touchscreen gesture

How to Use Enhanced Processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update?

By simon 4 Comments Last Modified: February 22, 2021 · Published on: January 17, 2021

Enhanced processing is one of the prominent new features in Galaxy S20 Android 11 update.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what the enhanced processing is, how to enable it from Settings and quick settings panel and how to use enhanced processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update.

The enhanced processing option is available after you upgraded Galaxy S20 (and Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20) to Android 11. If your Galaxy S20 is still running Android 10, please check this guide on how to use and customise the power mode.

What is enhanced processing on Galaxy S20 with Android 11 update?

As mentioned here, Samsung revamped (simplified) the power modes and added the enhanced processing option in Android 11 (One UI 3.0) update for Galaxy S20, S10, Note 10, and Note 20.

But Samsung hasn’t offered a detailed explanation of this feature, except stating:

Get faster data processing for all apps except games. use more battery.

There are some wrong inceptions on this feature on the internet. Some mistakenly thought the enhanced processing is simply the old high-performance mode.

So, what is enhanced processing?

First, the enhanced processing, once enabled, can unleash the full CPU (and GPU) power so that the app can run faster.

Second, the enhanced processing works with power saving mode. In other words, you can use this feature even in the power saving mode.

It sounds confusing. But it makes sense.

Apparently, the enhanced processing actually unleash the CPU power on demand. When you are using an app in the power saving mode, in the past, the CPU speed is capped. Now, with the enhanced processing, the limit can be removed on demand with other restrictions (e.g., brightness) in place. Of course, it does not affect background apps.

Third, enhanced processing is a standalone feature.

Galaxy S20 Android 11 update simplified the power modes to 2 modes only: default mode and power saving mode. The enhanced processing adds the option to speed up the CPU speed on demand for active (foreground) apps. This addressed the battery consumption issue in the old performance mode.

At the same time, there are many complaints about the old medium power saving mode, which slows down the apps noticeably. Some owners question the rationale of limiting the speed for the foreground apps. The enhanced processing addressed this … Read the rest

How to access, use, and customise widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen with Android 11 update for Galaxy S20?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 13, 2021 · Published on: January 13, 2021

Galaxy S20 Android 11 update revamped the widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen. It is more than a name change from faceWidgets to widgets.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the changes in using and customizing widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and always-on display (AOD) screen, shows you how to use gestures to access widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen.

This post is an update to the Galaxy S20 faceWidget guide, which applies to Galaxy S20 with Android 10. If you have updated Galaxy S20 to Android 11, you should follow this guide.

Please note, widgets screen on Galaxy S20 is a feature of One UI 3.0, not an Android 11 feature. So, this guide applies to other Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 11, e.g., Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20.

What are the changes for using widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen with Android 11 update for Galaxy S20?

Android 11 update for Galaxy S20 not only upgrades the Android OS version from 10 to 11 with most Android 11 features but also bumps the UI from One UI 2.5 to One UI 3.0.

As explained in this post, there are some new features and improvements in the Android 11 update for Galaxy S20, including the revamped widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen.

Here is the list of major changes regarding the widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen if your Galaxy S20 is running Android 11.

faceWidgets were renamed (upgraded?) as widgets.

Samsung renamed the faceWidgets as widgets in Android 11 update.

Actually, It is not just a change in name. Samsung upgrades the faceWidgets to normal widgets. You can use these special widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and lock screen.

All widgets are on the same screen.

Previously, you can access one faceWidget at one time. You may have to swipe a few times to access the desired widget.

Now, in Galaxy S20 Android 11 update, all widgets are on the same screen. You can access all widgets at the same time. So, these widgets work just like normal ones.

Use taping or swiping gestures to access widgets screen directly.

You can now just tap or swipe in any directions in the clock area (faceWidget area) to open widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen.

So, … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S20 recovery mode?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 10, 2021 · Published on: December 19, 2020

Galaxy S20 recovery mode allows you to access some very special and advanced features to manage, hack and reset Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 recovery mode is, when you need to use it, how to reboot into the recovery mode, and how to navigate and exit the recovery mode.

The Galaxy S20 recovery mode is identical on all 4 Galaxy S20 modes: Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 FE, and S20 Ultra. So this guide applies to all these phones.

