Short answer: The Samsung hidden features most worth finding on One UI 9 are two secret menus, Connectivity Labs (tap Intelligent Wi-Fi seven times) and Labs in Advanced features, plus AI Network Guard, a new per-app internet blocker hidden inside Connectivity Labs. After those come the gestures most owners never switch on (swipe for split screen and pop-up view, palm swipe, swipe down anywhere for notifications), Separate app sound, Bixby Text call, Extract text in Gallery, Private album, and One UI 9 additions that are easy to miss: Tap to share, Driving Report, WhatsApp calls in the Phone app, the PDF viewer in My Files, the Tape tool in Samsung Notes, Motion Assist and Warranty and care diagnostics. None of them need Good Lock.
Updated for One UI 9 (Android 17) · Last checked October 11, 2026 · By Stephen Jacob
Which phones does this apply to? Most of this list works on any Galaxy phone running One UI 9, and much of it on One UI 8.5 too. As of October 11, 2026, One UI 9 is on the Galaxy S26 series, S26 FE, Z Fold8 series and Z Flip8, is rolling out to the S25 series, Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, and has started on the S24 series in South Korea. Our One UI 9 explained guide is the hub for the update, and its device table shows where your phone stands. Each feature below is tagged New in One UI 9 where that’s true, and with the phones it’s limited to where it isn’t on every model.
This page is about features: things your phone can already do that are buried in menus or never mentioned. The defaults worth flipping once, such as Battery protection, Theft protection and gestures, are in our list of Samsung settings to change in One UI 9. Galaxy S26 Ultra-only tricks, including everything to do with the S Pen and Privacy Display, are in our Galaxy S26 Ultra tips, tricks and hidden features.
Before you start
- Can’t find a menu? Type the feature’s name into the search bar at the top of Settings. Menu names vary by model, carrier and software version.
- About the menu paths: they come from Samsung’s support pages, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 user guide (written for One UI 8.5) and Samsung’s One UI 9 changelog. Where a path comes only from a third-party One UI 9 walkthrough, the entry says so.
- Hidden menus are hidden for a reason. Labs and Connectivity Labs features are experimental, and Samsung can move or remove them in any update.
Samsung hidden features at a glance
| # | Feature | Where to find it | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connectivity Labs | Wi-Fi → ⋮ → Intelligent Wi-Fi → tap 7 times | All recent Galaxy phones |
| 2 | AI Network Guard | Connectivity Labs → AI Network Guard | New in One UI 9 (reported) |
| 3 | Labs | Settings → Advanced features → Labs | Options vary by model |
| 4 | Swipe down anywhere for notifications | Home screen settings | All |
| 5 | Palm swipe and Scroll capture | Advanced features → Motions and gestures; Screenshots and screen recorder | All |
| 6 | Bixby gesture wake-up | Bixby settings | New in One UI 9 |
| 7 | Swipe for split screen and pop-up view | Advanced features → Multi window | All |
| 8 | App pairs | Split screen → middle bar → Add app pair to | All |
| 9 | Three-way split view | Built in | Z Fold8 series |
| 10 | WhatsApp and Meet calls in the Phone app | Phone → ⋮ | New in One UI 9 |
| 11 | Bixby Text call | Phone → ⋮ → Settings | Language-dependent |
| 12 | Replace swipe with single tap | Accessibility → Interaction and dexterity | Moved in One UI 9 |
| 13 | Dual Messenger | Settings → Advanced features | Supported apps |
| 14 | Call and text on other devices | Settings → Connected devices | Galaxy tablets and PCs |
| 15 | Tap to share | Quick Share (NFC) | New in One UI 9 (rolling out) |
| 16 | Share Wi-Fi with a QR code | Wi-Fi → network settings → QR code | All |
| 17 | Use the phone as a webcam | USB notification → Webcam | S26 series (wired) |
| 18 | Driving Report | Settings → Connected devices | New in One UI 9 |
| 19 | Separate app sound | Settings → Sounds and vibration | All |
| 20 | My FanCam | Gallery → video → Galaxy AI | New in One UI 9 |
| 21 | Audio eraser for streaming video | Quick Panel while a video plays | S26 series and newer |
| 22 | Vertical Dual recording and Horizontal Lock | Camera Assistant; Super Steady | S26, S26 FE, Fold8, Flip8 |
| 23 | Extract text from photos | Gallery → T button | Most recent models |
| 24 | PDF viewer in My Files | My Files | New in One UI 9 |
| 25 | Tape tool in Samsung Notes | Notes toolbar | New in One UI 9 |
| 26 | Document Scan for book pages | Camera scan button | New in One UI 9 |
| 27 | Custom Now Brief cards | Galaxy AI → Now Brief | New in One UI 9 |
| 28 | Private album | Gallery → ⋮ | One UI 8.5 and later |
| 29 | Hide apps | Home screen settings | All |
| 30 | Pin an app before lending your phone | Security and privacy → More security settings | All |
| 31 | Motion Assist | Google services → All services | Android 17 (One UI 9) |
| 32 | Text spotlight and Select to speak | Accessibility → What’s new | New in One UI 9 |
| 33 | Flash notification | Accessibility → Hearing enhancements | All |
| 34 | Warranty and care diagnostics | Settings → Warranty and care | New in One UI 9 (newer models) |
Which hidden Samsung menus should you unlock first?
