Samsung Galaxy S20 Guides - Everything about Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra

How to manage location services on Galaxy S20 to protect your privacy?

Location services collect your location info and offer them to apps that request such info (and approved by you). It is usually one of the core parts of privacy settings.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains why you should manage location services on Galaxy S20, how to turn on and turn off location services, how to manage location services for individual apps, and how to hide or remove location info when sharing photos through Google Photos or Samsung Gallery app.

As privacy settings (including location services) are almost identical on all Galaxy phones with Android 10, this guide applies to not only Galaxy S20 phones (including Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, and S20 FE) but also Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy Note 9.

Why is it important to manage location services on your phone?

For most phone owners, the location info is part of the critical private data. It reveals your whereabouts. It reveals your movement path and history. Smart guys or some AI apps can even figure out what you were doing based on the location information.

Of course, you do not want spammers, scammers, and bad guys to get such information.

Even for close friends or family members, occasionally, you may be reluctant to share such sensitive information.

But you cannot just turn off location services on Galaxy S20. Many apps need the info to function properly.

For example, most banking apps require location info for any transactions. Some shopping apps may also demand such info to reduce fraud. Of course, location-based apps or games, like Pokemon Go, Google Maps, or the weather widget on Galaxy S20 Home screen, rely on your location info to provide functions or services.

So, it is important to manage location services on Galaxy S20 so that only apps that genuinely require location info get the access. Other apps will be limited for accessing such info.

How to turn on and turn off location services on Galaxy S20?

You can categorically turn off location services on Galaxy S20 in Settings — Location, as shown in the screenshot below (marked as 1).

In this case, some apps, for example, the camera app, will remind you that the location is not available and ask you to enable it.

Please note once you turn off the location service, no apps can get the location info of … Read the rest

How to manage home screen panels on Galaxy S20?

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Most Galaxy S20 owners need a few home screen panels to place frequently used apps, app folders, widgets, bookmarks, and shortcuts.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 home screen panels are, what is the home panel of the Galaxy S20 Home screen and how to assign the home panel, how to manage (add, remove and relocate) home screen panels on Galaxy S20.

Galaxy S20 home screen panels are part of Samsung One UI launcher (aka Samsung launcher). So, this guide applies to all other Samsung Galaxy phones with One UI, for example, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy Note 8.

What are home screen panels on Galaxy S20?

Each page of the Galaxy S20 Home screen is usually called a panel. So, home screen panels are just “pages” of your Galaxy S20 Home screen.

By default, when you unlock Galaxy S20, you will go to the home panel (read on) of Galaxy S20 Home screen (or last opened app).

Among all Galaxy S20 home screen panels, the following items are identical on all pages:

Status bar.
Favourite tray.
Edge screen handle.
Home screen panel indicator.
Navigation buttons (if you are using buttons, instead of navigation gestures)

You need to use multiple home screen panels to accommodate:

When you put the apps on the Galaxy S20 Home screen, you can access them quickly without navigating to the Apps screen.

For widgets, you can only use them on the home screen.

Besides, on Galaxy S20, Samsung Daily (Bixby Home) always occupies the leftmost panel. You may follow this guide to hide or disable Samsung Daily (Bixby Home) on Galaxy S20. Please note, there is no way to remove it unless you root the phone or use other launchers.

What is the “home” panel of Galaxy S20 Home screen?

Because there are multiple home screen panels on Galaxy S20, you need to designate one as the “home” of the Galaxy S20 Home screen.

By default, the panel next to Samsung Daily (Bixby Home) is assigned as the “home” of Galaxy S20 Home screen. Of course, you can assign any panels (pages) as the home of the home screen panels.

The role of this panel is to represent the end … Read the rest

How to use Do Not Disturb on Samsung Galaxy S20?

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Do Not Disturb (DND) allows you to escape from nonurgent disruptions from your phone while important calls, alarms, notifications can still alert you.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Do Not Disturb (DND) on Samsung Galaxy S20 is, how to enable and disable it on-the-fly, or based on predefined schedules, how to customize Do Not Disturb on Samsung Galaxy S20 so that you can allow specific contacts to reach you and certain apps to alert you.

The DND feature is common on most Galaxy phones. So this guide applies to not only Galaxy S20 but also other Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10, for example, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy Note 9.

