Device Settings Menu Guide, Tips & Discussions
Part 2 - Sounds and vibration, Notifications, Wallpaper and Themes
If you're new to this series or want to see the index, please read the Introductory Post first.
Sound and vibration
Sound Mode: Choose from Sound, Vibrate and Mute. If you choose Mute, you can now choose to "Temporary Mute" for custom time.
Vibrate while ringing: I have enabled it as in environments where the ringtone is not loud enough, vibrations in my pocket help me.
Ringtone: Set Ringtone for each of your SIMs. Tap Add to add music from your storage. Select 'Highlights only' to play only a specified part of the track and not necessarily from the beginning. This way you can make ringtones from the music track itself but anyways here are the best ringtones sites. The existing catalogue in the device has few nature-inspired tones - I've set it to 'Friday'.
Notification sounds: You can set a customized notification for each app in app's settings itself so set this one as a default notification - something short that won't annoy you. My choice is 'Twinkle'.
Volume:
Play with them to find what suits you. In my case, System (touch sounds, back button sounds, etc.) is zero while notifications are on the lowest side. You can still control them by pressing the volume rocker and then expanding the pop-up.
Use Volume keys for media: I never wanted to control ringtone with volume rockers. Must be enabled!
Menu > Media Volume Limit: You can set a lower upper limit for your audio devices. Also, you can increase the OEM limit to force devices with more volume - can be very helpful with low volume calls or media. I know how to control, so set to highest - the volume bar will also show you the danger zone while increasing.
Call/Notification Vibration Pattern: Specifies vibration pattern for your Calls. Choose a call pattern to something by which you can easily differentiate your calls from a standard notification form the initial vibration itself. I've set it to 'Off-beat'. You now have the option to sync with ringtone or notifications (need to try)!
Vibration Intensity: If you get annoyed, like I do, by vibrations for every notification, set it to zero or alternatively set it to a lower level while tweaking individual app notification settings to allow/disallow vibrations. 'Touch interaction' is for on-screen touches. Set "Vibration sound for incoming calls" to get the humming-before-sound effect and also not to annoy yourself or partner with call ringtones when you can pick the call before it sounds!
System sounds and vibration: Touch sounds (sound/vibration), Screen lock sounds (sound), Charging sounds (sound/vibration), Dialling keypad tones (sound/vibration), Samsung Keyboard (sound/vibration), Navigation gestures (vibration), Camera feedback (vibration).
Sound quality and effects, Separate app sound:
Dolby Atmos: Read about it here. I've set it to Auto. You can easily toggle modes from the notification bar itself (move it to the first page). Enable "Dolby Atmos for gaming" and enjoy gaming!
Equaliser: Play with it to decide what's best for you. Here is an Equaliser guide for you so that you can play with the Advanced mode as well.
UHQ upscaler: Connect earphone to enable this. Bit-upscaling works best for me. Read a pro analysis on UHQ upscaling modes here.
[Discontinued] Tube Amp Pro; Concert hall: They are disabled when using Dolby Atmos. I prefer Dolby Atmos over either of them.
Adapt Sound: Do try it! Add trying a new profile for each of your earphones or audio device and personalise sound. You can try existing profiles and toggling Clear or Soft sound preferences.
Separate app sound: Useful in cases where you don't want an app's sound to play on your default audio device. I have set 'App' to Chome/Facebook and Audio device to 'Phone' so that they don't accidentally play on the connected device in case Bluetooth is left on. You can also choose 'YouTube Music' as App and Audio device to 'Bluetooth' so that music always play on the connected device.
Notifications
Notification pop-up style: To be filled.