1. Unlock Connectivity Labs, the hidden Wi-Fi menu
All recent Galaxy phones. Not new in One UI 9, but One UI 9 adds a feature to it (next entry). Samsung doesn’t document this menu; the steps come from MakeUseOf, Android Authority and Lifehacker.
What it does: Connectivity Labs is a hidden set of Wi-Fi tools. It shows how many hours a day you use Wi-Fi and how much data you use on it. Home Wi-Fi inspection checks your router’s security (it can flag weak encryption and suggest WPA3) and maps signal strength as you walk around, so you can find dead zones. You can also filter the Wi-Fi list by signal strength, show each network’s band, make the phone switch to mobile data faster on weak Wi-Fi, and, under Wi-Fi developer options → Nearby Wi-Fi information, see nearby networks ranked from Best to Worst (MakeUseOf).
How to turn it on: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → ⋮ → Intelligent Wi-Fi. Scroll to the bottom and tap Intelligent Wi-Fi seven times, until a message says Connectivity Labs is enabled. A new Connectivity labs item appears on the same screen.
Why it’s worth it: it turns your phone into a free Wi-Fi analyser. If your home Wi-Fi drops in one room, Home Wi-Fi inspection shows where the signal fades, so you know whether moving the router will do before you spend money on a range extender or mesh system.
2. Block the internet for chosen apps with AI Network Guard
New in One UI 9. Reported on the Galaxy S26 series by Android Authority, Lifehacker and AndroidPure. It isn’t in Samsung’s official changelog, and some beta builds called it Network restrictions.
What it does: cuts selected apps off from the internet, on Wi-Fi and mobile data, behind a PIN. A Downtime option blocks those apps only during hours you choose (Android Authority).
How to turn it on: unlock Connectivity Labs (entry 1), then open Connectivity labs → AI Network Guard and set a PIN. Tap Manage restriction, enter the PIN, choose Restrict apps, pick the apps and tap Confirm. Downtime is in the menu at the top right.
Why it’s worth it: it’s the per-app internet switch Galaxy owners have wanted for years. Use it on a child’s phone, on games that serve ads, or on social apps during work hours. Blocking an app’s connection also stops its in-app ads, because ads have to download, but anything that needs the internet in that app stops working too (AndroidPure). Keep the PIN safe: you need it to change the list.
3. Try the experimental Labs menu
Options vary by model. Foldables and tablets show the most.
What it does: Labs holds experimental features that Samsung says “may not work correctly with all apps”. The most useful is Multi window for all apps, which lets apps that don’t support split screen or pop-up view open that way anyway. On foldables, Labs also has per-app screen zoom, landscape view for portrait apps and the Flex mode panel (Samsung).
How to turn it on: Settings → Advanced features → Labs, then tap a feature to enable it.
Why it’s worth it: if a banking or shopping app refuses to share the screen, this usually fixes it. If an app misbehaves afterwards, switch the option off again.
Which home screen, gesture and screenshot tricks do most people miss?
4. Swipe down anywhere on the home screen for notifications
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: opens the notification panel when you swipe down on any empty part of the home screen, not just from the top edge (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
How to turn it on: touch and hold an empty part of the home screen → Settings → Swipe down for notification panel.
