Samsung Galaxy S21 Guides

Galaxy S21 layout

How to Use and Customize Galaxy S21 Side Key?

Use and Customize Galaxy S21 Side KeyGalaxy S21 Side key is more than a power button (key) on Galaxy S21, and you can also customize some features of the Galaxy S21 Side key.

This Galaxy S21 guide explains what the Galaxy S21 Side key is, the functions of this key/button, and how to use and customize the Side key on the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.

What is Galaxy S21 Side Key?

Since Galaxy S20, Samsung ditched the unpopular Bixby and combined the Bixby key with the power key into the Side key.

As shown in the Galaxy S21 layout, the Side key is located on the right side of the phone and below the volume rockers. Please note, Samsung relocated the volume keys from the left side (as in all previous Galaxy S devices) to the sight side since Galaxy S20.

In a nutshell, the Galaxy S21 Side key is a combination of the traditional power key and the notorious Bixby key.

When the phone is powered off, the Galaxy S21Side key will be just the power key.  The added functions are available only after the phone is powered up.

Functions of Galaxy S21 Side Key

As mentioned, the functions of … Read the rest

How to Use Galaxy S21 Camera Modes?

How to Use Galaxy S21 Camera ModesSooner or later, you will find the default camera mode (Auto mode) is not sufficient. You may want to try other Galaxy S21 camera modes to get desired photos or videos.

This Galaxy 21 camera guide explains what Galaxy S21 camera modes are, the meaning of all (15) available Galaxy S21 camera modes, when to use them, how to use them, and how to manage them on Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.

Although Galaxy S21 Ultra differs significantly from Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, in terms of the camera lens and capabilities, they all share an almost identical camera app. The camera models in these three Galaxy S21 phones are almost identical. So, this guide applies to all of them.

What are Galaxy S21 camera modes? Why do you need them?

By default, when you open the camera app on Galaxy S21 from the home screen or lock screen, you are in the Photo (Auto) mode. Of course, you can set it to the last used camera mode in Galaxy S21 camera settings.

Please note, you can also use Galaxy S21 camera quick launch to start the camera app without unlocking the phone.

In most scenarios, … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover (S-View Flip Cover)?

How to use Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover (S-View Flip Cover)Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover (aka Galaxy S21 S-View Flip Cover in some regions) offers some unique features and decent protection for Galaxy S21. And it is “officially” designed and manufactured by Samsung.

This Galaxy S21 accessories guide explains the unique features and layout of the Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover and demonstrates how to use the Galaxy S21 S-View Flip Cover, including attaching to or removing the cover from Galaxy S21 properly, adjusting the text orientation on the cover, accepting or rejecting calls without opening the cover, and controlling music play on the Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover.

Due to the differences in size and camera lens in Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover is NOT interchangeable among these 3 phones. In other words, if your Galaxy S21 is a Galaxy S21+, you MUST buy the clear view cover for Galaxy S21+.  If it is Galaxy S21 Ultra, you need to buy the one for S21 Ultra.

What are the unique features of the Galaxy S21 Smart Clear View Cover (S-View Flip Cover)?

As an official Galaxy S21 accessory, compared to most third-party flip covers, Galaxy S21 Smart Clear … Read the rest

Ultimate Guide for Galaxy S21 Camera Settings

Galaxy S21 Camera SettingsGalaxy S21 camera settings let you fine-tune the camera so that you can take desired photos with Galaxy S21.

This Galaxy S21 camera guide explains everything you need to know about Galaxy S21 camera settings, the meanings and usage of Galaxy S21 camera settings, and how to reset Galaxy S21 camera settings.

Although Galaxy S21 Ultra has significantly more powerful camera sensors than Galaxy S21 and S21+, the camera app is almost identical on all these three Galaxy S21 phones. So, this guide applies to all 3 Galaxy S21 models.

How to access Galaxy S21 Camera Settings?

You can access Galaxy S21 camera settings from the Camera app.

