Follow ZDNET: Add us as a favorite source On Google.
I’ve been quite vocal lately that Samsung’s One UI 7 is my favorite Android skin. It’s fast, responsive, and intuitive. But nothing directly matches your experience. You need to personalize your smartphone to make it more attractive.
I change about a dozen settings on every Samsung Galaxy phone to suit my needs, and I believe these will improve your user experience as well.
Too: best samsung phones to buy
From setting the highest available screen resolution to more privacy-focused features, here are 10 Galaxy phone settings (plus a bonus) that I recommend changing to enhance your Galaxy phone experience. Please note that some settings may be phone-specific.
1. Turn off pop-up notifications
I don’t like it when a message from a contact or an intrusive app notification pops up when I’m reading online or messaging my favorite people. I get easily distracted. If a notification comes up, I tap on it and forget what I was doing.
Also: Your Samsung phone has a secret Wi-Fi menu that’s incredibly useful – how to access it
If you’re like me, you should have changed this setting before switching to gesture navigation. Go to Notifications > Notification pop-up style > Apps to show as minimized > Toggle all apps.
2. Switch to gesture navigation
Unless you’re setting up your new Samsung Galaxy phone from an older model, it defaults to the old three-button navigation system. If you like it that’s fine. But I find Android’s gesture navigation more intuitive – everything is a swipe away instead of on-screen buttons.
If you prefer, you can change system navigation to gestures by going to Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Swipe gestures.
3. Set to the highest screen resolution
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra has the best display on any smartphone right now. Thanks to the second-generation Gorilla Armor, it is less reflective and displays colors better than its predecessor. You get a sharp QHD+ screen, but it’s not set to that resolution by default.
To get the best available display experience you need to go to Settings > Display > Screen Resolution. It will use more battery, but the Ultra is an efficient smartphone. Even with the screen resolution maxed out, I still get a full day of battery life.
4. Change the function of the side key
Smartphones no longer have a “power button”. This is now called the side key or side button, and it’s one of my most disliked changes in recent times. Phone companies have renamed their smart assistants to long press the power button.
Also: 5 preinstalled apps you should remove from your Samsung phone immediately
Google’s Gemini is available in other ways, and Bixby isn’t that useful anyway, so I suggest changing the function of the side key to offer the power menu. You can do this by going to Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press > Power off menu.
5. Adjust lock screen notifications
One UI 7 has changed the way notifications are displayed on your lock screen. It’s set to show icons on the top left corner by default, which is a big change from the previous card view. I prefer apps that show notifications in the latter form. To change this, you can go to Settings > Notifications > Lock screen notifications > Cards.
I also hide sensitive notification content on the lock screen because I don’t want anyone to get to my phone and see my private messages. To change this setting, you can select the Hide content option under the same lock screen notification menu.
6. Sign in or sign up for a Samsung account
I keep bouncing between different phones but keep coming back to Samsung phones for the One UI. Having a Samsung account is a big part of the user experience on Galaxy phones. From Samsung Wallet to Samsung’s own password manager, I have a lot of information saved.
Also: Finally, a Samsung phone I’d keep my S25 Ultra for (especially at this price)
Many will want to turn to Google Password for better cross-device functionality, but I still recommend signing up for a Samsung Account to access Galaxy Themes (more on this below) and the Galaxy Store. This will also benefit you when you move from one Samsung phone to another with seamless transfer.
7. Install this app
I recommend installing the Good Lock app from the Galaxy Store. This enables Samsung-exclusive features on your phone. When I was reviewing the Galaxy S25 Ultra I found the best use case for it. It has a module called Home Up which has One Hand Operation+ function.
Also: I spent a week in New York City with the Samsung Z Fold 7 — and it sucked up all my time
Since the new Samsung flagship is a large phone, I’ve set up a swipe down from the right edge to access quick settings. You can do this for six shortcuts within the short swipe and long swipe gestures, and access many more features within the Good Lock app.
8. Uninstall Bloatware
Samsung Galaxy phones come with many apps that you probably don’t use. Unlike years past, you can now uninstall or at least disable them to save memory. For example, I don’t have a Samsung TV and I don’t want the Microsoft CoPilot app on my phone, so I uninstalled the TV and CoPilot, respectively. Other apps I disable or uninstall include Facebook, Samsung Tutor, and OneDrive.
9. Customize Home Screen
Samsung has some great widgets on the phone. I like the calendar widget because I can adjust the transparency. As a result, it looks better and retains functionality without disturbing the layout of my home screen. I’ve positioned it at the top, so everything is just a glance away, yet it never demands attention – unlike other opaque calendar widgets.
Also: I bought Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025, but I would recommend this model instead
I also change my icon grid to a 5×5 layout to accommodate more icons in the bottom row. They’re just a thumb tap away. Additionally, I apply my wallpaper color tone to the app icons for a more attractive look. You can go to Wallpaper & Style > Color Palette and turn it on to apply the wallpaper color to the entire system. It is not perfect, and some icons may still not be supported. However, it looks better than the original colors.
10. Fix Always On Display
You get efficient displays on Samsung phones – use them and enable everything including Always On Display. I like having the time, day, and date available right there on the screen, at a glance. Samsung sets it to the Tap to Show setting by default, which means you have to tap the screen for information.
I would recommend changing it to Always to make it more functional. Go to Settings > Lock screen & AOD > Always-on display > Always. You can choose whether you want to display the wallpaper or not – I set it to only display a black screen so it doesn’t drain much battery.
Bonus. Revert changes to notification panel
Samsung changed its notification panel design to an iOS-like drawer. Swiping down from the right side gives you access to quick settings, while swiping down from the left side of the screen gives you access to notifications. However, if you like the previous design better, you can change it.
I like to have my notifications under quick settings, just like the good old days. To bring back this new design element, swipe down from the top right corner of the home screen > pencil icon > panel settings > simultaneously. You can also edit top quick settings under this menu.
Too: Comparing each Samsung Galaxy S25 model: Which phone should you buy?
Some other things I do on my Galaxy phone include changing the keyboard to Google Keyboard and sorting the home drawer icons in alphabetical order so it’s easier to navigate. Samsung phones are some of the best phones on the market. Although they don’t promise superlative features, they are reliable and offer the most sophisticated user interface with One UI. Just adjust these few settings, and you’re all set. Enjoy your new Galaxy phone!
Get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning Tech Today Newsletter.