Why it’s worth it: on a 6.7-inch or 6.9-inch phone, the top of the screen is out of thumb reach. This one switch makes one-handed use far easier, and it doesn’t stop the home screen scrolling sideways.
5. Take screenshots with your palm, and capture whole pages
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: Palm swipe to capture takes a screenshot when you swipe the edge of your hand across the screen. Scroll capture extends a screenshot down a long page, such as a chat, receipt or article, into one tall image (Samsung UK).
How to turn it on: Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures → Palm swipe to capture. For Scroll capture: Settings → Advanced features → Screenshots and screen recorder → Show toolbar after capturing. Take a screenshot, then tap the double down-arrow icon in the toolbar, repeatedly or with a long press.
Why it’s worth it: palm swipe needs one hand and no button chord. Scroll capture replaces five separate screenshots of the same conversation with one image you can send.
6. Talk to Bixby by raising the phone
New in One UI 9. The setting’s location comes from SammyGuru’s One UI 9 walkthrough.
What it does: raise the phone to your mouth and start speaking, and Bixby listens without a wake word. Samsung’s changelog describes it as “Talk to Bixby just by raising your phone close to your mouth and speaking.”
How to turn it on: open Bixby’s settings (press and hold the side button if it’s set to Bixby, or search Bixby in Settings) and turn on Gesture wake-up.
Why it’s worth it: it’s quieter than saying “Hi Bixby” in an office or on a train, and it works when your hands are busy. If you set the side button to open the power menu, as our settings guide recommends, this is the easiest way to keep Bixby close.
Which multitasking features are hidden on Galaxy phones?
7. Swipe for split screen and pop-up view
All Galaxy phones. On foldables these switches can sit in Labs instead.
What it does: Swipe for split screen splits the screen with a two-finger swipe in from the side or bottom. Swipe for pop-up view shrinks the current app into a floating, resizable window when you swipe from a top corner toward the middle (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
How to turn it on: Settings → Advanced features → Multi window → turn on both swipe options.
Why it’s worth it: the standard route (Recents, tap the icon, pick a layout) takes four taps. With the gestures, you can float a video over your messages, or put Maps beside a chat, in one move. SammyGuru notes that a lot of people have never turned this on, even though it has been around for years.
8. Save app pairs to your home screen
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: saves two apps you use together, such as a browser and Samsung Notes, as one shortcut that opens both in split screen.
How to turn it on: open two apps in split screen, tap the bar between them, then tap Add app pair to and choose the Home screen or the Apps edge panel (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
Why it’s worth it: it turns a set-up you repeat every day into one tap. On foldables and tablets, app pairs can hold three apps.
9. Run three apps at once on the Z Fold8
Galaxy Z Fold8 series only, per Samsung’s One UI 9 page.
What it does: One UI 9 on the Fold8 series supports two-way and three-way split views, and lets you switch between the windows with a tap. On foldables, Now Nudge can also open the app it suggests in split view (Samsung).
How to turn it on: built in. Open an app, then drag a second and third app from the taskbar or Edge panel into the screen.
Why it’s worth it: the Fold8 Ultra’s main screen is big enough for a document, a chat and a reference page side by side. On a regular phone, stick to two apps. Our guide to every Galaxy device family explains how the foldables differ.
Which call and messaging features are buried in One UI 9?
10. Show WhatsApp and Google Meet calls in the Phone app
New in One UI 9. Reported on the Galaxy S26 series; other models aren’t confirmed. The path differs between reports.
What it does: adds calls made through WhatsApp and Google Meet to the Phone app’s Recents, so your call history is in one place. You choose which apps can add calls (SammyGuru).
How to turn it on: SammyGuru found it at Phone app → ⋮ → Show calls from other apps. MakeUseOf, testing a beta, found the control at Phone → Settings → Other call settings → Other calling apps. If neither appears, search “calls from other apps” in Settings.
Why it’s worth it: you stop checking two apps to see who called. One caveat: SammyGuru reports that WhatsApp calls didn’t always appear on its S26 Ultra, so check before you rely on it.
11. Answer calls by typing with Bixby Text call
Language and region-dependent. Samsung documents it in the US and the Gulf.
