Galaxy S10 Guides

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Galaxy S10 lock screen

Top 5 new features added in Galaxy S10 September Update

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Samsung Galaxy S10 September updateIn the September (2019) security patch update for Galaxy S10 (including Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e), Samsung ported some new features introduced for Galaxy Note 10 to Galaxy S10.

So, you can enjoy these Samsung Galaxy Note 10 exclusive features on Galaxy S10 now.

This Galaxy S10 guide explains the top 5 new features added in Galaxy S10 September update: Samsung DeX for PC, Link to Windows, new camera features (Live Focus Video, AR Doodle, Super steady, Night camera mode for all camera lens), the new video editor, and the dynamic lock screen.

Please note, in most regions, Samsung packed these features with the monthly security update (September). You can check the security patch level in Galaxy S10 Settings — About phone — Software information. You should be able to use these features mentioned if the Android security patch level is September 1, 2019, or later.

Samsung DeX for PC

In addition to using a Samsung DeX pad, DeX station, or DeX cable, you can now just use a normal USB cable to launch Samsung DeX on a PC or laptop.

Samsung DeX for PC is one of the most welcomed Galaxy Note 10 features. It allows you to use Samsung DeX mode without carrying any dongles or finding a monitor.

By default, when you connect Galaxy S10 to the PC, the Samsung DeX notification will appear, as shown below.

Samsung DeX for PC notification

Of course, to use Samsung DeX for PC with Galaxy S10 or Note 10, you need to install the app on the PC.

You may check this guide on how to use Samsung DeX for PC on Galaxy S10.

Link to Windows

link to windows (Galaxy S10 September update)Link to Windows is a special version of Your Phone Companion app, which allows you to access and manage app notifications, check and reply messages,  share recent photos (up to 25)  on the PC/laptop.

Previously, you can download and install the app from Play Store.

But Link to Windows offers more than the Your Phone Companion app does, for example:

  • Link to Windows offers screen mirroring (through WiFi). You can mirror the phone screen to the PC or laptop. Then use all apps installed on the phone with keyboard and mouse on the PC or laptop.
  • You can access Link to Windows with the quick setting buttons.

Please note, Link to Windows on Samsung Galaxy S10 requires Windows 10.

New camera features

Samsung also ported some Galaxy Note 10 camera features into Galaxy S10 in this update.

Live Focus Video

Live focus video allows you to blur out the background when recording a video.

It works just like the live focus mode for photos.

You can find the Live Focus Video mode among the camera modes in the Galaxy S10 camera app.

AR Doodle

AR Doodle lets you record fun videos with handwriting or drawings on faces or other places. The doodles on the face can move with the face. The doodles in the space will be fixed in the same place, even … Read the rest

How to use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen?

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delete an app folder from the Apps screenYou can use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen to organize apps and reduce the number of panels (pages).

Although it is not a new feature, many Galaxy S10 owners may be confused about the differences when managing app folders on the Home screen and Apps screen.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains why you need app folders, the limitation of the app folders, how to create, use, and manage app folders on both Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen.

What are app folders on Galaxy S10? Why do you need them?

App folders are simply a folder of app icons.  On Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen, each app folder occupies one slot  (grid point), like one app icon.

So, using app folders can help you:

  • Save screen space. You do not want to scroll 20 home screen panels to find an app.
  • Organize apps. You can organize similar apps or apps from one developer into one app folder so that you can locate them very quickly.

In fact, when you unboxed your Galaxy S10, you already found the Samsung folder and the Google folder in Galaxy S10 Apps screen.

Please note, although Galaxy S10 lock screen has two spots (bottom left and right) for two apps, you cannot use app folders there.

Galaxy S10 Edge screen supports app pair, and app folders (which are crated in the Edge screen) on the Apps edge.

What are the limitations of app folders?