What is Do Not Disturb?

Android Marshmallow (Android 6) introduced the Do Not Disturb to help users limit interruptions from the phone and therefore improve productivity.

Over the last a few Android releases, Google fine-tuned this feature to make it easy to understand and easy to use.

Basically, on Samsung Galaxy S20, Do Not Disturb mode allows you to filter interruptions so that:

Only some contacts can ring you.
Most notifications are silenced.
You can choose to hide specific or even all notifications.
You can manage an exception list.

Please note, Samsung removed some Do Not Disturb features found in the stock Android, for example,

You cannot trigger DND automatically based on calendar events. In most other Android phones, you can add event-based rules to turn on DND automatically.
You cannot allow apps to overwrite DND.

So, do not assume Do Not Disturb on Samsung Galaxy S20 is identical to many non-Samsung Android phones.

How to enable and disable Do Not Disturb on Samsung Galaxy S20 on-the-fly?

In addition to turning on/off Do Not Disturb automatically (read on), there are a few different ways to enable or disable Do Not Disturb on Samsung Galaxy S20 on-the-fly.

Method 1: from Galaxy S20 Quick Settings

You can swipe down twice from the status bar, or from the top of the screen (when the status bar is hidden, e.g., in full-screen mode), to access Galaxy S20 quick settings panel.

As shown in the screenshot below, you can find the Do not disturb button.

Tap the Do not disturb button to enable or disable DND mode immediately on Galaxy S20.

You can tap and hold the button to … Read the rest

How to use SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C on Galaxy S20, S10, S9 and S8?

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You can simply plug SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C in and immediately use it on Galaxy S20, S10, S9 and S8 to transfer files, back up your data, or enjoy media saved in the drive.

This Galaxy S20 accessories guide explains how Sandisk Ultra Dual Drive USB work on Galaxy S20 and computers, when you may need this thumb drive, how to mount, unmount and access Sandisk Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C on Galaxy S20, S10, S9 and S8, and when you should use the companion Memory Zone app and when not.

This is a continuation of this post which shows how to use the external USB drive on Galaxy S8, S9, S10, and S20 and explains the limitations and caveats of using a USB thumb drive. In this post, we focus on a specific product: Sandisk Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C. It is one of the most reliable dual USB thumb drives that work on both PC and smartphones.

A brief review of using thumb drives and portable drives on smartphones

Traditionally, a USB device can be a master (host) or a salve (peripheral). When using a smartphone as a USB device, traditionally, the smartphone will be a slave device. For example, when you connect Galaxy S6 to the PC, it will be shown as a storage device. You cannot access the PC storage from the phone.

USB OTG (USB On-The-Go) standard allows a device to perform both master and slave roles.

To use USB accessories or peripherals (for example, USB Ethernet, USB MIDI) on the smartphone (which becomes a USB host), you need to meet two requirements:

The smartphone must support USB OTG. Most Android phones, including Galaxy phones, support USB OTG.
You need to use a USB OTG cable (or a USB OTG adapter). Some USB peripherals may have proper connector already. In this case, you do not need a cable or an adapter.

So, it is a bit complicated to use a thumb drive on the phone with a micro USB port. If the phone does not support USB OTG, then you cannot use it at all.

USB-C (USB Type C) dramatically simplifies it.

In USB -C specifications, the smartphone just needs to support the dual-role port (DRP). Then all USB accessories with a USB-C connector/port can be paired to the phone as a slave device. So, you can use the USB … Read the rest

How to customize Galaxy S20 ringtone quickly without using any third-party apps?

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You can use Galaxy S20 ringtone to identify calls from which SIM card, or from which contact without looking at the phone.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains how to set and customize Galaxy S20 ringtones for each SIM card (if you are using two SIM cards) without installing any third-party apps, and how to customize ringtone for individual contacts so that you can “hear” who is calling when the phone rings.

This guide works on not only all Galaxy S20 (Galaxy S20, 20+, and S20 Ultra), but also all Galaxy phones with Android 10, including Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note10, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy Note 9.

When do you need to change the ringtone on Galaxy S20?

The default Galaxy S20 ringtone can cause confusion when there are a couple of Samsung phone users in the same room because most Galaxy phones use the same default ringtone.