What it does: Bixby answers the call with a synthetic voice, shows what the caller says as text, and speaks the replies you type or tap (Samsung Gulf). It isn’t the same as Call screening: you take the call yourself, just without speaking.
How to turn it on: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Text call (Samsung’s support page). On One UI 9, SammyGuru lists Text call under Call assist, beside Call screening and Live translate. Choose the language and voice, then tap Text call on the incoming-call screen.
Why it’s worth it: you can take a call in a meeting, on a noisy street or when you’d rather not be overheard. Check which languages your phone offers before you need it.
12. Replace swipes with a single tap for calls and alarms
Not new, but One UI 9 moved it somewhere easier to find.
What it does: lets you answer or decline calls and dismiss alarms and timers with a tap instead of a swipe.
How to turn it on: Settings → Accessibility → Interaction and dexterity → Replace swipe with single tap. Samsung’s One UI 9 changelog says the option moved there from the Assistant menu (Android Police).
Why it’s worth it: swipes fail with wet hands, gloves or a phone lying flat on a desk. Android Authority’s reviewer recommends it to everyone, not just people who need accessibility features.
13. Run two accounts of the same app with Dual Messenger
All Galaxy phones. Supported apps only.
What it does: installs a second copy of a supported messaging or social app, so you can sign in with a second account, for example a work and a personal WhatsApp number.
How to turn it on: Settings → Advanced features → Dual Messenger, then switch on each app you want to clone (Samsung’s S26 user guide). Use separate contacts list controls which contacts the second copy can see.
Why it’s worth it: it’s built in, so you don’t need a second phone or an unofficial clone app. That’s useful on a dual-SIM phone with a work number.
14. Take calls and texts on your Galaxy tablet or PC
Needs a second Galaxy device signed in to the same Samsung account.
What it does: lets you make and answer calls and text messages from your Galaxy tablet or Galaxy Book while the phone stays in your bag (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
How to turn it on: Settings → Connected devices → Call & text on other devices, on the phone and on the other device.
Why it’s worth it: if you work at a laptop all day, the phone can stay on charge. Our Samsung ecosystem guide covers which devices support it.
Which sharing and connectivity tricks are worth knowing?
15. Tap phones together with Tap to share
New in One UI 9, rolling out. Google said it was coming to the Z Fold8 series and Z Flip8 first and to other Galaxy phones on Android 17 later. SamMobile found it in One UI 9 test builds for the S26. It may not be on your phone yet.
What it does: starts a Quick Share transfer when you tap two phones together. NFC detects the other phone, then Quick Share sends the photos, videos, files or contacts over its usual wireless connection (SamMobile). MakeUseOf’s beta testing found that tapping from the home screen exchanges contact details instead.
How to turn it on: make sure NFC is on (Settings → Connections), then open Quick Share or the Share menu with something selected and hold the phones together. SamMobile says the S26 series has NFC antennas at the top and on the back, so you can tap either.
Why it’s worth it: it skips choosing a name from the Quick Share list, which is the slow part in a crowded room. Its arrival shows up in search too: “one ui 9 tap to share” is a Bing suggestion in all four markets we checked.
16. Share your Wi-Fi with a QR code
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: shows a QR code for the network you’re connected to. A friend scans it with their camera and joins without typing the password (Samsung Gulf).
How to turn it on: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → tap the gear icon next to your current network → QR code.
Why it’s worth it: nobody has to read out a 20-character router password. It works with iPhones too, because the iPhone camera reads Wi-Fi QR codes.
17. Use your phone as a webcam
Wired webcam mode: Galaxy S26 series, according to SamMobile (June 2026). Camera Share (wireless, to a Galaxy Book or Galaxy tablet): One UI 6.1 and later.
What it does: turns the phone’s camera into a USB webcam for a Windows PC or Mac, with no app on the computer. You can pick the front or rear camera and preview the feed on the phone. Audio still comes from the computer’s microphone (SamMobile).
How to turn it on: connect the phone with a USB-C cable, tap Tap for other USB options in the notification panel, choose Webcam, then pick the phone as the camera in your video app. Tap the Tap to preview and configure webcam output notification for the on-phone controls. On older Galaxy phones, Camera Share under Settings → Connected devices does a wireless version for Galaxy Books and tablets (Samsung).