Do not disturb: You can schedule it though I recommend Tasker or IFTTT for control it. Now that you have set apps to control DND, set "For how long" to "Ask every time" so whenever you need to set DND, you select the time. If you want to turn it off manually or know the average time, choose otherwise. Do explore Exceptions to enable 'Repeat callers', allowing calls/messages from a specific group, allowing event/task/reminders. Customize DND so that your 3rd-party (scheduling) apps when enabling it enables your customized settings. You can add 'Apps' to exception so that you don't miss notifications from, for example, Mail. You can choose 'Hide Notifications' to choose what notifications to show. For example, you don't want Apps to sound but want to see the icon badges when you turn on the screen.
Recently Sent/App Notifications: You can customize each App's notification here itself or can do this simply in that App's settings. I prefer customizing App settings when they arrive in the notification bar by holding the notification and tapping settings. This way, in some time, you'll make your app notifications fully customized for all of those that bother you. With Pie, you have now greater control of each app's notification. You can even customize notification subcategories of a particular app. Do check 'silent and minimized' mode that doesn't create a mess in your notification panel as well as minimizes the content by default with no sound. Do you need a separate guide to master this? Do tell. You can also refer to a good article here.
Advanced:
Show notifications icons: It is set to recent 3 by default. If you get a lot of notifications like me, you will miss seeing notification icons (recency doesn't equal importance).
Show battery percentage: Since I usually get a lot of notifications, I've disabled 'Show recent notifications only'. It's not a bad idea to get the actual percentage of battery level so enable 'Show battery percentage'.
Notification history: Finally! You get the swiped or snoozed notifications here. Saves me after accidentally hitting "Clear All". MUST ENABLE!
Conversations: Now you can control notifications from individual SMS senders!
Switch on 'Suggest actions and replies for notifications' and 'Show snooze button' if helps.
Notification Reminders: If you want to give attention to notifications from selected apps, you can get reminded frequently (with vibrations) until you clear them. Helps me not to miss Missed Calls or Fiverr messages.
App icon badges: Useful though I use a similar feature 'Notification badges' in Nova Launcher.
Wireless Emergency Alerts: MUST ENABLE! Alerts given by government or organizations about life hazards and likewise. I have enabled everything even test messages!
Wallpaper and style
My Wallpapers: You can choose Wallpapers for the Lock Screen and Home Screen here. Now you can set Video Wallpapers for Lock Screen too. I use Tapet to change wallpapers and Tasker to add new wallpapers to it.
Lock screen wallpaper services: I have chosen 'Dynamic Lock Screen' to change Lock Screen Wallpapers from the 5 categories which add new wallpapers every 2 weeks. 'Samsung Global Goals' is a views-oriented donation theme.
Colour palette: This came with Material You. Colour of buttons, app icons (if 'Apply palette to app icons' is enabled) and other icons will match your wallpaper theme!
Apply Dark mode to wallpaper: Darkens your wallpapers to give less strain on the eye and comply with the dark mode actually!
Themes
It will route you to Samsung Themes. I use a separate icon and theme packs for Nova Launcher. I do use AOD packs from the Themes. Do explore this section on XDA itself. I'm going to develop some themes (preferably AOD skins) soon and will let you know. Learn how to develop yours here.
-- Reserved for FAQs --
Related
Hello,
I've had several previous generations of HTC devices, and never really got to grips with Ring Tones / Vibration / Ring Volume. I had high hopes that WM6 would have sorted the mess out by now (my last PDA was WM2003).
What I really want from the phone part of my PDA is to be able to consistently and simply do the following (based on an O2 Orbit 2, UK)
1) Choose my ring Tone (ideally starting a little quietly and then rising in volume)
2) Set the ring Tone to Ring & Vibrate.
3) when in meetings / cinema / church etc. quickly set just to vibrate
4) after the meeting quickly set back to Ring & Vibrate
(Personally I have no use for zero ring volume combined with vibration off.)
5) as a final customisation, I'd like to be able to set different ringtones for different calling numbers.
This is what I've done so far:
First I used the O2 "sounds & notifications" profile on the home screen.
