Latest news with #GoodLock
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Boost gaming performance on your Samsung smartphone with Game Booster+ module
Samsung smartphones are not always suggested for gaming because of their comparatively worse gaming performance. But Samsung has an ace up its sleeve, Game Booster+ is a Good Lock module that lets you tune performance per game. Here's how you can install Game Booster+ on your Samsung mobile and use it. Download the Good Lock app from the Google Play Store on your Samsung phone. Launch the Good Lock app, locate the Game Booster+ module and install it on your phone. Launch the Game Booster+ from the Good Lock app or the App screen. Approve the required permissions to use the app. You can now choose one of the features listed below. Controller key remapping: This is the best feature who love to play fast-paced shooter games on a smartphone using a controller. You can connect a PlayStation or Xbox controller, you can set custom button layouts easily and create multiple profiles. This lets you customise every button and trigger on the controller to make it feel just right. Advanced GPU settings: Game Booster+ lets you fine-tune GPU settings per game for a much smoother gameplay experience. You can increase the resolution, set the frame rate and more in the Game Booster module. And these settings can be adjusted per game for flexibility. This also lets you optimise the battery life if you are in for a marathon gaming session. Features like PreTransform in Vulkan games help lighten the GPU load. And the Texture Filter lets you choose to prioritise performance or visual quality to get a much better experience. Game Categorisation: Not every app gets automatically recognised as a game by default. Game Booster+ can let you manually mark any app as a game. This helps in improving performance in a few emulators which do not appear as a game to the system. Game Booster+ works on Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI 7 or higher, including the latest S series, Note and Fold series. It's available through the Good Lock app in the Galaxy Store. If your phone is not compatible with the Game Booster+ module, you may not see it listed in the Good Lock app.
Android Authority
7 days ago
- Android Authority
These are the niche features I wish Samsung Good Lock also let me customize
Ryan Haines / Android Authority I think it's safe to say that Samsung's Good Lock is the most powerful customization toolkit in the Android ecosystem for those who want even more control over their One UI devices. Good Lock modules unlock the lock screen, tweak themes, and extend Routines far beyond their initial capabilities. It's grown so much since its early days that I couldn't imagine using a Samsung phone without it. However, there are still several areas where Good Lock falls short. Existing modules leave these elements untouched and unchangeable, but this shouldn't be the case. Here are five customization blind spots I'd like Samsung to address with Good Lock or through One UI directly in the future. What do you want Good Lock to include in the future? 0 votes More control over fonts. NaN % Additional UI settings for notifications. NaN % More haptic feedback tweaks and options. NaN % Now Bar customizations. NaN % Device performance controls. NaN % Something else entirely (mention in comments). NaN % Custom font faces and sizes Joe Maring / Android Authority When it comes to elements you can tweak on One UI, very few items are out of reach. Through QuickStar, I can choose the colors I want for my Quick Settings, like lime green text on an OLED black background. HomeUp lets me endlessly modify my lock screen appearance and build productive home screens, and Keys Cafe can turn my keyboard into a Christmas tree (if I used Samsung's keyboard, that is). But one aspect that remains completely untouchable is system fonts. Sure, apps use their specific fonts, and Samsung offers around a dozen typefaces for selection and download, but customization ends there. I can't install or use fonts not permitted by Samsung, including fonts that should work on an Android system. No Good Lock modules offer adjustments for fonts across the system, either. I want the option to tweak individual faces and font sizes, whether in the Settings category headlines or notifications. More UI tweaks for notifications Joe Maring / Android Authority Speaking of notifications, HomeUp makes light work of turning One UI's home screen into a complete carnival, but it doesn't give me enough control over how notifications appear on my device. On One UI 7, I can adjust the background and foreground colors for notifications and Quick Settings shades, but these changes are superficial. I want the option to adjust notification box sizes, corner radii, app icons, and reposition the notification time. As One UI 7 stands, it uses too much blank space per notification pill — finer adjustments would let me fit more into this space. Additionally, HomeUp forces me to make blanket font color changes, but I want more specific editing abilities for my notification details. Offering app-specific color notification boxes or icons from custom icon packs would be a welcome option. Now Bar customizations Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority The Now Bar is one of my favorite One UI 7 features but has no customization options. Granted, it's a new feature that hasn't fully matured yet, but I can already envision customization options for it in future Good Lock modules. It would be useful to be able to adjust the Now Bar's transparency, placement, text color, and background saturation, making the information more legible and accessible. These options would benefit those who use the feature to monitor media. This would be especially useful for me since I use Now Bar to view currently playing tracks on my lock screen while working. Being able to force the larger album art view or choose which song stats to view on the Now Bar would let me keep my phone locked while enhancing my enjoyment of the content. Broader device performance controls Robert Triggs / Android Authority Finally, I want to touch on Good Lock's potential for phone performance parameters. While Good Guardians allowed more control over device hardware, including adjusting the CPU throttling temperature threshold, I feel more control could be had here. In this vein, I'd welcome a Good Lock module to control various hardware limits. Yes, I know the potential liability of such a module, but a simple disclaimer splash screen could easily solve this. What controls do I seek? For one, without enabling any battery restrictions, I'd like to limit my Galaxy S24 FE's maximum clock speed, whether a nominal value or a performance percentage (similar to how Windows handles this). Additionally, options to use this in conjunction with frame rate options, allowing me to select the lowest possible CPU performance value to make 120Hz possible, would improve battery life without sacrificing visual fidelity. The third-party app Galaxy Max Hz could accomplish this, but it no longer works on my device. Good Lock and its myriad modules are handy, but still have plenty of unfulfilled potential. From aesthetic tweaks to hardware adjustments, Samsung gives users more control, which would only enhance the Galaxy smartphone experience. The question is: would Samsung be willing and able to add these modules in the future? What are your thoughts on the current abilities of Good Lock modules? Do they go far enough, or would you value more power? Let us know in the comments below.
Mint
13-06-2025
- Mint
Samsung Galaxy S25 hidden features you wish you had tried sooner
The Samsung Galaxy S25 hit the market on 7th February 2025 and instantly made waves with its powerful hardware and sleek design. But if you've got one in your hands, chances are you're still not using it to it's full potential. Beyond the flashy specs and polished UI are hidden tools and underrated features that can completely change how you use your phone. Here are some tools you can download from the Galaxy Store, features worth exploring and smart settings to tweak for a more powerful experience. Install Good Lock and Good Guardians Good Lock and Good Guardians are two of Samsung's best-kept secrets that open up a whole new layer of customisation and system control. Good Lock lets you theme your keyboard, tweak your lock screen and even animate your always-on display. Meanwhile, Good Guardians gives you handy modules like Nice Catch that tracks mystery vibrations and alerts on your phone and Thermal Guardian to monitor what's heating up your phone. The Auto Blocker feature stops apps from being installed if they're not from the Google Play Store or Samsung's app store. In fact, it also blocks certain commands that come through USB connections. If you are someone who just downloads apps from trusted stores and doesn't tinker with your phone, you should keep this feature turned on. But if you like to explore apps outside Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy, you might want to turn this feature off so it doesn't block you. Does your phone performance start dipping over time? You can let your phone auto-reboot weekly or customise accordingly. Head to Settings > Device Care > Auto Optimisation. Developer Options is a hidden settings menu on Android phones. It's mostly meant for developers and tech-savvy users, but some of the features inside can be helpful for anyone who wants more control over the device. How to enable Developer Options on Galaxy S25: Go to Settings. Scroll down and tap About phone. Tap Software information. Find Build number and tap it 7 times. Enter your PIN or pattern when asked. You'll now see Developer Options at the bottom of the main Settings menu, tap to confirm. Don't disable RAM Plus What is RAM Plus? RAM Plus uses some storage space to act like extra memory for smoother performance. This feature helps you keep your apps open for longer without affecting the storage, speed or battery of your S25. Moreover, if you see a sudden boost on your device, trust us, it was not due to disabling RAM Plus, but from rebooting. Make the most of Modes and Routines Check out the Modes and Routines option in the Settings Menu. It is one of the coolest features of S25 that lets you automate tasks like switching performance modes, adjusting charging at night, enabling 5G for specific apps or syncing with smart home devices. Want your S25 to look like something straight off Pinterest? Try the TruePicks app for stunning wallpapers and layout ideas.
