Database Info

Problems/suggestions I have with current HTC Sense

Not quite sure whether this is the exact location something like this should go.. but over time I've just put together a list of some issues I have with the current Sense (Mainly its apps) and changes/additions I'd like to see in further updates.
I'm using HTC Legend unrooted.
Ones with asterisk are more significant.
General
*Ability to select default location on sd card to be used by apps for cache/data storage (so root is not clustered with folders)
*Option to choose whether the long press home button action shows recently used apps or currently running apps - latter could be more useful.
*Built in flashlight app which uses camera flash as a torch (so I don't have to root. Don't see why HTC doesnt have this already.. very practical and useful)
Ability to change timestamp on Footprints. For creating footprints of past events/locations.
When manually selected network becomes unavailable, the screen annoyingly switches to the mobile network list to choose a new one, annoyingly interrupting any current tasks. Will continue to switch back to network list periodically if you ignore it. Show alert in notification bar instead.
Allow selecting/copying of text in sms messages. (select text in long press menu)
Allow manual selection of location for weather (seems to not update location until I'm connected to some form of internet.. even though it can figure it out from GPS/phone network)
Sometimes time on clock widget and notification bar are not synchronized (when traveling between timezones, notification bar has manually selected time of the new location, widget keeps time and weather data of previous location)
360 degree rotate angles (does not go landscape when rotated clockwise)
Interface
*Turning page animation for clock widget, hero has it, looks better (doesn't work on my Legend, seen a Desire where it doesn't turn pages either, must be because of the updated 2.1 version.. defeats the purpose of the page-looking background though)
*When pressing home button or otherwise going back to home screen, have a transition effect where current window minimizes to center of screen with home screen objects coming in from the edges when (like effects in nexus one). Currently the home screen sort of slides in from the side... the minimizing and fading into the centre looks much more appealing
*Nice looking orientation rotate effect when rotating phone (like iphone)
When in pinch zoom out mode on home screen (where you can see small versions of each home screen), allow the dragging and re-arrangement of the order of home screens. (Touchwiz is adding this feature, LauncherPro does I believe, need to keep up with the competition)
Music
Re-do cover art display, there's room to move things and make album art larger, have a nicer looking display with maybe 3D effects, something similar to Itunes Cover Flow
Smooth, fast scrolling through cover art without changing song until actually pressing on album.
When pressing search button in library mode, search all fields not just one currently active.
Music sync capability of htc sync.
Be able to select album art from sd card/search online.
Photo
*Display color gradients better. (currently sometimes shows gradients very badly, rough and obviously ugly, same for picture set as lock screen wallpaper)
*Be able to choose which folders to find media (so it doesnt pick up all the images used by apps etc)
*Be able organize albums e.g. folders within folders.
*Separate videos from photos - have separate tab thing down the bottom, like where it has Albums, Facebook etc, for videos
Better updating when SD contents is modified, takes forever and initially leaves doubles of media and albums, shows nonexistent albums until finished.
Better caching - not show "searching for media" loading notification every time even if the album list had been loaded seconds before. Especially since it does not properly search for and detect new media.
Add option to add folders/search/refresh manually.
Allow creation of custom albums.
Camera
*Easier switch between camcorder and camera like nexus one and iphone camera app with constant visible slide toggle. The slide out options bar is laggy and inconvenient to change between modes.
*Audio record quality in camcorder is terrible - atleast at high volumes. Recording video at a concert and the sound was so distorted it was impossible to distinguish any of the music, while my relatively cheap Powershot camera recorded it fine.. a phone's mic should be better than a camera's right?
*Use volume rocker for zooming in and out (currently does nothing in camera mode), screen swipe zoom is often unresponsive
People
For a contact links, often does not keep selected display name.
Typing in a phone number of a contact in the global search (press search button while on home screen) does not find that contact
Ook thats it for now. I just wanted to put this up to see if anyone had similar ideas/problems, maybe ways to fix certain ones. Also is there any place to suggest this kind of thing directly to HTC? Silly I know, like they'd care about the opinions of one whiny guy, I can imagine how much emails from people begging for things in updates (see user KISS1 on these two threads:
htt p:// community.htc. com/na/htc-forums/android/f/22/t/4169.aspx
htt p:// community.htc. com/na/htc-forums/android/f/22/t/35.aspx)
lol