Why it’s worth it: a phone’s camera beats almost any laptop webcam for video calls. SamMobile says it supports up to 1080p on Windows and 720p on a Mac.
18. Log your drives with Driving Report
New in One UI 9. Reported on the Galaxy S26 series by SamMobile, Android Authority and MakeUseOf. It isn’t in Samsung’s official changelog, so it may be an app-level feature with its own availability.
What it does: when your phone connects to your car’s Bluetooth, it logs each trip: route, distance, driving time, average speed, and events such as hard braking, sharp turns or phone use while driving. You get a notification after each trip and a weekly summary (Android Authority).
How to turn it on: Settings → Connected devices → Driving report, then choose your car from the list of Bluetooth devices.
Why it’s worth it: it’s a free trip log for mileage claims, and a gentle check on your habits, or a new driver’s. It uses location, so leave it off if you don’t want a history of your journeys on the phone.
Which sound, video and camera features are hidden?
19. Send one app’s sound to a different speaker
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: Separate app sound plays one app’s media through a Bluetooth speaker or headset while every other sound, such as notifications and calls, stays on the phone (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
How to turn it on: Settings → Sounds and vibration → Separate app sound → Turn on now, then choose the app and the audio device. The device option appears once a Bluetooth device is connected.
Why it’s worth it: music keeps playing on the party speaker without every message ping going through it too. In the car, you can send only navigation or only music to the car stereo.
20. Follow one person in a video with My FanCam
New in One UI 9. Galaxy S26 series, S26 FE, Z Fold8 series and Z Flip8. The S25, Z Fold7, Z Flip7 and S24 series had it in their One UI 9 betas.
What it does: takes a video you’ve already shot, follows the person you pick, and saves a cropped copy in the aspect ratio you choose. Samsung says the video must be at least 720 × 720, and it only tracks people. It’s one of the One UI 9 additions in our Galaxy AI guide.
How to turn it on: check that it’s on under Settings → Galaxy AI → My FanCam (SammyGuru). Then open a video in Gallery, tap the Galaxy AI button → My FanCam, pick the person, orientation and ratio, and tap Follow. If it finds nobody, move the seek bar to a clearer moment and try again (SamMobile).
Why it’s worth it: it turns a wide video of a school play or a football match into a vertical clip of your child, without manual cropping. The original stays untouched.
21. Clean up voices in streaming video with Audio eraser
Galaxy S26 series on One UI 8.5 and later, according to Samsung; How-To Geek reports it reaching select newer models. On older phones Audio eraser works only on your own videos in Gallery.
What it does: lowers background noise and music and boosts voices in real time while you watch supported apps such as YouTube and Netflix.
How to turn it on: while a video is playing, swipe down to open the Quick Panel and tap Audio eraser, then adjust the strength (Samsung).
Why it’s worth it: it fixes the most common streaming complaint, dialogue buried under music and effects, without subtitles or an external speaker. It ranks second in our ranking of every Galaxy AI feature.
22. Shoot vertical Dual recording and level video with Horizontal Lock
Device-limited. Vertical Dual recording: Galaxy S26 series and Z Flip8. Horizontal Lock: S26 series, S26 FE, Z Fold8 series and Z Flip8, with the S25 series in its One UI 9 beta.
What it does: Dual recording films with the front and rear cameras at once, and One UI 9 adds a vertical split for Shorts and Reels. Horizontal Lock keeps video level even when the phone tilts in your hand.
How to turn it on: Dual recording isn’t in the default mode list. Add it with Camera Assistant → Additional modes → Dual rec (Camera Assistant is Samsung’s free camera app in the Galaxy Store), then pick it from Video mode. For Horizontal Lock: Camera → Video → Super Steady icon → Horizontal Lock icon (SammyGuru).
Why it’s worth it: reaction videos and walking shots usually need editing to look right; these do it as you film. S26 Ultra owners should also see the best Galaxy S26 Ultra camera settings for the 24MP mode in Camera Assistant.
Which productivity tools are easy to miss?
23. Copy text out of any photo or screenshot
Most recent Galaxy phones. Older or lower-end models may not show it.
What it does: recognises text in a photo or screenshot so you can copy, translate or share it (Samsung Gulf).
How to turn it on: open the picture in Gallery and tap the yellow T button at the bottom right. Select the text you want, then tap Copy, Select all, Translate or Share. It also works on a paused video.
