Galaxy S9 Guides

a community for owners of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

If your Galaxy S9 or S9+ was updated to Android Pie, you should enjoy many new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+

As the first major update of Galaxy S9 and S9+, Android Pie (Android 9) update brings not only Android Pie features to Galaxy S9 and S9+ but also a totally new UI (One UI).  Some  Galaxy S9 and S9+ owners may be overwhelmed by so many new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+.

If you haven’t updated your Galaxy S9 or S9 to Android Pie (Android 9), you may follow this guide to check whether the update is available in your region.

If you want to download the official user manuals for Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update, please check this page.

This Galaxy S9 Android Pie update guide explains the top 9 most useful new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+: One UI, night mode, lift to wake, floating keyboard, lock home screen layout, lockdown mode, new camera app, navigation gestures, and adaptive battery.

# 1. One UI: the most eye-catching new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+

In the Android Pie update, Samsung debuted the new UI: One UI, to replace the old Samsung Experience.

Do not confuse one UI with Android One. They are totally unrelated.

The One UI was designed to make the phone look beautiful and help the owner focus on what really matters.

In addition to a new set of app icons for Samsung apps (phone, camera, contact, messages, gallery, My files, calendar, smart switch, clock), the default font and the use of white space deliver a fresh look.

The new full-screen navigation gestures were also added and they are even different from the stock Android Pie navigation gestures.

You can also use the rotation toggle button in the navigation bar to change and lock screen orientation on-the-fly very easily.

#2. Night mode: the most wanted new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ for night owls

Many Galaxy S9 and S9+ owners complained about the white color scheme.  It is painful to use the white theme in low-light conditions.

Although you can change the Galaxy S9 home screen theme to a dark one, some Samsung apps may not follow the theme.

Blue light filter may … Read the rest

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In this page, you can find the updated official user manuals for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android update in your local language.

Android Pie (Android 9) update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ brought lots of new features. You may check this post for the top 9 new features in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Detailed how-to guides for new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9 plus can be found here.  You can also post your questions on Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9 plus in this page.

If your Galaxy S9 or S9+ is still running Android Oreo (Android 8), you can find the official user manuals here.

If you cannot find the official user manuals for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in your language, please let us know in the comment box below. We will try to add them as early as possible.

#1. Official user manual for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in the English language (UK)  for the international versions of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ (Android Pie 9, UK English, SM-G960F/DS, and SM-G965F/DS; Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, and Asia)

The official user manual for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in English language (UK)  is for Samsung Galaxy S9, and Samsung Galaxy S9+ sold to in international market including Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia with Android Pie (Android  9) update. The corresponding model number is SM-G960F,  SM-G960F/DS, SM-G965F, and SM-G965F/DS.

If you cannot find the Galaxy S9 user guide in your language for your Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+, you may try this one.

Download link (in PDF): Official user manuals for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in the English language (UK)  for the international versions of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ (Android Pie 9, UK English, SM-G960F/DS, and SM-G965F/DS; Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, and Asia)

#2.  Official user manual for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in the French language (le français) (Android Pie 9, French language (le français), SM-G960F/DS and SM-G965F/DS, France)

The official user manual for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with Android Pie update in the French language (le français) is for Samsung Galaxy S9, and Samsung Galaxy S9+ sold to … Read the rest

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Samsung DeX is one of the best productivity features offered in Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8 and Note 9.  You need either a Samsung DeX Station, or a Samsung DeX Pad, or a Samsung DexX cable to enjoy this feature.

But these 3 accessories may work differently in the supported devices. Please check this guide on how to use Samsung DeX Station and this guide on how to use Samsung DeX Pad.

This Galaxy S9 accessories guide explains the difference among the Samsung DeX accessories: Samsung DeX Station vs Samsung DeX Pad vs Samsung DeX cable, to help you get the correct DeX accessories for your phone.

What are the available Samsung DeX accessories needed to use Samsung DeX?

To use Samsung DeX, you need one of the following official accessories:

• Samsung DeX Station; or
• Samsung DeX Pad; or
• Samsung DeX cable.

Samsung DeX Station was released in 2017 for Galaxy S8 and S8+. So, in addition to Galaxy S8 and S8+,  Samsung DeX station works with all later devices: Galaxy S9, S9+ Note 8 and Note 9.

Samsung DeX Pad was released in 2018 for Galaxy S9 and S9+. So, it officially supports Galaxy S9, S9+ and Note 9. But in Android Oreo update, Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 can also use Samsung DeX  Pad to enjoy Samsung DeX.  So, Samsung DeX Pad supports similar devices as Samsung DeX Station unless you haven’t updated your S8 (or S8+ or Note 8) to Android Oreo.

