[Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra] Paras Lehana:
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'.