Galaxy S8 Guides

A Community for owners of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

How to use Galaxy S8 floating camera button in Galaxy S8 and S8+?

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Galaxy S8 floating camera button was introduced in Galaxy S8 and S8+ when it is not convenient for your fingers to tap the camera (shutter) button.

The floating camera button offers an alternative location on the screen for you to tap to take photos.

This Galaxy S8 camera guide shows you how to enable the floating camera button in Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, and how to move it around in the screen to relocate the Galaxy S8 floating camera button.

What is the Galaxy S8 floating camera button? and why you may need it?

Occasionally, you may find it is not convenient to reach the camera shutter button to take a photo.

You may want a hardware button or relocate the camera button to other locations in the screen.

Galaxy S8 or S8+, like other smartphones, does not offer a hardware camera button. The hardware button below volume key is for Samsung Bixby, not for camera.

But Samsung  did offer a new floating camera button, which can be placed anywhere in Galaxy S8 camera app interface, to help you in this situation.

The Galaxy S8 floating camera button is just a duplicate of the camera button with identical size and color as the camera shutter button.

You may want to use Galaxy S8 floating camera button when your fingers have some difficulties to reach the camera button.

How to enable Galaxy S8 floating camera button?

By default, Galaxy S8 floating camera button is NOT enabled in any Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

You need to enable it if you want to use the floating camera button in Galaxy S8 or S8+.

To enable Galaxy S8 floating camera button, you can tap settings icon in Galaxy S8 camera preview screen as shown below to access Galaxy S8 … Read the rest

Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover guide

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Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover

Update 1: Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover  is now fully compatible with always-on display following the always-on display update on June 1, 2017. You can enable always-on display for the Galaxy S8 clear view cover.

Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover is an updated version of Samsung’s clear view cover series. In some regions it is also referred to as S View flip cover.

This Galaxy S8 accessories guide explains you the main features of Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover and how to use them. We also explain to you the advantages and disadvantages of Galaxy S8 clear view cover.

Although Galaxy S8 is used in the guide, Galaxy S8+ has an equal Galaxy S8+ clear view standing cover with identical features, but with different size.

When ordering a cover, you need to make it clear it is for Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+. They are not interchangeable due to different sizes of Galaxy S8 and S8+.

Main features of Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover

Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover is a flip cover, which covers both front screen and back panel (also glass) of Galaxy S8 or S8+.

The key features of Galaxy S8 clear view cover include:

  • Front of Galaxy S8 clear view standing cover is translucent.
  • You can view the time, battery life, notification counts, incoming calls and messages without opening your case.
  • You can respond to incoming calls, alarms and events when the cover is closed.
  • Built-in kickstand. You can easily watching videos when your hands are busy.
  • You can use it as a spare mirror when screen is off (not serious, but not joking).
  • Galaxy S8 clear view cover automatically recommends Galaxy S8 themes matching the color of the phone and the cover.

Compared to clear … Read the rest

Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures

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You use Galaxy S8 or S8+ through the touchscreen most of the time. So, it is important to know how to use Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures and how to control the touchscreen.

This Galaxy S8 how-to guide explains to you the 7 Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures and when you need to use them.

Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures are similar to other Android phones. So, this guide applies to not only other Samsung phones, but also other Android phones.

What are the 7 Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures?

Although Samsung Bixby and Google Assistant offer some alternative ways to control and access Galaxy S8 and S8+, most owners prefer touchscreen gestures.

Once you get used to Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures, you will find these gestures are the most efficient way to control and use the phone.

Like other Android phones, there are 7 Galaxy S8 touchscreen gestures:

  • Tapping
  • Long tapping (tapping and holding)
  • Dragging
  • Double tapping
  • Swiping
  • Spreading
  • Pinching

Please note, although touchscreen gestures are more or less universal in all Android phones, the functions of the same gesture in different apps and different phones can be different. Some apps and some phones may offer additional features to a touchscreen gesture.

Tapping

When you tap the touchscreen (as shown below), Galaxy S8  will respond to the touchscreen gestures depending on the items being tapped, for example:

  • when you tap the navigation buttons, you will be directed to different destination: previous screen or exit the app (Back button), recent apps screen (Recents button), or Galaxy S8 home screen (Home button).
  • when you tap an app icon in Galaxy S8 home screen or apps screen, the app will be started.
  • when you tap a menu item inside an app, you will access the corresponding item inside the app.
  • when
… Read the rest

Migrate to Galaxy S8: how to transfer data from old device to Galaxy S8 and S8+?