Samsung DeX cable was released in 2018 for Galaxy Note 9. Currently, it only supports Galaxy Note 9 (and Tab S4)  in DeX mode. For Galaxy S8, S8+, S9, S9+ and Note 8, the cable is identical to other normal USB-C to HDMI cable: you can only use it for screen mirroring without a Chromecast (or Miracast device).

Which phones support Samsung DeX?

As mentioned, currently, you can use Samsung DeX in the following devices:

• Galaxy S8
• Galaxy S8+
• Galaxy Note 8
• Galaxy S9
• Galaxy S9+
• Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Tab S4

To use Samsung DeX Pad, Galaxy S8, S8+, and Note 8 must upgrade to Android Oreo. DeX Station does not have this requirement.

Samsung DeX Station vs Samsung DeX Pad: what are the differences?

If your Galaxy S8, S8+ or Note 8 are still using Android Nougat, then  Samsung DeX … Read the rest

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In Android update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung did not implement the stock Android Pie navigation gestures. Instead, they added their own new navigation gestures as one of the new features in the One UI.

Some owners may get confused on the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, especially those who tried the navigation gestures in the stock Android Pie.

This Galaxy S9 Android Pie update guide explains the details of the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+,  the difference between the Android Pie navigation gestures and the full-screen navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, and show you how to enable and use them.

What are the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+?

In Android Pie (Android 9), Google introduced a set of gestures for the home buttons, Android Pie navigation gestures, to help users to navigate and switch apps very quickly.

Essentially, in stock Android Pie, if the navigation gestures are enabled, the Recents/Overview button will be removed. The back button appears only if it is needed. This creates a very clean UI with one Home button as explained in this page.

Of course, Samsung thought they have a better solution.

In the Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung chooses to collapse the 3 navigation buttons into 3 lines on the bottom of the screen. You then just swipe up from these 3 lines to replace the function of pressing the buttons.

So, you will find the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ are substantially different from the Android Pie navigation gestures.

The major differences between Android Pie navigation gestures and the new navigation gestures in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ include:

• In the stock Android Pie, all navigation gestures are based on the home button. In Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, there are 3 lines for the gestures.
• In the stock Android Pie, you have 5 touch screen gestures for the home button: press (tap), long press (long tap), swipe upwards, slow swipe upwards (or double swipe upwards), swipe to the right, swipe to the right and hold. But in Galaxy S9 and S9+, swipe upwards is the only

… Read the rest

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Galaxy S9 themes allow you to customise many aspects of the UI in Galaxy S9 and S9+.  It is no longer necessary to customise the colour scheme, wallpaper, icons or always-on display (AOD) screen individually.

You can find many excellent free Galaxy S9 themes in Samsung themes to meet your needs.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains everything you need to know about Galaxy S9 themes: What are they? How to get them? How to access them in Samsung themes? How to install and use them? How to manage or delete Galaxy S9 themes.

What are Galaxy S9 themes?

Galaxy S9 themes are “skins” for your Galaxy S9 and S9+.

You can use Galaxy S9 themes to customise the user interface of Galaxy S9 or S9+. The customisation usually includes:

• Colour scheme for the UI. The default white scheme in Galaxy S9 and S9 UI can be annoying when you are using the phone in darkness.
• Wallpapers for Galaxy S9 Home screen (including Galaxy S9 Apps screen), Galaxy S9 edge screen,  and Galaxu S9 lock screen.
• App icon pack for pre-installed Samsung apps to replace the stock icon.
• Font, style and background settings for Settings, Phone, Messages, Internet, Contacts, Clock, My Files and a few (about 30 to 40) other Samsung system apps.
• Galaxy S9 always on display (AOD) themes.

Please note, Galaxy S9 themes work with the default launcher. If you are using a third-party launcher, Galaxy S9 themes unlikely will work as expected.

Besides, themes for other Galaxy phones (e.g., Galaxy S8/S8+) will NOT work on Galaxy S9/S9+.

Where to get Galaxy S9 themes?

As a security measure, you should get new themes for Galaxy S9 and S9+ ONLY from Samsung’s Theme store, which is embedded in Galaxy Apps.

You probably should never get any themes from other sources.

How to access Galaxy S9 themes?

You can access Galaxy S9 themes from Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode.

In Galaxy S9 home screen, you can enter the edit mode by:

• Pinch gesture.
• Long tap (tap and hold) on any blank area.

