Access the Quick Menu
The quick menu: To get to frequently used settings quickly, just swipe down from the top of your phone screen to bring up the quick menu. Voila! Now you can activate or turn off Wi-Fi, location services, Bluetooth, screen auto-rotation, and volume. For more options, tap on that upper right arrow that’s facing down, and you’ll get several extra icons for features such as airplane mode, mobile hotspot, power saving, flashlight, NFC, mobile data, sync, and do not disturb mode. No more accidental dialing: Ever got in trouble because your phone turned on in your pocket and accidentally dialed a contact who then overheard a conversation they should not have? To prevent the dreaded accidental dial: Changing your main font: If the default text looks, well, too default for you, no worries. Just launch the Settings app, go to Display and wallpaper, tap on Font, and pick a new one that better suits your tastes. In addition to the extra fonts included, you can download new ones as well. Moving apps to the home screen: Looking to move one of your favorite apps to the home screen? Simply go to your home screen of choice, tap on the Apps icon on the lower right bar, and find the app you want. Hold the icon, then drag it into the home screen. Adding windows to your home screen: If you want to add additional windows to your home screens, just tap and hold an empty spot on the home screen. Doing so will show you minimized versions of all your home screens. Just swipe to the right until you see a blank window with the plus sign and just tap on that. You can also use this minimized view to remove a window by touching and holding the window you want to take out, then dragging it to the trash can icon. Managing apps, wallpapers, themes, and widgets: This starts the same way as adding windows to your home screen. After touching and holding an empty space, look at the bottom screen, and you’ll see a new bottom menu. Options from this menu include switching wallpapers and themes, adding widgets, and changing the screen grid for the number of apps that can fit in a home screen. Screenshot: Taking a screenshot requires holding the Power and Home buttons at the same time. You could also tap into your inner kung fu expert by shaping your hand into a knife then swiping the side of your palm across the screen. If this doesn’t work, go to Settings, then Advanced Features, and make sure Palm swipe to capture is on. Quick Launch Camera: What about the times when you need to take a quick shot with the phone camera? Just double-tap the Home button quickly, and this will take you to camera mode right away.
Advanced features
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge share “Advanced features” that you can access as a menu option via the Settings app. Here’s a rundown of the features and what they do. Direct call: Want to call someone ASAP? This feature allows you to automatically call a contact whose call log, message, or contact details are on the screen when you put the phone against your ear. Easy mute: The sound of silence isn’t just a song. Enabling this allows you to mute your phone by placing the palm of your hands on the screen or turning over your phone face down. One-handed operation: This one is especially handy for the S7 Edge, whose big screen is excellent for watching videos but can be a challenge to operate with one hand. When enabled, the one-handed operation allows you to press the Home button three times to shrink your screen. You can also use it to shrink the keyboard for more comfortable one-handed typing. Pop-up view: This one lets you easily switch a fullscreen app into a smaller pop-up view mode. Just swipe downward diagonally from either top corner, and you’re all set. Palm swipe to capture: As mentioned in the screenshot tip earlier in the article, this allows you to take a screenshot with a knife-hand gesture while swiping the side of your palm across the screen. Smart capture: Enabling this will show options for sharing, cropping, and capturing hidden parts of the screen after you take a screenshot. Smart alert: This feature makes your phone vibrate when you pick it up to alert you about missed calls and messages.
Get an Edge
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge gets extra functions over the regular S7 thanks to its, well, screen edge. These include Edge panels that show apps, contacts, and news. You also get Edge feeds that you can use for sports scores, news alerts, and missed calls. Lastly, there’s Edge lighting, which makes the edge of the screen light up when receiving calls or notifications while the screen is facing down. You can access the Edge screen by swiping leftward from the right edge of the screen. You can also turn individual Edge settings on or off via the Settings App under “Edge screen.”
