Skip to content
TechBone
Samsung

Guides for Samsung Galaxy S9+

520 guides

Network & Connectivity2

Change Camera Storage Location

If your Samsung phone keeps saving new photos and videos to the SD card even though you want them on internal storage, the default save location in the camera app is set to the memory card. Switching this setting only affects future shots. Anything already saved to the card stays there and does not move automatically.

Open
System & Settings2

Turn On/Off Assistant Menu

If reaching the physical Home, Back or volume buttons with one hand feels awkward, the Assistant menu replaces them with a floating panel of on-screen shortcuts. The panel can be dragged to any spot on the display and holds up to 12 buttons, but on many phones it stays switched off or shows shortcuts you never use.

Open
Calls & Messages2

Set Default Dialer App

If you install a third-party calling app but Samsung's own Phone app still opens for calls and messages, the default dialer assignment hasn't changed yet. This also affects which app handles your call log and dial pad, similar to how default apps work for Home, Browser or Messages. A screen lock can sometimes stop an alternative dialer from launching calls correctly.

Open
Language & Input2

Resize the Samsung Keyboard

If the Samsung keyboard feels too wide for one-handed typing or the keys sit too close to the screen edges, the built-in size control usually fixes it. Keyboard height and width react to a hidden slider inside the keyboard settings, and the same menu lets you shift the whole layout toward the left or right edge of the display. Without adjusting it, typing with one thumb often means missed keys or accidental taps on the spacebar.

Open
Calls & Messages2

Merge Duplicate Contacts

If the same person shows up twice or three times in your contact list, an import from SIM, cloud, or a second account has likely created copies instead of updating the original entry. Calls, messages, and search results then jump between the duplicate versions, so you never know which one holds the current number. Samsung's Contacts app can combine these entries automatically once you point it at the matching fields.

Open
System & Settings2

Schedule Auto Restart Times

If your Samsung phone slows down after weeks of uptime, a scheduled restart clears background clutter without you lifting a finger. Many users never notice the Auto restart at set times option because it sits deep inside the device care settings and stays off by default. Without it enabled, you are stuck rebooting manually every time performance drops.

Open
Photo, Video & Media2

Empty the Gallery Recycle Bin

Deleted photos and videos in the Samsung Gallery app do not disappear right away. They sit in the Trash for a set number of days before Samsung removes them automatically, and until then they still take up storage space. If you need to free up space immediately or make sure sensitive files are gone for good, you have to clear the Trash yourself.

Open
Calls & Messages2

Rename Contact Group

If a contact group on your Samsung phone still shows the wrong name, the fix only applies to groups you created yourself. Default groups like Family, Colleagues or Friends cannot be renamed, which often confuses users trying to clean up their address book.

Open
Other2

Turn Data Saver On or Off

If apps stop syncing or notifications only show up after you open them, Data saver is probably cutting their background connection. This mode blocks mobile data for apps running in the background, which can delay messages, emails and updates until you check the app manually. Some apps can still be allowed to use data in the background even while data saving stays active.

Open
Calls & Messages2

Filter Call History by Type

When your Samsung call log mixes missed, rejected, and outgoing calls together, finding one specific entry gets tedious fast. A built-in filter narrows the list down to just what you need, for example missed calls only or calls tied to one SIM. This works on any dual-SIM Samsung phone.

Open
Notifications & Focus2

Add Alarm Widget to Home Screen

Checking whether tomorrow's alarm is still active means opening the Clock app every time, even for a quick glance. Samsung's Alarm widget puts a single alarm directly on your Home screen, so you can switch it on or off and see the time without unlocking into the app. Each widget only tracks one alarm, so multiple alarms need one widget each.

Open
Other2

Request Desktop Site in Samsung Internet

Some websites hide download buttons, settings pages or entire tools when Samsung Internet loads the mobile version instead of the full site. If a page looks stripped down or a feature just will not work, the browser is likely serving you the mobile layout by default. Forcing the desktop version brings back the complete site as it appears on a computer.