New features in 4.3 and Sense 5.5

I have found a list with new features for the One here. Mostly all apply for the One mini.
New things:
Do Not Disturb, very cool thing that simply sets phone in Do No Disturb mode. You can set for how long and who/to be excluded from it. Turns of sound, notifications and all such things that might disturb. Accessed for the pull down quick settings menu.
Gallery have changed a lot. Albums now have a tiled look much like events, and you can now see your HTC Shares and even delete those (and see how much space there's left there). Video highlights got all new themes, and you can even add your own music.
In Camera Sweep Panorama can now be both landscape or portrait. Camera UI changed a bit, you see text Zoe under the Zoe button. And when you start Camera you see how many photos and minutes video there's left on the phone's storage.
With screen lock active, swipe to the left in the upper right part of the screen. Then you get a + sign where you can add screen lock widgets.
Under Call in Settings you have Phone Notification Preview, which shows you caller ID missed calls on screen lock and status bar.
If you don't want both lock screen and security screen you can disable screen lock (you need a security lock first) under Settings > Security > Bypass lock screen on wake.
Select what kind of notifications you want on lock screen under Settings > Security > Notification Settings. You can select: Phone (shows missing calls), Voice mail, Text messages, Emails and Calendar.
Select if you want Music playback controls on not on your lock screen under Settings > Security > Music Playback
With Developer options active, option Stay awake is now back. Which keeps the display on while charging.
Pull down quick settings menu can now be customized, with up to 12 quick settings.
In Weather app you can now select temperature scale under Settings.
You can add your Google+ account in Blinkfeed.
Disable Blinkfeed by long pressing empty area of a regular screen, then tapping “Blinkfeed on” on the upper left hand corner. Which turns Blinkfeed off.
Under Sleep mode in Settings > Power, you can now set start and end of Sleep mode or have it set as Auto.
With phone turned off: alarms can now turn phone on, then trigger the alarm. And when you dismiss the alarm phone gets turned back to its previous state (off), this is a major thing.
Zoom-bar in camera is hidden, you pinch-zoom to control zooming (zoom-bar is shown when you pinch-zoom).
Connect charger to phone while it's off while show a charging “animation” on the display for a while.
Things different from Sense 5.0, things that are “missing”:
Screen lock option gone from Personalize, there is no settings for any kind of screen lock theme under Settings. You can’t set screen lock theme to “none”, and there is no way to set wallpaper for lock screen since screen lock themes are gone.
T9 layout gone from stock keyboard.
Known bugs:
With Animations turned OFF under Developer options, Share menus and things will simply not work. It affects more than just one thing, so: keep animations ON. So, if you're affected: Set all Animations to 1 and restart phone (that part is important).

In lock screen you can add some widget: swipe to left and click + icon
You can also "personalize" lock screen from settings/security/notification but just for missing calls and sms !
With Sense 5 you can set also email and calendar, the ones that now I miss !!!!
Edit: after some test I'm really disappointed that even with missing calls and SMS notification active they don't came on lock screen but only in notification bar, so this is also a bug !

Things different from Sense 5.0, things that are “missing”:
Screen lock option gone from Personalize, there is no settings for any kind of screen lock theme under Settings. You can’t set screen lock theme to “none”, and there is no way to set wallpaper for lock screen since screen lock themes are gone.
T9 layout gone from stock keyboard.[\QUOTE]
Oh no! These are two of the features I enjoy most! So, no more weather animations on screen lock at all???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

You can still put widgets on lock screen, while on lockscreen swipe to the left in the right top corner. There's also a small arrow, press on the "+" and add a widget but I think it's not possible anymore to add it on the main lockscreen :/ yea I miss a notification system like Apple has. Google should built it in, in android and give the devs the option to add it into there apps like Apple do
Gesendet von meinem HTC One mini mit Tapatalk 4

Hi,
I'm back to screen lock bug notification win Sense 5.5...
To be sure of this bug, before I contact htc support, can someone do a test ?
It's easy: set the notification for Text Message, go screen off and ask a friend to send a sms to you; when received wakeup screen and check notification if it is only in notification bar or also in lock screen...
Thanks.

Confirmed that text & missed call notiications don't show on lockscreen.
Also, I can only add 1 lockscreen widget it seems - once added, swiping to left again does nothing. Is this by design?

Thanks for confirming the lock screen notifications bug...
Yes, I think only one widget is by design (the widget can occupy all the screen...)

fblasot said:
Thanks for confirming the lock screen notifications bug...
Yes, I think only one widget is by design (the widget can occupy all the screen...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But then can't add any more widget screens to the right? That really sucks. It's always 1 step forward, 2 steps back with HTC ...

Maybe I didn't understood...
In lock screen you can add only 1 widget, but in normal screen you can have many pages with a lot's of widgets...

bug with log screen confirmed, regardless, disabled or enabled in security settings, I can not see notifications for missed calls or messages on lock screen. Can we install some app from the market in order to fix this issue (while waiting for HTC to fix it)?

Another nice new feature is the option to adjust the Automatic Brightness setting - can now set the maximum brightness value, works a bit like iOS.
Also the Music Player widgets now have a blue circle around the play icon to indicate duration of track remaining.

Anyone else finding that the Airplane widget takes you to settings now, instead of toggling Airplane mode? I'm no longer getting the rolling Airplane animation.
Sent from my HTC One mini using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I confirm, it also takes me to settings. As a solution you can set airplane mode in the notification bar toggles.
Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk

Notifications missing from lock screen
fblasot said:
I'm back to screen lock bug notification win Sense 5.5...
To be sure of this bug, before I contact htc support, can someone do a test ?
It's easy: set the notification for Text Message, go screen off and ask a friend to send a sms to you; when received wakeup screen and check notification if it is only in notification bar or also in lock screen...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! I am confirming the bug with missing notifications on lock screen on my One Mini. HTC support had no knowledge about this bug. Are there any work-arounds to get notifications on lock screen? All apps I have found can show notifications on second (swipe right) lock screen only and it does not work for me.
I do not have this bug on my HTC One (not mini) with same Sense version.
Regards!