Once in the edit mode of the Galaxy S9 Home screen, as shown below,  tap Themes to access Galaxy S9 themes.

In Galaxy S9 themes page, as shown in the screenshot above, tap Themes to enter themes tab.

Besides, you will get the notification about Galaxy S9 themes in the notification panel when … Read the rest

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Galaxy S9 Multi Window allows you to use two or more apps simultaneously on Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ to improve your productivity.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains what Multi Window can do for you, how to use split-screen view, how to use the pop-up view, and how to use the snap window on Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Update: a new section of Changes of Multi-Window in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ was added. In Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, many Multi Window features were removed.  Please check this section and Android Pie update guide for details. You may also check this guide for using the Multi Window on Galaxy S9 and S8 with Android Pie.

As Multi Window is available in many other Galaxy phones, this guide also applies to many other Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets including Galaxy S8, S8+, Note 8 and Note 9.

What is Multi Window on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

Multi Window on Galaxy S9 and S9+ allows you to use two apps side-by-side in the split-screen view, or simultaneously use two or more apps in the pop-up view.

For example, you may want to browse the info of a product in the Amazon app and share some key info with your friends in the Messages app.

Or you may want to get some numbers from a spreadsheet in Google Sheets for an email.

Without the Multi Window, you will have to switch between apps several times.

If you are familiar with Multi Window on Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can greatly improve your productivity, and therefore get a better ROI of your Galaxy S9 or S9+.

Samsung introduced Multi Window many years in Galaxy Note 2 in 2012, which is 4 years earlier than the stock multiwindow feature introduced in Android Nougat.

Over the years, Samsung has improved and polished the multiwindow feature and made it one of the best features in Galaxy phones.

Basically, if you need to switch apps a few times for a task, you very likely will benefit from the Multi Window feature once you get used to it.

What are the two Multi Window modes on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

There are two screen modes of Multi Window on Galaxy S9 and S9+:

• Split-screen view.
• Pop-up view.

In the split-screen view, two apps share the whole … Read the rest

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You can use quick-open notification panel to access Galaxy S9 notification panel by swiping downwards on the home screen.

Quick-open notification panel adds an additional way to check notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+ quickly when you are on Galaxy S9 Home screen.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains to you what quick-open notification panel is, how to enable or disable it and its limitations.

Because quick-open notification panel is part of the Samsung Experience 9.0, it works identically on all Samsung Galaxy phones with Android Oreo update. Therefore this guide applies to not only Galaxy S9 and S9+, but also Galaxy S8, S8+, and Galaxy Note 8.

What is quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

As explained in this guide, you can access Galaxy S9 notification panel by swiping downwards from the status bar (or the top of the screen if status bar is hidden).

This method works in all situations. You can use it when you are on Galaxy S9 home screen or when you are using any apps.

Quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+, if enabled, allows you to access the same notification panel by swiping downwards on Galaxy S9 home screen.

By default, swiping upwards and downwards on Galaxy S9 home screen was assigned to switching to Galaxy S9 apps screen (if you didn’t hide Galaxy S9 apps screen).

So, after you enable quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can only swipe upwards to switch to Galaxy S9 apps screen.

Please note quick-open notification panel is included in the Samsung Experience 9.0. In addition to Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can use this feature on other Samsung Galaxy phones with Android Oreo update: Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

How to enable quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

By default, the feature of quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+ is disabled.

To enable quick-open notification panel on Galaxy S9 and S9+, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Enter edit mode for Galaxy S9 Home screen

On Galaxy S9 Home screen, tap and hold (long tap) any blank area to enter the edit mode for Galaxy S9 home screen.

Step 2: Access home screen settings

In the edit mode, tap Home screen settings as shown below.

The alternative … Read the rest

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Like it or not, you need to learn to use the updated camera app in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+  if you want to take lovely photos.

Although some Galaxy S9 and S9+ owners may prefer the old camera app, the updated camera app in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9 does introduce some new features (ported from Galaxy Note 9 mainly).

This Galaxy S9 Android Pire update guide explains the new features of the updated camera app in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, and how to use the new camera app.

The new user interface of the updated camera app in Android Pie update for Samsung phones

After you update Galaxy S9 or S9+ to Android Pie, you will first see the new app icon for the camera app.

Once you start the camera app (all the 6 methods to launch camera app on Galaxy S9 and S9+ still work.), you may be surprised by the updated camera app in Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+.