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When you get your Galaxy S8 or S8+, you may want to transfer data from old device to S8 or S8+.

This guide explains to you what data can be transferred, what data cannot be transferred, and how to transfer  data from old device to Galaxy S8 and S8+ in different ways: with USB cable, through wireless connection (WiFi direct), through a PC, or through Samsung cloud.

What data can be transferred? What data cannot be transferred?

Before migrating to Galaxy S8 or S8+, it is important to know what can be transferred, and what cannot.

In this guide, we are going to use Samsung Smart Switch, which was pre-installed in Galaxy S8 and S8+, to migrate or transfer data from old device to Galaxy S8 or S8+.

Your old device was very likely pre-installed with Smart Switch if it is newer than Galaxy S6 (for example, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy 6 edge plus, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S7,  Galaxy S7 edge, and many other Galaxy devices released in last 2 years).

If your device is older, or is other brands, you can install SmartSwitch app from Play store. The minimum requirement for Smart Switch app is Android 4.0, which is actually hard to find.

Basically, you can transfer almost everything from old device to Galaxy S8 and S8+.

The data can be transferred from old device to Galaxy S8 and S8+ include:

  • Contacts;
  • Messages;
  • Samsung Calendar (S Planner) events;
  • Memos;
  • Call logs;
  • Alarms and world clock settings (if you are using Samsung clock app);
  • Internet (browser) app settings (only for Samsung’s browser app);
  • Email account settings (only for Samsung Email app);
  • S Health (Samsung Health) settings;
  • Apps. Apps from all sources including Play store, Amazon appstore, Galaxy Apps,  can be transferred.
  • App data of most
… Read the rest

Package contents in Galaxy S8 box

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After unboxing Galaxy S8 or S8+, you need to know package contents in Galaxy S8 box so that you can understand the usage of each items.

Please note, in different regions, the package contents in Galaxy S8 box may be slightly different.

For Galaxy S8 and S8+, the package contents are identical except the phone.

In this guide, although we often just refer to Galaxy S8, everything also applies to Galaxy S8+.

What are the package contents in Galaxy S8 box?

As shown in the picture below, in a Galaxy S8 box you can find at least 8 items, including:

  1. the phone, which is the top deck.
  2. USB type-C cable;
  3. adaptive fast wall charger;
  4. USB connector;
  5. micro USB connector;
  6. ejection pin;
  7. AKG earphone; and
  8. additional earphone gel tips.

Of course, there are some get-started leaflets and safety manual not shown in the picture below.

package contents in Galaxy S8 box

Usage of package contents in Galaxy S8 box

In addition to the Galaxy S8 phone (or Galaxy S8+ phone), all of the accessories in the Galaxy S8 box can help you in some special ways.

USB type-C cable

You need to use the USB type-C cable to charge Galaxy S8 battery unless you use wireless charging.

USB cable can also be used to connect to your PC or other devices to transfer data.

Please note, Galaxy S8 and S8+ use USB type-C port. The USB cable in the package is a USB type-C cable (normal Type-A to Type-C). You should never insert your old micro USB cable directly into Galaxy S8 or S8.

The USB Type-C connector is symmetric.  You can insert the cable into the phone in either orientation.

Wall charger

The included wall charger in Galaxy S8 box is an adaptive fast charger.

You can … Read the rest

Charge Galaxy S8 battery

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Charge Galaxy S8 batteryEverything you need to know about charging Galaxy S8 battery: what chargers can be used to charge Galaxy S8 battery, how to use a wall charger, wireless charger or fast wireless charger to charge the battery in Galaxy S8 and S8+, how to disable fast charging or fast wireless charging in Galaxy S8 and S8+, and how to properly charge Galaxy S8 battery.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ use a non-removable battery, which can only be replaced at Samsung service center.  It is impossible to carry a spare battery for Galaxy S8 or S8+.

So, it is important to charge Galaxy S8 battery properly to let the battery serve you at least one to two years.

