7 home screen panels?

To assign or to change the home panel for Galaxy S7 home screen panels, you can follow these steps.

Step 1: Enter Galaxy S7 home screen edit mode

You can enter Galaxy S7 home screen edit mode (aka, access home screen options) in two ways:

• Pinch (to zoom in)in any home screen panels.
• Tap and hold (long tap) on any empty area in any home screen panels.

In edit mode, as mentioned in other guides, you can use Galaxy S7 themes, wallpapers or screen grid to customize Galaxy S7 home screen, or to add widgets to home screen.

Step 2: Navigate to the specific panel

In edit mode, you can navigate to different Galaxy S7 home screen panels with two different methods:

• Tap the screen indicator.
• Swipe (flick) right or left. Please note, Galaxy S7 home screen does not support cycling through panels, i.e.,  you cannot navigate from the leftmost panel to rightmost one. This is true in edit mode as well.

Step 3: Assign home panel for Galaxy S7 home screens

Once you find the desired panel to be the home of Galaxy S7 home screen panels, tap the Home icon (house) as shown above to set this panel as the home.

You can notice the Home indicator now moved to this panel as shown below.

Now, whenever you tap Home button, you will be redirected to this panel.… Read the rest

The post How to remove, add and manage Galaxy S7 home screen panels? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge introduced Galaxy S7 performance mode optimized for different usage scenarios: gaming, entertaining, and high performance.

What is Galaxy S7 performance mode in Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

Different owners may use Galaxy S7 or S7 edge very differently.  Even one owner may use the phone differently during different periods.

Such different usages may have different requirements for hardware and software optimization to get the best user experience.

One-size-fits-all type configuration is almost impossible to deliver the best user experience, even Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge have top-notch hardware specs.

Samsung tried to address this issue with Galaxy S7 performance mode in Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Each Galaxy S7 performance mode is designed for a specific usage scenario: gaming, entertaining, high performance,

By default, after applying Nougat udpate, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S& edge will enter “optimized” mode, which is optimized for normal daily usage.

For example, the optimized mode set the screen resolution to full HD 1080p, instead of the WQHD 1440p. Of course, you can change Galaxy S7 screen resolution and change screen zoom level.

If you need to use Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge for gaming, watching videos, or for maximum performance, you can then change and customize Galaxy S7 performance mode.

What are the 3 Galaxy S7 performance modes in Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

In addition to the default optimized mode,  Galaxy S7 and S7 edge offer 3 additional pre-defined performance modes in Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Of course, you can further customize any of these 3 Galaxy S7 performance modes.

1. Game mode

Game mode is optimized for gaming experiences.

By default, when you choose game mode for Galaxy S7 performance mode, the screen brightness will increase by 10%  automatically, screen resolution will be adjusted to full HD 1080p, game tools and game launcher will be activated instantly.

As mentioned, you can also customize the default profile. For example, set default screen resolution in game mode as WQHD 1440p.

2. Entertainment mode

Entertainment mode is optimized for watching videos and listening music.

When this Galaxy S7 performance mode is enabled, by default, the screen resolution will be adjusted to WQHD, video enhancer will be turned on. UHQ upscaler for music and video will also be turned on automatically.… Read the rest

The post Galaxy S7 performance mode in Android Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Why you need manage Galaxy S7 camera modes?

Samsung pre-installed 15 camera modes (10 for rear camera, 5 for front camera) in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

In addition, you can download and install 6 additional Galaxy S7 camera modes for other scenarios.

This means you may end up with more than 20 Galaxy S7 camera modes on the phone.   You may find it is not easy to find the camera modes when you want to use them.

One way to solve this problem is to add Galaxy S7 camera mode shortcuts to home screen so that you  can launch camera app in the specific camera mode directly from Galaxy S7 Home screen.

Another way to solve the issue is to manage the items in Galaxy S7 camera modes page.

For example, you can relocate Galaxy S7 camera modes so that the most frequently used camera modes are in the top 10 spots. Normally, you can access these 10 camera modes without scrolling.

You can also uninstall some downloaded  camera modes if you no longer use them.

Anyway, when auto mode is not sufficient for you, it is time to consider to manage Galaxy S7 camera modes so that you can use them more efficiently.

How to manage Galaxy S7 camera modes?

To manage Galaxy S7 camera modes in your Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, you may follow the following steps.

Step 1: Start Galaxy S7 Camera app

You can use any of these 4 methods to launch camera app on Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

Step 2: Enter Galaxy S7 camera mode page

In Galaxy S7 camera preview screen, tap MODE as shown below.

Step 3: Enter edit mode of Galaxy S7 camera modes

In Galaxy S7 camera mode page, tap MORE as shown above.

Tap EDIT as shown below to enter the edit mode for Galaxy S7 camera modes.

In Edit mode, you can relocate the icon locations of all camera modes in Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

You can also uninstall the Galaxy S7 camera modes that are downloaded (as shown in this guide).