So, in this case, it is wise to change the default ringtone to something else.

Sometimes, you may want to know who is calling without looking at the phone. Especially, you don’t want to miss some calls from a few important contacts. A customized ringtone for individual contact can solve your problem.

Some owners of the dual SIM versions of Galaxy S20 may use the two SIM cards (including eSIM) for different purposes. Of course, you may want to set a memorable ringtone for each SIM card so that you can hear which SIM card is called.

In short, you may consider to change or customize Galaxy S20 ringtone:

To distinguish your phone calls from others in the room.
To know who is calling you, just from the ringtone.
To know which SIM card is called without looking at the phone.

Galaxy S20 allows you to choose from many pre-installed ringtones, or select your own music or audio files.

How to set Galaxy S20 ringtone for each SIM card?

You may follow these steps to change Galaxy S20 ringtone for individual SIM card.

Step 1: Open Galaxy S20 Settings

You can open Galaxy S20 setting in many different ways, for example:

Tap the Settings app icon on Galaxy S20 Home screen or apps screen.
Tap the gear icon in Galaxy S20 quick settings panel or notification panel.
Use voice commands including Google Assistant or Bixby.

As shown in the screenshot below, in Galaxy S20 Setting page, tap Sounds and … Read the rest

How to use, manage and master Galaxy S20 camera modes?

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Galaxy S20 camera modes allow you to easily take photos in different scenarios without fiddling around the settings.

This Galaxy S20 camera guide explains how to access different Galaxy S20 camera modes, how to add frequently used camera modes to the preview screen so that you can access them quickly. A detailed explanation of all Galaxy S20 camera modes and their usages concludes this guide.

Although the three models of Galaxy S20 phones differ significantly in camera specs, the camera modes on Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra are actually identical. So this guide applies to all these three Galaxy S20 models.

How to access Galaxy S20 camera modes?

By default, when you open the camera app (including using Galaxy S20 camera quick launch), you are in the Photo mode (aka auto mode). This is the default Galaxy S20 camera mode.

Please note, if you open the camera again shortly after you closed it, or from the Recents screen, it may start with the last used camera mode depending on whether the process is stopped completely or not.

As shown in the screenshot below, in the preview screen, you can find Galaxy S20 camera modes located above the shutter button.

By default, there are four buttons. Three of them are for single-take camera mode, Photo mode, and video mode, respectively. The last one is the More button.

You can tap the More button to reveal all other available Galaxy S20 camera modes.

To access or use any of the Galaxy S20 camera modes, you simply tap on the mode. Galaxy S20 camera will change the camera mode to the tapped one instantly.

You can then take photos using that camera mode.

Please some Galaxy S20 camera modes are for the rear camera only. If you choose that mode, Galaxy S20 will switch to the rear camera immediately without warning if you are using the front-facing camera. Unlike that in previous Galaxy phones, Galaxy S20 does not grey out inapplicable camera modes for the front camera.

List of Galaxy S20 camera modes

By default, as shown in the screenshot above, there are 13 Galaxy S20 camera modes (excluding the burst mode):

Photo mode (auto mode).
Single-take mode.
Video mode.
Pro Mode (rear camera only).
Pro Video mode (rear camera only).
Panorama mode (rear camera only).
Food mode (rear camera only).
Night mode.
Live

… Read the rest

How to adjust volume for media, ringtones, notifications and alarm tones on Galaxy S20?

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You can quickly adjust the volume for media, ringtone and notification tone on Galaxy S20 with the volume slider and even silence Galaxy S20.

You may also want to use one of the three Galaxy S20 sound modes in different scenarios to allow or mute all ringtones and notifications.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the volume slider and how to use it to adjust volume for media, ringtones, notification tones, alarms, and system sound, how to use Galaxy S20 Settings to set sound modes, adjust the volume, and turn on /off some system sound.

Use Galaxy S20 volume slider to adjust volume for media, ringtones, notifications tones, and system sound

We all know we can use the volume keys to adjust the volume for media when playing music or video.

But when you are not playing any media, what happens if you press the volume key (volume up or volume down) on Galaxy S20?

