Got a Samsung phone? Get these 5 Samsung apps because they're not installed by default
Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority
Usually, when we talk about Samsung's first-party apps, it's in a negative light, whether it's the conversation around bloatware or useless apps like Samsung's keyboard. Don't let those apps sour you from trying some of Samsung's other apps, though. Ironically, the companies' best are the ones that aren't included on your phone.
There are many apps I wanted to include on this list, but I've focused on the ones that can make the biggest difference to how you use your phone, ranging from customisation to getting the most from your camera.
Samsung Flow: Share files (and your screen)
Samsung Flow is an underappreciated gem. It lets you easily share files between Galaxy devices and even Windows PCs. You can even remotely access certain devices. Galaxy tablets can remote access phones (as seen above), and a Windows PC can do this for both phones and tablets. On Windows, you'll even hear audio from the controlled device, except for phone calls. You even get Android's old navigation buttons at the bottom of the window, which is easier to use with a keyboard and mouse than gesture navigation.
File transfers are easy, too. You can type or copy/paste text and send it as a message or attach files, photos, documents, contacts, and more. I'm always sending screenshots back and forth between my phone and PC, and this makes it easier.
Home Up: Fine-tune your home screen
Samsung's Home Up Good Lock module got a big update for One UI 7. It was already one of my favorite Good Lock modules, and the added features only made it better. The basics I'd play around with first are grid size and the overview screen.
As phones have gotten taller, I've found that five or even six rows of apps isn't always enough, especially on an extra-tall device like my Galaxy Z Fold 4 when using the cover screen. Home Up lets you change the grid size easily and offers an option to 'view widgets larger' to stop them from getting cut off by the bigger grid size.
Home Up also lets you address one of my biggest gripes with One UI. By default, the phone scrolls one app to the left each time you open the overview screen, with the app you were just in getting moved to the right. I detest this behavior and always change it with the 'center the currently running app' toggle. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can try some of the other overview styles.
One Hand Operation Plus: Improve gesture navigation
One Hand Operation + (yes, that's what it's called) is another Good Lock module I can't live without. I'm not kidding — I miss the features it provides whenever I have to use a non-Samsung phone, and my wife has even said losing it would prevent her from trying a different brand. One of the first things I do with it is change the area where side gestures can be used. A lot of apps still use slide-out menus, so I limit my navigation gestures to the bottom half of the screen.
You can also assign different actions to swipes from the sides of your phone — straight out, diagonal up, and diagonal down. I find stretching my thumb down to the bottom edge of the phone to swipe home painful at times (thanks, arthritis), so I can do full navigation from the sides. Swiping right out goes back, diagonal up opens overview, and diagonal down goes home. You can also assign different actions to long swipes, and there are dozens of options here, from widget panels to one-handed mode.
Expert RAW: Take your photography out of this world
Expert RAW is a very in-depth app that's a great starting point for people who want to get more serious about photography. You can set long exposures for astro photography, mess with white balance, metering, focus, and more. It gives you more options than I have time to explain now, but we have a handy guide that goes into more detail here. One of the things I appreciate about this app is that it has less aggressive post-processing than the regular camera app. Despite the name, you can have the app save all photos as JPEGs if the more natural look is all you want.
Of course, the main reason to use the app is for the editing you can do with the RAW files. If you use an app like Lightroom, you can dramatically change the look of a photo, and that's where another feature in Expert RAW comes in. If you have a Samsung tablet, you can have pictures captured with the app automatically sent to it. That's what I do, as I find editing in Lightroom easier on my Galaxy Tab S10 Plus.
Sound Assistant: Control music with the screen off
There are many things Sound Assistant can do, but I've narrowed it down to the three I use the most. The first is using the volume keys to control music when the screen is off. Sometimes, I sleep with earbuds in, and I turn off the touch gestures on the buds to prevent my pillow from activating them. This feature lets me change the track by holding a volume key without even opening my eyes. You can even change the orientation of the buttons to suit your needs.