What is Galaxy S20 recovery mode?

All Android phones and tablets come with a recovery mode. Galaxy S20 is not an exception. Android vendors may add or remove some features in the recovery mode.

On Galaxy S20, you can use the recovery mode to (as shown in the picture below):

Wipe cache partition. This would wipe the cache partition to refresh apps without affecting your data on Galaxy S20.
Reset (factory data reset) Galaxy S20. Some geeks may refer this to “wipe” the phone. You can erase all your data and return the phone to factory state. But it does not rollback the Android version or any updates.
Update Galaxy S20 from ADB. If you want to sideload the update from your PC, you can do it using ADB. For example, you may manually update Galaxy S20 to Android 11 if you want
Update Galaxy S20 from the micro SD card. You can also apply updates saved in the micro SD card.
Reboot into bootloader (download mode). It allows you to enter download mode. For example, you want to install third-party recovery.
Mount /system partition. It is supposed to let you edit and correct some errors in the system partition without rooting. But it seems it is not working.
Run graphics test. It simply shows how the graphics (UI) like when the phone in different states, e.g., erasing, updating, optimizing apps. It has nothing to do with GPU or display.
View recovery logs.
Run locale test. Check the locale on the phone.
Repair apps. This allows you to manually optimise apps (rebuild app cache and data cache).
Power off Galaxy S20.

We will explain some of them later on.

When do you need to use Galaxy S20 recovery mode?

Galaxy S20 recovery mode is NOT designed for normal users. Most Galaxy S20 owners … Read the rest

How to use 5 different shooting methods for Galaxy S20 camera?

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

In addition to the shutter button, you can use other shooting methods, including volume key, voice commands, floating shutter button, and palm, to take photos or shoot videos on Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains the 5 different shooting methods for Galaxy S20 and shows you how and when to use them.

As Samsung updates the Camera app with the Android OS (and One UI), you can find the Samsung Camera app on Galaxy phones with identical Android (and One UI) version is almost identical. Therefore, this guide applies to most Samsung Galaxy phones with Android 10 (and One UI 2.5), for example, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20.

Why do you need to consider shooting methods other than the shutter button for Galaxy S20 camera?

By default, most Galaxy S20 owners use the shutter button (aka capture button) in the preview screen to take photos or record videos.

But occasionally, you may find it is not convenient to use the shutter button when taking selfies, especially when you want to include more people or the background and therefore you have to stretch your arm out.

For owners who get used to a point-and-shoot camera or DSLRs, a physical shutter button is always preferred. Unfortunately, all Android phone manufacturers are trying to minimize the number of physical buttons (and ports).

The good news is Samsung has maintained alternative shooting methods in their Galaxy phones. Therefore you can use volume keys, voice control, floating button, and palm to take photos and record videos.

What are the 5 different shooting methods for Galaxy S20 camera?

In the Galaxy S20 Camera app, you can use at least the following 5 shooting methods:

Use the shutter button (default).
Use the volume key.
Use voice control.
Use a floating shutter button.
Show your palm (for selfies only).

We will explore them later (read on). By default, voice control and floating button are disabled on Galaxy S20.

When and how to use different shooting methods for Galaxy S20 camera?

As mentioned, two of the additional methods (voice control and floating shutter button) are not enabled by default; therefore, you need to enable them before you can use them.

Enable/disable different shooting methods for Galaxy S20 camera

You can manage, enable, and disable individual shooting methods in Galaxy S20 camera settings.

You can use various … Read the rest

A Complete Guide Of Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 9, 2021 · Published on: November 19, 2020

Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu is more than an accessibility feature. It offers many shortcuts to help you improve your productivity with Samsung Galaxy S20.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu is, what it can do, how to enable, use and customize it, and how to use Assistant Plus to get even more from the Assistant Menu on Galaxy S20.

As Assistant Menu is more or less universal on all Samsung Galaxy phones, this guide applies to other Samsung Galaxy phones as well.

What is Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu?

Samsung Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu, a semi-transparent floating button overlayed on the phone screen, was initially designed for owners who need assistance for motor control and other physical impairments.

But it has been used by many seasoned Samsung phone owners to get faster access to some functions and features.

You may find the Assistant Menu very handy if you get used to it. It is more than an accessibility feature: it is also a productivity feature.