As shown below, you can tap the gear (settings) icon in the Galaxy S21 camera app preview screen to open Galaxy S21 camera settings.

access Galaxy S21 Camera Settings

Of course, you can open the Galaxy S20 camera app in multiple different ways, as explained here, for example:

… Read the rest

How to use touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S21?

use touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S21You cannot skip touchscreen gestures when using Galaxy S21.  Even if you choose to use navigation buttons, you still need to use the touchscreen gestures for many operations on Galaxy S21.

This Galaxy S21 how-to guide explains the 8 supported touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S21 and demonstrates how to use them. Some advice on taking care of the Galaxy S21 screen is also covered.

This guide applies to all models and variants of Galaxy S21 phones because the touchscreen gestures are a common software feature on these phones.

What are the supported touchscreen gestures on Galaxy S21?

Galaxy S21 supports 8 touchscreen gestures:

  1. Tap (single tap).
  2. Double-tap.
  3. Triple tap.
  4. Long tap (tap and hold).
  5. Swipe (slide).
  6. Drag.
  7. Pinch.
  8. Spread.

These are touchscreen gestures supported at the system level. Some apps may support other fancy gestures.

Tap (single tap)

Tapping is the simplest and most frequently used touchscreen gesture on Galaxy S21.

You touch (tap) somewhere on the Galaxy S21 screen once, then move your finger away from the screen, as illustrated below.

Galaxy S21 touchscreen gestures: Tap (single tap)

When using DeX with a mouse, the corresponding operation is  “click”.

The action of the tapping gesture depends on the object you touched and the app you … Read the rest

How to use and customize Galaxy S21 navigation buttons and navigation bar?

use and customize Galaxy S21 navigation buttons and navigation barSamsung offers both Galaxy S21 navigation buttons and navigation gestures on Galaxy S21. So, you choose what you like to navigate through different pages and apps.

This Galaxy S21 how-to guide explains the options for Galaxy S21 navigation buttons and navigation gestures, shows you how to enable and use navigation buttons on Galaxy S21, and how to customize the Galaxy S21 navigation buttons layout.

The navigation system options on all Galaxy S21 phones are identical. So this guide applies to Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.

Galaxy S21 navigation buttons vs navigation gestures

Traditionally, Android adopts 3 navigation buttons. Google ditched the Overview (Recents) button and switched to navigation gestures for the stock Android since Android Pie (Android 9.0).  And in Android 10, the Home button and Back button were removed, and navigation gestures fully replaced the buttons.

Samsung adopted a conservative approach. They offered both navigation buttons and two types of navigation gestures on Galaxy S21. So, all owners can own choices.

On Galaxy S21, you can choose one of the following three navigation types:

  1. Navigation buttons.
  2. Swiping from the bottom (Samsung style).
  3. Swiping from sides and bottom (similar to stock Android 10 and
… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S21 Camera App?

Galaxy S21 Camera AppYou need to understand the meaning of all icons and buttons in the Galaxy S21 Camera app to take desired photos with Galaxy S21 camera.

This Galaxy S21 camera guide explains everything you need to know about the Galaxy S21 Camera app: how to access (open) the Camera app, the layout and meaning of all buttons in the app, and touchscreen gestures supported in the Galaxy S21 Camera app.

Although Galaxy S21 Ultra has a more sophisticated camera system, compared to Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+,  the Camera app on all these 3 models of Galaxy S21 phones are almost identical. So, this guide applies to all Galaxy S21 phones.

Update: if you updated your Galaxy S21 to Android 12, there are a few new features for the Galaxy S21 camera.

How to access Galaxy S21 Camera app?

There are a few different ways to access (open) the Galaxy S21 Camera app, including:

  1. Tap the camera icon on the Home screen or Apps screen.
  2. Quickly press the side key twice  (Quick Launch).
  3. Swipe the camera app icon on the lock screen.
  4. Use voice commands (Google Assistant or Bixby).

You can choose any of these methods based on … Read the rest

How to Use Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover)?