There are a few limitations when you use app folders on Galaxy S10, including

  • Galaxy S10 does not support nested app folders.  You are not allowed to put an app folder under another app folder.
  • You cannot customize the screen grid for the app folders.  In Galaxy S10 Home screen settings, you can customize the screen grid from 4×5 to 4×6 to 5×5 or to 5×6. But the layout of app icons inside the app folder is always 4×4. If you put more than 16 apps in one app folder, a new panel inside the folder will be added automatically.
  • On Galaxy S10 App screen, one app icon can appear only in one app folder.  All app icons on the Apps screen can only be shown once. When you put an app into an app folder in the Apps screen, this app icon will only appear in the app folder. You cannot find it elsewhere on the apps screen. Please note, Galaxy S10 Home screen does not have this limitation. In other words, one app icon can appear multiple times including multiple app folders on the Home screen.
  • You can only use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen. You cannot use them on the lock screen.
  • App folders are supported in Galaxy S10 Edge screen. But you can only use app folders created in the Edge screen.

These limitations are similar to those on other Android … Read the rest

How to power on, power off, and reboot Galaxy S10 even when the phone hangs?

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power on, power off, and reboot Galaxy S10 even when the phone hangsWhen Galaxy S10 hangs, you can hold the Power button AND the volume down button for more than 7 seconds to reboot the phone forcefully.

There are a few other combinations of keys (buttons) that you may need to know to power off, power on, reboot, reboot into recovery mode, or reboot into download mode on Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to reboot Galaxy S10 when the phone hangs, and other key combinations for powering on, powering off and rebooting Galaxy S10 (including all 4 Galaxy S10 models).

How to reboot Galaxy S10 when the phone hangs?

Although it happens rarely, Galaxy S10 may hang (not responsive), just like other electronic devices or other Android phones.

If this happens to your Galaxy S10, you may also find the phone does not respond to the power button as well.

Up to Galaxy S5, Samsung used a removable battery in their phones and you can remove the battery to force a reboot.

But since Galaxy S6, Samsung has switched to non-removable batteries. And therefore, the battery removing method is not working for Galaxy S10.

So, when Galaxy S10 hangs (even not responsive to the power button), you can hold the Power button and the volume down button (2 buttons), as shown below, for more than 7 seconds to reboot the phone forcefully. You may check the Galaxy S10 layout to locate the buttons.

reboot Galaxy S10 when the phone hangs

Technically, holding these two buttons is equivalent to removing (and putting back) the battery.

Using the power button and power button menu on Galaxy S10

Normally, you can press the power button on Galaxy S10 to:

  • Power on the phone (when the phone is off).
  • Wake up the screen (when the screen is off).
  • Turn off the screen and lock the phone. (when the screen is on)
  • Take photos in the camera app (if you enable it).
  • End a call (if you enable it).

If you quickly press the power button twice, you can launch the camera app. This is called Galaxy S10 camera quick launch.

You can also call out the power button options (power button menu)  as shown below by long-press the power button for about 2 seconds.

In Galaxy S10 power button menu, there is no shortcut for the screenshot. This is different from the stock Android Pie. If you need to take screenshots, you may check this guide.

Please note, normally, you need to use the Power off button in the power button menu to power off Galaxy S10.

The Reboot button allows you to reboot Galaxy S10 gracefully. Reboot Galaxy S10 gracefully will not lose any data. But if you reboot Galaxy S10 forcefully, all unsaved data will be lost.

If you hold the power button for more than 5 seconds, Galaxy S10 will reboot.

How to reboot Galaxy S1o into recovery mode?

Occasionally, you need to reboot Galaxy S10 into the recovery mode, for example, to clear … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 clear view cover (S-View flip cover)?

The definite guide for Galaxy S10 clear view cover (S-View flip cover)

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Galaxy S10 clear view cover (aka Galaxy S10 S-View flip cover) is one of the flagship accessories from Samsung for S10, S10e,  S10+, and S10 5G.