It actually shows the volume slider. By default, it adjusts the volume for the ringtone. Of course, you can change this behaviour (read on)

On most of other Android 9 and 10 phones, the volume keys always adjust the media volume. Google removed the volume slider on the Android Pie (Android 9) in stock Android. But Samsung has kept the similar volume slider on all Galaxy phones for many years (since Android 4.0).

So, this guide only applies to Samsung phones, not other Android phones.

Galaxy S20 volume slider

As shown in the screenshot below, you will see the volume slider once you press volume down or volume up key.

Tap the down arrow to expand it.

In the expanded Galaxy S20 volume slider, you can control and adjust the volume for:

Ringtone
Media.
Notifications (notification tone).
System sound.
Bixby voice.

Please note, you cannot adjust alarm volume in the volume slider. The volume for each alarm needs to be set up individually in the Clock app.

Adjust volume and mute Galaxy S20

You can drag the slider to the right side to increase the volume and left to decrease. If you drag the slider all the way to the left, you are essentially mute that sound.

You may also tap the icon on the left side to mute that sound quickly. For example, you can tap the ringtone icon to immediately mute ringtone. If you tap it again, the volume will be reset … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S20 face recognition (face unlock)?

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You can use Galaxy S20 face recognition to unlock the phone (face unlock) by just looking at the phone.

Because the in-display ultrasound fingerprint reader on Galaxy S20 ( and S10) is hard to use and is slow, many Galaxy S20 owners have to use face recognition to unlock the phone and find that face recognition (face unlock) is faster than the fingerprint.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 face recognition is, how to use and manage face recognition to unlock Galaxy S20, how to register your facial features for face unlock, and limitations of Galaxy S20 face recognition.

Galaxy S20 face recognition (face unlock) works identically on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. So this guide applies to all of these three models.

What is Galaxy S20 face recognition (face unlock)?

In addition to using a PIN or password, you can use your biometrics to unlock Galaxy S20 (and other Android phones as well).

Galaxy S20 implements two biometrics features:

Fingerprint.
Facial recognition.

Please note, Samsung stopped using (the most promising) iris scanner since Galaxy S10. You can find the iris scanner on Galaxy S8, S9, Note 8 and Note 9.

So, you can use your fingerprint and face to unlock Galaxy S20 if you want. By default, both fingerprint and facial recognition is not enabled.

Android included face unlock since Android 4.0 (Icecream Sandwich). Of course, it is less accurate than a fingerprint reader. Prior to Android Nougat (Android 7.0), it is easy to fool the phone with a photo.

In recent releases, Android has greatly improved facial recognition. It is fast enough so that you do not need to wait too long. It is accurate enough so that you cannot cheat it with a photo.

Of course, the face unlock on all Android phones is still considered as “less” secure than the fingerprint.

When Samsung ditched the iris scanner (and the intelligent scan), Samsung did NOT add an IR camera. So, on Galaxy S20, face unlock purely relies on the selfie camera. It is NOT comparable to Apple Face ID.

You may consider the Galaxy S20 facial recognition if you need an alternative to the inferior in-display fingerprint scanner.

Why is Galaxy S20 face recognition (face unlock) important?

As mentioned, in most Android phones, the traditional fingerprint reader works very well. You just put your finger on the reader, and it can wake … Read the rest

How to use and force Galaxy S20 dark mode?

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Galaxy S20 dark mode can significantly reduce your eye strain when using the phone. It may also slightly save battery for Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 dark mode is, how to use and customize the dark mode on Galaxy S20, and how to force all apps to use dark mode on Galaxy S20.

Galaxy S20 dark mode works identically on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. So this guide applies to all these three Galaxy S20 phones.

What is Galaxy S20 dark mode?

Galaxy S20 dark mode turns on a dark theme at the system level to alleviate eye strain, especially under low-light conditions. In the past, it was called night mode sometimes.

To avoid confusions with the camera night mode, Samsung followed the Android convention of the dark theme and named it officially as the dark mode since Android 10 update.

So, essentially, Galaxy S20 dark mode is the dark theme in other Android phones noticeable improvements.

The dark theme will try to use dark (black or grey) background and white text. This usually makes your eyes more comfortable when staring at the screen, especially when the light condition is not good.

