face recognition

Master Galaxy S20 lock screen settings

You can customize Galaxy S20 lock screen settings to better protect your Galaxy S20 and use the phone more efficiently.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the meaning and usage of all items in Galaxy S20 lock screen settings including screen lock type, smart lock, secure lock, always-on display, wallpaper services, clock style, roaming clock, faceWidgets, contact info, notifications, and app shortcuts.

These settings are identical on all three models of Galaxy S20 (S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra), although Galaxy S20 is used in the text.

How to access Galaxy S20 lock screen settings

You can access Galaxy S20 lock screen settings from Galaxy S20 Settings — Lock screen.

There are a couple of different ways to access Galaxy S20 Settings including:

Use the Settings app icon on Galaxy S20 Home screen or Apps screen.
Use the Settings (gear) icon in the notification panel.
Use the Settings (gear icon) in the Galaxy S20 quick settings panel.
Use voice commands (Google or Bixby).

Galaxy S20 lock screen settings explained

As shown in the screenshot below, you can customize the settings for Galaxy S20 lock screen.

Here is the explanation of each item of Galaxy S20 locks screen setting. Each item matches the number in the following two screenshots.

I. Screen lock type

By default, when you set up the new Galaxy S20, you need to choose lock screen security type as one of the following:

Swipe. There is no security. Anyone can swipe to unlock Galaxy S20. If you skip it during the initial setup, this method will be used. It is NOT recommended.
Pattern.
PIN.
Password.
None. This option actually turns off Galaxy S20 lock screen. So, it is NOT recommended.

Normally, the PIN is recommended. It offers moderate security for the phone.

If you set the lock screen type as pattern, PIN, or password, then you can use secondary biometrics to unlock Galaxy S20:

Face. Face recognition is usually fast. But it requires good light conditions.
Fingerprints. The in-display fingerprint sensor on Galaxy S20 (S10 and Note 10 as well) is inferior to the traditional capacitive fingerprint reader. It is the worst feature of Galaxy S20.

Galaxy S20 will asks you to use PIN/Password periodically to unlock Galaxy S20 if you do not use them for a specific period, or you have not used the phone for about one day.… Read the rest

How to use and customize Galaxy S20 lock screen?

By simon Leave a Comment

Galaxy S20 lock screen keeps your phone safe from prying eyes. It acts as a door to protect your private data and info.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains how the lock screen protects your data, the layout of the lock screen, and shows you how to use gestures on the Galaxy S20 lock screen.

Why is the Galaxy S20 lock screen so important?

Like in all other Android phones, Galaxy S20 lock screen is an essential part to secure your phone.

Basically, it is a door to your contents and private data. You are holding the key. And the key is your lock screen PIN/password/pattern.

So, Galaxy S20 lock screen protects your data from unauthorized access.

If anyone can bypass your Galaxy S20 lock screen, then he/she can access almost all data saved on the phone.

Galaxy S20 lock screen layout

As shown in the screenshot below, typically, there are 7 components on the Galaxy S20 lock screen

#1. Status bar

The status bar on the lock screen shows the name of the current mobile network provider and other status icons.

There are no notification icons in the status bar of the Galaxy S20 lock screen. Notifications, if enabled on the lock screen, will be shown below.

#2. Clock/faceWidgets

By default, a clock, whose clockface can be customized, is shown here.

But this is also the place holder for faceWidgets. You can swipe left or right in this region to switch to different faceWidgets.

Galaxy S20 allows you to enable up to 5 faceWidget on the lock screen.

#3. Contact info

You can leave your contact info here so that other people can contact you in case you forget to bring the phone (e.g., leave the phone in a restaurant).

For this purpose, you should leave a number of another phone.

You can also use the space to insert some motivational quotes to inspire you.

You may set up the contact info in Galaxy S20 lock screen settings page.

#4. Notifications

You can choose to show or hide notifications on theGalaxy S20 lock screen.

If you choose to show notifications, you can then customize the notification with icons only or with snippets.

#5. Charging status (when charging)

The charging status gives you a rough estimation of the charging time needed to fully charge the Galaxy S20 battery.

