Samsung Galaxy S20 Guides

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

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

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

volume slider expand volume slider on Galaxy S20

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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use Galaxy S20 face recognition (face unlock)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:

  1. Fingerprint.
  2. 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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use and force Galaxy S20 dark modeGalaxy 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 (without changing Galaxy S20 power mode).  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:

  1. Alleviate eye strain.
  2. Save battery.
  3. Aesthetic (depending on individual owners). Some users prefer a 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 … Read the rest

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

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How to enter, use, and exit Galaxy S20 safe mode?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+, S20FE, 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). Normally, you should try safe mode before trying to wiping the cache partition in the Galaxy S20 recovery mode.

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 menu,  power button options).

Please note, as explained in the Galaxy S20 Layout page, Samsung moved 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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use different camera lensesGalaxy 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:

  1. Wide-angle camera.
  2. Ultra-wide-angle camera.
  3. Telephoto camera.

Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 FE, and Galaxy S20+ share the identical hardware of these three camera lenses. Galaxy S20 Ultra has an upgraded camera system. But the camera app is identical on all these phones. You can also use different shooting methods as well on all of these phones.

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 … Read the rest

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

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

  1. 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.
  2. Multi-pack is NOT supported on Galaxy S20 Home screen.
  3. Random photos (photo slideshow) works on Galaxy S20 lock screen only.
  4. Videos can be assigned for wallpapers on the lock screen only.
  5. 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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customize icon shape on Galaxy S20 and S10You 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.

Update: In Android 11 update (with One UI 3.0), Samsung removed the option of customizing icon shape.  You have to use third-party themes or launcher if you do not like the squircle icons.

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 … 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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manage and use app shortcuts on Galaxy S20 lock screenYou 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

How to avoid mirrored photos (selfies) on Galaxy S20?

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avoid mirrored photos (selfies) on Galaxy S20By default, Galaxy S20 front camera will save the mirrored photos (flipped photos) when taking selfies.

This Galaxy S20 camera guide shows you why you get the mirrored photo by default, how to change the default setting to avoid mirrored selfies on Galaxy S20, and how to edit (flip) the existing mirrored photos on Galaxy S20 with the Gallery app.

Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra share the identical front camera settings, so, this guide applies to all these 3 Galaxy S20 models although we only use S20 in the text.

Why do I get mirrored photos (selfies) on Galaxy S20?

When using the Galaxy S20 front camera, on the preview screen, you will see yourself (and everything) like using a mirror.

All smartphone cameras are designed and coded to work in this way. It is not by a random mistake.

It is actually related to the visual perception of seeing ourselves.  Most of the time, we see ourselves through mirrors. Therefore, our brains train us to recognize such images. When we are in a video call, we will perceive our “flipped” video as natural and usual.

If you give a flipped and non-flipped selfie of a person to himself, very likely, he will tell you the flipped one is “more” natural until he notices the reversed (and therefore strange) text.

When Kyocera Visual Phone VP-210 first introduce the front-facing camera in 1999, it was mainly designed for video calls, although it can take photos as well.

But if you look at the mirrored photos carefully, you will notice it is hard to read the text, whose direction is reversed. It is similar to the text in an ambulance car. The text in the ambulance car is mirrored so that drivers can read it correctly from the rearview mirror and give way to it.

Anyway, it is a standard implementation in the industry to flip front-camera photos.

Of course, as the photos or selfies are just mirrored (flipped), you can easily flip them back.

And most smartphones offer the option for you to flip back the mirrored photos when saving them.

How to avoid mirrored photos (selfies) on Galaxy S20?

As mentioned, you can flip the mirrored photos on Galaxy S20 (read on). But sometimes, many users may want to avoid the flipped photos when tapping the shutter button.

Please note, there is NO way … Read the rest

How to enable and use Galaxy S20 developer options?

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enable and use Galaxy S20 developer optionsYou can enable and use Galaxy S20 developer options to access some advanced or experimental features.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains when you need to enable developer options, how to enable and use the options, and a complete list of Galaxy S20 developer options. Examples of using Galaxy S20 developer options to add developer tiles to the quick settings panel, and to customise the default USB configurations are also included.

Please note, in this guide, Galaxy S20 refers to all three Galaxy S20 models: Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, because the developer options on these three phones are identical.

What are Galaxy S20 developer options?

Traditionally, Android hides with some special additional features for developers so that they can test their apps on any supported Android devices while normal users may never notice such features.