Step 4: Manage Galaxy S7 camera modes

In edit mode, you can re-arrange spots for the icons.

Usually, you may want to put the frequently used camera modes in the top 10 spots so that you can access them without scrolling.

To move and relocate a Galaxy S7 camera mode, you can tap and hold the icon.  … Read the rest

The post Manage Galaxy S7 camera modes appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Galaxy S7 Edge feeds display select information and notifications on the edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S6 edge when the screen is turned off.

This guide applies to Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S6 edge (with Android Marshmallow update), although in the guide only Galaxy S7 edge is mentioned most of the time.

Please note edge feed was removed in Galaxy S8, S8+, S9, S9+, Note 8 and Note 9.  You can only use edge feed on Galaxy S6 edge, S6 Edge+ and S7 edge.

How to access edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S6 edge?

To access edge feeds in Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S6 edge, when the screen is turned off, quickly swipe your finger along the Edge screen in one direction, and then back in the opposite direction as shown below. You can also swipe “V” in edge screen to access edge feeds when screen if off.

Edge feeds works nicely with Galaxy S7 always-on-display (AOD). So, when AOD is on, you can access edge feeds as if the screen is off.

Once edge feeds are accessed, you can swipe right and left as shown below to switch to different feeds.

How to turn on/off edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge?

By default, edge feeds in Galaxy S7 edge and S6 edge are turned on.

To turn on/off edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge, you can go to Galaxy S7 Settings, tap Edge screen as explained in this guide.

In Edge screen, tap Edge feeds as shown below.

In Edge feeds page, tap the switch (marked as 1 in the screenshot below) to turn on or off edge feeds for edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge.

How to set the timeout for edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge?

By default, the edge feeds timeout is set at 15 seconds.

You can tap Edge feed timeout (marked as 2 in the screenshot above).

Then you can set the timeout for edge feeds as shown below.

How to customize edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge?

You can select edge feeds to be active by tapping the selection button as illustrated as 3 in the screenshot above.

Only selected edge feeds will be available in edge screen when the screen is off.

In addition, you can customize the individual edge feed.… Read the rest

The post How to use edge feeds in edge screen on Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

Why (and when) you want to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

Cache partition is a special and separated region in the storage where Android saves frequently accessed data and app (including system apps) components in a special format.

The main purpose of cache partition in Android is to make the system “faster” by serving data and files in a special format from a specific location.

But occasionally,  cache partition may becomes a problem in performance or system stability  and you may want to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

For example, you may consider to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge:

• after a major system update. Although the update agent will wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge during the update and rebuild the partition, some problems may occur when migrating data and apps thereafter.
• when Galaxy S7 and S7 edge suddenly becomes very slow.  If the internal storage is sufficient and reboot the phone does not solve the issue, often, it is time to clear cache partition.
• when random apps crash frequently.  You may try to reboot the phone first to see whether the problem persists because sometimes the problem is caused by non-responsive system services. If this is the case, a reboot should solve the issue. But if the reboot does not solve the issue, you may consider to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.
• when battery life is consistently poor. If you find battery life (usually screen-on time) is consistently poor (less than 3 hours, for example) without obvious abnormalities, you may try to wipe Galaxy S7 cache partition to see whether it helps.

Although it is simple to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, you may seek assistance in Samsung service center if you are not comfortable to do it by yourself.

Is it safe to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge?

As cache partition is separated from your data and files in the storage, it is safe for your data and settings when you wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

In other words, your files, settings, apps will NOT be affected when clearing cache partition.

Will wiping cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge free up my internal storage?

… Read the rest

The post How to wipe cache partition on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge? appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings page?

Samsung tried hard to make sure that Galaxy S7 camera is simple to use.  You can launch the camera app quickly thorough quick launch.  You also get a very clean Galaxy S7 camera app interface (preview screen).

For most Galaxy S7 or S7 edge owners, what you need do is to point and tap the shutter button.

But some times, some settings cannot be done in the Galaxy S7 camera preview screen. It is simply impossible to squeeze all settings into the preview screen.

So, for some settings, you have to set them in Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings page.

Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings for rear camera  are slightly different from those for front camera. This guide will try to cover both rear (main) camera settings and front (front-facing, secondary) camera settings.

Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings for rear camera

You can access Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings for rear camera by:

1. Launch camera app in Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. You have at least 4 different ways (including quick launch) to launch Galaxy S7 camera app as shown in this page.
2. In Galaxy S7 camera preview screen, make sure rear camera is using. If front camera is active, tap the switch button to switch to rear camera.
3. Tap Settings icon in Galaxy S7 camera preview screen.

You will get Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings for rear camera as shown below.

Among these settings, if there is a switch in the right side, you can turn on or turn off the feature. For those without a switch, you can tap it to set it accordingly in a pop out window.

As shown above, you can find the following entries in Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings for rear camera.

