The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a massive phone with an abundance of features. The deeper you dig the more you find lurking in the menus. We’ve already shown you the first 10 things you should do after getting your new Note 9. Now, let’s dig a little deeper and show you a few tips and tricks. Before we get started I’d like to thank AT&T for providing the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
Unlock with the S-Pen
One of the handy new features the S-Pen has gained after using Bluetooth LE is the multifunction button. Samsung now allows you to use this button to unlock your phone.
It’s not all that secure but if you use the pen frequently and want to use then it’s there. Once enabled with a simple click of the button your phone will unlock and show your home screen.
- Open settings
- Advanced Features
- S Pen
- Unlock with S Pen remote
App Pair
The addition of native multitasking in Android is a wonderful thing. Having the ability to have two apps opened at once can save you a lot of time and frustration. It is even better on a phone with a display as large as the Galaxy Note 9 and the use of the S-Pen.
You might wonder, what could make it even better? How about a way to launch two apps you use often in split-screen mode with a handy shortcut. The Galaxy Note 9 gives you this very option from the Edge Panel.
- Swipe open the Edge Panel
- Swipe over to Apps Edge
- Tap Edit
- Create App pair
Hiding the Navigation Bar
In the past, Samsung made use of capacitive buttons on its phones for navigation. These days with the slimmed down bezels they have opted for software navigation keys like most other manufacturers. The big issue with software navigation keys on an OLED panel such as the Super AMOLED panel used on the Note 9 is burn-in.
This occurs when a static image is shown too long on an OLED screen and a ghost image appears there permanently. One great way to combat this is by hiding your navigation bar when not in use. As an added bonus it also makes using your apps more immersive. After following the steps below you’ll notice a small dot in your navigation bar that can be used to toggle this feature.
- Open Settings
- Display
- Navigation bar
- Show and hide button
Customize the Always-On Display
The Always-On Display is a convenient feature that allows you to get a quick look at the time and your notifications without even pressing a button. Not only is it convenient, but did you know you can customize it? Within the Samsung Themes store, there are tons of themes for the AOD. Some are free but many require a nominal fee.
- Open Settings
- Wallpapers and themes
- AODs
Even if you want to stick with one of the default themes you can customize the color to make it your own.
- Open Settings
- Lock screen
- Clock style
Customize Edge Lighting
Edge lighting is another one of those eye candy features the Note 9 offers. Usually, you only see the edges light up when receiving a call or text. However, if you dig into the settings a bit you can enable it for any app you choose. You can also select what color to use, the width, and whether it should show with the screen on, off, or both. You could even toggle it off if you find you don’t like it.
- Open Settings
- Display
- Edge screen
- Edge lighting
Add More Edge Panels
Speaking of the edge features on the Note 9, there are a whole plethora of edge panels you can add. While only two come enabled by default, there are several others including ones for weather, a calculator, news, and sports feeds, and more. Just follow these steps and soon you’ll open up a whole new world of what the Edge Panel is capable of.
- Swipe open the edge panel
- Tap the settings cog in the bottom left
- Tap the 3 dot menu in the top right corner
- Tap Download
Secure Folder
These days our phones have taken on the role of our most used devices. As such we often keep a great deal of sensitive information on them. With Secure Folder, you can keep prying eyes away from some of your most private information. It allows you to protect pictures, notes, and apps on your phone. Requiring a PIN, password, pattern, or a form of biometric security in order to access them.
- Open Settings
- Biometrics and security
- Secure Folder
Multi Window
Don’t confuse Mult window with the split screen view which was introduced in Android Nougat. This is an entirely different feature from Samsun that enables you to shrink down apps into a smaller window. While different from split screen mode in Android it is just another way to multitask that can sometimes work better.
Intelligent Scan
Intelligent Scan is not quite the face unlock feature found on the iPhone. Instead, it combines the benefits of face recognition and iris scanning to unlock your phone. While each individually could unlock your phone when they are combined it becomes more secure than either used by itself. Until Samsung comes up with a way to copy IR facial scanning this is the best we’re going to get for now.
