Samsung’s One UI 7 is now my favorite Android skin. It is quick, responsive, and simple. However, nothing is pre-programmed for your specific experience. You should personalize your smartphone to make it more appealing. I modify about a dozen settings on each Samsung Galaxy phone to better fit my needs, and I believe these will improve your user experience as well.
Here are some OneUI settings that I recommend adjusting to improve your Galaxy phone experience, ranging from selecting the highest attainable screen resolution to adding extra privacy-focused features. Please be aware that some settings may be phone-specific.
Switch to gesture navigation
Unless you are setting up your new Samsung Galaxy phone from an older model, it will use the outdated three-button navigation mechanism. If you enjoy it, that is OK. However, I find Android’s gesture navigation more intuitive—everything is a swipe away rather than an on-screen button.
If you want that, you can change the system navigation to gestures by going to Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Swipe gestures.
Set screen resolution to high – QHD+
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts the finest smartphone display available right now. It is less reflective and has better color display than its predecessor, thanks to second-generation Gorilla Armour. You have a great QHD+ screen, but it is not set to that resolution by default.
To have the best possible viewing experience, navigate to Settings > viewing > Screen resolution. The Ultra will consume more battery, but it is an efficient smartphone. Even after maxing out the screen resolution, I still have an all-day battery life.
Adjust the lock screen notifications.
One UI 7 has modified the way notifications appear on your lock screen. It is set to display icons in the top left corner by default, which is a significant departure from the prior card view. I prefer that apps display notifications in the latter way. To modify this, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Lock screen notifications > Cards.
I also hide important notification content on the lock screen since I do not want anyone walking up to my phone and reading my personal communications. To modify this setting, select Hide content from the same Lock screen notifications menu.
Uninstall the bloatware
Samsung Galaxy phones provide numerous apps that you may not utilize. Unlike prior years, you may now remove or disable them to conserve memory. For example, I do not own a Samsung TV and do not want the Microsoft CoPilot app on my phone, so I uninstall both TV and CoPilot. Other programs that I disable or uninstall include Facebook, Samsung Tutor, and OneDrive.
Always-on display
Samsung phones have efficient screens; make the most of them by enabling everything, including the Always On display. I enjoy having the time, day, and date information there on the screen, accessible at a look. Samsung defaults to the Tap to see setting, which requires you to tap on the screen to access information.
I recommend altering that to Always to make it more useful. Navigate to Settings > Lock Screen and AOD > Always-On Display > Always. You may select whether or not to display the wallpaper; I have set it to only display a black screen to save battery life.
Homescreen customization
Samsung’s phone widgets are among the best available. I enjoy the Calendar widget since I can change the transparency. As a consequence, it looks nicer and retains functionality while preserving the structure of my home screen. I set it at the top so that everything is just a glance away, but it never asks for attention, unlike other opaque Calendar widgets.
Also, change the icon grid to a 5×5 layout to permit more icons in the bottom row. They are only a thumb tap away. In addition, I apply my wallpaper color tones to the program icons for a more appealing appearance. To apply wallpaper colors to the entire system, navigate to Wallpaper and Style > Color Palette and turn it on. It is not flawless, and some icons may still be unsupported. However, it appears better than the standard colors.
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Ultra
Other things I do on my Galaxy phones include switching to Google Keyboard and organizing the home drawer icons alphabetically for easier navigation. Samsung phones are among the best on the market. While they do not promise groundbreaking features, they are dependable and provide the most refined user interface with One UI. Simply modify these few options, and you will be all set.
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Cristian Penisoara is a Guides Writer and Android specialist at Droid Tools. An Android user since version 2 and a professional event photographer, he combines technical curiosity with a detail-oriented approach - every guide he publishes is tested step-by-step on a real device before it goes live.
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