Galaxy S10 Guides

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Galaxy S10 lock screen

How to Use Galaxy S10 Always On Display (AOD)?

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You can use Galaxy S10 always-on display (AOD) to check notifications, the time, next alarm, today’s schedule, and the weather,  and to control music play without waking up the phone.

On Galaxy S10, Samsung added a few new features for the always-on display and the default behavior. So, do NOT assume the AOD on Galaxy S10 is identical to that on older phones like S9.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the new features of the Galaxy S10 always-on display (AOD), the difference between Galaxy S10 lock screen and AOD screen, how to enable and customize the always-on display screen on Galaxy S10.

Please note, the always-on display is identical among all Galaxy S10 phones.  In this guide,  Galaxy S10 refers to Galaxy S10e, S10, S10+, and S10 5G,

What is new in Galaxy S10 Always On Display (AOD)?

In all previous Galaxy phones, the always-on display screen will not be turned off automatically unless it is turned on by the scheduler.

So, once you turn on the always-on display on these devices, you have to choose to show the AOD screen all the time when the phone is locked or to show the AOD screen based on your designated period.

On Galaxy S10, Samsung added the show mode for the always-on display screen: tap to show. And this is the default option.

So, after enabling Galaxy S10 always-on display, by default, the AOD screen will NOT show up after you lock the phone unless you tap the screen (once).

The AOD screen will display only about 10 seconds, and then the screen is off.

If you need to show Galaxy S10 AOD screen all the time, you need to change the show mode.

This new show mode is also available on Android Pie update for Galaxy S9, S8, Note 9 and Note 8.

Please note, if you tap Galaxy S10 screen twice when the screen is off, you will wake the screen and get the Galaxy S10 lock screen, instead of the always-on display screen.

Of course, you can disable this feature in Settings —Advanced features —Motions and gestures — Double tap to wake.

Other new features of Galaxy S10 Always on Display include:

  • Landscape mode for Galaxy S10 AOD screen.
  • Brightness adjustment for the AOD screen.
  • Quick settings for AOD.

AOD Quick settings can also be found on Galaxy S9, S8, Note 8 and Note 9 if you updated these phones to Android Pie.

What is the difference between the lock screen and the always-on display screen?

Although Galaxy S10 always-on display screen is part of the Galaxy S10 lock screen and shares the identical FaceWidgets, they serve different purposes.

The major differences between the AOD screen and lock screen include:

  • Galaxy S10 lock screen shows up when the phone wakes up and is in the locked state. While Galaxy S10 AOD screen shows up only when the phone is NOT waking up.
  • You can use app shortcuts in
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How to use the landscape mode for Home screen and lock screen on Galaxy S10?

Get to know about Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode and Galaxy S10 lock screen landscape mode

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You can use the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 lock screen and Home screen on Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G.

When you hold the phone in the landscape orientation, both Galaxy S10 lock screen and Home screen can also rotate so that you can use them easily.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to control the Galaxy S10 screen rotation, how to enable and use Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode and Galaxy S10 lock screen landscape mode.

Different ways to control Galaxy S10 screen rotation (orientation)

On Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung introduced landscape mode for the home screen as explained in this guide.

Galaxy S10 keeps this feature and therefore you can enable the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen in a similar way.

Even better, Samsung added the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 lock screen on all Galaxy S10 phones. Currently, this is a Galaxy S10 exclusive feature.  So, the landscape mode for the lock screen is only available on Galaxy S10 phones.

On Galaxy S10, you can control the screen rotation in different ways:

  • You can turn on Auto-rotate so that the apps can change the orientation automatically when you rotate the phone.  When Auto-rotate is on, you can exclude the Galaxy S10 Home screen and Lock screen.
  • You can turn off Auto-rotate (portrait mode) so that the rotation toggle appears when you rotate the screen. So, you can change and lock the screen orientation when you want. You may check this guide on how to use the screen orientation toggle here. When Auto-rotate is off, the rotation toggle will NOT appear on Galaxy S10 lock screen regardless of your lock screen rotation settings.

Please note, some apps may ignore the screen rotation settings. For example, Galaxy S10 camera app will not follow your screen rotation settings. When you rotate the screen, the camera app will always follow regardless of other settings.

How to enable and use the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen?

To use Galaxy S10 Home screen in the landscape mode, you must enable it first.

You can enable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode in two different locations:

  • Galaxy S10 Settings
  • Galaxy S10 Quick settings.