Next, we have Bluetooth Metronome, which lets you compensate for syncing issues when playing over Bluetooth. It isn't necessary to listen to music, but it can be a game-changer for watching videos where people are talking and where out-of-sync lip movements can be distracting.
Finally, we have the favorite media app option, which lets you pick an app to begin playback when nothing is currently playing, rather than defaulting to whatever you used last. It has come in handy for me when going on walks, as I only need to tap an earbud to get some music rather than fishing out my phone, looking at my Galaxy Watch, or using Gemini.
Of all Samsung's apps, these are some of the ones I use the most, but there are plenty of others out there, like Camera Assistant and the multitude of Good Lock modules I didn't list here. They're all worth looking through and can dramatically change how you use your phone. Is there a Samsung app you can't live without? Let me know about it in the comments.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Engadget
an hour ago
- Engadget
Perplexity's AI-powered browser opens up to select Windows users
Perplexity is planning to open up its Comet browser that's powered by "agentic search" to Windows users, according to the company's CEO. Aravind Srinivas posted on X that the Windows build of Comet is ready and has sent out invites to early testers already. Perplexity's CEO also hinted at a potential release for Android devices, adding that it was "moving at a crazy pace and moving ahead of schedule." In May, Perplexity launched a beta version of its AI-powered Comet browser, only available to Mac users running Apple Silicon. The intelligent browser comes with AI features baked in, like the ability to ask it questions, check shopping carts for discounts and dig up unanswered emails. The beta version even showcases a "Try on" feature where users can upload a photo of themselves and Comet will generate an image of them wearing a selected piece of clothing. There's still no official debut set, but Srinivas previously hinted at an upcoming release in an X post earlier this month. Comet is still only offering a waitlist for those interested, but the browser has already stirred up controversy. The company's CEO previously made comments during a podcast interview that Perplexity would use Comet "to get data even outside the app to better understand you." Srinivas later clarified on X that the comment was taken out of context, adding that "every user will be given the option to not be part of the personalization" when it comes to targeted ads. When Comet is released, the agentic browser will face competition from Opera Neon and similar offerings from Google and OpenAI.
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Automatic Deletions: Take Action Now To Protect Yourself
Microsoft's Windows 11 creates System Restore points, that is, snapshots of your PC's system files, settings and registry. But those points expire and are automatically deleted after 60 days, Microsoft has now confirmed. Users can protect themselves by creating regular System Restore points. 'With System Restore you can revert your PC's state to a previous point in time. By using System Restore, you can undo these changes without affecting your personal files,' Microsoft says. Windows 11 Which is great, but those restore points don't last forever, so it's important to know exactly how long they are there for. Previous documentation suggested that on Windows 10, restore points could last as long as 90 days. Windows Latest reports that 'After Windows 11's release in 2021, the retention period has been anywhere between 10 and 90 days (mostly 10 days),' it says. Ten days really isn't long, but there's good news. In a new support document relating to the June 10 update, Microsoft is a bit more specific. 'After installing the June 2025 Windows security update, Windows 11, version 24H2 will retain system restore points for up to 60 days. To apply a restore point, select Open System Restore. Restore points older than 60 days are not available. This 60-day limit will also apply to future versions of Windows 11, version 24H2,' it says. In other words, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 System Restore points will be deleted after 60 days, so you need to periodically create restore points. That's not as good as 90 days, obviously, but way better than 10 days. 'This will give you multiple snapshots, but Windows will still delete the oldest ones once they exceed the retention window (now 60 days on Windows 11 24H2 by default),' says Windows Latest. To create your own System Restore point, as Windows Latest explains, you open Start and search for 'Create a restore point,' which will open System Protection tab in System Properties. Next, under Protection Settings, check that one of the partitions where you're going to put the backup is protected. Choose that partition and Configure to turn on protection. Then, click Create and follow the onscreen instructions. This will last for 60 days. Now that the deletion date is clear, it seems like creating one every few weeks is good practice.