Of course, the Assistant Menu is not a new feature of Galaxy S20. Samsung introduced this feature since Android 4.0 and maintained it in all Galaxy phones and tablets.

What can Samsung Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu do?

With Galaxy S20 Assistant Menu, you can:

Access navigation buttons regardless of the navigation method (navigation gestures or navigation buttons) you are using.
Access power button option (power menu). You can power off or restart the phone without using the power button (side key). You can also invoke emergency mode or lockdown mode for Galaxy S20. You may use it to power off the phone, then boot into Galaxy S20 safe mode or Galaxy S20 recovery mode. Please refer to this guide on how to enable and activate Galaxy S20 lockdown mode.
Access notification panel. You can access notification panel by tapping the button in the Assistant Menu, instead of swiping down from the top of the screen.
Add a touchpad on the screen and use a cursor to navigate to anywhere of the screen.
Add a circle touchpad (page control) to scroll up and down and to navigate among pages (panels).
Adjust volumes.
Turn off the screen.
Take a screenshot.
Adjust screen brightness.
Rotate the screen.
Use a magnifier on the screen.
Open Bixby.
Talk to Bixby.
Send SOS

… Read the rest

How to manage home screen panels on Galaxy S20?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: September 20, 2020 · Published on: September 21, 2020

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

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 9, 2021 · Published on: July 27, 2020

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, 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

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 18, 2021 · Published on: July 22, 2020

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 use faceWidgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and Always-on display screen?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 14, 2021 · Published on: May 29, 2020

You can use faceWidgets on the lock screen and always-on display (AOD) screen to check the weather, browse your schedules, control music play, use Bixby Routines, prepare for the next alarm.

This Galaxy S20 guide explains what the faceWidgets are, how to customize the faceWidgets on Galaxy S20-, and how to access and use these widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and always-on display (AOD) screen.

As faceWidges are also available on other Galaxy phones with Android Nougat (7.0) or later, this guide applies not only to Galaxy S20 (S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra), but also other Galaxy phones including Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy Note 8.

Update: Android 11 update for Galaxy S20 revamped the faceWidgets and renamed them as widgets. If you have updated your Galaxy S20 to Android 11, you may check this guide on how to access, use, and customise widgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and AOD screen. This guide applies to Galaxy S20 with Android 10.

What is faceWidgets on Galaxy S20?

The FaceWidgets lets you get quick access to useful information on the lock screen and always-display screen without unlocking the phone.

Surely, Galaxy S20 faceWidgets is not a new feature. Samsung introduced faceWidgets on Galaxy S8.

Over the years, Samsung added Bixby routine and weather info the faceWidgets.

The purpose of faceWidgets is for you to quickly get some useful info from the Galaxy S20 lock screen (without unlocking the phone) and from the Galaxy S20 always-on display (AOD) screen (without waking up the screen).

On Galaxy S20, you can use the following five widgets on both the lock screen and AOD screen:

Weather
Music
Today’s schedule.
Next Alarm.
Bixby Routines.
Digital wellbeing (only after your Galaxy S20 was updated to Android 11).

You can customize them by enabling/disable them individually or recording them.

But you cannot add your own widgets to the faceWidgets

How to customize faceWidgets on Galaxy S20?

On all supported Galaxy phones, faceWidgets is under the lock screen settings.

Enable and disable individual widgets

As shown in the screenshot below, in the Galaxy S20 Settings, tap Lock screen first.

In the Galaxy S20 lock screen settings page, as shown above, you can find the FaceWidgets entry.

Tap on the entry to access Galaxy S20 faceWidgets settings.

In the settings page, as shown below, you can:

Turn

… Read the rest

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 take burst shot photos with Galaxy S20 burst mode like a pro?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: December 6, 2020 · Published on: May 15, 2020

You can use Galaxy S20 burst mode to take burst shot photos in some important moments.

This Galaxy S20 camera guide explains when to use Galaxy S20 burst mode, how to enable Galaxy S20 burst mode, how to take burst photos on Galaxy S20, and how to manage photos taken in the b burst mode.

Galaxy S10 with Android 10 update also use the same gesture to take photos in the burst mode. So, this guide applies to both Galaxy S20 (all three models) and Galaxy S10 with Android 10 update.