Open
Calls & Messages2

Show or Hide Calendar Week Numbers

If your Samsung Calendar does not show which calendar week you are currently viewing, the week number display is probably switched off. Without it, planning around ISO week numbers for invoices, shifts, or project deadlines means counting weeks by hand. The option sits inside the calendar app itself, not in the general phone settings.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Turn Data Roaming On or Off

When your Samsung phone connects to a foreign carrier network instead of your home network, mobile data stops working until Data roaming is switched on. That is fine while you stay close to home, but abroad it blocks emails, maps and apps from loading over the mobile network. Switching it on without checking your plan first can also lead to unexpected charges.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Manage App Location Permissions

If a delivery tracker or maps app suddenly can't find your position, you likely denied its location request the first time it asked, maybe by accident. On Samsung phones that first choice isn't final - each app's access can be reviewed and changed later. Mixing up 'Allow' and 'Deny' at the initial prompt is one of the most common reasons apps stop showing your location.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Set Up Mobile Hotspot with a Custom Name and Password

The first time you turn on the mobile hotspot on a Samsung phone, it broadcasts under the device name with an autogenerated password. That default network name is often confusing for guests and reveals your phone model to anyone scanning nearby networks. You can replace both the name and password before sharing your connection.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Change Preferred Network Mode

If your Samsung phone keeps dropping to a slower connection or won't pick up 4G or 5G even with full signal bars, the Network mode setting might be locked to an older standard. This option decides whether the device connects using 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G, and a wrong choice here cuts off faster networks completely. On dual-SIM models each SIM slot has its own separate setting.

Open
Storage & Backup2

Mount SD Card Manually in Storage Settings

If your Samsung phone shows an SD card as inserted but the gallery, camera, or file manager still cant see it, the card is likely unmounted rather than broken. This happens after a restart, a card swap, or when the phone fails to auto detect the card on boot. Mounting makes the storage available again without formatting anything.

Open
Other2

Find on Page in Samsung Internet

Scrolling through a long article to find one keyword wastes time, especially on news sites or long product pages. Samsung Internet has a built-in Find on page feature that highlights every match on the current page so you do not have to read the whole thing. Many users never notice this option because it sits inside the browser menu instead of the address bar.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Send a File via Bluetooth

Sharing a photo or document with a paired Bluetooth device does not always work through the usual share sheet. If the receiving phone or tablet does not show up in the device list, the transfer stalls before it starts. This applies to photos, documents and videos moved directly between two Samsung devices without Wi-Fi or a cable.

Open
Apps & Installation2

Remove Apps from a Folder

Dragging one app at a time out of a crowded folder gets tedious fast, especially when a folder holds ten or more icons. Samsung's One UI does not offer a way to select several apps at once and pull them all out together. If you are trying to clean up a folder quickly, this one-by-one limitation slows the process down noticeably.

Open
Photo, Video & Media2

Enable Grid Lines in Camera

Framing a shot by eye often leaves the horizon tilted or the subject off-center in the final photo. Samsung cameras include an on-screen grid overlay meant to fix this, but many people never notice the toggle or don't know which pattern fits their shot. Portraits and landscapes benefit from different grid styles, so picking the wrong one still leaves composition guesswork.

Open
Notifications & Focus2

Use Volume Keys for Media Volume

Pressing the volume keys on a Samsung phone usually changes the ringtone volume, even while a video or song is playing. That happens because Samsung's One UI ties the physical buttons to the ringer channel by default, leaving media playback at whatever level it was last set to. A dedicated toggle changes this behavior so the same keys adjust media volume directly.

Open
Language & Input2

Turn Swipe Typing On or Off on the Keyboard

If dragging your finger across the letters does nothing, or the keyboard keeps guessing the wrong word while you glide between keys, the built-in gesture typing might be switched off or set to the wrong mode. Samsung labels this feature keyboard swipe control, while most other Android keyboards call the same trick glide typing or swipe typing. Getting the setting right decides whether the keyboard reacts to continuous finger movement at all.

Open