Android Authority
4 hours ago
- Android Authority
I still keep a 6-year-old Android 10 phone in my back pocket — here's why
Andy Walker / Android Authority I've been feeling quite nostalgic lately, especially for old camera phones. Last month, I praised the Nokia 9 PureView for its unique camera setup that makes every shot an adventure. I've also revisited the LG G4, a phone that sparked my love for photography. However, there's one more older Android camera phone I still carry around whenever possible. In its prime, the HUAWEI P30 Pro was the best Android phone money could buy. Sure, that's just my opinion, but plenty of evidence supports it. It was durable and relatively compact compared to today's phones. It had simple yet attractive styling, fast performance, and excellent battery life. After five years as my loyal daily driver, its age started showing. The battery health was declining, and I received its last update in mid-2023. It's still stuck on Android 10, and there is no hope of new software versions or security upgrades. How important is smartphone camera zoom performance to you? 0 votes I only consider phones with great zoom performance. NaN % It's pretty high up my priority list. NaN % It's not that important to me. NaN % I don't care if a phone doesn't have a zoom camera. NaN % Andy Walker / Android Authority I had to upgrade, albeit reluctantly. The phone to fill that void was the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Our review of the 2024 Fan Edition phone was positive, and my experience has been equally solid. Despite the poor battery life, mediocre display, and heavy footprint, it's a capable upgrade that will be supported for years. I also have a Pixel 8, which I love for its small size and swift operation. Importantly, both devices are capable pocket cameras in their own right. I've had endless fun capturing street scenes and landscapes with the Pixel 8, while the Galaxy excels as a point-and-shoot portrait camera for family and friends. However, both phones lag behind the P30 Pro in one important aspect: zoom. A periscope camera that's as good as ever It may be half a decade older than the Samsung and Google phones I replaced it with, but the HUAWEI still outperforms both, grabbing objects much farther away and bringing them even closer to me. On paper, the 8MP 5x optical and 50x digital periscope lens seems modest and outdated, but I miss it dearly when the phone isn't within reach. This feeling was particularly evident during a recent road trip. I usually toss a few phones in my bag before heading off on adventures, and this time I brought the Galaxy, Pixel, and PureView along. After much of the visit was spent capturing ground-level subjects, I turned my view to the top of a building where a raptor was perched. I grabbed the Samsung — the only phone with a dedicated zoom lens — and zoomed. Despite its 3x optical and 30x digital zoom, the phone couldn't bring me close enough to my avian subject. It soon flew off, and I regretted leaving the P30 Pro at home. It may be half a decade older than the Samsung and Google phones I replaced it with, but the P30 Pro still out-zooms both. Spending less time with the P30 Pro has made me realize how vital periscope capabilities are for me on a smartphone, and not just for photography. Capturing tighter shots of distant, unapproachable fauna or flora increases the likelihood of getting an accurate hit in a bird or plant identification app. Using Lens or Circle to Search to identify other items is easier too when used via Google Photos on my primary phone. Longer zoom offers more utility, which is indispensable for my phone usage habits. Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority I've since learned my lesson. I keep the P30 Pro with me just in case I need it. Despite its age, it still works great as a backup phone, despite its growing issues. I haven't reset it, so all my apps and files are still stored safely on it. Its 256GB storage bank also comes in handy for offline file storage. Nevertheless, my recent experiences without the phone have taught me two valuable lessons. First, I can't imagine buying a phone in the future without a capable zoom lens. Sure, I could and probably should use my 70-300mm zoom lens on my D3400 more often, but I don't always have the comparatively bulky DSLR camera with me. Convenience comes at a price. Secondly, older hardware often surpasses modern innovation. The P30 Pro is proof of that. I wouldn't have considered upgrading if the phone still received regular updates. Now that it's no longer my daily driver, I don't care if it's running an older version of Android. But, thanks to its stellar reach, it more than earns its place among my current devices.