Why it’s worth it: Wi-Fi passwords on router stickers, phone numbers on shop signs and reference numbers on bills go straight into the clipboard, without retyping.
24. Open PDFs in My Files
New in One UI 9 (Android Police). Model availability isn’t confirmed.
What it does: One UI 9 adds a built-in PDF viewer to My Files, so PDFs open without a third-party app or Google Drive. You can annotate them in Samsung Notes (Android Police).
How to turn it on: nothing to switch on. Open My Files and tap a PDF. To use another viewer, choose Open with.
Why it’s worth it: boarding passes, bills and contracts open in one tap, and you can uninstall a PDF app you only kept for viewing.
25. Hide part of a note with the Tape tool
New in One UI 9.
What it does: puts a strip of digital tape over part of a note. Tap the tape to peek underneath. You can change its colour, pattern and size, and show or hide all the tape at once (Lifehacker).
How to turn it on: open a note in Samsung Notes and tap the tape icon on the bottom toolbar.
Why it’s worth it: cover the answers when you revise, or hide an account number before you share a screenshot of a note.
26. Scan curved book pages with Document Scan
New in One UI 9.
What it does: Samsung’s One UI 9 Document Scan flattens curved book pages and folded corners in the final scan (Samsung Newsroom).
How to turn it on: in the Camera app, check that Scanning is on under Quick controls → Settings → Intelligent features (Samsung’s S26 user guide). Point the camera at a page and tap the scan button that appears.
Why it’s worth it: you don’t need a separate scanner app to save a recipe from a cookbook or a page from a textbook, and the result looks flat instead of bent.
27. Build your own Now Brief cards
New in One UI 9. Galaxy S26 series, S26 FE, Z Fold8 series and Z Flip8, with the S25, Z Fold7, Z Flip7 and S24 series in beta. Needs Personal data intelligence and a Samsung account.
What it does: lets you create up to three custom Now Brief cards from weather, health or video information, and choose when each appears. Samsung limits how many times a day you can generate or edit them (SamMobile).
How to turn it on: Settings → Galaxy AI → Now Brief → Custom cards (Android Authority), or open Now Brief and create a new card. Type a prompt such as “my sleep score and steps” or pick a suggestion, check the preview, and set the days and times.
Why it’s worth it: Now Brief’s default cards are generic. A card that shows the UV index, or your weekly running total, is something you’ll actually look at.
Which hidden privacy features should you use?
28. Hide photos in Private album
One UI 8.5 and later.
What it does: hides selected photos and videos from the main Gallery behind your fingerprint or passcode, without setting up Secure Folder. Samsung says it doesn’t need a separate folder or a Samsung account sign-in.
How to turn it on: open a photo or video in Gallery → ⋮ → Move to private album. To view them, open Gallery → Menu → Private album (SamMobile).
Why it’s worth it: you can hand someone your phone to scroll through holiday photos without worrying about what comes next.
29. Hide apps from the home screen and app drawer
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: removes chosen apps from the Home and Apps screens. They stay installed and still work.
How to turn it on: touch and hold the home screen → Settings → Hide apps on Home and Apps screens. Samsung’s user guide notes that hidden apps can still appear in Finder search.
Why it’s worth it: it declutters the app drawer and keeps a banking or dating app out of sight. It’s not a lock: for that, use Secure Folder (see the FAQ).
30. Pin an app before you lend your phone
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: locks the phone to one app until you unpin it, so a child playing a game, or someone borrowing your phone for a call, can’t open anything else.
How to turn it on: Settings → Security and privacy → More security settings → Allow apps to be pinned (Samsung’s S26 user guide). Then open Recents, tap the app’s icon and choose Pin this app.
Why it’s worth it: it takes ten seconds and is safer than handing over an unlocked phone. If the menu offers to ask for your PIN before unpinning, turn that on too, or the borrower can unpin the app themselves.
Which accessibility and comfort features help everyone?
31. Stop motion sickness with Motion Assist
Android 17 feature from Google, so it arrives with One UI 9. Not a Samsung feature.
What it does: shows moving dots at the edges of the screen that react to the vehicle’s movement, which can reduce motion sickness when you read in a car or bus. It can start automatically in a moving vehicle.