In Galaxy S10 Settings, tap Display.  Then, as shown in the screenshot below,  on the Display settings page, tap Home screen.

enable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode enable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode

As shown above, in Galaxy S10 Home screen settings page, you can enable or disable “Rotate to landscape mode.”

You can also enable or disable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode from Galaxy S10 quick settings.

As shown in the screenshot below, on the Galaxy S10 quick settings panel, tap the text, NOT the button/icon, of Auto Rotate.

If you disabled the auto-rotate, the Auto-rotate text should change to Portrait. In this case, tap the text (not the button) of Portrait.

Please note, the landscape mode of Galaxy S10 Home screen works even you turn off the auto-rotate (read on).

nable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode nable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode

After … Read the rest

How To Use Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (Galaxy S10 LED Wallet Cover)?

A definite guide for Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover) on Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+

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A definite guide for Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover) on Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (aka Galaxy S10 LED Wallet Cover) stores cards in the interior pocket and shows LED notifications on the outside.

You can customize the LED notification icons on the front for individual contacts and apps.

This Galaxy S10 accessories guide explains the unique features of the Galaxy S10 LED View Cover, how to use the Galaxy S10 LED Wallet Cover, how to customize the LED notification icons for individual contacts and apps. A quick review of the Galaxy S10 LED View cover is also included.

Please note, due to differences in dimensions and cutout of Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+ (see Galaxy S10 specifications), you need to get the Galaxy S10 LED View Cover for your Galaxy S10 model. In this guide, Galaxy S10 refers to S10, S10e, and S10+.

Also, in some regions, Galaxy S10 LED View Cover is named as Galaxy S10 LED Wallet cover.  Do not confuse with the Galaxy S10 LED back cover (LED cover) with the LED  View (or LED Wallet) cover.

Difference between Galaxy S10 LED cover (back cover) and Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover)

For Galaxy S10, Samsung released two LED covers:

  • Galaxy S10 LED Cover (LED Back cover).
  • Galaxy S10 LED View cover (LED Wallet cover)

Galaxy S10 LED cover is a back cover; while Galaxy S10 LED View cover is a flip cover.

Besides, the features of these two covers also differ in:

  • Unique features. Galaxy S10 LED cover has mood lighting,  camera timer, and emoticons for the rear cameras. Galaxy S10 LED View cover does not have any of them.
  • Pocket (Wallet). Galaxy S10 LED View cover has a pocket (wallet) in the inside of the front part. Galaxy S10 LED cover does not have the front part and has no pockets.
  • Lock and wake up the phone. Galaxy S10 LED View cover can lock the phone (when you close the case) or wake up the phone (when you open the case). Galaxy S10 LED cover does not have this feature.
  • Customize LED icons for contacts and apps. Galaxy S10 LED View cover allows you to customize the LED icons for individual contacts and apps. Galaxy S10 LED cover does not allow this. Besides, LED notification icons on the Galaxy S10 LED cover only works with pre-installed apps.

So, these two LED covers are substantially different. Galaxy S10 LED View cover is the evolution of Samsung’s traditional LED Wallet cover (e.g., Galaxy S9 LED Wallet cover, or Galaxy S8 LED Wallet cover). While Galaxy S10 LED back cover is a new product.

What are the unique features of the Galaxy S10 LED View Cover (Galaxy S10 LED Wallet Cover)

Compared to other Galaxy S10 cases and covers, Galaxy S10 LED View cover has the following prominent features:

  • LED notifications. You can get LED notifications on the LED View cover for incoming calls, app notifications, alarms, battery status, clock, and music controls. You
… Read the rest

Understand Contents of Galaxy S10 Home Screen

Get to know the different items on Galaxy S10 Home screen

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Understand Contents of Galaxy S10 Home ScreenYou need to understand the contents of Galaxy S10 home screen to use the phone effectively.

There are usually up to 11 types of items on Galax S10 Home screen. And they are usually designed and arranged for different functions and purposes.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains what Galaxy S10 Home screen is, the contents of Galaxy S10 home screen, and how to use the 11 types of items on the home screen.

What is Galaxy S10 Home screen?

In Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10e, or S1o 5G), you will deal with 8 types of screens:

  • Lock screen.  The lock screen is the first screen you will encounter after starting or wake up the phone. You need to unlock to access private data and apps.
  • Home screen. By default, after you unlock Galaxy S10, you will be directed to Galaxy S10 Home screen.
  • Apps screen.  Traditionally, in Android phones, the apps screen is called app drawer, where you list all installed apps. Typically, only part of the installed apps is added to the home screen.
  • Edge screen (for S10, S10+, and S10 5G only). As explained in Galaxy S10 layout, edge screen actually is a software feature, rather than a dedicated screen.  The edge screen requires a curved edge of the display. Therefore, it is not available in Galaxy S10e due to its flat screen.
  • Recents (Overview) screen. You can find the list of recently used apps in the Recents screen. You can launch these apps in the split-screen view or pop-up view (multiwindow mode) as explained in this guide.
  • Notification panel.  You can swipe down from the Galaxy S10 status bar to access the notification panel.
  • Quick settings panel.  You can use the quick setting buttons to turn on or off some features on Galaxy S10 without opening Galaxy S10 Settings.
  • Individual app screen.

Galaxy S10 Home screen is the center of the phone. There is no way to bypass the home screen.

Galaxy S10 is protected by Galaxy S10 lock screen to prevent unauthorized access to your apps and data.  Therefore, the Galaxy S10 home screen is always behind the lock screen.

You can access the Galaxy S10 Home screen in different ways:

  • After unlocking Galaxy S10, you should get the  Galaxy S10 home screen directly.
  • When you are using any apps, you can tap the Home button (or swipe up from the center line if you are using Galaxy S10 navigation gestures) in Galaxy S10 navigation bar to access the Home screen directly.
  • When you are using any apps, you can keep tapping the Back button in Galaxy S10 navigation bar to return to the Home screen eventually. Some apps may require you to tap the back button several times before you get the Home screen. A few apps may ask you to confirm to exit the app. Anyway, the behavior of the back button in an app depends on individual
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Meaning of Galaxy S10 status icons and notification icons

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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 the … Read the rest

How to use and customize Galaxy S10 lock screen?

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Galaxy S10 lock screen can help you keep your data from prying eyes.

Samsung also allows you to tweak and customize the Galaxy S10 lock screen to match your personal preferences and needs.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the components of the Galaxy S1o lock screen, shows you how to customize the lock screen, and addresses some questions you may have with the Galaxy S10 lock screen.

What is the Galaxy S10 lock screen?

When you power on or reboot Galaxy S10, it will stop at Galaxy S10 lock screen until you unlock the phone. This is similar to other Android phones.

You can imagine the Galaxy S10 lock screen is the door of your Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10e, or S1o 5G).

If someone crosses the door, he can then access everything you saved on the phone: your contacts, messages, call log, files, emails, photos, app data, and many more.

For this reason, you should keep your Galaxy S10 lock screen secured. In other words, you should set up PIN or password to lock the phone so that all people except you can only access up to Galaxy S10 lock screen.

If you leave the phone unattended, or your phone is stolen, a secured Galaxy S10 lock screen may save your life.

On the other hand, you want to access some info very quickly on Galaxy S10. For example, you may want to pause the music playing without unlocking the phone or peek the notifications.

So, some features were added to Galaxy S10 lock screen to improve your productivity without sacrificing security and privacy.

What are the components of the Galaxy S10 lock screen?

Typically, there are up to 7 components on the Galaxy S10 lock screen, as shown in the screenshot below.

  1. Status bar. Due to the cutout of the front camera, notification icons on the right side are not aligned to the right edge of the screen. Please check this guide on the meaning of the status icons and notification icons on Galaxy S10. You may customize and even disable notification icons in Galaxy S10 status bar as explained in this guide.
  2. Clock and FaceWidgets. You can swipe left and right to switch to other FaceWidgets.
  3. Contact info.
  4. Notifications.
  5. Charging status (when charging Galaxy S10 battery)
  6. The in-display fingerprint scanner location indicator (for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S1o 5G).
  7. App shortcuts (up to two).

You can hide some of them including contact info, notifications, and app shortcuts. But others will be always shown.

If you swipe down from the status bar, you will then access the Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons panel. There is no notification panel in the Galaxy S10 lock screen.

How to customize Galaxy S10 lock screen wallpaper?

If you want to change the wallpaper for the Galaxy S10 lock screen, you can go to the edit mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen.

On Galaxy S10 Home screen, you can enter the … Read the rest

How to use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e?

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use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10eSamsung dramatically changed the fingerprint reader (fingerprint sensor) on Galaxy S10. An in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader is used in Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+.

With the removal of Iris scanner on Galaxy S10, many owners will have to use the fingerprint scanner to quickly unlock Galaxy S10.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to register fingerprints and use the fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

What’s new in Galaxy S10 fingerprint reader?