The unique S-View features make the cover stand out, although some original S View features were removed or redesigned.

This Galaxy S10 accessories guide explains the changes, special features, pros and cons of the Galaxy S10 clear view cover. It also shows you how to customize and use the cover, and how to use the always-on display on the clear view cover.

The S View cover is available for all Galaxy S10 models (S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G). The only difference is the cutout and size of the case. In this guide, S10 refers to all of the four S1o models.

What’s new in the Galaxy S10 clear view cover (S-View flip cover)?

Samsung always releases some “official” accessories for its Galaxy phones.

Galaxy S10 clear view cover, aka Galaxy S10 S-View flip cover in some regions, is an evolution of the “S View” cover.

But compared to the Galaxy S9 clear view cover and Galaxy S8 clear view cover, there are some changes:

  • No kickstand. The kickstand in S-View serials covers for S8, S9, Note 8 and Note 9 was removed in S10.
  • Glossy back. The glossy plastic replaces the texture-rich back. It is a fingerprint magnet.
  • Some textures “inside” the front panel. The translucent front panel looks similar to that in S9. But if you stare at it at 90 degrees, you may notice there are some textures. Of course, the texture is inside, not outside of the panel.
  • Lighter and thinner. Because the kickstand was removed, the cover is lighter and thinner compared to that for S9.

On the software side, there are almost no changes.

What are the special features of the clear view cover (S-View flip cover)?

Galaxy S10 clear view cover shares the similar S-View features as in S9 and S8:

  • Respond to calls, alarms, and events without flipping the cover.
  • Control music on the cover.
  • Read important information including time, date, and battery level on the cover.
  • Auto lock and unlock.
  • Use faceWidgets on the cover.

Please note, there is no separate S-View window as in Galaxy S7 S-View cover.  Since S8, the full front panel is translucent.  The actual display is always on the phone screen.

How to apply and remove the Galaxy S10 S View cover?

When you apply the Galaxy S10 clear view cover to Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+, and S10 5G, you should fix the top part first. Then finish the bottom part.

When you want to remove the cover (to take out the phone), you should start from the bottom. Once the bottom part of Galaxy S10 is taken out of the cover, you can easily take the phone out.

Do NOT try to start from the top if you want to remove the cover. You may damage the … Read the rest

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
… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode for Home screen and lock screen?

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

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

When you hold the phone in the landscape orientation, both Galaxy S10 lock screen and Home screen can rotate so that you can use the landscape mode 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 (including the apps screen)in a similar way.

Even better, Samsung also 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 your rotation regardless of other settings.

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

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

You can enable  the landscape mode for the Home screen 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.

Galaxy S10 settings enable rotate to landscape mode

As shown above, in the 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 for the Home … 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:

  • LED Cover (LED Back cover).
  • 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 Wallet 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 Wallet 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 Wallet cover is the evolution of Samsung’s traditional LED 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 LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover)

Compared to other Galaxy S10 cases and covers, Galaxy S10 LED Wallet 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 can customize individual contacts or apps with unique LED
… Read the rest

Understand 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 the 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 items on the 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. Apps screen usually is considered as part of 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 Home screen is always behind the lock screen.

You can access the 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 centerline if you are using Galaxy S10 navigation gestures) in the navigation bar to access the Galaxy S10 Home screen directly.
  • When you are using any apps, you can keep tapping the Back button in the 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
… Read the rest

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 … 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 lock screen to match your personal preferences and needs.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the components of the Galaxy S10 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 the 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 the lock screen.

If you leave the phone unattended, or your phone is stolen, a secured 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 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 dedicated notification panel in the 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 edit mode with either of the two  touchscreen gestures:… Read the rest

How to use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10, Note 10+, S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra?

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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+.

Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20 also used the identical in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

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+, Note 10, Note 10+, S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

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 … 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 the Galaxy S10 Clear view (S 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 behaviours 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 … Read the rest