This integrates nicely with the volume slider button on the LHS of the orbit - BUT it appears to have a few problems:
a) you can't choose custom ringtones
b) you can't have a rising ring tone with vibrate
I created a custom rising ringtone by editing a small MP3 so that it starts quietly and rises in volume over about 25 seconds. Placed this in "My Ringtones" directory in "My Documents". Then had to read the phone handbook (always a last resort) to see how to set this mp3 as my ringtone. The answer is that the "my ringtones" tones are not selectable under "sounds & notifications", instead you have to open up the phone dialer app, select menu, options, then you can select your custom ringtone.
Unfortunately, every time you subsequently use "sounds and notifications" to select, for example, the "meeting" profile, or the "silent profile", you lose the custom ringtones - so you can't simply put the phone on vibrate, and then back to normal without then having to go back to the phone dialer, menu options etc.
surely there must be a simple way around this? every non PDA phone I've ever used has this sort of thing down as a straightforward essential tool.
Hopefully someone out there can either show me the obvious step that I'm missing, or point me in the directions of some 3rd party (preferably free) software that manages this task.
Thanks in advance
Roy.
1. The ringtones can be in the windows, windows/Rings, My documents (not subfolder), storage card (root).
2. On the phone settings tab, there is an option to set it to 'Vibrate and Ring'.
3. You can use the HTC Home screen (free, and included in original Polaris, but can be found here) or some other 3rd party app like SPB Phone Suite (not free).
4. Same, or setting up "busy" events in the calendar, and setting the HTC Home screen for atomatic.
5. Check your options on the contact details page.
For the increasing ringtone, there isn't a better workaround then what you did.
I had exactly the same problem; this is my first non-Nokia, and I've always loved the quick access to "profiles".
From a recommendation on here, I now use pocketzenphone, which is fantastic.
I've got a row of five icons under the HTC home, to change profile. Each profile can change so many things, I don't use 20% of it! I just change ringtones and volumes.
It's free to try, and I think £10 or so to buy if you like it.
Hey everyone KafreekaBoom here.
When I searched Application for a fast and smooth management of sound profiles.I found this app called Smart Volume Control on play store.Before this I have used apps like tasker, locale, audio manager Pro.None of those able to do sound profile management as good as this. So I'm posting it here to share it with all you folks over here
Smart Volume Control +
Here are the some of Features
- fully customizable sound Profiles
- setup Volumes, Bluetooth, WiFi, Mobile data, Aeroplane mode, Call forwarding, Screen brightness and Ringtone
- mute or raise volume for selected contacts
- switch profiles by Timers, Locations and Calendar events
- Speed volume mode and Headphones mode
- 23 Widgets designed for quick and convenient control from your home screen
- various application and widget skins for perfect harmony with the color and settings of your Android
I'm highly recommend this app If your looking for a Good Sound profile management application
Here is the PlayStore Link :- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.directservices.SmartVolumeControlPlus
I have that app. My biggest reason for purchasing it was the "silence timer" that would, after a set amount of time, turn your volume back up. Can't get that to work on my S III though. When I set my phone to silent, even using THEIR widget to do so, it doesn't ask when I'd like it to go back up. Yet if I launch a camera app that uses the volume rocker for zooming, the volume timer popup pops up over and over and over. So it definitely needs some work. It's a great start though.
I have Samsung Galaxy SIII too and I do not experience this kind of problem. I think this must be some other app conflicting in your phone.
Sometimes, during the day, I set my Phone with Android 7.1.1 to Do Not Disturb mode. However there are some notifications that I don't wanna miss, and I mean that I also want to hear the notification or alarm sound.
So I went into Settings > Applications and for my important apps (Reminder [1] and Whatsapp) I went in notification settings and I enable "override do not disturb" for both apps; furthermore I disabled these apps from battery optimization.
Well: despite the fact that I set these apps to "override do not disturb", when these apps receive/display a notification with a certain sound when DND is active, I only can see them with the LED and I can't hear any sound (but the notification is however displayed also on the lock screen).
So is a matter of no sound played. All is ok when DND is not active.
