Galaxy S10 Guides

a owners-help-owners community of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e

dual messenger

How to use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e?

· 17 Comments

use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10eIn most regions, you can use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e if you choose not to use a micro SD card.

The dual-SIM version of Galaxy S10 can work in dual-standby mode.  The two SIM cards share (time sharing) one modem and therefore the dual SIM version of Galaxy S10 does not support dual active mode.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e, how to enable and use dual SIM always on and how to use SIM card manager to set preferred SIM cards for calls, messages, and mobile data.

Please note, Galaxy S10 5G only supports one SIM card in all regions. So, in this guide, Galaxy S10 refers to Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+ only.

Who can use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e?

In most regions of Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, Galaxy S10 (except S10 5G) supports two SIM cards (dual SIM version).

You can use two SIM cards concurrently. In some countries, some carriers charge excessively for mobile data if the SIM card can also make calls. Some bundle very limited mobile data with voice plans. In this case, you can use one SIM card for calls, one for mobile data.

Or when traveling, you can use one SIM card issued in your home country and the other one from a local carrier. In this way will not miss important calls and messages without paying excessive roaming voice and data fees.

You can also use one SIM card for work-related communications, and the other for private affairs.

To use two SIM cards on Galaxy S10, you need to have a dual SIM version of Galaxy S10. As mentioned, unless you bought Galaxy S10 in North America, your Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, and S10e) is very likely the dual SIM version.

How to check whether the Galaxy S10 is a dual SIM version or a single SIM version?

If you are not sure, check the IMEI number in Galaxy S10 Settings —About phone.

As shown in the screenshot below, if there are two IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers, it means it is a dual SIM version of Galaxy S10, and you can use two SIM cards.

Also, if the model number has a suffix of /DS as shown in the screenshot, it also indicates it is a dual SIM version of Galaxy S10.

Of course, on the box of Galaxy S10, the dual SIM version is usually stated as Duos.

The limitations of Galaxy S10 dual SIM capabilities

For dual SIM phones, there are two variants: dual standby, and dual active, as explained in this guide.

In a nutshell, dual-SIM dual-standby (DSDS) means the two SIM cards share one set of modem and antenna. The time-sharing (similar to virtualization) is implemented in the software, and the user should not notice it when both SIM cards are in … Read the rest

Meaning of Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons

· 16 Comments

Meaning of Galaxy S10 status icons and notification iconsYou need to understand the meaning of the Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons to get some quick information on the system status and health.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the differences between Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons, how to customize the notifications in the status bar,  and the meaning of Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons in Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

Please note, in some regions or carriers, the status icon on Galaxy S10 may be slightly different.

If you want to customize or disable notification icons in Galaxy S10 status bar, you may check this guide.

What is the difference between Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons?

Like other Android phones, Galaxy S10 uses the top part of the screen as a status bar to display status icons and notification icons. These icons tell you something about the system or inform you about unread or on-going notifications.

The status bar appears on all screens in Galaxy S10, including Galaxy S10 Home screen, apps screes,  lock screen, and all apps.

The icons in the Galaxy S10 status bar are usually classified as notification icons and status icons.

As shown in the screenshot below, the Galaxy S10 notification icons are in the left side of the status bar. The Galaxy S10 status icons are on the right side of the status bar.

Please note, due to camera cutout on Galaxy S10, the status icon are aligned to the left side of the cutout, not to the right edge of the screen. If you use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout, the status icons will be aligned to the right side.

The differences between Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons are

  • Galaxy S10 status icons are always related to the system; while Galaxy S10 notification icons are usually linked to specific apps (including a few system apps and third-party apps).
  • Galaxy S10 status icons are normally shown on the right side of the status bar; while Galaxy S10 notification icons always appear on the left side of the status bar.
  • Galaxy S10 status icons are more or less universal in all regions; while Galaxy S10 notification icons depend on individual apps, whose developers can use whatever they want.
  • Galaxy S10 status icons normally do not have any corresponding notifications in the notification panel; while Galaxy S10 notification icons usually have one or more corresponding notifications in the notification panel.
  • You can customize the number of Galaxy S10 notification icons shown on the Galaxy S10 status bar.  But you cannot customize the number of status icons.

Please note, when an app is in the immersive full-screen mode, the status bar will be hidden temporally. You can swipe down from the top of the screen to bring up the Galaxy S10 status bar (and Galaxy S10 navigation bar if you are using Galaxy S10 navigation buttons).

Also, when you are in … Read the rest