When do you need to take burst shot photos with Galaxy S20 burst mode?

Galaxy S20 burst mode can take up to 100 photos successively to help you capture the important moments.

Normally, you can later select a few of the burst shot photos that capture the moment you want to.

You may use the burst mode during an event when the object is moving, or the background is changing, or the scene is brief.

Some Galaxy S20 owners may use the burst shot photos to make animations or even videos, which usually look better than the recorded video for the same event.

Please note, all photos taken in the Galaxy S20 burst mode are always saved in the phone storage even you set the photo storage location to the SD card in Galaxy S20 camera settings.

Galaxy S20 burst mode ios NOT listed with other Galaxy S20 camera modes because it requires a special gesture.

How to take burst shot photos with Galaxy S20 burst mode?

In old Galaxy phones, you can hold the shutter button to take burst shot photos.

But this is not the case for Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra.

If you hold the shutter button on Galaxy S20 camera app, it will start to record a short video. The complete list of gestures on Galaxy S20 camera app is explained here.

On Galaxy S20, you have to swipe down from the shutter button to enter Galaxy S20 burst mode. Galaxy S20 will stop taking burst shot photos once you release your finger from the screen.

The gesture feels like swipe down the shutter button, then hold, as shown below.

Please note, if you are using navigation buttons, and swipe down too much to the Home button, you may end up returning to the Galaxy S20 home screen or … Read the rest

How to easily take a screenshot on Galaxy S20 without using any third-party apps?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: November 21, 2020 · Published on: May 11, 2020

Galaxy S20 provides the native capability for you to take a screenshot on Galaxy S20 easily without installing any third-party apps.

The built-in Galaxy S20 screenshot toolbar can also further help you take screenshots for elongated pages automatically, edit, and share the captured screenshots efficiently.

This Galaxy S20 guide shows you the 4 easy ways to take a screenshot on Galaxy S20 without using any third-party apps and explains how to use the screenshot toolbar to take a screenshot for scrollable pages, edit, share, and add tags to the captured screenshot.

This guide applies to Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and S20 Ultra, although we use Galaxy S20 in the text.

4 easy ways to take a screenshot on Galaxy S20

Taking screenshots on Galaxy S20 is not only easy but also fun. There are a few different ways to take a screenshot on Galaxy S20 without using any third-party apps.

In this guide, I will show you the four easiest ways to take screenshots on Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.

Hardware key method (Side key + volume down key)

In all Android devices, the built-in method of taking a screenshot is holding the power key and volume down key simultaneously.

On Galaxy S20, the Side key replaces the traditional power key.

So, the corresponding method of taking a screenshot on Galaxy S20 is to hold the Side key and volume down key simultaneously, as illustrated below (you may check Galaxy S20 layout on the location of the side key and volume key).

The only requirement is to hold the two keys simultaneously. It needs some practice if you are new to this method:

If you get the volume adjustment bar (aka volume slider), it means you press the Side key too late.
If you get the power button option (power-off menu), then it means you press the volume down button too late.

Anyway, you may try to hold the Side key slightly earlier than the volume down key.

Palm Swipe to capture

The funniest way to take a screenshot on Galaxy S20 is to swipe your palm over the screen, as illustrated below.

This method is a bit tricky. Your palm should “slightly” touch the screen.

If the palm is too far from the screen, then swipe will not be registered. If it touches the screen too hard, then the swipe may be registered as a touchscreen gesture… 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

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How to use and customize Galaxy S20 lock screen?

By simon Leave a Comment Last Modified: January 14, 2021 · Published on: March 21, 2020

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.

For Galaxy S20, if you forget the password or PIN, you can only unlock the phone with Samsung Find My Mobile as explained in this guide. If you forget to enable it on Galaxy S20, you have to perform a factory data reset (you will lose all of your data) and then set it up again with your Google account existed on the phone before the factory data reset.

By default, when you unlock the lock screen, there is unlock sound. You can disable it in Settings — Sounds and vibrations — system sound/vibration control — screen lock/unlock, as explained in this guide.

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. You can find the meaning of status icon on this page.

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 faceWidgets on the lock screen.

Please check this guide on how to enable, customize and use faceWidgets on Galaxy S20 lock screen and always-on display screen.

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