In gallery, i can :
- make gif from my video
- apply custom effect
---------- Post added at 06:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:02 AM ----------
But somehow, i never can display my gallery content in blinkfeed. Any solution?

For lockscreen notifications i use Nils new floating panel. Really best solution so far. Its still in Beta but working great
Gesendet von meinem HTC One mini mit Tapatalk 4

I have only 'Phone calls' and 'Text Message' in the security -> notifications. No emails / calendar.
Also wondering if I'm the only one who's music is suddenly stuttering every now and then since 4.3 (more an Android 4.3 thing than a Sense 5.5 thing I guess)

dipje said:
Also wondering if I'm the only one who's music is suddenly stuttering every now and then since 4.3 (more an Android 4.3 thing than a Sense 5.5 thing I guess)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm this. On BT the music is hanging randomly, this is very annoying. If it's the same with cable, then this is a huge bug.

Reading here there seem to be a lot of down sides to the new 4.3 update. that or it's still in it's early stages of development? I'm still using 4.2.2 and loving it, but was wondering if there was anything major I'm missing by not upgrading?
Sent from my HTC One using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

With Developer options active, option Stay awake is now back. Which keeps the display on while charging.
This is enough for me for an upgrade :good: :good:

Android 5.0 totally sucks

I don't even want to compare Android 5.0 to iOS or Windows Phone. Let's compare it with Android 4.4:
1) In new Android long pressing a power button only shows "Switch Off" whereas in Android 4.4 you could enable/disable flight mode and enable/disable silent mode/vibration. In new Android to do the same you have to use a volume slider and then press the screen at least several times.
1a) How can you hide the panel which changes the priority mode? Nothing works - it just hides on its own after a while!
2) Recent Apps button shows phantom apps I removed from the recents.
3) Recent Apps button often shows bad previews (visually distorted).
4) The lock screen doesn't automatically show an unlock widget - once again, an extra swipe just to unlock your phone.
5) To remove all removable notifications you have to scroll them all down! In Android 4.4 the "Mark all read" button was always present at the top!
6) There's too much white everywhere and the whole palette feels inconsistent even among different Google(TM) apps.
7) Quick settings which you pull from the top totally suck. In Android 4.4, e.g. long pressing Wi-Fi icon called a Wi-Fi networks dialog - in Android 5.0 you have to go to settings (a tiny icon at the right top corner).
7a) Quick Settings occupy 100% of the screen estate and they are ridiculously sparse (it looks like 75% of screen space if filled with void).
8) The flow of notifications is totally ****ed up. New temporary notification appear on top of the list and hide permanent apps, so to view the latter you have to scroll the list. I don't know why but permanent notifications at least for me are equally or more important.
9) 12 and 13 Wi-Fi channels for 802.11n are totally disabled no matter which Nexus device you own (US or the rest of the world).
Other annoyances:
1) There's no way to configure the keyboard click sound or its volume - in Android 4.4 I could clearly hear keypresses, in Android 5.0 they are practically mute.
2) There's no gallery app and the Photos app is an abomination. The Gallery app from 4.4 hardly works (it crashes when you try to edit a photo).
3) Backup settings have been modified and now they don't allow to specifically backup /sdcard/DCIM - now it's done via Photos.
To tell you the truth I cannot find a single worthy Android 5.0 feature that I really love and appreciate.

I only use my gmail account for the play store and hangouts. I have zero interest in my gmail email, I've got my own exchange server and work's. So I don't have the gmail syncing emails, contacts or calendar so why is it that the new calendar is full of gmail entries and emails from my wife show her gmail image rather than the image I've added to her exchange contact? The contact app shows the right image so why not when accessing my own exchange server? If I get an email from her work address which is on the same exchange contact I get the right image.
In the new form over function calendar there's no option for month view. Sure you can tap the month but in 4.4 you could open it up at the month view and see exactly what days had events on them.
Unless someone who's played around with it more than I have has some solutions I'll be heading back to 4.4 as 5 adds nothing for me.