Some beta, experimental, and even legacy features were also hidden in Andriod devices. Google has to make sure that such features are visible only to users who are aware of such features,

Developer options in Android devices is a collection of these features. Some Android vendors may add or remove a few entries on their devices.

Galaxy S20 developer options are very similar to those in stock Android 10. Only a few new entries were added by Samsung.

Update: After you update Galaxy S20 to Android 11, you may notice there are minor changes in the developer options. For example, you cannot find the option to customise the app icon shapes.

When do you need to enable and access Galaxy S20 developer options

If you are an Android developer, surely, you can use the developer options to test apps on Galaxy S20, instead of the virtual machines of Pixel or Nexus devices.

Samsung is the largest Android vendor. So, it is necessary to test apps on the latest Galaxy phones.

Besides developers, many Android enthusiasts may also try some experimental or beta features of Android 10 on Galaxy S20.

For typical Galaxy S20 owners, you may still occasionally need to enable and use the developer options to access certain features. For example:

  • You want to force all apps to be resizable so that you can use it in both pop-up view and split-screen view.
  • You want to force all apps (except system apps and pre-installed apps) to use the micro SD card. As explained in this guide, many app developers
… Read the rest

How to lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout to prevent unintentional changes?

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ock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout to prevent unintentional changesYou can lock the Galaxy S20 lock screen layout to avoid unintentional modifications of the home screen.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains when you need to lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout, how to do it, and the side effects of locking the layout of Galaxy S20 Home screen.

Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra share the same launched and the identical home screen settings. So this guide applies to all Galaxy S20 phones, although we use Galaxy S20 in the guide.

Besides, because locking the home screen layout is a feature of Samsung’s One UI launcher, you can find and use this feature on all other Galaxy phones with One UI, including, Galaxy S8, S9, S10, Note 8, Note 9, and Note 10, as well.

When do you need to lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout?

Thanks to the useless “curved” screen since Galaxy S6 edge, you may very easily touch the screen inadvertently and therefore move or remove some app icons or widgets on the Home screen.

Although Galaxy S20 makes the curved part of the screen less obvious, it is still a big distraction and a big waste (of usable screen space).

So, it is not uncommon that you may get surprised at the “new” Galaxy S20 Home screen: some app icons disappear, some app icons moved.

In the worst scenario, you may uninstall some apps inadvertently from the Galaxy S20 home screen when the phone is in your pocket or bag.

You can minimize such accidental modifications by locking the home screen layout.

Please note, when you boot Galaxy S20 into safe mode using hardware buttons, widgets may be removed even you lock the home screen layout, as explained here.

How to lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout?

By default, the layout of the Galaxy S20 Home screen is not locked.

For example, when you install new apps on Galaxy S20, the app icon (a shortcut to the app) will be added to the Galaxy S20 Home screen.

To lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen, you may follow the following steps.

Step 1: Enter the edit mode for Galaxy S20 Home screen

The quickest way to access Galaxy S20 Home screens settings is through the edit mode.

On Galaxy S20 Home screen, you can pinch to enter the edit mode of Galaxy … Read the rest

How to use a micro SD card on Galaxy S20?

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use a micro SD card on Galaxy S20Samsung always supports the micro SD card support on all Galaxy S and Galaxy Note phones except on Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5. Galaxy S20 can support a micro SD card up to 1TB.

But the support of the micro SD card on Galaxy S20 is different from that in stock Android.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the supported micro SD card features on Galaxy S20, the requirements of using a micro SD card, how to add and manage the SD card, how to move apps to the micro SD card and how to mount and unmount the SD card on Galaxy S20, and how to choose an SD card for Galaxy S20.

In this guide, Galaxy S20 refers to Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Does Galaxy S20 support adoptable storage so that I can use the micro SD card as internal storage?

No, Galaxy S20 does not support the adoptable storage. But Galaxy S20 does support moving apps to the micro SD card.

Since Android Marshmallow (Android 6), Google introduced the adoptable storage to let you use the micro SD card as internal storage. It essentially increases the internal storage capacity at a far lower price.

Of course, due to performance limitations of the micro SD card, most flagship Android phones do not support the adoptable storage. Some, for example, Google Pixel phones, do not have a micro SD card slot at all. The adoptable storage support can be found in many middle-range and budget Android phones.

The other option is to use the micro SD card as portable storage, where you can save your own files, for example, your music or media collections. Apps can also request to access the portable storage to download and save large files.  The “flagship” (usually means expensive and overpriced) Android phones with a micro SD card support, often only support the portable storage.

