The Galaxy S23 series, the newest iteration of Samsung’s premium Android smartphone brand, has been released. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, with its remarkable 200MP camera and 10X optical zoom, is an excellent option for those in the market for a high-end mobile smartphone. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus are available for everyone else; they’re nearly identical, with the S23 Plus being the better choice if you want more storage space and a bigger display.
If you’re new to Android (as I still am after using an iPhone for so long), the Galaxy S23 offers a lot of room for personalization. I acquired mine last week. When you finally get your hands on a Galaxy S23, make sure to complete the following!
Make your own unique lock screen:
When you pick up your phone after it has been asleep, the lock screen is the first thing you’ll see. As it comes with Samsung’s One UI 5.1, the lock screen may be simply modified.
Bringing the screen back to life will take you directly to the lock screen. The lock screen editor may be accessed by pressing and holding the lock screen. It’s very much like how Apple does this on the iPhone, specifically iOS 16, but with a lot more customization possibilities. Here you may modify such settings as wallpaper, clock face, and notification tone, as well as add emergency contact information and rearrange the order in which two apps are launched.
Adjust the user interface’s hue to complement your wall paint:
If you’re not using a theme, one of the cool things about Android is that you can alter the UI colors to match the wallpaper. To make matters worse, it seems that themes always take precedence over any custom settings. If you like the default theme but have a custom wallpaper, the UI colors (such as buttons and text) will adapt to match.
It’s easy to change the color scheme by going to the Settings menu and selecting Wallpaper and Style, then Color Palette. When you tap a palette, you’ll see a preview of the effect before it’s actually used. The color scheme can also be used for the majority of app icons.
Adjust the nighttime settings:
Dark mode is a must-have for me on any smartphone, and the Galaxy S23 is no exception. When I initially get a new phone, I immediately switch to dark mode since the bright whites are too much for my aged eyes.
Dark mode may be activated on the S23 by selecting Settings > Display > Dark. If you’d rather not have dark mode on permanently, you may toggle it on and off via the settings menu (seen as a button with a dark background). This can be done manually, or dark mode can be programmed to activate between the hours of sunset and sunrise.
Modify the menu structure:
From Android 10, gesture-based navigation has been fully supported. This is an improvement over the previous method of using buttons. Most modern Android phones already ship with gesture navigation, but Samsung, for some reason, still uses buttons by default. Fortunately, that’s one of the things I alter right away.
To configure the menu bar, select Settings > Screen Display (you may need to scroll down a bit). Pick the type of controls you prefer, buttons or swipes, and then hit Swipe gestures to see other customization options.
Have fun with the Edge Panels module:
Samsung smartphones have a feature called Edge Panels that places a launcher on the screen’s edge for quick access to frequently used functions like the camera, contacts, and apps. When the function is enabled, a little “handle” appears on the screen’s edge; this “handle” can be dragged out to reveal further controls. The extent to which it may be tailored to individual needs is also impressive.
Turning on Edge Panels is the first step. To enable edge panels, go to the system settings and toggle the appropriate button. The position can be locked, the color changed, and more simply by tapping the Handle.
The first three apps that appear when you bring out the Edge Panel are recently used apps (you can disable this if you’d like additional app shortcuts), but the rest can be changed by touching the pencil button in the panel’s lower right corner. You can then select the apps you’d like to use; if you have more than five, the menu will split into two columns. Instead of returning to the home screen, you may access the app launcher at any time by tapping the 3×3 grid button next to the pencil.
Avail yourself of the newest, most cutting-edge features by activating the Labs:
Turning on Laboratories is a must for individuals who value staying at the forefront of technological development. In essence, Samsung’s Labs serve as a public beta for future features and apps. Note that Samsung cautions users that not all apps will be compatible with all Labs features.
Laboratories can be accessed via the menu items Settings > Advanced features > Labs. Then, turn on the switch next to the features in Laboratories that interest you. You may use a swipe gesture to switch to split-screen mode, and you can launch any app in a floating window.
Modify the function of your side key:
In addition to powering on and off, the Galaxy S23’s side button serves a number of other functions. It has a wider range of functionality depending on whether you double-press it or press and hold it.
By default, pushing and holding the side button will wake Bixby and rapidly open the camera app. But, the behaviour of the button in such cases can be modified by navigating to the Settings menu, then selecting Advanced features, and finally Side key. In addition, you have the option to disable the double-press feature entirely. Picking the software that best suits your needs is another choice. If you don’t like using Bixby, you can alter the shortcut for turning off your phone by pressing and holding the power button.
Please enable the notification log:
My experience with Android has convinced me that Apple’s iOS isn’t the best platform for receiving notifications, despite the fact that I’ve been mostly using an iPhone for the past decade. And if you’re the kind to routinely snooze or disregard notifications, the notification history function is a must-have.
The Notification History page shows you a detailed log of all alerts you’ve received in the past day, including those you’ve snoozed or dismissed. This, however, is not activated by default; if you wish to use it, you will need to activate it.
To enable notification history, select it from the menu under Settings > Notifications > Advanced options > Notification history. The notification log may be seen from the Settings app after it has been activated, or by tapping the History icon in the notifications panel.
Toggle on the option to keep the brightness control active:
The Quick Settings panel is one of Android’s best features, as it provides instant access to frequently used system settings including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, power saving, and more. Nevertheless, the brightness option, which you may need to modify regularly, is inconveniently located in the quick panel. The default method for adjusting the S23’s screen brightness involves performing a double swipe down from the top of the screen.
But, that can be adjusted, and the brightness slider is made readily available with a simple swipe down. Swipe down twice from the top of the screen, tap the three vertical dots in the upper-right, choose Quick panel layout, and then tap Brightness control to adjust the brightness. If you alter the default setting to “Display always,” it will always be visible without requiring a double swipe.
Fast Settings editable button locations:
There are probably a lot of things in your quick settings that you never use, despite the fact that they are shortcuts to regularly used system controls. The buttons, fortunately, are easily modifiable.
The Quick Settings can be accessed in the same way by bringing them down, expanding them, and then selecting the vertical dot button once more. To further edit, click the Edit tab. In the upper half, you’ll notice the buttons that are available to you, and in the bottom half, you’ll see the content of the fast panel. Simply drag an item to the top of the list to delete it, then drop a new button wherever you’d like it to appear. The features of the fast panel can be easily modified to include only those that are useful to you, while removing others that you will never use.