Galaxy s4 tips and tricks: Get the most out of lollipop

GALAXY S4 TIPS AND TRICKS: GET THE MOST OUT OF LOLLIPOP
Ever since the Galaxy S4 got the Lollipop update, the old beast has been chugging along just fine. We're so fond of the S4 that we thought we'd share our ultimate list of Galaxy S4 tips and tricks, specifically for the Lollipop update. The Galaxy S4 is still a great phone, but read on to see just how much greater you can make it.
1. Disable S Voice for faster navigation
S Voice can be launched by double-pressing the S4's home key. This shortcut actually slows down the home key response, however, because TouchWiz pauses momentarily after the first press, waiting to see if you press it a second time, before taking you to the home screen. Go to S Voice, press the menu soft key, select Settings and uncheck the box next to Open via the Home Key to make home key navigation faster.
2. Turn off annoying Samsung sounds
While you're at it, why not turn off some of those annoying Samsung sounds? Even if you like them I can assure you that everyone on the train, at work and in the supermarket hates them. To do the world a favor, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Other Sounds and un-check the boxes for as many sounds as you can live without.
3. Use shortcuts to call or message contacts
Why use messy menu buttons when a gesture will suffice? In your contacts list you can simply swipe a contact's name to the left or right to instantly call or message them. Now you can stay in touch more easily and save time while you're doing it.
4. Access the Galaxy S4's hidden settings
There's a great app called Note 2 Hidden Settings that also works with other Galaxy devices, including the S4. It won't work with some carrier-branded models, but it's worth installing it and giving it a shot because there's heaps of cool stuff in this app.
5. Secure your lock screen notifications
Lollipop comes with lock screen notifications meaning you don't have to completely unlock your phone just to read a text or email. But perhaps you don't feel comfortable having the contents of your notifications plastered all over your lock screen for anyone see. If so, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications. You can select which apps will display content on the lock screen in Application notifications and the level of content in While locked.
6. Use your phone to control the TV
Download the WatchOn app and use it to set up your TV guide, favorite channels, control your TV, set-top box and plenty more. You can even put it on your lock screen or the notifications shade to make sure you're always the couch commando in charge.
7. Use your voice for hands-free control
Did you know your S4 has lots of voice control options? You can use your voice to turn off alarms, take photos, play music and answer or reject calls. Just go to Settings > My Device > Voice Control and flip the switches for the commands you want to use. You can also use S Voice to set reminders or check the weather.
8. Get a better launcher
If TouchWiz feels a little slow to you, why not replace with a faster launcher such as Google Now Launcher, Nova Launcher or Action launcher? Give them a try – they're free and you can always switch back if you want to.
9. Make your own Qi wireless charger
If you want the wireless charging experience that the Galaxy S6 offers, without needing to fork out a fortune to actually get an S6, why not buy a wireless charging pack? All you need to do then is take the back off your phone and align the tab as instructed in the packaging, before replacing the phone's back panel.
10. Activate Smart stay
Smart stay uses your phone's front-facing camera to detect whether you're looking at the screen or not, and makes sure that the screen remains on for as long as you look at it. This is great if you want to have a short screen timeout but also do a lot of reading on your phone.
To activate Smart stay, go to Settings > My device > Smart screen and press Smart stay.
11. Customize your lock screen
Don't settle for a boring old lock screen, add a camera and dialer shortcut, select a clock or private message and give it some pizzazz with a custom wallpaper. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen and check the box for camera, then customize your lock screen widgets.
12. Customize your Quick Settings
Why settle for the standard Quick Settings when you can curate a custom batch of the most useful toggles and switches for the way you use your phone? You can even arrange them exactly how you like. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the little grid in the top right corner and then the little pencil to edit and rearrange your Quick Settings.
13. Make the keyboard smarter
If you're using the stock Samsung keyboard, make sure you have both predictive text and swipe typing enabled.You'll be amazed at how much time they can save you. Go to the keyboard and long press the button to the left of the space bar. Tap the Settings cog and make sure Predictive Text is on and that Keyboard Swipe is set to Continuous Input. You could also replace the keyboard with SwiftKey or another keyboard app.
14. Use Do Not Disturb mode
Another great Lollipop feature is Priority Notifications, which is also known as Do Not Disturb mode. It lets you set times where you won't be interrupted by any but the most critical notifications or alarms. You can keep calls from your family and boss on the white list, set days and times of the week and choose between calls, messages and calendar reminders. Go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Interruptions and get busy.
15. Supercharge your camera
Install the Samsung Smart Camera app and connect your phone to your camera with NFC to trasfer photo faster, use your phone as a remote viewfinder (hello, selfie sticks) and more. Best of all, your camera will automatically connect to your phone when it's on.
16. Always get the best display
One of the best things about Samsung displays is that they adapt to different conditions, so you always get the best possible viewing experience, whether you're reading, looking at photos or watching a movie. Just got to Settings > My Device > Display > Screen Mode and choose Adapt Display or check out the other options.
17. Try the floating keyboard
Your keyboard isn't actually locked to the bottom of the screen. Depending on what you're doing, a smaller, floating keyboard might be more suitable. Go to the keyboard, long press the button to the left of the space bar and tap the tile with the two overlapping boxes. Your keyboard will shrink a little and be movable.
18. Save battery with smarter Wi-Fi
If you have your Wi-Fi set to disconnect whenever the screen is off, you might think you're saving battery. That's not the case. Most of us turn our screen on an average of 150 times a day, so keeping Wi-Fi connected is actually better than having it turn off and on and search for connections every time. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the soft menu key and then Advanced and set Keep Wi-Fi on During Sleep to Always.
19. Fix bugs in Safe Mode
If your Galaxy S4 is acting strangely, you might want to restart it in Safe mode until you solve the problem. To do so, simply turn your S4 off and then back on again. As soon as you see the Samsung screen, press and hold the volume down key and you will see that many apps have been disabled when it boots up. To get out of safe mode, just turn your phone off and back on again.
20. Make things simpler with Easy Mode
If you're a bit bamboozled by all the Samsung widgets and doodads in TouchWiz, give Easy Mode a shot. It'll clear things up, so you only see the most important stuff, as well as enlarge icons and make everything easier to manage and navigate. Go to Settings > My Device > Easy Mode to make the switch.
22. Always get the best photo
Let's face it, not all of us are Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers. So when a moment really maters, why not shoot a burst of pics and have your S4 choose the best one for you? Just open the camera app, tap Mode and Best Photo. Hold down the shutter to shoot a bunch of pis and let your phone choose the best one automatically.
23. Get better battery life
The Galaxy S4 doesn't have the stock Android Lollipop Battery Saver mode but it does have Samsung's Power Saver Mode. Go to Settings > My Device > Power Saving Mode and flip the switch to enable it. It works by disabling certain functions in order to conserve battery life. You can choose which functions these are in the settings.
25. Make security smarter
Why would you want to unlock your phone with a PIN or pattern when you're at home where (I hope) you can trust everyone? That's where Lollipop's cool Smart Lock feature comes in. You can save the trouble of unlocking your phone in certain places by adding a trusted face or voice, or a smartwatch or other trusted device.
26. Make Chrome easier and better
Chrome on Lollipop is a little annoying. By default your Chrome tabs will live individually in your recent apps list (accessed by long pressing the home button). If you prefer the old way – all your tabs contained in Chrome itself – go to Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner, select Settings and turn off Merge Tabs and Apps
Press the thanks button if I helped you!
Any problems? Ask me!