How to turn it on: Settings → Google services → All services → Personal and device safety → Motion assist, or search “Motion assist” in Settings. You can add a Quick Panel button and change the dots’ colour, shape and opacity (SamMobile).
Why it’s worth it: if you get queasy reading as a passenger, try it on your next taxi ride. It’s off until you turn it on.
32. Enlarge or hear any text with Text spotlight and Select to speak
New in One UI 9.
What it does: Text spotlight shows any text you tap enlarged and highlighted in its own window, with your choice of font size and colours. Select to speak reads a selected item, text or image, aloud without turning on full TalkBack (Samsung’s changelog, via Android Police).
How to turn it on: Settings → Accessibility → What’s new. The new menu lists both features and lets you try them.
Why it’s worth it: small print in apps that ignore your font size becomes readable, and Select to speak reads an article aloud while you cook. They’re useful for anyone with tired eyes, not only people with low vision.
33. Get a light flash for notifications
All Galaxy phones.
What it does: flashes the camera light or the screen when a notification arrives (Samsung’s S26 user guide).
How to turn it on: Settings → Accessibility → Hearing enhancements → Flash notification.
Why it’s worth it: in a loud place, or with the phone face down on silent, you still see that something arrived. Use the screen flash rather than the camera light in a dark room.
34. Run diagnostics in Warranty and care
New in One UI 9. Galaxy Z Fold8 series, Z Flip8, S26 series and S26 FE. Features vary by country.
What it does: puts warranty status for your Galaxy devices, diagnostics, repair estimates and booking, remote support and Samsung Care+ in one Settings menu. You can also ask Bixby what might be wrong.
How to turn it on: Settings → Warranty and care. SammyGuru found it at the top of Settings, under your Samsung account.
Why it’s worth it: before you visit a service centre, run the diagnostics to see whether the speaker, sensors or battery actually test faulty. If you’re on an S26 Ultra and something isn’t right after the update, our S26 Ultra problems guide tracks the known One UI 9 issues and fixes.
Which features are covered in our settings guide?
Some features hide behind a setting you only change once. Our Samsung settings to change guide explains these in full, so here’s the one-line version of each:
- Resizable Quick Panel (new in One UI 9): resize the sliders and media player and split out the sound mode button. See setting 28.
- Finder or Google search bar on the home screen (new in One UI 9): see setting 29.
- Call Brief (new in One UI 9): context such as the caller’s local time on the call screen. See setting 23.
- Now Nudge (expanded in One UI 9): suggestions in notifications and a floating button. See setting 24.
- Call screening: Galaxy AI answers unknown callers for you. See setting 25.
- Security Brief and Privacy Alerts (new in One UI 9): see setting 18.
- Quick lockdown (new in One UI 9): hold Volume down and the Side button to block biometrics for the next unlock. See setting 19.
- Location indicator and recent access (new with Android 17): see setting 20.
- AI Assistant Activity (new in One UI 9): a log of what AI assistants did in your apps. See setting 22.
- Extra dim: darker than the brightness slider’s minimum. See setting 4.
- Circle to Search and wake gestures: see setting 26.
- Quick Share with iPhones through AirDrop, on supported models: see setting 35.
- Roaming clock: your home time on the lock screen while you travel. See setting 37.
Which hidden features only work on the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The S26 Ultra has its own tricks, and they live on its own page: Screen off memo pinned to the Always On Display, the S Pen’s Air command tools (AI Select, Translate, Screen Write), S Pen to text, Privacy Display set to switch on only in chosen apps, and Zoom Lock at 20x and beyond. Its S Pen has no Bluetooth, so Air Actions and the remote shutter aren’t available. See our Galaxy S26 Ultra tips, tricks and hidden features for all of them, and the 25 Galaxy S26 Ultra settings to change first for its model-only settings.
What about Good Lock?
Every feature above is built into One UI 9, Samsung’s own apps or Android 17. Good Lock, Samsung’s free customisation app in the Galaxy Store, adds more on top: MakeUseOf points out that One UI 9’s much-requested network speed meter for the status bar is a toggle in Good Lock’s QuickStar module, not a One UI setting (MakeUseOf). Good Lock modules need their One UI 9 versions, and the app isn’t available in every country, which is why it isn’t part of this list.
