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Customize your Galaxy S7 with these hidden features
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After going through the basic setup process of your new Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, there are a few more things you should do to get the most out of the device.
In fact, here are nine settings you should change:
Change your theme
Samsung’s theme store makes it dead simple to change the overall look and feel of your Galaxy S7. With just a few taps, you can preview and apply themes built by Samsung and fellow Galaxy users alike.
Themes can change everything from the font used on your device, to app icons for all pre-installed applications.
There are two methods to get to Samsung’s theme store. The quickest is to long-press on the home screen, then tap on Themes. Alternatively, you can open the Settings app then go to Themes.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Access Samsung Pay from anywhere
Instead of trying to find the Samsung Pay app when it comes time to checkout, make sure Simple Pay is enabled within the Samsung Pay app.
Open Samsung Pay, tap on More > Settings > then Smart Pay. There you can turn on (or off) access to Samsung Pay from the lock screen, home screen, and even when your device’s screen is off.
With Smart Pay enabled, you can swipe up from the bottom of your device’s screen, tap and pay.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Disable Flipboard briefing
Samsung heard you like news, so it put some news on your home screen; but it’s kind of annoying.
If you find yourself accidentally accessing the briefing pane, or just flat out not using it, you can disable the Flipboard briefing by long-pressing on the home screen, then swiping to the right until the Briefing pane is visible, and slide the switch to the Off position.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Change app grid size
Want more or less apps on the home screens of your device? Long press on the home screen and select Screen Grid. You can then pick from a 4×4, 4×5 or 5×5 grid of app icons.
Whatever change to the grid you make on the home screen will carry over to the app drawer.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Disable Always-On Display
The S7’s always-on display can be distracting, and while it doesn’t have a dramatic impact on overall battery life, it still has an impact.
To disable the new feature and go back to checking time the old fashioned way on your smartphone, open the Settings app, then go to Display and wallpaper > Always On Display and turn it off. Or if you do like the feature, this screen is where you go to customize its overall look and behavior.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Make Settings easier to find
Navigating through the Settings app for something you frequently access can be a hassle. Luckily, Samsung lets you add quick settings to the top of the Settings screen with just a few taps.
Open the Settings app, then select Tap here to edit quick settings. You can select up to nine different settings shortcuts, which will then be placed at the top of the Settings app for easy access in the future.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Lock screen app shortcuts
You can place two app icons on the lock screen of your Galaxy device for quick access to either app. To change either app, or disable them altogether, go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Info and app shortcuts > App shortcuts.
Select the shortcut to change and select the app you want to use, or turn the shortcut off.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Install camera modes
The Galaxy S7 is one heck of a smartphone camera on its own, but its appeal grows when you begin adding different modes to the camera app. By using modes you can create animated GIFs, take better food shots, or create hyperlapse videos without much fuss.
In the Camera app, tap on the Mode button followed by the Download link at the top of the screen. A rather long list of modes will populate, ready for installation.
Installation only takes a few seconds, after which you can experiment with the various modes and improve upon your smartphone photography skills.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Remove unwanted apps
Samsung and carriers tend to install a lot of bloatware on Galaxy devices. Sometimes you can remove it, other times you can’t. With the S7, you can at least turn off some of the apps and remove them from your home screen and app drawer.
When in the app drawer, tap on the Edit button and then start picking off unnecessary apps one by one by tapping on the “-” icon. A prompt will alert you when an app can only be turned off rather than uninstalled.
Enlarge ImageScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
With the basics out of the way, you can learn how to master your Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge by reading our complete how-to guide.