As shown in the screenshot below, you can find it is substantially different from the original camera app in the following aspects:

• Camera modes are now placed on the bottom (above the shutter button) in the portrait orientation.
• Camera setting buttons (options for the camera mode being used) are now placed in the top (below the Bixby vision and AR Emoji).
• Bixby vision button is moved to the top of the screen.
• AR Emoji is not listed among camera modes. It is now placed on the top of the screen.
• Auto mode is renamed as Photo mode.
• The shutter button does not have the zoom function. You cannot drag the shutter button to zoom. You have a new way to zoom (read on).
• New scene optimizer button was added (read on).
• Buttons for camera selection (for Galaxy S9+ rear cameras),  were updated. You can also use it to zoom in/out (read on).
• For supported camera modes, you can now change the aspect ratio of the photo (and photo size) without navigating to Galaxy s9 camera settings. In the screenshot below, the 4:3 button can be used to change the photo aspect ratio to 16:9 or 4:3 or 1:1 or full (18.5:9).  In the original camera app, you can only switch between 18.5:9 and the one you set in Galaxy S9 camera settings.

… Read the rest

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… Read the rest

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You need to consider a few Galaxy S9 accessories once (or even before) you get the phone.

Proper Galaxy S9 accessories can add considerable value to your investment in Galaxy S9 or S9+.

But there are so many accessories for Galaxy S9 and S9+ in the market. You may wonder which Galaxy S9 accessories can match your needs.

Galaxy S9 accessories guides will help you make wise decisions based on your needs and budget.

Why Galaxy S9 accessories guides?

When you try to get accessories for Galaxy S9 or S9+, you will find you have too many options.

Some Galaxy S9 and S9+ owners are overwhelmed by the choices.

For example, when you look for a case or cover for Galaxy S9 or S9+, you can find hundreds, maybe even thousands if you consider colour variations,  of Galaxy S9 cases in Amazon online store.

Then, how to choose a case for your Galaxy S9 or S9+?

When you search for a wall charger or wireless charging pad for Galaxy S9 or S9+, you also have about 100 options. Which one can meet your needs within your budget?

You can find answers to such questions in Galaxy S9 accessories guides.

Simply put, Galaxy S9 accessories guides check and compare some noteworthy Galaxy S9 accessories, then recommend you the most suitable option based your needs.

About Galaxy S9 accessories guides

Covering all accessories for Galaxy S9 and S9+ is impossible. Therefore, Galaxy S9 accessories guides focus on:

• Galaxy S9 cases and covers
• Galaxy S9 wall chargers
• Galaxy S9 wireless charging pad
• Galaxy S9 camera modules
• Galaxy S9 screen protectors
• Micro SD card for Galaxy S9 and s9+
• Ethernet adapter for Galaxy S9 and s9+
• USB storage for Galaxy S9 and s9+
• Headphones and earbuds for Galaxy S9 and S9+
• Selfie stick for Galaxy S9 and S9+
• Galaxy S9 Bluetooth keyboard guide
• USB-C cable guide
• and others

We will try to give unbiased reviews and recommendations for accessories we tested. You will then be able to make well-informed decisions.

List of Galaxy S9 accessories guides

New guides on Galaxy S9 accessories will regularly be added.

So, if you do not find the accessories guide you need, you may check this page later.

At the same time, you can also post your questions or problems with accessories for Galaxy S9 and S9+. We will try to help you find the answers.

We may also … Read the rest

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App pair on Galaxy S9 and S9+ allows you to launch and use two apps as a pair in the split-screen view of the Multi Window mode.

Samsung first introduced app pair on Galaxy Note 8 on 2017. It was then available for all newer Galaxy phones including Galaxy S9, S9+ and Note 9. App pair was also backported to Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the Android Oreo update.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains how app pair works on Galaxy S9 and shows you the two methods of creating app pairs. The guide also shows you how to manage app pairs and how to use app pair together with dual messengers.

As mentioned, the app pair is not an exclusive feature of Galaxy S9 or S9+. Instead, it is a standard Multi Window feature on Samsung phones with Android Oreo. So, this guide applies to other Samsung Galaxy phones including Galaxy Note 8, S8, S8+ and Note 9 as well.

What is app pair on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

As explained in the Galaxy S9 Multi Window guide, you can use two apps in the split screen view simultaneously.

You may need to use a certain pair of apps often. App pair is to address this demand: you create a pair so that the two apps are launched in the split screen view directly.

Of course, this is faster than the old workflow: entering Multi Window mode,  then selecting apps.