Individual app developers may choose to implement the Android dark theme, or ignore it, or implement their own dark theme. So, by default, some apps may ignore the dark mode. In Android 10, you can force all apps to use the Galaxy S20 dark mode (read on).

One beneficial side-effect of applying Galaxy S20 dark mode is noticeable power saving. Because Galaxy S20 uses super AMOLED. The black pixels consume almost no power. So, when you switch to the dark background, the screen will utilize less power. For most owners, power saving is noticeable, and it is helpful to extend the battery lifespan slightly.

For most Galaxy S20 owners, there are three benefits of turning on the dark mode on Galaxy S20:

Alleviate eye strain.
Save battery.
Aesthetic (depending on individual owners). Some users prefer white (light) background, and others may prefer the black (dark) background.

You can enable or disable Galaxy S20 dark mode at any time manually, or use it automatically based on your schedule.

How to enable and disable the Galaxy S20 dark mode?

By default, the dark mode is not enabled on Galaxy S20. There are at least two ways to enable or disable Galaxy S20 … Read the rest

How to enter, use, and exit Galaxy S20 safe mode?

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Galaxy S20 safe mode allows you to temporally turn off third-party apps and services so that you can debug some weird issues on Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 safe mode is, how to enter the Galaxy S20 safe mode, use the safe mode, and exit the safe mode on Galaxy S20.

Because the safe mode is one of the standard Android features, this guide applies to not only Galaxy S20 models (Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra) but also other Android phones including Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S9, and many others.

What is Galaxy S20 safe mode?

Galaxy S20 safe mode is a special mode with all third-party (non-preinstalled) apps and services suspended temporally. All system settings and pre-installed app settings and data can be used normally.

So, safe mode does not reset your Galaxy S20 to the factory state. And therefore, it is “safe” for your data.

Of course, the real meaning of “safe” is that your Galaxy S20 is shielded from any third-party apps and services.

Under Galaxy S20 safe mode, you can figure out whether some weird issues are caused by any third-party apps, or pre-installed apps (and system settings).

Safe mode is a built-in feature of Android. You can actually find it in almost all Android devices. And it works almost identically on all Android devices.

In a nutshell, Galaxy S20 safe mode allows you to check whether a problem is caused by third-party apps or services installed by you, or caused by system and pre-installed apps.

How to boot into Galaxy S20 safe mode?

There are at least two ways to boot the phone into Galaxy S20 safe mode.

Method 1: Use the Power Button menu (safe method)

This method works if your Galaxy S20 can still boot up to at least the lock screen.

Step 1: Hold the side key to access the Power-off menu

After the phone is booted to Galaxy S20 lock screen, or to Home screen, you can hold the side key (as illustrated below) for about 2-3 seconds, to call out the power-off menu (aka power button options).

Please note, as explained in the Galaxy S20 Layout page, Samsung moved the side key to the right of the phone since Galaxy S20.

If you map the press and hold (long press) gesture for the side key to … Read the rest

How to use different camera lens to zoom in and zoom out on Galaxy S20?

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Galaxy S20 is all about the camera. The three primary camera lenses on the back of Galaxy S20 allows you to zoom in and zoom out quickly to capture any objects/scenes far or close.

For example, Galaxy S20 Ultra offers up to 100x super-resolution zoom and up to 10x hybrid zoom.

But many Galaxy S20 owners are a bit confused on choosing the correct camera lens and set the proper zoom levels.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the differences among the three main (rear) cameras, the link between zoom and camera lenses, how to choose different camera lenses, and how to zoom in and zoom out properly.

In this guide, we mainly use the Galaxy S20 Ultra rear cameras as an example. When there are any differences, we will highlight whether the feature is for Galaxy S20 Ultra, or Galaxy S20 (and S20+). All camera software features on three Galaxy S20 models are identical, although Galaxy S20 Ultra has better hardware specs for the primary wide-angle camera and the telephoto camera.

What are the different camera lenses on Galaxy S20?

Besides the depth sensor camera on Galaxy 20+ and S20 Ultra, on all three models of Galaxy S20 phones, there are three camera lenses for different purposes:

Wide-angle camera.
Ultra-wide-angle camera.
Telephoto camera.

Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ share the identical hardware of these three camera lenses.