munimjaffer said:
GALAXY S4 TIPS AND TRICKS: GET THE MOST OUT OF LOLLIPOP
Ever since the Galaxy S4 got the Lollipop update, the old beast has been chugging along just fine. We're so fond of the S4 that we thought we'd share our ultimate list of Galaxy S4 tips and tricks, specifically for the Lollipop update. The Galaxy S4 is still a great phone, but read on to see just how much greater you can make it.
1. Disable S Voice for faster navigation
S Voice can be launched by double-pressing the S4's home key. This shortcut actually slows down the home key response, however, because TouchWiz pauses momentarily after the first press, waiting to see if you press it a second time, before taking you to the home screen. Go to S Voice, press the menu soft key, select Settings and uncheck the box next to Open via the Home Key to make home key navigation faster.
2. Turn off annoying Samsung sounds
While you're at it, why not turn off some of those annoying Samsung sounds? Even if you like them I can assure you that everyone on the train, at work and in the supermarket hates them. To do the world a favor, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Other Sounds and un-check the boxes for as many sounds as you can live without.
3. Use shortcuts to call or message contacts
Why use messy menu buttons when a gesture will suffice? In your contacts list you can simply swipe a contact's name to the left or right to instantly call or message them. Now you can stay in touch more easily and save time while you're doing it.
4. Access the Galaxy S4's hidden settings
There's a great app called Note 2 Hidden Settings that also works with other Galaxy devices, including the S4. It won't work with some carrier-branded models, but it's worth installing it and giving it a shot because there's heaps of cool stuff in this app.
5. Secure your lock screen notifications
Lollipop comes with lock screen notifications meaning you don't have to completely unlock your phone just to read a text or email. But perhaps you don't feel comfortable having the contents of your notifications plastered all over your lock screen for anyone see. If so, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications. You can select which apps will display content on the lock screen in Application notifications and the level of content in While locked.
6. Use your phone to control the TV
Download the WatchOn app and use it to set up your TV guide, favorite channels, control your TV, set-top box and plenty more. You can even put it on your lock screen or the notifications shade to make sure you're always the couch commando in charge.
7. Use your voice for hands-free control
Did you know your S4 has lots of voice control options? You can use your voice to turn off alarms, take photos, play music and answer or reject calls. Just go to Settings > My Device > Voice Control and flip the switches for the commands you want to use. You can also use S Voice to set reminders or check the weather.
8. Get a better launcher
If TouchWiz feels a little slow to you, why not replace with a faster launcher such as Google Now Launcher, Nova Launcher or Action launcher? Give them a try – they're free and you can always switch back if you want to.
9. Make your own Qi wireless charger
If you want the wireless charging experience that the Galaxy S6 offers, without needing to fork out a fortune to actually get an S6, why not buy a wireless charging pack? All you need to do then is take the back off your phone and align the tab as instructed in the packaging, before replacing the phone's back panel.
10. Activate Smart stay
Smart stay uses your phone's front-facing camera to detect whether you're looking at the screen or not, and makes sure that the screen remains on for as long as you look at it. This is great if you want to have a short screen timeout but also do a lot of reading on your phone.
To activate Smart stay, go to Settings > My device > Smart screen and press Smart stay.
11. Customize your lock screen
Don't settle for a boring old lock screen, add a camera and dialer shortcut, select a clock or private message and give it some pizzazz with a custom wallpaper. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen and check the box for camera, then customize your lock screen widgets.
12. Customize your Quick Settings
Why settle for the standard Quick Settings when you can curate a custom batch of the most useful toggles and switches for the way you use your phone? You can even arrange them exactly how you like. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the little grid in the top right corner and then the little pencil to edit and rearrange your Quick Settings.
13. Make the keyboard smarter