Even better, you can use app pair in Galaxy S9 edge screen to launch the two apps without navigating to the home screen.

Essentially, app pair on Galaxy S9 is a shortcut to the split-screen view of two apps. You can put the shortcut on Galaxy S9 home screen or edge screen.

If you are using the dual messenger feature to run two copies of messenger apps (e.g., WhatsApp), you can put these two copies of the messenger app in the app pair so that you can check messages in two accounts simultaneously.

Two ways to create an app pair on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

There are at least two methods to create an app pair on Galaxy S9 or S9+:

1. Converting the current split-screen view to an app pair;
2. Manually creating an app pair in the apps edge of Galaxy S9 edge screen settings.

Method 1: Converting current split-screen view to an app pair

When … Read the rest

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You can customize the look and feel of Galaxy S9 Home screen after entering Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode.

The default Galaxy S9 Home screen may be OK for most users. But if you want, you can customize almost everything of Galaxy S9 Home screen without leaving the home screen.

You just need to switch to Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode.

This Galaxy S9 how-to guide explains to you the features in Galaxy S9 home screen edit mode and how to enter the edit mode from Galaxy S9 Home screen.

What is Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode?

By default, the Galaxy S9 Home screen is in the “presentation” mode.  What you see on the screen, and some behaviours, are the result of home screen settings.

If you want to change anything on the home screen, then you need to leave the normal mode and enter the particular edit mode of Galaxy S9 Home screen.

Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode allows you to customize the home screen of Galaxy S9 and S9+ without leaving the home screen.

Some customization can be done through Galaxy S9 Settings.  But some customization can only be done through Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode.

In short, Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode allows you:

• To change the wallpapers for Galaxy S9 home screen and Galaxy S9 lock screen.
• To add widgets to Galaxy S9 Home screen. For example, you can show photos on Galaxy S9 Home screen as a full-screen widget.
• To use a new Galaxy S9 theme for Galaxy S9 or S9+.
• To align app icons in the home screen.
• To assign home panel for Galaxy S9 Home screen.
• To add or delete a panel in Galaxy S9 home screen.
• To re-arrange panels in Galaxy S9 Home screen.
• To set grids for Galaxy S9 home screen and apps screen.
• To enable or disable number badge (app icon badges) on the home screen.
• To hide/unhide Bixby Home on Galaxy S9 Home screen.
• To customize other Galaxy S9 Home screen settings.

You will need the edit mode of Galaxy S9 Home screen if you want to customize the home screen of Galaxy S9 or S9+ quickly.

How to enter Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode?

To enter Galaxy S9 Home screen edit mode, you can simply tap and hold (aka long tap) any blank area on Galaxy S9 … Read the rest

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Similar to Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9 features software navigation buttons. And Samsung allows you to hide and customize the Galaxy S9 navigation bar and navigation buttons in Galaxy S9 and S9+.

You can also use the software home button even when the screen is off.

This Galaxy S9 guide shows you how to hide and unhide Galaxy S9 navigation bar, customize the background colour of Galaxy S9 navigation bar, customize the Galaxy S9 navigation button layout, and how to use Galaxy S9 Home button when the screen is off.

Update: after updating Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus to Android Pie, you will get the new navigation gestures. You can choose to use the navigation bar with navigation buttons (Home, Back, and  Recents) or use the new navigation gesture.  But you will not be able to hide the navigation bar if you choose to use the navigation bar/buttons.  If you want to use these features and other navigation button customizations, you can use the NavStar app to customize the Galaxy S9 navigation bar and navigation buttons.

Please check this guide for the details about the navigation gestures on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update.

How to lock Galaxy S9 navigation bar?

By default, when you get the new Galaxy S9 or S9+, the navigation bar is shown, but not locked.

The dot (official name: show and hide button) on the left side of the Galaxy S9  navigation bar indicates you can hide the status bar if you want.

Sometimes, you may not want to use the feature of hiding and unhiding the navigation bar, i.e., you may want to lock Galaxy S9 navigation bar.

Please note, when using an app in the split screen view, the Recents button changes to the multiwindow button. You may refer to this guide on how to use apps in Multi Window mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+.

To lock the Galaxy S9 navigation bar, you may go to Galaxy S9 Setting, tap Display as shown below.

Then in the Display settings page,  tap the Navigation bar as shown above.

In the Navigation bar settings page, tap the Show and hide button (marked as 1 in the screenshot below).

After you hide the button, then you lock the navigation bar in Galaxy S9 and S9+.

