navigation gestures

Master Galaxy S20 Home screen

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 9, 2021 · Published on: May 18, 2020

Galaxy S20 Home screen is the centre of Galaxy S20. There is no way to skip it.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the role of Galaxy S20 Home screen, 11 items and their meaning and usage on Galaxy S20 Home screen, and supported gestures on the Home screen.

Please note, although Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 ultra differ significantly, the Home screen is identical for all these 3 phones. So, in the guide, Galaxy S20 refers to these three phones.

The role of Galaxy S20 Home screen

After unblocking Galaxy S20 lock screen, the first screen you will use is the Home screen.

Of course, if you unlock Galaxy S20 with face recognition, you have the option to stay on the unlocked lock screen or directly navigate to Home screen, as explained in this guide.

Galaxy S20 Home screen is the centre of the phone. Most of the functions and apps are accessed from the Home screen.

On Galaxy S20 Home screen, you can:

Access all apps (with or without Apps screen).
Create, manage and use app folders.
Access widgets.
Access phone settings and customization.
Check notifications
Check system status.
Access quick settings panel.

Anyway, the home screen is so important that you cannot avoid it!

Understanding items on Galaxy S20 Home screen

Generally, there are about 11 types of items on the Galaxy S20 Home screen, as shown in the screenshot below:

Status bar
App icons
App folders
App Shortcuts/bookmarks
Pinned files
Widgets.
Picture frame.
Panel indicator.
Favourite tray.
Navigation bar.
Edge panel handle.

We will explain them one by one.

Please note, if you enable Assistant Menu, you will see the floating Assistant menu button on all screens.

You may also lock the Galaxy S20 Home screen layout to avoid unintentional changes.

Status bar

The status bar is an integrated part of the Android UI. It is

It will always be shown when in the Home screen or using any apps except in the full-screen immersive mode. In the immersive mode, you can swipe the screen to call out the status bar.

On the left side of the status bar, you can find the current time and a few notification icons, whose style can be customized as explained in this guide.

On Galaxy S20, the status icons are on the right side of the status bar and aligned to the … Read the rest

How to use the Galaxy S20 Recents screen on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: September 8, 2020 · Published on: April 27, 2020

Galaxy S20 Recents screen (aka overview screen, recent task list, or recents apps in the stock Android) lets you switch back to recently used apps quickly, or launch apps in the multiwindow mode (pop-up view or split-screen view) on Galaxy S20 easily.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains everything you need to know about the Galaxy S20 Recents screen, shows you how to access, navigate, and customize the Recents screen on Galaxy S20, and demonstrates how to use Galaxy S20 Recents screen to launch apps in the multi-window mode.

The Overview screen (Recents screen) on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra is identical. So, this guide applies to all these 3 models of Galaxy S20, although we use S20 in the text.

What is the Galaxy S20 Recents screen? Why is it important?

Like in other Android phones, Galaxy S20 Recents screen is a system-level UI component that lists recently accessed apps on Galaxy S20. It does not depend on individual apps or third-party launchers.

In other words, unless you root the phone, the Recents screen is always there. You cannot hide or disable it.

App developers cannot exclude their apps in the Recents screen. Instead, they can register some tasks of their apps as individual “apps” in the Recents screen. For example, if you open two documents in Google Docs, then you can find two entries in the Galaxy S20 Recents screen.

The Recents screen is designed for productivity. It is intended to help you switch among apps quickly.

Since Android Nougat (Android 7.0), Google finally introduced multi-window (split-screen view) into the stock Android. You have to launch apps in the split-screen view from the Overview screen in the stock Android.

Samsung added the multi-window feature since Android Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) with different ways to launch the app in the pop-up view or the split-screen view. But since Android Oreo, Samsung gradually streamlined the multi-window feature into the Recents screen.

So, the second common usage of Galaxy S20 Recents screen is to launch apps in the multi-window mode (split-screen view or the pop-up view).

Of course, you can also quickly manage the apps from the Galaxy S20 Recents screen.

How to access Galaxy S20 Recents screen?

As explained in this guide, you may use the navigation buttons or navigation gestures on Galaxy S20. So, the way to access Galaxy S20 Recents screen … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S20 navigation gestures?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: November 21, 2020 · Published on: April 8, 2020

You can use either the default navigation buttons or Galaxy S20 navigation gestures to navigate through Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the differences between Galaxy S20 navigation buttons and Galaxy S20 navigation gestures, the two types of navigation gestures on Galaxy S20, and how to switch between navigation buttons and Galaxy S20 navigation gestures.