What chargers can be used to charge Galaxy S8 battery?

In your Galaxy S8 (or S8+) box,  you can find the adaptive wall charger (and the USB cable).

Of course, you can use other chargers to charge Galaxy S8 battery.

Namely, you can use any of the 4 types of chargers to charge the battery in Galaxy S8 and S8+:

  • adaptive wall charger (fast charger) included in the Galaxy S8 box;
  • standard USB wall charger;
  • wireless charging pad; or
  • fast charging wireless charging pad.

Adaptive wall charger (fast charger)

The bundled wall charger in the box is an adaptive charger, which can adjust its output based on feedback from the phone.

In other words, the adaptive wall charger will automatically adjust the charging power to offer fast charging.

For Galaxy S8 and S8+, the adaptive wall charger can charge Galaxy S8 battery at 9v 1.67A when the battery level is lower than about 60%.

When battery level is higher than about 60%, the wall charger will automatically switch charging voltage to 5V and charging current  up to 2A.

So, … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S8 camera app?

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Samsung used a new Galaxy S8 camera app in Galaxy S8 and S8+ with an revamped interface, Bixby vision integration, and supports for more gestures.

The interface of Galaxy S8 camera app interface looks similar to that in Galaxy S7 with Android Nougat update.

This Galaxy S8 camera guide will explain to you how to use Galaxy S8 camera app, and how to use touchscreen gestures in Galaxy S8 camera app in Galaxy S8 and S8+.

Galaxy S8 camera app preview screen

When you launch Galaxy S8 camera app in Galaxy S8 or S8+, you will first get the Galaxy S8 camera preview screen as shown below.

Please note, you can use Galaxy S8 camera quick launch to get this interface directly without tapping the camera app icon.

Galaxy S8 camera preview screen is the centralized interface for using the camera in Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

1.  Shutter button

Tap the shutter button (marked as 1 in the screenshot below) to take a picture.

Please note, in Galaxy S8 camera, you can also enable a floating shutter button in addition to this fixed button.

You can also slide (right and left)  the shutter button to zoom in and out.

2. Video recording button

You can start to record a video by tapping the video recording button (marked as 2 in the screenshot below)

Once the recording starts, you can pause or stop.

You can also take photos when recording.

3. Gallery shortcut button

You can access Gallery app directly by tapping this Gallery app shortcut button (marked as 3 in the screenshot below).

By default, the thumbnail of the latest photo will be shown in the preview screen.

Galaxy S8 camera app preview screen

4. Animated filters button

Galaxy S8 camera app allows you to choose from 34 stickers and 50 stamps for your … Read the rest

How to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode in Galaxy S8 and S8+?

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As Samsung removed physical Home button in Galaxy S8 and S8+, you may find you cannot use the old method (using Power+Home+ Volume up buttons) to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode in Galaxy S8 and S8+.

Then you may wonder how to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode in Galaxy S8 and S8+.

In Galaxy S8 and S8+,  you need to use Bixby button +Volume up button + Power button to reboot  into Galaxy S8 recovery mode.

Why you need to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode in Galaxy S8 and S8+?

All Android phones should have a special mode called recovery mode, which allows you to perform device maintenance.

You may need to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode when:

  • you want to clear cache partition.
  • you want to install updates from SD card.
  • you want to install update with ADB.
  • you want to reset Galaxy S8 0r S8+.
  • you want to reboot the phone into Galaxy S8 download mode (boot loader).
  • you want to check recovery logs.
  • you want to mount /system partition.
  • you want to run graphics test.

Although most Galaxy S8 owners and Galaxy S8+ owners never use the Galaxy S8 recovery mode, you may need to use it one day.

For example, after applying Android a major update to Galaxy S8 or S8+, you may find the phone behaves oddly.  In this case, you may just reboot the phone into Galaxy S8 recovery mode and clear the cache partition. It should solve most of the update related problems without resetting Galaxy S8 or S8+.

How to enter Galaxy S8 recovery mode in Galaxy S8 and S8+?

Each Android phone manufactures may use different ways to enter recovery mode.

Traditionally, Samsung used Power button+ Home button + Volume up button to reboot Galaxy devices into recovery mode.… Read the rest