If you want to hide Galaxy S9 navigation bar, then you need to enable … Read the rest

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A USB flash drive is often the most convenient tool to quickly share files between Galaxy S9, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S20  and other devices.

So, in addition to using a micro SD card, you can further expand Galaxy S9 and other Galaxy phones storage with a USB storage.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains when you need to use a USB flash drive, the limitations of using USB storage on Galaxy S9 and other Galaxy phones, how to use and manage USB storage on Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Since Galaxy S8, Samsung has moved to USB-C port on all Galaxy S and Galaxy Note phones. So, this guide applies to all Galaxy phones with USB-C port, including Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20.

In this guide, we use SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive in some examples. You may get a detailed guide on how to use SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive here.

When do you need to use external USB storage on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

Although you can expand Galaxy S9/S9+ storage with a micro SD card as explained in this guide, sometimes you may find you have to use a USB flash drive or using a flash drive is more convenient than other tools/methods.

For example, if you use two SIM cards on Galaxy S9 or S9+, you then cannot use the micro SD card because slot 2 in the SIM card tray was used by the SIM card already.

Or if you want to share some large videos on your phone with others and you do not want to hand over the phone to that person, you can then directly transfer files from Galaxy S9 to a USB flash drive, or even an external USB drive.

Or when you want to transfer some large files between Galaxy S9 and the PC/notebook without using the USB cable, then a USB flash drive probably is the fastest solution.

Some Galaxy S9 owners also use a USB flash drive to save offline videos and music files.  They can use the drive on multiple devices without making copies on each device.

What are the limitations of using a USB flash drive on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

Although a USB flash drive is a plug-and-play (PnP) device, sometimes you may find the USB flash … Read the rest

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Galaxy S9 lock screen not only keeps your data safe but also offers some useful features and information to improve your productivity.

This Galaxy S9 how-to guide shows you how to set up, use and customise the lock screen of Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Please note although Galaxy S9 supports landscape mode in Galaxy S9 Home screen, Galaxy S9 lock screen is always in portrait mode.

What is Galaxy S9 lock screen?

Galaxy S9 lock screen likes a door to Galaxy S9 and S9+. You need this door to protect your data and info saved on the phone.

But Galaxy S9 lock screen is also an information centre for you so that you can get some essential info without unlocking the phone or opening any apps.

The information provided through Galaxy S9 lock screen varies depending on your customisation. By default, you can get at least the following info in Galaxy 9 lock screen:

• Time and date (clock).
• Carrier info.
• Media player controller.
• Your schedule.
• Notifications.
• Next alarm.

In addition, Galaxy S9 lock screen allows you to:

• Change a few settings (not related to data or privacy) of Galaxy S9 and S9+ through quick setting buttons, for example, turn on/off the blue light filter.
• Add up to 2 app shortcuts to lock screen.
• Use Galaxy S9 camera without unlocking the phone.
• Make emergency calls.

Of course, to protect your data in Galaxy S9 or S9+,  most of the settings can only be changed after you unlock the phone.

How to set up Galaxy S9 lock screen security?

By default, when you set up Galaxy S9 or S9+, it will ask you to set up the lock screen security.

If you skip that step, the default lock screen security, swipe, will be used.

Of course, you can change Galaxy S9 lock screen security at any time.

And you should NOT set Galaxy S9 lock screen security to swipe or none.

If you use either of the options, your data in Galaxy S9 or S9+ are at risk. Anyone, including thieves, can access your phone without restrictions. They can impersonate you.

To change Galaxy S9 lock screen security, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Access Galaxy S9 Settings

There are a couple of ways to access Galaxy S9 settings, for example

• Using the Settings app icon in Galaxy S9 Home screen.
• Using the Settings app icon

… Read the rest

The post How to use and customize Galaxy S9 lock screen? appeared first on Galaxy S9 Guides.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature some significantly new camera features such as the dual-aperture lens, and super slow motion mode. As the first step of trying the new camera in Galaxy S9 and S9+, you need to start Galaxy S9 camera app first.

In addition to tapping the camera app icon, you can have several other ways to start Galaxy S9 camera app in S9 and S9+.

This Galaxy S9 camera guide shows you the six ways to open Galaxy S9 camera app in your Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+.

#1. Use Galaxy S9 camera quick launch to start Galaxy S9 camera app

The fastest way to launch Galaxy S9 camera app is to use Galaxy S9 camera quick launch feature, which is enabled by default.

You can quickly press the power button twice to start Galaxy S9 camera app immediately.  Samsung named this as Galaxy S9 camera quick launch.