The navigation buttons or gestures are identical on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. This guide applies to all of these three Galaxy S20 models.

What are the differences between Galaxy S20 navigation buttons and Galaxy S20 navigation gestures?

Traditionally, Android phones used hardware navigation buttons (3 buttons), then switched to software navigation buttons until Android Oreo (Android 8). In Android 9 (Android Pie), Google partially introduced navigation gestures (2-button navigation) and removed the Back button.

In Android 10, Google removed all three navigation buttons and evolved into full-screen navigation gestures, as explained in this guide.

Samsung adopted different navigation gestures in Galaxy phones with Android Pie (Android 9) since Galaxy S10. It was ported to all Galaxy phones with Android 9 (e.g., Galaxy S9 and Note 9)

In Galaxy S20, Samsung still uses the navigation buttons as the default setting. You can switch to Galaxy S20 navigation gestures at any time.

As explained in this guide, Galaxy S20 navigation buttons include Home, Back, and Recents buttons. You need to tap one of the buttons to navigate among pages.

If you switch to Galaxy S20 navigation gestures, there will be no buttons. You will have to use gestures to return to the previous screen (Back), to jump to the Home screen, or access the Recents screen.

Please note, Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu can still offer navigation button even after you switch to navigation gestures. You may check this guide for details of Assistant Menu on Galaxy S20.

The differences between using Galaxy S20 navigation gestures and navigation buttons are substantial, for example:

Navigation buttons and navigation gestures are mutually exclusive. You can only choose one.
If you choose to use Galaxy S20 navigation gestures, then you have the option of using Samsung -style (Android 9)navigation gestures, or Google-style (Android 10) navigation gestures. (Read on)
Some gestures may require some practice.
Galaxy S20 navigation gestures can be more efficient only after you get familiar with them.

Who should use Galaxy S20

… Read the rest

How to use and customize Galaxy S20 navigation buttons?

By simon 4 Comments Last Modified: November 21, 2020 · Published on: March 28, 2020

Galaxy S20 navigation buttons allow you to navigate across, into and back out from the different pages of an app, Galaxy S20 Home screen, Apps screen and lock screen.

Although Android 10 introduced the full-screen navigation gestures, Galaxy S20, by default, uses the traditional three navigation buttons for you to interact with the phone.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the three navigation systems on Galaxy S20 (navigation buttons, Android 10 full-screen navigation gesture, and Samsung navigation gestures) and the functions and usage of Galaxy S20 navigation buttons (Recents, Back, and Home). It also shows you how to customize the layout (order) of Galaxy S20 navigation buttons

The navigation buttons are identical on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, although we used Galaxy S20 in the guide.

What are the three navigation systems on Galaxy S20?

When you interact with Galaxy S20, you can use one of the following 3 navigation systems to navigate through different apps, or within an app, or through pages of Home screen, Apps screen, and lock screen:

Galaxy S20 navigation buttons (the default).
Android 10 full-screen navigation gestures.
Samsung’s full-screen navigation gestures.

The full-screen navigation gestures remove all buttons (including the Home button). This guide explains these gestures and illustrates how to use them on Galaxy S20.

On the contrary, Galaxy S20 navigation buttons keep and use the traditional 3 navigation buttons.

Although navigation buttons look old-fashioned, they can be more efficient for many Galaxy S20 owners. This is the main reason why Samsung keeps Galaxy S20 navigation buttons as the default option when you set up Galaxy S20.

Please note, since Galaxy S8, Samsung ditched the hardware capacitive navigation buttons and adopted the software-based navigation buttons.

In other words, Galaxy S20 navigation buttons are NOT physical buttons (see Galaxy S20 layout). They are generated by the Android system when needed. And therefore, it is possible to disable/hide them and switch to full-screen navigation gestures without using any of these buttons.

What are the Galaxy S20 navigation buttons?

As shown in the screenshot below, there are three navigation buttons on the Galaxy S20 navigation bar:

Home button
Back button
Recents button (aka, Overview button)

Please note, the screenshot shown below is the default navigation button layout on Galaxy S20 (and all Samsung phones), which is opposite to the layout on other Android phones.

