This Galaxy S21 new features guide explains what Google Discover and Samsung Free are, how to switch between them, and how to disable Discover and Samsung Free on Galaxy S21 Home screen.
Google Discover and Samsung Free are common software feature on all three models of Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra. So this guide applies to all of these 3 Galaxy S21 models.
Google Discover is a rebranded Google Feed for mobile devices. You can get customized contents from various sources.
It is more than the news service. Google Discover also offers evergreen contests based on your browsing history and interest. Videos and visual contents are also included.
Of course, it does not include your calendar events or schedules on the page. So, you will feel the Discover page less intrusive.
You can consider Google Discover as an extended version of Google News with additional interest-based evergreen contents.
On stock Android phones (e.g., Android One phones) or Pixel phones, you can find a slightly different version of the Discover page on the leftmost panel of the Home screen.
So, Google Discover is very useful for many Galaxy S21 owners if you are not subscribed to any news outlets.
Samsung Free replaces Samsung Daily. But it is totally a different product.
Samsung Free is Samsung branded Taboola News, which is actually a combination of content marketing and content discovery.
So, it is not just a news aggregator (like Flipboard). It also pushes some targeted (advertised) contents to you.
But the main issue is the quality of the contents. Often, Samsung Free tends to promote marketing contents.
The coverage is another issue. In most regions, there are very limited sources and limited topics.
So, it is recommended not to use it.
On Galaxy S21, you can switch between Google Discover and Samsung Free on the home screen. By default, Discover is enabled.
If you want, you can switch between Google Discover and Samsung Free by following these steps.
You need to enter the Galaxy S21 Home screen edit mode by pinching on the Home screen, as shown in the screenshot below.
You can also tap and hold (long tap) any blank area on the Galaxy S21 Home screen to enter edit mode.
As shown above, in the edit mode, swipe to the leftmost panel.
You can also tap the small panel indicator (=) to navigate to the leftmost panel.
As shown in the screenshot below, you need to make sure this panel is on.
Once this panel is on, you can choose Google Discover or Samsung Free.
You are allowed to choose one of them. As mentioned, for most owners, Google Discover is recommended.
Some Galaxy S21 owners may want to keep a minimal number of Home screen panels and want to disable Google Discover and Samsung Free.
The quickest way to hide them is to turn off the leftmost panel, as shown above.
Please note, the leftmost panel is always available in the Galaxy S21 Home screen edit mode. But if you tap the off button, this panel will be hidden on the Home screen.
If you have any questions on Discover and Samsung Free on Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, please let us know in the comments.
The community will help you.
If you have any questions on using Galaxy S21, you may check our detailed step-by-step Galaxy S21 guides:
You can also post questions or share your thoughts on our Facebook page.
The official Samsung Galaxy S21 user manual (PDF) in your local language can be read and download here.
If you want, you can drop us an email on the contact us page.
After updating your Galaxy S21, S20, or S10 to Android 12, you will encounter many new features in Android 12 update (both One UI 4.0 and One UI 4.1). This Galaxy S21 guide explains the top 12 new features in Android 12 update (One UI 4.1/4.0) for Galaxy S21, S20, … Read More
In almost all regions, the Android 12 update has been available for Galaxy S21, S20, and S10 since December 2021. But there is still some confusion about the Android 12 update, One UI 4.0 update, and One UI 4.1 update. This Galaxy S21 guide explains the difference between the Android… Read More
The default photo size on Galaxy phones is fine most of the time. But occasionally, you may want to reduce photo size for various purposes. This Galaxy S21 camera guide explains how to set photo size on Galaxy phones including Galaxy S21, S20, S10 and S9, how to use the… Read More
You can customize most aspects of the Galaxy S21 Home screen in the Galaxy S21 Home screen edit mode. This Galaxy S21 guide explains what the Galaxy S21 Home screen edit mode is, how to use it, how to add/remove/manage home screen panels, and how to assign the one panel… Read More
Understanding the Galaxy S21 lock screen settings helps you secure the phone and improve your productivity. You can also customize the locks screen as you want after mastering the Galaxy S21 lock screen settings. This Galaxy S21 guide explains all items on the Galaxy S21 lock screen settings page. Typical… Read More
You can use widgets on Galaxy S21 to instantly access some info or specific features of some apps instead of fiddling around the app. This Galaxy S21 guide explains what widgets on Galaxy S21 are, how to add widgets to the Galaxy S21 Home screen, and how to resize and… Read More
This website uses cookies.
Read More
View Comments