The good thing about Galaxy S9 camera quick launch is that it works at any times: when the screen is on or off, or when you are using any apps, or when the screen is locked or unlocked.

When you use the Galaxy S9 camera quick launch first time, it will remind you of this feature as shown below.

You can then keep it on or turn it off if you want.

If you want, you can enable or disable Galaxy S9 camera quick launch in Galaxy S9 camera settings.

#2. Use camera app shortcut on Galaxy S9 lock screen to start Galaxy S9 camera app.

By default, in Galaxy S9 lock screen as shown below, there are two app shortcuts on the left and right sides of the bottom.

One is the phone app for you to make emergency calls without unlocking the phone. And the other is the camera app as shown below.

Of course, you can use other apps to replace them in Settings — Lock screen and security — App shortcuts.

You can tap the camera app icon to open Galaxy S9 camera app without unlocking the screen.

If you launch Galaxy S9 camera app without unlocking the screen, you can only access photos taken in this session. You cannot access any other photos or pictures saved in the phone before the screen was locked.

This is a security feature, not a bug. For example, if someone gets your phone, he/she … Read the rest

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Galaxy S9 notification panel allows you to check, snooze, dismiss and manage all notifications on Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Without Android Oreo preloaded, Galaxy S9 and S9+ come with some new Android  Oreo notification features like notification channels and notification snooze.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains to you what Galaxy S9 notification panel is, how to access it, the layout of the notification panel and how to use notification panel in Galaxy S9 and S9+.

What is Galaxy S9 notification panel?

Like other Android phones, Galaxy S9 notification panel is an integrated part of Galaxy S9 and S9+.

There is no way to avoid it. You can access Galaxy S9 notification panel regardless what you are doing on the phone.

Galaxy S9 notification panel is a centralized location for all app notifications in Galaxy S9 and S9+.  In other words, all apps  “post” or push their notifications to the notification panel.

Apps can send or push notifications even when you do not use the app in the foreground.

In short, Galaxy S9 notification panel is a special panel for you to check, dismiss, snooze and manage all notifications in Galaxy S9 and S9+.

How to access Galaxy S9 notification panel?

You can swipe down from the status bar to access Galaxy S9 notification panel, as illustrated below.

If the status bar is hidden (e.g., when you are in full-screen mode), you can just swipe down from the top of the screen.

You can access Galaxy S9 notification panel even when the screen is locked. Of course, in Galaxy S9 lock screen settings, you can choose how notifications are shown.

In Galaxy S9 and S9+, there is another way to access Galaxy S9 notification panel quickly on Galaxy S9 Home screen.   The feature was named as quick-open notification panel.

You can swipe down on Galaxy S9 Home screen to access Galaxy S9 notification panel. This method, however, is turned off by default. You need to enable it.

In fact, by default, when you swipe up or swipe down in Galaxy S9 Home screen, you will access Galaxy S9 Apps screen.

To use the swipe down gesture for Galaxy S9 notification panel, you need to enable it Galaxy S9 Settings.

As shown below, in Galaxy S9 settings, tap Display.

In the Display page, tap Home screen, as shown in the screenshot above.

In Home screen … Read the rest

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Many Galaxy S9 or S9+ owners want to show photos on Galaxy S9 Home screen so that they can easily see the slideshow of their loved photos without opening the Gallery or other photo apps.

Samsung made it easy to pin photos to the always-on display as explained in this guide. But showing photos on Galaxy S9 Home screen does not work out of the box.

Although there are many solutions for you to show photos on Galaxy S9 Home screen, using Samsung’s picture frame widget probably is the easiest way to show photos on Galaxy S9 and S9+ home screen.

This Galaxy S9 guide shows you how to show photos on Galaxy S9 home screen using the picture frame widget provided by Samsung.  You can also tweak the slideshow by including or excluding photos, adjusting slideshow timing, the layout of photos, and how the photos fill the spots.

The picture frame widget was available in Galaxy phones with Android Marshmallow 6.0 or earlier. Samsung removed it in Android Nougat firmware and offered it as an optional feature in Galaxy Apps.

So, this guide applies to most Samsung Galaxy phones. For Galaxy S9 and S9+, you need to install the widget from Galaxy Apps.

You may follow the steps to install the widget and show photos on Galaxy S9 Home screen. Ths steps als0 are applicable for Galaxy S8, S8+, S7, S7 Edge, Note 9,  Note 8 and Note 5. If you have an older Samsung phone, very likely, you can skip step 1 (as the widget was part of the old Gallery app).