In the stock Android, the Back … Read the rest

The Ultimate Guide of Galaxy S20 Touchscreen Gestures

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: December 6, 2020 · Published on: March 9, 2020

You need to use the Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures to use the phone effectively.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the commonly used Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures and shows you how to use them. The 8 Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures covered are tapping, double-tapping, triple-tapping, long-tapping (tapping and holding), swiping, dragging, pinching and spreading.

Why do you need to know the Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures?

We seldom attach a physical keyboard or mouse to Galaxy S20 (except using Samsung DeX). So, the touchscreen is the interface between the user and the Galaxy S20.

The phone takes commands from us through Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures. We interact with the apps through those gestures, most of the time.

Since Android 10, Google removed the navigation buttons by default and recommended gestures for all navigations. Of course, Galaxy S20 still allows you to choose between using buttons or navigation gestures.

More and more Android apps also prefer gestures over buttons.

Anyway, it is hard to use the phone effectively without mastering Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures.

What are the 8 Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures?

You will need to use the following touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S20:

Tapping (single tap).
Double-tapping.
Triple tapping.
Long tapping (tap and hold).
Swiping.
Dragging.
Pinching.
Spreading

All of the 8 Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures are universal on all Android phones. They work on almost all Android phones and therefore are not unique to Galaxy S20.

But the functions of each gesture may depend on individual apps.

Usage of Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures

Now, let’s go through these 8 Galaxy S20 navigation gestures one by one.

Please note, we use “tap” in this guide. Other developers or writers may prefer “press”. They are identical for touchscreen gestures.

#1. Single tapping gesture (tapping)

The tapping gesture (aka single tapping), as shown in the animation below, requires you touch somewhere on the Galaxy S20 screen once, then move your finger away from the screen.

This gesture will be then registered as tapping, which is one of the most fundamental Galaxy S20 touchscreen gestures. It corresponds to “click” when using a mouse.

The outcome of the tapping gesture depends on what you tapped.

Here are some example of using tapping gesture on Galaxy S20:

Open an app by tapping the app icon.
Navigate to another page by tapping a menu item.
Toggle some Galaxy S20 features by tapping the quick setting buttons

… Read the rest

How to hide Samsung Daily (Bixby Home) on Galaxy S20?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: October 30, 2020 · Published on: March 4, 2020

You will encounter the unwelcomed Samsung Daily in the Galaxy S20 Home screen when you unbox your Galaxy S20.

Luckily, you can easily disable or hide Samsung Daily (Bixby Home) on Galaxy S20 Home screen.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Samsung Daily is, why you should disable/hide it, and how to hide it on Galaxy S20.

Please note, Samsung preinstalled the Samsung Daily as a system-essential app. So, you cannot disable it or remove it from the phone. You can only disable or hide Samsung Daily from Galaxy S20 home screen.

Samsung Daily is a software (app) feature. It works on all three Galaxy S20 models (Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra) identically.

What is Samsung Daily on Galaxy S20?

Samsung Daily was introduced in Samsung’s Android 10 update for Galaxy S10 last year.

Although the name is now, Samsung Daily is simply a rebranded Bixby Home, which more than 90% of Galaxy owners turned off (or tried to turn off) on old generations of Galaxy Phones.

By default, Samsung Daily occupies the leftmost panel of Galaxy S20 Home screen. It mimics the Google (Google Now) page on the stock Android.

It supposes to deliver relevant and customized info for you by crawling your emails, calendar, messages, reading history, location, and other private info. It is Samsung’s version of Google Now page.

Because Samsung preinstalled the Samsung Daily as an essential app (part of the launcher), you cannot uninstall or disable it on Galaxy S20.

The good news, like in Galaxy S8, S9, and S10, you can hide Samsung Daily on Galaxy S20 very easily. So, we did not list it as one of the worst Galaxy S20 features.

Why you may want to hide Samsung Daily on Galaxy S20?

I am not a fan of Bixby Home or Samsung Daily. We always recommend Galaxy phone owners to disable it.

You may also consider to hide or disable Samsung Daily on Galaxy S20 home screen for the following three reasons.

Reason 1: Bixby is not as smart as Google Assistant.

Google Assistant is unarguably superior to Bixby. Period.

So, the info delivered from Bixby Home (Samsung Daily) generally is less useful than asking Google Assistant.

Reason 2: Data collection and third-party providers

Some processing jobs (e.g., analyze your habits/preferences), are done in the cloud. This means Samsung need to … Read the rest