Use Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover)Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover (aka Galaxy S21 LED Wallet Cover in some regions) is one of the official accessories for Galaxy S21 with some exclusive features.

This Galaxy S21 accessories guide explains the unique features of the Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover, the layout of the LED View flip cover, how to attach and remove the LED Wallet Cover, how to answer or reject calls without opening the cover, how to control music playing on the cover, the difference between Smart LED View Cover and LED back cover. A concise review of Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover (LED Wallet Cover) highlights the pros and cons of the cover.

Due to the physical dimension differences of Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, you must use the cover for your model. For example, you cannot use the LED wallet case for Galaxy S21+ on Galaxy S21 Ultra. It simply does not fit.

What are the unique features of Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover (LED Wallet cover)?

First, Galaxy S21 Smart LED View Cover is a flip-cover for your GalaxyS21 (S21+, or S21Ultra). So, it offers all functions of a normal flip cover, e.g., back and front … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S21 camera quick launch?

How to use Galaxy S21 camera quick launch?You can use Galaxy S21 camera quick launch to open the camera app instantly without looking at the phone, even without unlocking the phone.

This Galaxy S21 camera guide explains what Galaxy S21 camera quick launch is, how to use it, and how to disable or enable it on Galaxy S21, S21+, or S21 Ultra.

Galaxy S21 camera quick launch is a standard feature of Galaxy S21. So it works identically on all three models of Galaxy S21 (S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra).

What is Galaxy S21 camera quick launch and how to use it?

Sometimes, you may need to take a photo or record a video as soon as possible because the perfect moment may go forever if you miss it.

But opening the camera app on Galaxy S21 by locating and tapping the camera app icon on the Galaxy S21 Home screen or Lock screen can take considerable time and therefore you may miss some precious moments.

Voice commands may let you open the camera app without looking at the screen. But it is not fast. The voice command (through Google Assistant, or Bixby) needs to be “processed” before it opens the camera app.

If … Read the rest

How to charge Galaxy S21 battery properly?

How to charge Galaxy S21 battery properly?You need to charge Galaxy S21 battery properly to slow down the degradation of battery performance over time.

This Galaxy S21 how-to guide explains everything you need to know on how to charge Galaxy S21 battery properly. The two charging modes (USB cable, wireless charging) are explained and illustrated with detailed steps. Questions related to charging Galaxy S21 battery, including the first time charging, disabling fast charging, overnight charging, topping up the battery, draining up the battery,   are answered.

All three Galaxy S21 models (Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra) use identical battery and charging technology. So, this guide applies to all these 3 models.

Two charging modes to charge Galaxy S21 battery

You can charge Galaxy S21 battery in two different modes:

  1. USB  cable charging.
  2. Wireless charging.

These two modes are based on different technologies. And there are different standards for these two charging methods.

USB cable charging

USB cable charging is common among smartphones. Almost all smartphones support USB cable charging.

But charging speed differs dramatically due to various charging protocols supported and wall chargers (adapters) used. Occasionally, even the USB cable may play a role.

Current smartphones support at least 5W USB charging. … Read the rest

Layout of Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra

Layout of Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 UltraYou need to know the layout of Galaxy S21, S21+ or S21 Ultra to locate and use the buttons, ports, and key components properly.

This Galaxy S21 how-to guide explains everything you need to know on the layout of S21, S21+ or S21 Ultra. The name and function of each button, port, and components are illustrated in the front view and rear view of the three phones.

Why you should know the layout of Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra?

You need to know your phone before using it.  It is simple.

If you do not know where the SIM card slot is located, you may try hard to pierce the microphone at the bottom of Galaxy S21.

Or if you are a seasoned Galaxy S phone user, you may assume the SIM card slot on Galaxy S21 is on the top and therefore, pierce another microphone at the top.

Of course, you need to know the location of the Side key to power on or off Galaxy S21,  or the volume key to change the volume when playing media.

Besides, Galaxy S21( all three models) uses the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader (BTW, this is one of the … Read the rest