Got a new Samsung smartphone? Or just wondering what it can do?
There are several tips and tricks you can use in the settings menu, that you may not know your Samsung Galaxy smartphone can do, to personalize the One UI user experience on the Home and App screens. We will look at the first steps you can take using home screen settings to set up your device in the best layout for you.
Changing the home screen grid
When you first open your home screen it usually has four icons across the bottom, if you want to change this it’s quite a straightforward process.  Long press the home screen in a blank space on your device’s screen or alternatively pinch it by bring your thumb and forefinger together on the screen. This will come up with the settings option at the bottom of your screen.
Home screen layout
Tap on this option in your settings and you can choose between organizing your device across the Home and Apps screens or the home screen only. I like the Home and Apps screen option as it makes the home screen less cluttered, and you can easily swipe up to go into your App screen. If you prefer everything in one place you can chose the home screen only option.
Home screen grid
Tap on this option and you can choose the layout of your home screen, there are a variety of grids to choose from. I prefer the 5×6 grid but there are a few other choices too.
Apps screen grid
Tapping on this option brings you to the layout of your apps screen/s. This has the same choices as your home screen, again I have mine set on 5×6 but there are some other choices depending on your individual style.
Folder grid
If you like to store some apps in folders on your home screen this is the grid option for this. It has 2 choices 4×4 or 3×4. I am currently using the 4×4 option.
These are some quick tips to maximize your user experience on your mobile device. Changing the grid options can increase accessibility and your viewing experience; particularly if you like a less cluttered screen, or have accessibility concerns where a smaller grid will make it easier for you to access the app you need.
Show Apps
The Show Apps screen button on Home screen. This option enables an extra button on your home screen next to your folders which you can tap to access your app drawer.
Lock Home screen layout
This option enables you to lock your home screen to stop any apps from being removed or repositioned. This is useful, if like me, you are quite fussy about where each app is on your home screen and want them to stay put!
Add New Apps to Home screen
This option enables new apps to be automatically added to the home screen when you download them from the Play Store. This is a useful option if you want to see if an app has downloaded properly and to set it up for use. You can always move it to the app screen if you don’t want it on your home screen by long pressing the app and choosing the Remove option which will move it to the App screen only.
Hide apps
This option allows you to choose which apps you would like to hide from your Home and/or App screen.
App Icon badges
This option enables you to choose whether you want to be notified by an app. Badges appear on the icon which you can chose to see as a number or dot. If you remove this option badges will be cleared, and the app will not show you any notifications.
There is also the option to Rotate to Landscape mode. This will fix your device in Landscape mode until you change it, as required.
These tips are a few of the many ways you can customize your experience with your Samsung Galaxy device running One UI 3.1, including disabling Bixby.