Which of these features need One UI 9?
| Needs One UI 9 | Works on One UI 8.5 too |
|---|---|
| AI Network Guard, Bixby gesture wake-up, three-way split (Fold8), WhatsApp and Meet calls in Phone, Tap to share, Driving Report, My FanCam, vertical Dual recording, PDF viewer in My Files, Notes Tape tool, curved-page Document Scan, custom Now Brief cards, Motion Assist (Android 17), Text spotlight, Select to speak, Warranty and care | Connectivity Labs, Labs, swipe down for notifications, palm swipe, Scroll capture, swipe for split screen and pop-up view, app pairs, Bixby Text call, Replace swipe with single tap (in its old menu), Dual Messenger, Call and text on other devices, Wi-Fi QR code, USB webcam (S26 series), Separate app sound, Audio eraser for streaming (S26 series), Horizontal Lock (S26 series), Extract text, Private album, hidden apps, app pinning, Flash notification |
Samsung hidden features FAQ
What are the best hidden features on a Samsung phone?
Start with three: Connectivity Labs for diagnosing Wi-Fi, the swipe gestures for split screen and pop-up view, and Separate app sound. On One UI 9, add AI Network Guard, Tap to share once it reaches your phone, Driving Report if you drive, and My FanCam for videos of people. All of them are free and built in.
How do I unlock hidden features on a Samsung phone?
There are three hidden menus. Labs is visible but overlooked, at Settings → Advanced features → Labs. Connectivity Labs appears after you tap Intelligent Wi-Fi seven times (Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → ⋮ → Intelligent Wi-Fi). Developer options appears after you tap Build number seven times in Settings → About phone → Software information. Developer options is meant for app developers, and nothing on this page needs it.
Is there a hidden Samsung feature that blocks ads?
Not an ad blocker as such. AI Network Guard (entry 2) cuts chosen apps off from the internet, which stops their ads but also breaks anything in them that needs a connection. It suits offline games, not apps you need online. AndroidPure also points to a separate Device care option that blocks spammy ad notifications, which is a different feature.
Do Samsung secret codes still work?
Some do. *#06# shows your IMEI on any phone, and *#0*# is widely reported to open Samsung’s hardware test menu. Codes vary by model and carrier, and some run factory tests or resets, so don’t type codes from random lists. For checking hardware, Warranty and care diagnostics (entry 34) is the safer, official route on newer models.
Does One UI 9 have an app lock?
No. “One UI 9 app lock” is a common search, but there’s no built-in app lock. SamMobile reports leaked code for one in One UI 9.5. For now, use Secure Folder (Settings → Security and privacy → More security settings), which needs a Samsung account and keeps apps and files behind a separate lock. Hidden apps and Private album hide things but don’t lock them.
Do I need Good Lock for these features?
No. Every numbered feature on this page is built into One UI, Samsung’s own apps or Android 17. Camera Assistant, used for Dual recording, is a separate free Samsung app in the Galaxy Store.
Do these hidden features work on One UI 8.5?
About half of them do. The table above lists which need One UI 9. To see whether your phone has the update, check Settings → Software update, or the device table in our One UI 9 guide.
Do any of these features drain the battery?
Driving Report uses location and Motion Assist uses the motion sensors, so leave them off if you won’t use them. The rest only run when you use them. If your battery drops faster after updating to One UI 9, that’s usually the phone re-optimising apps for a few days. Our guide to improving battery life on any Galaxy covers what to check if it lasts longer.
The bottom line
Samsung hides some of One UI’s best features behind a seven-tap gesture, a Labs menu or a setting nobody mentions. Spend ten minutes on the hidden menus first: Connectivity Labs, AI Network Guard and Labs. Then switch on the gestures you’ll use daily, swipe for split screen and pop-up view, swipe down for notifications and palm swipe. Finally, try One UI 9’s quieter additions: Tap to share, Driving Report, WhatsApp calls in the Phone app, the PDF viewer and the Notes Tape tool. For the defaults worth changing, work through our Samsung settings to change next. For everything else in the update, from the rollout timeline to known bugs, read our complete One UI 9 guide. To see how these features connect your phone, tablet, watch and PC, read the Samsung ecosystem explained, and for every device family that runs One UI, our guide to every Galaxy device family.