I miss something or is a know bug?
[1] Reminder app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arthurivanets.reminder
Mister_Dave said:
despite the fact that I set these apps to "override do not disturb", when these apps receive/display a notification with a certain sound when DND is active, I only can see them with the LED and I can't hear any sound
I miss something or is a know bug?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the noise: I reply to myself, since I found the solution (imho very hidden).
On the DND icon in the bar menu i double clicked and some options appeared: I choosed "Priority only", so the apps which are set to "override do not disturb" now are able to play a sound when the phone is set to DND.
I hope that this solution could be useful to someone.
Hi guys. I'm using the device for quite a while now (global, DE vodafone), and I am surprised there is no silent mode toggle. I can switch between vibration and sound, and also I can switch the DND, but I cannot and I do not see the way to turn on the silent mode. Anybody has a tip?
Yes you have to go into settings and unselect vibrate for silent
Afterwards you can push power and louder together to enable vibra temporarily. To switch back silent you just tip once louder and again silently.
boober78 said:
Hi guys. I'm using the device for quite a while now (global, DE vodafone), and I am surprised there is no silent mode toggle. I can switch between vibration and sound, and also I can switch the DND, but I cannot and I do not see the way to turn on the silent mode. Anybody has a tip?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For years I've used an app called Sound Profile Pro which allows me to set up however many sound profiles I want. It allows me to control volumes, DND, vibration, ringtones etc. It even can change Bluetooth and wi-fi status, screen brightness and more.
It lets me put a 1x1 widget on my home screen which, when pressed, gives me instant access to all the profiles I've defined. And, helpfully, it'll change the widget's appearance to always show whatever icon I've associated with the last chosen profile.
There is a free app, but the widget needs the pro version. Both are available in the Play store.
John N G said:
For years I've used an app called Sound Profile Pro which allows me to set up however many sound profiles I want. It allows me to control volumes, DND, vibration, ringtones etc. It even can change Bluetooth and wi-fi status, screen brightness and more.
It lets me put a 1x1 widget on my home screen which, when pressed, gives me instant access to all the profiles I've defined. And, helpfully, it'll change the widget's appearance to always show whatever icon I've associated with the last chosen profile.
There is a free app, but the widget needs the pro version. Both are available in the Play store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That make sense, however I wanted to avoid installing extra app for such an essential thing
boober78 said:
Hi guys. I'm using the device for quite a while now (global, DE vodafone), and I am surprised there is no silent mode toggle. I can switch between vibration and sound, and also I can switch the DND, but I cannot and I do not see the way to turn on the silent mode. Anybody has a tip?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi found this thread whilst trying to resolve this issue myself. Ended up contacting oppo on their live chat and you can edit your toggle menu by clicking on the button which looks like write/edit to the left of the settings button on the toggle menu.
Hi,
I've just installed a smart smoke alarm... the X-Sense XS01-WT. It uses the Smart Life android app (Smart Life on Google Play), which I've been using for a long time to control smart power plugs, lights etc. But this is the first time it's been important that the app sends me a powerful alarm in case the smoke alarm gets triggered. Whilst I've almost got it right - a custom siren sound that plays even when the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode - I have one remaining problem.
Notifications seem to be limited to a 5 second duration; far too short for me to be certain that it would wake me up when asleep at night. This is shown by going to Settings -> Notification & status bar -> Manage notifications -> App notifications/Smart Life -> Default notification -> Ringtone. There it says " The selected audio file will play for up to five seconds". This same message is shown for every app I've checked.
So I'm hoping someone can help me overcome this five second limit. Knowing that alarm clock apps play their sounds for far longer and have a separate volume setting (so they can always be set to maximum), can I somehow convince the phone that, instead of playing the siren mp3 file as a notification, it should treat it as an alarm which will be played for its total duration at maximum volume? Or, failing that, is there a hidden setting that defines the maximum notification duration?
Many thanks in anticipation of someone knowing the answer!
John