Of course, this appears only when the phone is connected to … Read the rest

How to unlock Galaxy S20 to Home screen directly (without swiping on Galaxy S20 lock screen) with face recognition?

By simon Leave a Comment

By default, after you unlock Galaxy S20 with face recognition, you are not directed to the Home screen. You have to swipe on the lock screen to reach the Galaxy S20 Home screen.

Many Galaxy S20 owners want to reach the Home screen without swiping on Galaxy S20 lock screen when using face recognition to unlock Galaxy S20.

As Galaxy S20 uses the inferior and inconvenient in-display fingerprint sensor, most Galaxy S20 owners find the face recognition (face unlock) is the most convenient way to unlock Galaxy S20 quickly.

This Galaxy S20 guide shows you how to unlock Galaxy S20 to Home screen directly without swiping on Galaxy S20 lock screen when using face recognition on Galaxy S20.

The face recognition on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra works identically. So, this guide applies to all of these 3 Galaxy S20 models although only “S20” was used in the text.

Besides, the default face recognition (face unlock) settings are similar on all Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10. This guide also applies to most other Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10 update including Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy Note 8.

Why I still stay on the lock screen after unlocking Galaxy S20 with face recognition?

When face recognition is enabled, you may inadvertently unlock Galaxy S20.

For example, you may pick up the phone just to check the time. But the face recognition is activated and may unlock Galaxy S20 automatically whenever the screen is wakened up.

To mitigate this side effect of face recognition unlocking method on Galaxy S20, Samsung, by default, lets you stay on the lock screen if the phone is unlocked by face recognition. If you actually want to unlock the phone, you need to swipe on the Galaxy S20 lock screen to go to the Home screen.

As shown in the screenshot below, after unlocking Galaxy S20 with face recognition, you are still on the lock screen page. The open lock icon on the top of the lock screen and “Swipe to open” text on the bottom tells you that the phone is unlocked. You can open the Home screen by swiping on the Galaxy S20 lock screen.

Of course, you can change this setting (read on) so that you can reach the Home screen without swiping on Galaxy S20 lock screen.

This is … Read the rest

5 worst features of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra

By simon Leave a Comment

Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra will be one of the best selling flagship phones in 2020, although there are some missing features and poorly implemented features.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the top 5 worst features of Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra: in-display fingerprint scanner, curved screen, no headphone jack, no QC 3.0-, and the price.

In-display fingerprint scanner: the worst of the worst features of Galaxy S20

Samsung introduced the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor in Galaxy S10.

It’s probably one of the worst features in S10 and S10+. Luckily, you can still choose Galaxy S10e if you need a better fingerprint reader.

The in-display fingerprint reader in most cases is less accurate, slower, and inconvenient. It is an example of meaningless innovation for smartphones.

Samsung since then added this not-ready features to all of their “flagship” smartphones to differentiate them from other Android phones (because only a few Chinese brands used similar or even worse in-display fingerprint read).

If you skip the fingerprint reader, then you have only the less secure face recognition for biometric authentications. The default behaviour of face recognition in Galaxy S20 is that you have to swipe on the lock screen after the phone is unlocked. You need to follow this guide to disable the stay on the Lock screen.

All of the three Galaxy S20 models (Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra) use the same in-display fingerprint sensor.

If you need a normal fingerprint reader, you should eliminate Galaxy S20 from your list.

Although Samsung claimed they improved the fingerprint sensor, for example, a larger touch area (see Galaxy S20 layout) and faster recognition, it is still inferior to most of the capacitative fingerprint readers found in many middle-range smartphones.

You will feel the pain sooner or later. Especially, in the dry winter, it is almost impossible to use the in-display fingerprint reader.

So, we consider the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is the worst of the worst features of Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and S20 Ultra.

Curved screen

Samsung “invented” the curved screen in Galaxy Note Edge (Note 4 Edge) with a separated curved edge screen, which nobody likes.

Samsung is so proud of their curved screens that they want to make it a signature feature of their top-tier smartphones, although it reduces the usability of the phone.

Since Galaxy S6, the curved screen became an option: you … Read the rest