Galaxy S10 (and Galaxy S10+) is the first smartphone with an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader, which is one of the most notable new features of Galaxy S10.

Instead of scanning your fingerprint using capacitive or optical methods, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor uses sonic pulse waves to find out the 3D structure of your fingerprints.

Similar ultrasonic technology has been used in biomedical imaging in hospitals for decades and saved many lives.

Generally speaking, or technically, the ultrasonic fingerprint reader can get the real 3D info of your fingerprints and therefore it could potentially be far more accurate than the traditional capacitive fingerprint reader.

Do not confuse this in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader with the in-display optical fingerprint ones (as in a few OnePlus and Vivo phones). The optical fingerprint reader is the slowest one. It is even slower than the traditional capacitive fingerprint reader.  And the optical one is the least secure because it is essentially a kind of 2D photo recognition.

For Galaxy S10e, a traditional capacitive fingerprint sensor is mounted on the power button as illustrated in Galaxy S10 layout. The position is at least better than the fingerprint on Galaxy S8 (see Galaxy S8 layout) or S9 (see Galaxy S9 layout).

What are the major limitations of the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader on Galaxy S10 and S10+?

Although the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor sounds cool and is actually the most secure (accurate) fingerprint reader, there are some inherent limitations of this new sensor on Galaxy S10:

  • Many screen protectors will not work nicely with the in-display fingerprint reader. The sonic waves are affected by the air between the screen and screen protector. Therefore the sensor may not function properly even if a small air bubble is trapped by the screen protector.
  • You need to know where to press your finger.
  • The matching sensitivity is not rocket science. If Samsung set the sensitivity too high, you may have to press several times. If it is set too low, it will not be secure.

So, as explained in the top 10 disappointing and missing features of Galaxy S10, I prefer the fingerprint sensor on Galaxy S10e.

How to register fingerprints for the fingerprinter reader on Galaxy S10?

To use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, you need to register your fingerprints first.

The procedure of registering (adding) fingerprints is identical for all 4 Galaxy S10 phones. But in this guide, we will use Galaxy S10 for the illustration.

In Galaxy S10 Settings, tap Biometrics … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e?

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use Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10eUsing Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures is not an option; it is a requirement if you want to use Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e.

The good news is that Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures are similar to those on other smartphones.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide uses animation to demonstrate how to use seven Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures. The examples (scenarios)  of using these Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures are also provided.

The touchscreen gestures are identical on Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G. So, in this guide, Galaxy S10 refers to all four models of Galaxy S10 phones.

What are the seven Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures?

Unless you attach a keyboard/mouse to Galaxy S10 or use voice commands (e.g., Google Assistant or Bixby Voice), you have to use Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures to control the screen and interact with the phone in apps.

Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures refer to how your finger(s) moves on the screen.

The screen (see Galaxy S10 layout) in Galaxy S10 is a touchscreen. When your finger or a capacitive pen touches the screen, it can identify the motion.

The motion pattern can be designed and programmed as a gesture. The system and apps can then perform certain operations as a response to the gesture.

In Galaxy S10, as like in other Android phones, seven touchscreen gestures, tap, double tap, long tap (tap and hold), swipe, drag, pinch, and spread, are fully supported.

Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures are used by:

  • The system. Galaxy S10 may use slightly different touchscreen gestures compared to other phones. For example, the navigation gesture is different from that in stock Android.
  • Individual apps. App developers can assign any functions to any gestures inside the app.

Please note S Pen is for Galaxy Note devices. Galaxy S10 screen will NOT respond to S Pen.

Very often, three of the Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures were also programmed for some hardware buttons (keys).  In this case, we usually refer the gestures as press (instead of tap), double press and long press.

Please do not confuse the touchscreen gestures with Galaxy S10 navigation gestures.

Some Samsung cases/covers may also support some gestures. For example,both Galaxy S10 LED View cover (LED wallet) and Galaxy S10 Clear view cover support swipe gesture to accept or reject a call.

List of  Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures their usages

We will use animations to illustrate what are the 7 Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures. The examples of using each gesture are followed.

Smartphone touchscreen gestures usually mimic the behaviors of a mouse on a PC.  When you use Samsung Dex with Galaxy S10, the mouse can replace these Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures.

1. Tap gesture (press)

Tap (single tap) is one of the essential Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures. You cannot survive without it.

The tap gesture, as shown in the animation below,  means you touch somewhere (e..g., a button in an app, an app icon in Galaxy S10 home screen) on the screen once, then your finger … Read the rest