Android Authority
11-06-2025
- Android Authority
This great Good Lock module just got a major customizability update for One UI 8
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has updated its One-Hand Operation Plus module with two new features. The app now lets you have more than two sets of gesture handles, such as multiple sets on one side of the screen. The app also lets you use the system back gesture while gesture handles are enabled. Good Lock modules are easily one of the best reasons to get a Samsung phone, as these applications allow you to deeply customize various aspects of your device. One-Hand Operation Plus is one of the most popular modules, and it just got a notable update ahead of One UI 8's release. The most notable addition is that you can now have more than two sets of gesture handles. The app currently lets you have one left handle and one right handle. However, this update means you can set multiple handles on each side of the screen. This could be handy if you use your phone in a different orientation (e.g. landscape) or if you simply want different controls in different areas of the screen. New Old For the uninitiated, these gesture handles let you conduct one of three swipe gestures to initiate a variety of possible actions. For example, you can swipe in to go back, swipe diagonally in and up to activate notifications, and swipe diagonally in and down to activate the recent apps menu. Thankfully, you don't need to wait for One UI 8 to get this updated handle system. I can confirm that the feature is working on my Galaxy S23 Ultra running One UI 7. The updated One Hand Operations Plus module also offers a new System back gesture toggle. Enabling this toggle means you can still use the system back gesture outside your handle area. This addresses one pain point with the module, as you previously couldn't use the system back gesture on the same side of the screen that hosted a handle (i.e., no back gesture on the right side if the right handle was enabled). Unfortunately, the app changelog shows that this change is limited to One UI 8. Sure enough, we can see this option on our S25 Ultra running the One UI 8 beta but not on the S23 Ultra running stable One UI 7. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority In any event, we're expecting more Good Lock modules to receive updates ahead of the stable One UI 8 release. Samsung's new software will debut with its upcoming foldables, which are tipped to arrive next month. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
03-06-2025
- General
- Android Authority
Here's how I create unique keyboard layouts on my Samsung Galaxy phone
Saeed Wazir / Android Authority I prefer Galaxy phones over the competition because they offer extensive customization features to personalize my experience. No other platform offers as much freedom, and I love having unique themes and layouts that match my style. Good Lock is one of my go-to apps for customizing and enhancing my phone's functionality. It's free and includes several modules geared towards specific enhancements, like homescreen customization. Today, I'll cover the Keys Cafe module, which I use to create bespoke Samsung Keyboard designs. It's the perfect keyboard customization tool because its comprehensive features can transform the key layout and add visual enhancements, like bright colors and effects. Keys Cafe includes five tools called Make your own keyboard, Style your own keyboard, My Sticker, Play keyboard game, and Advanced keyboard setting. Each of these handles a different aspect of the keyboard customization process, which I'll explain in detail below. There are two ways to download Keys Cafe. The first option is to download it from the Samsung Galaxy or Google Play stores as part of the Good Lock app. This way will also download other modules to customize your phone's sounds, themes, and other settings. You can also download Keys Cafe as a standalone app from the above stores if you only want to customize your keyboard and don't need the other tools. Have you tried customizing your phone's keyboard? 0 votes Yes NaN % No NaN % I start with a new layout as a foundation Saeed Wazir / Android Authority Make your own keyboard is the first tool in Keys Cafe. It's the best place to start because it provides a clean slate as a foundation to build upon. I can choose a Simple, Dvorak, or ColeMak keyboard as a foundation and then get to work adding the keys I want. Alternatively, I can try a Math, Chemistry, or combined Math and Chemistry keyboard, although these are more suited for professionals who need unique symbols and formulas. Make your own keyboard is the best place to start because it provides a clean slate to work with. After selecting my base layout, I delve into the settings. The interface displays a standard white keyboard and lets me add more rows of emojis or other symbols to the top. Having too many extra rows makes it challenging to find the right keys amongst the clutter, so I stick to two or three at the most. I then modify the rows by adding and removing individual keys to ensure I always have quick access to the ones I use often. These are usually smiley and angry face emojis, along with hearts, to send to my wife. Another feature assigns frequently used words to a single key. The presets include common words like 'Hi' and 'Sorry,' and I create my own, like 'Goodbye' and 'Get lost,' so I don't need