1. Video size (rear)

You set the resolution and frame rate of the videos to be taken. High resolution or high frame rate will make your video look better, but they require more storage.

You need set this before recording the video.

Please read this guide on recommendations to set video size and photo size for Galaxy S7 camera in different scenarios

2. Motion photo

Motion photo is a new feature in Galaxy S7. Before pressing shutter button, Galaxy S7 camera can record a short (a few seconds) video clip thanks to the fast focus in Galaxy S7 camera sensor.… Read the rest

The post Samsung Galaxy S7 camera settings appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is Samsung Galaxy S7 recovery mode?

Like all other Android phones, Galaxy S7 also has its own Galaxy S7 recovery mode. When you boot your Galaxy S7, there are at least 3 possible boot up options:

• boot into normal Android system.
• boot into bootloader. For Samsung Galaxy S7, it is download mode. For most other Android phones or tablets, it is fastboot mode.
• boot into Galaxy S7 recovery.

By default, Galaxy S7 boots into Android system and you can use the device. Other modes require special button combinations when booting up.

Recovery mode is for Android device owners to reset the device, to apply updates from zip file or through ADB, to wipe cache partitions, to reboot into boot loader, or to mount file systems.

Each Android vendor may put slightly different features in recovery mode. There are also some third-party recoveries for Galaxy S7, for example, TWRP.

This guide is written for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. But it also applies to other Samsung devices with Android Lollipop or later.

How to reboot into Galaxy S7 recovery mode?

By default, after you hold power button for a few seconds, Galaxy S7 should reboot normally into lock screen.

To reboot into Galaxy S7 recovery mode, you may follow these steps:

Step 1: Power off Galaxy S7

You need power off Galaxy S7 if you want to enter Samsung Galaxy S7 recovery mode.

To power off Galaxy S7, you can use power button options.

As shown below, when Galaxy S7 is on, hold power button for 1-3 seconds to get power button options.

Tap Power off, then confirm the action by tapping Power off again to power off Galaxy S7.

Step 2: Hold volume up button, Home button, then power button together

When Galaxy S7 is powered off

1. hold volume up button;
2. without releasing volume up button, hold Home button. Now you should hold two buttons.
3. without releasing the two buttons, hold Power button. Now you should hold three buttons.

It should take less than 3 seconds for the screen to light up.

Step 3: Release all buttons

After the screen lights up, you may hold the three buttons for another 2-3 seconds. Then release all three buttons.

Before you reach the Galaxy S7 recovery menu, the phone screen may shows “applying updates….” and a splash of a dead Android.

You just wait a few seconds, and eventually, the phone will reboot into Galaxy S7 recovery mode with the following recovery menu screen.… Read the rest

The post Samsung Galaxy S7 recovery mode appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.

What is Galaxy S7 lock screen?

Galaxy S7 lock screen is the door between the phone and outside world.

To avoid unauthorized access to your private data saved on Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, you should consider to lock the door (set lock screen security).

Essentially, Galaxy S7 lock screen is a security feature that:

• blocks unauthorized access to the phone.
• avoids inadvertent tapping the phone.

Together with Galaxy S7 Home screen, Apps screen, Galaxy S7 lock screen is one of the most essential components of using Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge.

As shown below,  in Galaxy S7 lock screen, by default, there are at least 5 components:

1. Clock.
2. Notifications. You can choose whether notifications are shown on the lock screen, and how they are shown.  Please read on for how to customize notifications in Galaxy S7 lock screen.
3. App shortcut in bottom left. The app shortcut can be customized: you can turn it off or choose your own apps instead of the default phone app. Please read on for how to customize app shortcuts in Galaxy S7 lock screen.
4. App shortcut in bottom right. You can also fully customize this app shortcut.
5. Help message telling you how to unlock the lock screen. If you swipe in any direction, you can then unlock Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge (if lock screen security is set as swipe) or enter password/PIN/pattern depending on your lock screen security settings (read on).

How to lock and unlock Galaxy S7 lock screen

You can lock the screen in different ways:

• When screen is on, press power button once. This will turn off the Galaxy S7 screen and lock it.
• When screen is off (for example, display timeouts because of inactivity), screen will be locked automatically.

To unlock Galaxy S7 lock screen, you need:

1. Turn on the Galaxy S7  screen.  You can press Power button or Home button to turn on Galaxy S7 screen.
2. Swipe your finger across the Galaxy S7 lock screen to unlock it.
3. If you have set up a Galaxy S7 screen lock, you will be prompted to draw the pattern, enter the password or PIN, or scan your fingerprint

Some apps can also turn on the screen.

You can also use smart lock to keep phone unlocked when Galaxy S7 or S7 edge is connected to certain accessories, or in certain locations.

How to set Galaxy S7 lock screen security?

… Read the rest

The post Galaxy S7 lock screen appeared first on Galaxy S7 Guides.