If you're using the stock Samsung keyboard, make sure you have both predictive text and swipe typing enabled.You'll be amazed at how much time they can save you. Go to the keyboard and long press the button to the left of the space bar. Tap the Settings cog and make sure Predictive Text is on and that Keyboard Swipe is set to Continuous Input. You could also replace the keyboard with SwiftKey or another keyboard app.
14. Use Do Not Disturb mode
Another great Lollipop feature is Priority Notifications, which is also known as Do Not Disturb mode. It lets you set times where you won't be interrupted by any but the most critical notifications or alarms. You can keep calls from your family and boss on the white list, set days and times of the week and choose between calls, messages and calendar reminders. Go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Interruptions and get busy.
15. Supercharge your camera
Install the Samsung Smart Camera app and connect your phone to your camera with NFC to trasfer photo faster, use your phone as a remote viewfinder (hello, selfie sticks) and more. Best of all, your camera will automatically connect to your phone when it's on.
16. Always get the best display
One of the best things about Samsung displays is that they adapt to different conditions, so you always get the best possible viewing experience, whether you're reading, looking at photos or watching a movie. Just got to Settings > My Device > Display > Screen Mode and choose Adapt Display or check out the other options.
17. Try the floating keyboard
Your keyboard isn't actually locked to the bottom of the screen. Depending on what you're doing, a smaller, floating keyboard might be more suitable. Go to the keyboard, long press the button to the left of the space bar and tap the tile with the two overlapping boxes. Your keyboard will shrink a little and be movable.
18. Save battery with smarter Wi-Fi
If you have your Wi-Fi set to disconnect whenever the screen is off, you might think you're saving battery. That's not the case. Most of us turn our screen on an average of 150 times a day, so keeping Wi-Fi connected is actually better than having it turn off and on and search for connections every time. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the soft menu key and then Advanced and set Keep Wi-Fi on During Sleep to Always.
19. Fix bugs in Safe Mode
If your Galaxy S4 is acting strangely, you might want to restart it in Safe mode until you solve the problem. To do so, simply turn your S4 off and then back on again. As soon as you see the Samsung screen, press and hold the volume down key and you will see that many apps have been disabled when it boots up. To get out of safe mode, just turn your phone off and back on again.
20. Make things simpler with Easy Mode
If you're a bit bamboozled by all the Samsung widgets and doodads in TouchWiz, give Easy Mode a shot. It'll clear things up, so you only see the most important stuff, as well as enlarge icons and make everything easier to manage and navigate. Go to Settings > My Device > Easy Mode to make the switch.
22. Always get the best photo
Let's face it, not all of us are Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers. So when a moment really maters, why not shoot a burst of pics and have your S4 choose the best one for you? Just open the camera app, tap Mode and Best Photo. Hold down the shutter to shoot a bunch of pis and let your phone choose the best one automatically.
23. Get better battery life
The Galaxy S4 doesn't have the stock Android Lollipop Battery Saver mode but it does have Samsung's Power Saver Mode. Go to Settings > My Device > Power Saving Mode and flip the switch to enable it. It works by disabling certain functions in order to conserve battery life. You can choose which functions these are in the settings.
25. Make security smarter
Why would you want to unlock your phone with a PIN or pattern when you're at home where (I hope) you can trust everyone? That's where Lollipop's cool Smart Lock feature comes in. You can save the trouble of unlocking your phone in certain places by adding a trusted face or voice, or a smartwatch or other trusted device.
26. Make Chrome easier and better
Chrome on Lollipop is a little annoying. By default your Chrome tabs will live individually in your recent apps list (accessed by long pressing the home button). If you prefer the old way – all your tabs contained in Chrome itself – go to Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner, select Settings and turn off Merge Tabs and Apps
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How To Guide [GUIDE] Device Settings Menu | Part IV - S Pen, Advanced Features, Maintenance, Apps