Wide-angle camera

The 12MP (or 108MP on Galaxy S20 Ultra) wide-angle camera is the primary shooter. By default, you will take photos and record videos (except 8K videos) with this camera lens. Of course, you can choose other lenses if you want (read on).

On Galaxy S20 Ultra, you can choose to save the pictures as 12MP (at the aspect ratio of 4:3) after combining pixels, or as 108MP (which take s far more storage). Usually, you should save the photo as normal 12MP in indoor or low-light conditions. You may consider the108MP option when lighting is excellent (e.g., outdoor in sunny days).

Ultra-wide-angle camera

The 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera is identical on all three Galaxy S20 models.

With a field of view (FoV) of 120˚, this camera allows you to capture “more” in the frame. Compared to the 79˚ of FoV for the wide-angle camera, the area captured by the ultra-wide-angle camera nearly doubles. So, it functions as “zoom-out”.

Shape correction for the ultra-wide-angle lens is … Read the rest

Use advanced features of Galaxy S20 wallpapers on the lock screen and home screen

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Many Galaxy S20 owners customize Galaxy S20 wallpapers once they migrate the data from the old phone and finish the initial setup.

But most owners may not be aware that Galaxy S20 wallpapers are not just a few pictures. You can also use videos, random photos, or Samsung curated photo packs as Galaxy S20 wallpapers.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the differences between Galaxy S20 Home screen wallpapers and lock screen wallpapers, the advanced features of Galaxy S20 wallpapers (multi-pack, live wallpapers, video wallpapers, dynamic lock screen, Samsung Global Goals), and how to customize Galaxy S20 wallpapers with these advanced features.

The difference between Galaxy S20 lock screen wallpapers and home screen wallpapers

Samsung made some changes on the wallpapers on the home screen and lock screen on Galaxy S20. Other Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10 (e.g., Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10) also have identical wallpaper settings.

The major differences between Galaxy S20 lock screen wallpapers and home screen wallpapers include:

Live wallpaper is NOT supported on Galaxy S20 Home screen. The infinity effect (and motion effect) of wallpapers does not work on Galaxy S20 Home screen either.
Multi-pack is NOT supported on Galaxy S20 Home screen.
Random photos (photo slideshow) works on Galaxy S20 lock screen only.
Videos can be assigned for wallpapers on the lock screen only.
The Dynamic Lock is for Galaxy S20 lock screen only.

In a nutshell, without using a third-party app, you can only use one static image for the Galaxy S20 Home screen wallpaper. For the lock screen, you have many options.

If you just migrated from an old Galaxy phone, you may find the live wallpapers are missing from the Galaxy S20 Home screen.

5 advanced features of Galaxy S20 wallpapers on the lock screen and home screen

Samsung tried hard to improve the wallpapers on the lock screen. But at the same time, they keep removing features from the home screen wallpapers. It is a very confusing move.

Most of the advanced features of the Galaxy S20 wallpapers discussed here are mainly for the Galaxy S20 lock screen. Only the dark mode for wallpapers is for both the Home screen and lock screen.

Here are the five (5) noteworthy advanced features of Galaxy S20 wallpapers.

#1. Dark mode for Galaxy S20 wallpapers

Galaxy S20 dark mode is excellent. It may significantly reduce your eye … Read the rest

How to customize icon shape on Galaxy S20 and S10?

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You can easily change the app icon shape on Galaxy S20, S10, or Note 10 when you are tired of the default squircle shape.

This guide shows you how to change the app icon shape on Galaxy S20, the available shapes, the limitations and caveats for the new icon shapes.

Samsung added the icon shape customization feature in all Galaxy phones with Android 10. So, this feature is also available on other Galaxy phones including Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, and a few other models.

The limitations and caveats of changing icon shape on Galaxy S20

Before starting to change the icon shape on Galaxy S20, you should be aware of the following 5 caveats and limitations.

#1. The icon shape change is limited to app icons.

When you change the app icon on Samsung Galaxy phones like Galaxy S20, the change is limited to app icons on the Home screen, apps screen, and lock screen if app shortcuts are used.

The icons in the quick settings panel, or other system UI, will not be affected.

#2. Most of Samsung apps do not change icon shape.

Almost all Samsung apps (e.g., Phone, Messages, Gallery, Camera) were shipped with only one icon shape: squircle.