Unlike other Android vendors, Samsung chose a proprietory way to support micro SD card. It is somewhere between adoptable storage and portable storage.

  • You cannot format the micro SD card as the internal storage on Galaxy S20.
  • But you can move most apps to the micro SD card if you want.

Actually, this is a better implementation than the adoptable or portable storage, because

  • The micro SD card is portable.  You can share the media files on the SD card on any
… Read the rest

Use Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode to customize Galaxy S20 Home screen

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Use Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode to customize Galaxy S20 Home screenSamsung Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode allows you to customize Galaxy S20 Home screen, access Galaxy S20 Home screen settings, use themes, apply wallpapers, add widgets to the home screen.

This Galaxy S20 how-to guide explains what Samsung Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode is, how to access this mode with two different gestures, and what you can do in the Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode to customize Galaxy S20 Home screen.

The Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode is identical on all three models of Galaxy S20. So this guide applies to Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

What is Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode?

The quickest way to customize the Galaxy S20 Home screen is to use the edit (customization ) mode.

Sometimes the home screen edit mode may be referred to the Home screen customization or settings page. But on Galaxy S20, Samsung added a dedicated Home screen settings page.  In the Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode, there is a shortcut to this home screen settings page.

Besides, after Android 5.0 removed the Widgets tab in the Apps screen, the only way to manually add widgets to the Galaxy S20 Home screen is through the Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode.

You can imagine the Galaxy S20 home screen edit mode is a special page hiding behind the Home screen. You can quickly access it to customize the Galaxy S20 Home screen and change the home screen settings.

How to access Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode?

You can access the edit mode of Galaxy S20 Home screen with two different gestures, as illustrated in the screenshot below.

Gesture A: Tap and hold (long tap) on the blank area

You can tap and hold (aka long tap) any blank area (that is not occupied by the app icons, widgets, pinned files, picture frames …) on the Home screen.

The gap between any two app icons is also a blank area.

Gesture B: Pinch on the Home screen

You can pinch over the home screen to enter the edit mode.

access Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode Galaxy S20 home screen edit mode meaning

How to customize Galaxy S20 Home screen in the edit mode?

The purpose of the Galaxy S20 Home screen edit mode is for you to quickly customize the Home screen. For example, you can quickly disable (hide) the Samsung Daily on the Galaxy S20 home screen, or customize the … Read the rest

How to set Galaxy S20 display refresh rate?

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set Galaxy S20 display refresh rateThe 120Hz display refresh rate is one of the prominent new features of Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the role of the display refresh rate on Galaxy S20, how to change the refresh rate on Galaxy S20, the limitations of the 120Hz refresh rate on Galaxy S20. Some questions you may have on this feature are also addressed.

The display refresh rate feature on three Galaxy S20 phones are identical. So, S20 in this refers to Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

What are the 60Hz and 120Hz display refresh rate on Galaxy S20?

The display refresh rate measures the number of times per second the display can redraw the whole screen. So, the unit of the refresh rate is Hertz (Hz, 1/s).

For most smartphones, the display refresh rate is 60Hz. And it is good enough for most users.

Most videos have a frame rate of 24~30 fps (frames per second).  Loosely, you can think one frame means one static image on the screen.

So, as long as the refresh rate is higher than the fps of the video, we say the display can handle the video. You can watch the video on such a display.

In reality, the 60Hz display refresh rate allows you to watch the video smoothly.

But some users, mainly gamers,  may prefer a higher refresh rate to enjoy more realistic gaming experiences.

The hardware and the software on Galaxy S20 are capable of generating graphic output at very high speed, far higher than 60fps even at the full WQHD resolution.

So, some games can benefit from the high fps if the display can handle the output smoothly.

Galaxy S20 answers such demands with the 120Hz refresh rate display.

As mentioned, the 120Hz refresh rate is not for everyone. You will see the difference if:

  • You are playing 60fps (or higher) videos.
  • You are playing a few games that can handle/generate output at a rate higher than 60fps. Most games do NOT benefit from a high frame rate.

Anyway, as a new feature of Galaxy S20, the 120Hz refresh rate display (motion smoothness) may improve your experiences with a few games and videos.

How to set the Galaxy S20 display refresh rate?

By default, the Galaxy S20 display refresh rate is et at 60Hz.  You can change it to 120Hz in the motion smoothness settings.

Please note, the 120Hz refresh rate is not … Read the rest