Device Settings Menu Guide, Tips & Discussions
Part 4 - Advanced features, Device maintenance, Apps
If you're new to this series or want to see the index, please read the Introductory Post first.​
Advanced features
Link to Windows: ENABLED!! You can text, get notifications, call, see phone photos and in fact run Apps on your phone via your computer! View features here.
Call & text on other devices: You can make calls and text using your Watch, Tab or Speaker and they are routed via your main device. Thus, if you are logged into the same Samsung account on your Watch, you can call using it even if you are not in range of your primary phone and still use the phone mobile plan. For this, your devices need to be connected to the internet. Disable Use Wi-Fi only to use this feature even if your primary phone is on Mobile Data.
Continue apps on other devices: You can copy on one device and paste on the other that is logged into the same Samsung Account. Since this feature is enabled by default, be careful if you are signed it to the same account on your kid's device and do not want to let them see your copied text or pictures. It also supports apps (few for now) that can be synced to other device's recents.
Samsung DeX: Take the powerhouse with you! You can use your phone to get a desktop-like experience on your TV and PC screens. You can use it to make PPTs, manage photos on the device and endless possibilities. Your PC or TV becomes a desktop with your phone as the CPU! It works both wirelessly and by using an HDMI to USB C wire.
Android Auto: Must-have for car owners. My car, for now, does not support Android Auto, so can anyone add something to this?
Quick Share: You can make shareable links to share large files and even use Wi-Fi direct to share with nearby devices. I use the former much to avoid using my GDrive storage while sharing.
Labs: I have enabled both Multi window for all apps (if apps can use the feature, why not?) and Full screen in Split screen view (I will use split-screen rarely and when I do, I want full real estate).
Side key: When you Press and hold the power key, Wake Bixby is set to default and this is why you were struggling to find Power off menu in the beginning. You could still see the power off options in the Quick panel and also do it by pressing side and volume down keys together. Since they have now got rid of the Bixby button, I choose to get used to this since I power off my device rarely. Quick launch camera with Double press is great for the photographer in you. Pay with Samsung Pay is accessible by swiping up from the bottom of the lock-screen too! Open app will require unlock anyways!
Motion and gestures:
Lift to wake: Enabled since I pick it up mostly to see notifications and with fast unlock, it is a breeze to unlock device! Can anyone comment on the battery usage?
Double tap to turn on screen: Enabled. Useful when I just need to check notifications.
Double tap to turn off screen: Enabled. No need to go for physical buttons. If you use launchers like Nova, you can enable this feature in their settings.
Keep screen on while viewing: Would want to keep this ON sometimes (maybe a quick tile?) but sceptical about battery usage!
Alert when phone picked up: If enabled, you can purposely lift the phone (or when you lift to take it) just to check if you missed some call or messages.
Mute with gestures: Mute the annoying calls by just putting your hand above the screen or just turning your phone. The latter becomes a reflex after a few days!
Palm swipe to capture: Might be useful if you don't want to hit buttons. Enabled only because it does not interfere with any other gestures or accidental touches.
One-handed mode: A much-needed feature when you're on-the-go. If you hide the navigation bar, you cannot check 'Button' mode anymore. OHM is also a shortcut in my Edge panel that is easily accessible from one hand.
Bixby Routines: I have used much of Google Home Routines, Alexa, Samsung Routines and Tasker so I need to see about this.
Smart suggestions: You get suggestions with Samsung Keyboard, Widget, Calendar, Reminders and Messages based on the activity you are doing or what you receive from the other side (actually what is visible on your screen).
Screenshots and screen recording:
Show toolbar after capturing: You can scroll capture, crop and draw, add tags and share the screenshot as soon as you take it! Can be disabled when you need to take bulk screenshots since the toolbar will come in between.
Delete after sharing from toolbar: Storage saver! Enabled it since when I share a screenshot, it is mostly for one-time.
Hide status and navigation bars: Switched to Enabled! Yes, I don't want to show them. Disable from here when you want to take screenshots for embedding them into phone screens.
Format: JPG since I mostly share them. Switch to PNG for greater quality when you need to!
Screen recording: Choose if you want to record Sound from the mic while screen recording, set Video quality, set Selfie Video size and choose if you want to show taps and touches (useful when sharing a guide).
Video call effects: Just like Google Meet, you can hide your background and use a clearer voice. Works with Duo only for now.
Game Launcher: Optimizes and enhances your gameplay. You can also hide your games from appearing in the menu while they are categorized by Game Launcher.
Video brightness [Formerly Video Enhancer]: Makes colour vibrant and increases brightness while you are on chosen Video apps. Make sure to disable them for editing apps so that you get idea of the real colours and brightness of the video.
Dual Messenger: You can use two separate accounts for compatible apps (WhatsApp, Facebook) and restrict your contacts for the second ones. Suggested in case you have multiple accounts. You can even Use separate contact list to make your other WhatsApp number refer not to your main contact list. For more James Bond feel, use 'Secure Folder'. Delete all my data in Menu when you want to flush history.
[Discontinued] Finger sensor gestures: Open/close notification panel or launch Samsung Pay using the fingerprint sensor. Make this a habit. Looks cool.
[Discontinued] Device assistance app: Set to Google. Explore settings for the DAA - it was really cool to see Hindi (India) as an option there. Analyzing on-screen text/images is a very useful feature. Read the guide here and here on how to use Google Assistant like a pro.
[Discontinued] Multi window: One of the best features and legacy of Samsung and for Note, it's a must-use one. By default, you can use SSV (Split screen view) by selecting it for the required app in recents. 'Use Recents button' is much faster. 'Pop-up view action' can interfere if you generally drag down the notification panel from near the corners (enabled for me).
[Discontinued] Direct Share: Helps you save an extra tap while sharing something. Ninja guide here.
[Discontinued] Touch sensitivity: In case you use screen protectors or live in Antarctica (gloves), Enabled. Disabled for me.
Advanced features > S Pen