Step 1: Install Picture Frame from Samsung Galaxy Apps

Galaxy Apps is preinstalled in Galaxy S9 and S9+. You cannot remove it.

Samsung now puts many optional features on Galaxy Apps.

In Galaxy  S9 or S9+,  tap Galaxy Apps icon in the home screen or apps screen.

In Galaxy Apps, switch to Exclusives tap as shown below.

In the Exclusives tab, you can scroll down to find the Galaxy Essentials category.

Tap view all as shown above.

Now, you can find apps included in Galaxy Essentials as shown below.

In some regions, by default,  there is a Galaxy Essentials widget on Galaxy S9 Home screen. You can tap it to arrive on the same page.

Among the apps, you can find the Picture frame as shown below. It used … Read the rest

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Galaxy S9 and S9+, together with other Galaxy S devices (except Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+), support SD card.  You can use a micro SD card on Galaxy S9 or S9+ to expand phone storage.

In addition to media files and documents, you can move some apps to the SD card on Galaxy S9 or S9 to free up some internal storage space.

This Galaxy S9 guide explains how to use SIM card on single SIM or dual-SIM versions of Galaxy S9 and S9+, how to move apps to SD card, how to manage SD card with the device maintenance utility, how to encrypt and decrypt SD card on Galaxy S9, and how to save photos to SD card or phone storage for Galaxy S9 camera.

For using a USB flash drive on Galaxy S9 or S9+, please check this guide.

How to insert micro SD card on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

There are two major variants (versions) of Galaxy S9 and S9+: single SIM version, and the dual-SIM version, depending on the market.

Both of these two variants of Galaxy S9 (and S9+) supports the micro SD card to expand the phone storage.

For the single SIM version of Galaxy S9, it is simple. The SIM card tray, as shown below, has two slots: slot 1 for the SIM card, and the slot 2 for the micro SD card.

But for the dual-SIM version of Galaxy S9 (and S9+), it is a bit complicated.

The SIM card tray, as shown below, also has only two slots. You can only fit a SIM card in the slot 1. The slot 2 can hold a SIM card OR a micro SD card, but not both simultaneously.

As explained in this guide:

• If you want to use two SIM cards on Galaxy S9 or S9+, then you cannot use the micro SD card.
• If you want to use a micro SD card, then you cannot use two SIM cards. You can only use one SIM card.

When you place the micro SD card on the SIM card tray, you need to make sure it is secured. The metal contact part should face downwards, same as the SIM card as explained in this guide.

What are the limitations of using micro SD card on Galaxy S9 and S9+?

Although a micro SD card can expand the storage … Read the rest

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You can use Android Pie lockdown mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie (Android 9) update to temporally disable biometric unlock and smart lock. PIN or password will be required to unlock the phones.

The lockdown mode is a standard security feature in Android Pie (Android 9).  Luckily, Samsung did not mess up this feature in the One UI.

This Galaxy S9 Android Pie update guide explains everything you need to know about the lockdown mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update and shows you how to use it.

What is the lockdown mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update?

If enabled, Galaxy S9 and S9+ offer many ways to unlock the phone.

In addition to PIN/password/pattern, you can also unlock Galaxy S9 and S9+ using:

• Fingerprints.
• Iris.
• Face.
• Trusted devices, trusted places, trusted faces, and matched voices through the smart lock.

All these additional unlock methods are provided for your conveniences.  Many Galaxy S9 and S9+ owners enjoy these fast unlock methods.

However, in some special situations, for example, someone attempts to force you to unlock the phone to get your data, you may try to disable these unlock methods temporally (and quickly), then typed the wrong password/PIN a few times so that you have to wait longer and longer to try again.

When the lockdown mode is enabled, notifications will not be shown on the Galaxy S9 lock screen.

The lockdown mode is one of the new features in Android Pie.  Samsung kept the stock feature and did not mess it up this time in the Android update for Galaxy S9 and S9+, unlike what they did to the navigation gestures.

How to enable the lockdown mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update?

By default,  the lockdown mode on Galaxy S9 and S9+ with Android Pie update is not enabled.

You need to enable it in the power button options (power menu) before you can use it.

As shown in the screenshot below, tap Lock screen in Galaxy S9 Settings.

As shown above, in the lock screen settings page, tap Secure lock settings.

In the secure lock settings, as shown below, you can find the Show lockdown option.

You can tap the switch next to it to enable it. If it was enabled,  you can tap it to … Read the rest

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