So, the icon shape will NEVER change for these apps on Galaxy S20.

#3. Some third-party apps may not change the icon shape for some shapes.

Except for apps from Google, some third-party apps may not support some icon shapes.

For example, a lot of third-party apps do not support the teardrop shape.

Please note, whether an app icon shape is supported or not is defined in the app (by the app developer).

#4. You need to enable developer options to change the icon shape on Samsung phones.

On Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10, app icon shape customization is hidden in the theming section of Galaxy S20 developer options.

So, you need to enable the developer options before you can customize the icon shape.

#5. You need to reboot the phone to see the new icon shape.

After changing the icon shape on Galaxy S20, you cannot preview it. You need to reboot the phone to see the new icon shape.

On Pixel or some other Android phones, app icon shape customization is integrated into home screen settings, and therefore you can preview and apply it on-the-fly.… Read the rest

Master Mobile Networks Settings on Galaxy S20

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Although most owners do not need to change mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20, it is crucial to understand the options for the mobile networks so that you can solve some mobile network related issues when it happens suddenly.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20, shows you when and how to use them, and illustrates how to check the mobile network status and SIM card status on Galaxy S20.

Most of the mobile networks settings on all three Galaxy S20 models are almost identical. So, this guide applies to all Galaxy S20 phones (Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra).

When do you need to change the mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20?

The default mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20 are usually sufficient for most owners. They may never touch the mobile network settings at all.

But from time to time, due to some carrier’s configurations, or some software glitches, you may have to change or check the mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20.

Here are a few example scenarios when you need to head to the mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20

#1. Enable/disable data roaming

Data roaming can be costly if you do not have a particular roaming plan with your carrier.

By default, data roaming is disabled. But once you enabled, it will be on until you disable it. When your phone is roaming, you should see the roaming icon (R added to the signal strength), as explained in here.

#2. Add or edit APN settings

APN (Access Point Name) is essential for mobile data connections. In addition to internet access, MMS also replies on correct APN settings.

If you need to edit or add APN settings, you need to access Galaxy S20 mobile networks settings. Read on.

#3. Select a network operator (especially when roaming)

If your SIM card can use more than one mobile network, you can manually choose one. This also has to be done under mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20.

When your Galaxy S20 is roaming, your carrier may have multiple local roaming partners. Some may offer better coverage. Some may offer a better connection. Some may offer a lower roaming price.

Understand mobile networks settings on Galaxy S20

You can access Galaxy S20 mobile networks settings from Galaxy S20 Settings.

As shown in the screenshot below, tap Connections… Read the rest

How to use app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screen?

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You can add up to two app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screen so that you can use these apps without unlocking the phone, or use the app directly after unlocking the phone.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains how the app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screen work, how to manage, customize and use the app shortcuts on the lock screen, how to use the floating button for app shortcuts.

App shortcuts are available on all Galaxy S20 models: Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra. So, this guide applies to all these three Galaxy S20 models.

How do app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screen work?

As explained in this guide, on Galaxy S20 lock screen, by default, there are two app shortcuts (Phone app and Camera app, by default) on the two bottom corners.

You can drag or swipe the icon to the centre of the screen to use the two apps without unlocking Galaxy S20.

There are no security issues with the app shortcuts on the Galaxy S20 lock screen.

Most apps will work only after you unlock Galaxy S20. Only selected apps will work without accessing your data and without unlocking Galaxy S20.

Your data are always safe. They can only be accessed after you unlock the phone. There is no exception.

So, the app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screen work in different ways depending on the app shortcuts you put there:

Without restrictions. For apps that do not access any data, they can work normally. For example, you can use Flashlight or Do Not Disturb without any restriction on the lock screen.
With restrictions. For selected apps, including Phone app, Camera app, they can run in a restricted mode. For example, the Phone app on the lock screen can only be used for emergency calls. The camera app can only be used to take photos or record videos, and it can only access photos or videos taken in that session. Of course, you can use all Galaxy S20 camera modes and change some camera settings.
Unlocking the phone is required. For most apps, you need to unlock the phone to continue the app.

As a convenience feature, you should put the most frequently used apps on the lock screen so that you can access them quicker than tapping the app icons on the home … Read the rest