This section is exclusive to the former Note and now the S Ultra series so you should definitely give some time exploring it.
Air actions: Displays the availability of the S Pen and its charging level. Configure Pen button actions for each compatible App and master control. I've tweaked it a little bit to make 'Scroll up/down' for Chrome and 'Single press' to 'Skip' while 'Double press' to 'Play/Pause' for Music. You can always tap 'Reset S Pen' in Menu in case you want to get back the default settings.
S Pen unlock: If enabled, you can unlock your phone with your S Pen in case it was taken out while the device was unlocked. This helps you to stay with your S Pen and get back to work on your device if its screen turns off. In case you've enabled it, please keep an eye on your S Pen.
Screen off memo: Very useful when enabled. Just take the S Pen out while the device is unlocked and start solving math problems, writing notes or just passing your time with the oddly satisfying scratching noise.
Quick create notes: Holding the S Pen button, tap the screen twice and you can start taking a note. Looks cool if nothing, right?
S Pen to text: You can now use your S Pen in input fields and convert your handwriting to text. Even after they are converted, you can use S Pen to modify the text (insert or delete word or space) with marks defined in Learn how to edit with your S Pen.
Air view: Very useful features. Review them. 'Learn about S Pen features' on the bottom or watch this 30-min video.
Show air command icon: I don't like any over-the-screen icons so have disabled it. You can always open the Shortcuts menu by tapping the S Pen button while it's near the screen. I've also set 'Open Air Command' 'when S Pen is removed'.
Warn if S Pen is left behind: Works when the screen is off since if it's on, you probably be using the remote feature.
Sound; Vibration: Enabled since I don't like accidents. 'Oper Air command' in when S Pen is removed also helps in this case.
Digital Wellbeing
To be filled
Battery and device care
Info: Add a home screen or edge panel shortcut to it as it's going to be really useful. Tap 'Optimize Now' once in a while. It includes virus scanning, memory cleaning, storage cleaning and battery optimization. Read below for more on these.
Battery:
Battery Usage: Do review this once in a while in order to identify culprits. 'Refresh' for real-time monitoring. In an ideal case, all of your compatible apps should be set to 'Optimise battery usage'. In case any of them not working fine in the background and you need them to, disable the optimization for the app. You can click an app (after clicking the displayed graphs) and then Limit usage to put it on sleep or deep sleep. This is permanent until you change, right?
Power saving: You get this option in Quick Bar too. It turns off AOD and 5G while limiting CPU to 70% and decreases the brightness by 10%. If you enable Limit apps and Home screen, you will get a dark theme with only a few selected apps. Do this when you are very low on battery and need it to pick up calls only.
Background usage limits: Enable Put unused apps to sleep so that your device regularly puts apps to sleep. Review the Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps if you are not getting notifications from an app. You can also manually add apps here for those you know you only use rarely and don't need notifications or background usage. For apps you never want to kill, put them in Never sleeping apps. Many apps would tell you to put them in here. Unless it is necessary, try them without putting them here.
Wireless power sharing: Enable it only when needed. You can skip taking the charger of your watch and charge it from your device! This is called Reverse Wireless Charging.
More battery settings:
Adaptive battery: How is it different from Put unused apps to sleep?
Processing speed: Default is optimised and should be good enough. You can turn your phone into a beast with High and Maximum modes.
Show battery percentage: Using only a simple battery icon will always confuse you about the real juice left. Enable it!
Show charging information: If enabled, this will show Charging information even when AOD is off. I like it.
Fast charging: It is for 15W adapters. Disabled by default and this is the reason you are not seeing Fast Charging text while using an older but Fast charger. You can keep it disabled if you charge overnight from a 15W charger.
Super fast charging: It is for 25W or 45W chargers.
Fast wireless charging: For wireless charging which is already slow, so enabled!
Protect battery: For usual days, you can keep this enabled. Limits your battery to charge up to 85% only which is very good for you battery health
Storage: Love to see 512 GB here but only when it's the denominator. User Data is also categorized so you can review and remove files of different types. 'Storage settings' summarizes device storage and you can tap the items to get to respective apps or apps settings. You also get to see the Large files and empty the Recycle bin of Gallery and Messages.
Memory:
Tap 'Clean Now' to clear your RAM. Likewise, for battery, these apps may appear here again. However, you might not need to clear your RAM anytime on Android.
Excluded apps: These apps never go out of RAM.
RAM Plus: SWAP finally! Since you cannot decrease it further from 2 GB, why not use 8 GB then! You will get a total RAM of 20 GB (with 12 GB RAM model)!! Restart required.
Device Security: The virus scanning is powered by McAfee. Since it's disabled by default, enabling it never hurts.
Software update is here.
Diagnostics checks your sensors, touch screen, ports and more. This should be the first thing to do when you face any issues or want to make a report on the phone to send.
Menu > Automation:
Auto optimize daily: Enabled at 10 PM because Sleep tracking apps are working in the night. You can choose to close apps to free memory if you need everything clean.
Auto restart at set times: Enable if you are obsessed about that restart feeling! I won't do it because it would clear all the notifications that I would have missed.
Adaptive power saving: Enabled, let us see how it works. Any experience?
Auto scan for malware: Why not?
Apps
All of your apps settings including Usage, Battery, Storage (Clear Data/Cache), Uninstalling and Force stopping, Notifications settings, Permissions, Defaults and Version/App details in store. I use 'Sort by size' with 'Show system apps' to occasionally review the apps taking the most storage. Change your 'Default apps', 'App permissions' and 'Special access' in the Menu. You can set 'set default apps automatically' as well. In 'Set as default', I've disabled 'Open links in app' even if they're not installed since I get annoyed when I have not installed an app because I want to browse on Chrome only (reduce usage of separate apps whenever possible). Read about 'Instant Apps' here (you can use these even without installing them). In case you mess up with the defaults and notifications, tap 'Reset app preferences'.

-- Reserved for FAQs --