to type them out all the time. I only use a handful of these words because space is tight, and I need room for other keys. Custom layouts can get cramped, and I can make things more manageable by adjusting the key size. I change the height and width of each key individually to make the spacebar, comma, or other commonly used keys larger and easier to access. The same feature lets me select all the keys simultaneously and adjust their sizes to spread or bring them closer together, depending on the available space. Add custom themes and vibrant colors to the keyboard Saeed Wazir / Android Authority Style your own keyboard is the second Keys Cafe tool for adding custom colors and themes to liven up the layout. The tool is divided into two sections. My Themes is for creating unique keyboard designs from scratch, and Recommendations, which lists various preset color options to make things easier. After choosing custom colors from these tools, I can use the Effects and Sound tabs at the bottom of the interface to add other cosmetic upgrades to my keys. I prefer building custom keyboards with My Themes when I feel creative. The creation tool displays a standard white keyboard onscreen with circles highlighting certain zones. I then change the colors of each zone with the RGB picking tool to create an original theme. There's no limit on the color combinations, and I can save multiple themes to match my mood or wallpaper. This tool is ideal for individuals who enjoy tinkering and are willing to invest time in creating something different. On the other hand, it can be complicated for beginners and requires the Good Lock Theme Park module to work. The Recommendation feature is more user-friendly and includes over 30 preset color combinations to upgrade my keyboard's appearance. The presets offer a wide range of dark and bright colors, which are easy to apply. I usually go through all of them to see which one I like the best or try to find a color scheme that matches my phone's theme. Style your own keyboard adds custom colors and themes to liven up the layout. I take my key customization further with the Style your own keyboard Effects tool at the bottom of the interface. It displays several swirling colors and motion effects on its home screen, which I can apply to the keys. When I press them, I'll see colorful animations and movement effects that last around a second. I use this feature sparingly, only adding one effect at a time, because having a maximum of three running simultaneously can be overwhelming and distracting. The Sound tool, located at the bottom right, adds audio to each keypress. It includes preset sounds, like Calm, Space, and Retro, which I can activate with a radio button. Hearing sounds on every keypress isn't my thing, but others will appreciate it. Create unique stickers from your photos and images Saeed Wazir / Android Authority My Sticker is the third Keys Cafe tool and a fun and straightforward feature for creative users. To create a sticker, I select images from my library or take a photo. After choosing the images, I then crop them to the size I prefer. I can also add new tags from emoji presets or create my own with the text input tool. The custom sticker I created will now be available in the Samsung Keyboard app, and I can use it in my messages. I enjoy creating custom stickers from images of animals and family photos, which I can send to friends to add a personal touch to my messages. Test your typing skills with these keyboard games Saeed Wazir / Android Authority The Keys Cafe Play keyboard game utility is more of a fun feature and isn't for customization. I've still included it because it's part of the Keys Cafe module and includes two games, Sentence Practice and Word Rain to improve your typing skills. Sentence Practice displays a phrase or sentence in a window. I then need to type it out as quickly and accurately as possible in the window below. The game ends after ten phrases and provides an accuracy and speed score for my typing skills. Play keyboard game isn't for customization, but I've included it because it's part of the Keys Cafe module. Word Rain tests typing speed. The words fall down the screen like rain droplets, and I need to type them as fast as I can before they pile up and cause a flood. The water level rises whenever I don't spell a word fast enough, and the goal is to reach the highest score and stage before drowning. Tweak performance with Advanced Keyboard Setting Saeed Wazir / Android Authority The last tool in Keys Cafe is called Advanced Keyboard Setting. It's less flashy compared to the others and consists of simple sliders to activate or deactivate certain keyboard settings. The settings include tools to use sticker suggestions in a larger view, turn off the delete accelerator, and add a longer spacebar when typing URLs. I don't use any of the Advanced Keyboard Setting features, but they are worth testing because you might like them. Tinkering with my keyboard isn't just about stylish visual effects, as having custom keys makes my typing faster and easier. I also appreciate that Keys Cafe offers sliders to toggle its customization features on and off, allowing me to revert to the default keyboard whenever I want. If you enjoy upgrading your keyboard with Keys Cafe, you may also want to try other Good Lock modules, such as Theme Park or Sound Assistant, to give your phone's aesthetics an overhaul.
