You have to use Galaxy S22 Galaxy navigation buttons and the navigation bar to use different apps and features of the phone, at least before you switch to navigation gestures.
This Galaxy S22 how-to guide explains how to use the Galaxy S22 navigations buttons in the navigation bar, how to customize the Galaxy S22 navigation button layout, and how to further customize the Galaxy S22 navigation bar.
There are no changes to the navigation buttons and navigation bar in the Android 13 (One UI 5 and One UI 5.1) and Android 14 (One UI 6) updates.
Unlike other phones with stock Android, Galaxy S22 and all other Samsung Galaxy phones, by default, still use navigation buttons instead of navigation gestures.
Of course, you can easily switch between navigation buttons and gestures on Galaxy S22.
Many Samsung Galaxy phone owners still prefer navigation buttons over navigation gestures, especially for many older generations. Most of them also get used to and are comfortable with the 3-button navigation.
Therefore, Samsung offers navigation buttons as the default option in Galaxy S22.
After you finish the initial setup of Galaxy S22, you will see the three Galaxy S22 navigation buttons in the navigation bar (except on the lock screen), as shown below.
Please note you can switch the location of the Back and Recents button (read on). But you cannot change the location of the Home button. It is always in the middle.
With Samsung’s NavStar (Good Lock), you can even customize the icons of Galaxy S22 navigation buttons, and add more buttons to the navigation bar (read on).
The accessibility button (Extra Dim shortcut), if enabled, also appears on the navigation bar, by default.
When using the keyboard, you can also choose to show a keyboard button, as explained here.
We now explore the functions of the usage of three GalaxyS 22 navigation buttons.
The main function of the Home button is to “reset” your view to a specific screen, the Home screen.
You can tap the Home button to return to the Galaxy S22 home screen immediately from any app or any screen (e.g. quick settings panel). If you are already on one of the Galaxy S22 Home screen panels/pages, then tapping the Home button would bring you to the Home panel of the home screen.
the Home button does NOT close the app you are using. Instead, the app is pushed to the background. The behaviour of apps in the background depends on the developer’s implementation.You may also tap and hold (long tap) the Home button to launch the voice assistant. By default, it is Google Assistant on Galaxy S22, as shown in the screenshot below.
The function of the Back button is to return to the “previous” screen within an app.
So, if you keep tapping the Back button, Galaxy S22 should exit that app and eventually return to the Galaxy S22 Home screen.
Some apps do not support the “previous” screen. In this case, if you tap the Back button, Galaxy S22 will close the app and return to the Galaxy S22 Home screen.
When you exit an app with the Back button, Galaxy S22 normally closes the app gracefully. But if you exit the app with the Home button, the app is only pushed to the background. For some apps, the result can be slightly different.
If you are in Home screen edit mode, taping the back button should exit the mode.
As mentioned, there are no navigation bar or Galaxy S22 navigation buttons on the Galaxy S22 lock screen. But the Back button appears when you are on the unlock screen (typing password/PIN) and the Dynamic lock screen.
Galaxy S22 Recents button is sometimes referred to as the “Multiwindow” button because it is needed to launch apps in the split-screen view mode or pop-up view mode in Galaxy S22. In the Android 13 (One UI 5) update for Galaxy S22, S21, and S20, you can also use gestures to launch apps in the multiwindow mode. In the Android 14 (One UI 6) update, you can keep the pop-up view window open after returning from the Recents screen.
In the stock Android, the corresponding navigation button is usually called the Overview button.
The main functions of the Galaxy S22 Recents button are:
You can use two gestures on the Galaxy S22 Recents button:
If you open the camera app (or other apps) on the lock screen (without unlocking Galaxy S22), the Back button (and Home button) is always available. But the Recents button is always hidden.
By default, on Galaxy S22, the Recents button is on the left side of the Home button and the Back button to the right. This is a “Samsung” layout. It is reversed from the button layout in the stock Android.
So, if you switched to Galaxy S22 from a non-Samsung Android phone, you may tap the wrong buttons frequently.
Luckily, you can follow the steps below to customize the layout of Galaxy S22 navigation buttons to match that in other non-Samsung Android phones.
Galaxy S22 Settings can be accessed in different ways, for example,
Besides, you can use voice commands (Google Assistant or Bixby) to open Galaxy S22 Settings.
On the Galaxy S22 Settings page, as shown in the screenshot below, tap Display.
On the Galaxy S22 Dsdiplay settings page, you can tweak a lot of settings and options related to the UI on Galaxy S22.
Among them, you can find and tap the Navigation bar, as shown in the screenshot above, to customize the Galaxy S22 navigation bar.
In the Navigation bar settings page, as shown in the screenshot below, you can:
For example, as shown in the screenshot, the default button order is used.
You can tap the alternative layout, as shown below.
Once you tap the button for the new button order, you should immediately see the change in the Galaxy S22 navigation bar, as shown in the screenshot above.
Samsung removed most of the navigation bar customizations (e.g., as in Galaxy S8) when One UI was introduced. On Galaxy S22, by default, you can only customize the button layout, as discussed above.
If you want to customize the icon of the Galaxy S22 navigation buttons, customize the Galaxy S22 navigation bar (e.g., background color), or add more buttons to the Galaxy S22 navigation bar, you can use the official Samsung Good Lock app (NavStar), as explained in detail in this guide. Although the guide was written for Galaxy S21, it works for Galaxy S22, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy S24 as well.
It is always arguable when we try to prove navigation buttons or navigation gestures are superior.
The more relevant question you should ask yourself is whether Galaxy S22 navigation buttons or navigation gestures work better for you.
Here are some advantages of using Galaxy S22 navigation buttons (and navigation bar):
One drawback of using Galaxy S22 Navigation buttons is the slightly reduced screen space occupied by the navigation bar.
Of course, using navigation gestures has its advantages. For example,
However, for some Galaxy S22 owners, the navigation gestures are not intuitive (or even counter-intuitive). And unfortunately, no Android phones let you customize the navigation gestures.
Anyway, choosing navigation gestures or navigation buttons is a matter of personal preference.
Please check this guide to learn more about Galaxy S22 navigation gestures.
When an app is in the full-screen (immersive) mode, the navigation bar (and navigation buttons) and the status bar will be hidden.
In this case, you can call out the Galaxy S22 navigation buttons (and navigation bar) by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
If you have any questions about using the Galaxy S22 navigation buttons and navigation bar, please let us know in the comment box below.
The community will help you.
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View Comments
Where's the navigation bar located on my S22 phone?
At the bottom of the screen. It shows only if you use the navigation buttons. If you are using navigation gestures, there is no navigation bar.
How do you close apps from the Recents screen?
Swipe up to close the app (and remove it from the Recents screen).