There are not many differences between the standard Samsung Galaxy S5 and the rough and tough Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. However, the physical differences in the body shape and weight are quite prominent. Inside the smartphone, the same TouchWiz interface keeps the things ticking, so when it comes to software features, both of the smartphones have almost same offerings. So without further talk, let’s start with the best tips and tricks for Samsung Galaxy S5 Active…
1. Change the Stock Wallpaper
Don’t get me wrong, Samsung has bundled some great-looking wallpapers for their smartphone. However, a lot of people simply use the stock background for years without changing it. I highly recommend that you try one of the best wallpaper apps for Android to download and change your wallpaper. If you have already downloaded some great images, go to Settings > Wallpaper Select Image > Set Wallpaper > Done. Alternatively, you can tap on the “More Images” option to select they will from the gallery or a different location.
2. One Hand Operation Mode
The Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is not a very large smartphone but some people may have trouble using it with only one hand. As it is made for all day of usage, it makes sense to include a one-handed operation mode so that your other hand can do practical stuff. For example, if you are a motor mechanic and your right hand is a bit greasy, you can easily use your smartphone with one hand operation mode. Thankfully, Samsung also knows that and have included the mode in their relatively small smartphone. In order to access this feature head over to Settings > Sound and Display > One-Handed Operation and turn the feature on. You can activate the mode easily by swiping your thumb in and out of the sides of the screen in a rapid motion.
3. Use the S-Finder
You may want to ignore Samsung apps because not a lot of them are quite useful. However, I highly recommend that you check out the S-Finder function available on the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. It can be easily accessed from the notification panel. Tap on the icon and a new window will pop up. On that window you can type anything you want to search on your smartphone, the results are quite accurate and fast. If you have a lot of apps or pictures on your smartphone, you can easily access them by using this handy feature.
4. The Power Saving Mode
Even though the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active comes with a hefty battery, you may want to save some battery life by using the bundled power saving modes. However, the smartphone ships with two different power saving modes. The ultra-power saving mode is only recommended if you want to save the battery for longer than two days. For example, if you’re going on a long trip and want to conserve the power but still want to use the basic functionality of the phone, you can enable that mode. The regular power saving mode doesn’t hinder the functionality that much and you can even customize it to your liking. If you are not comfortable using the smartphone in grayscale mode, you can turn it off as well.
5. Use the Activity Features
The comes with a dedicated activity blue button that allows you to do a lot of stuff. Pressing it will launch the Activity Zone that allows you to use the built-in barometer as well as a compass. Sure you can download one of the best compass apps for Android but this is highly convenient. The activity zone also features a stopwatch as well as a flashlight button for easy access to those features. Did you know you can easily launch the camera app by double tapping the physical activity button? You sure can with the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. You sure can with the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active.
6. Check out the Download Booster
The Samsung Galaxy S5 Active has an awesome download booster mode that allows you to download larger files quickly. This mode basically combines the power of 4G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi connection to the downloads. You will get increased download speeds by a lot and larger files will download really quickly. There is a price to pay for this though, this feature will chew through your mobile data. You few have unlimited, uncapped data, I recommend keeping this awesome feature on forever. But for poor people like me, we can only use it very sparsely. To enable it, go to Settings > Network Connection > Download Booster and turn on the slider.
7. Manage the Home Screen
If you want to add, delete or move to screen panel long press anywhere empty on the screen. This will pull up another interface that will allow you to add additional panels with ease. To do so simply scroll left or right and tap on the “+” icon to add home screens. If you want to remove the panel, in the preview mode, drag-and-drop it in the remove area. If you want to move the panel grab and hold to it by long pressing it in preview mode and simply moving it to either side of the screen.
8. Create Folders
If you want a ton of apps on your home screen but there is no place them all, you can easily create folders to make them all accessible. In order to create a folder, simply long press on an icon and simply place it in the Create Folder option that appears on the top of the screen. You can also enter the name of the folder. If you want more apps in the folder, press the + icon and select the apps that you want to the folder.
9. Use the Cinema Mode
Samsung knows that they have some of the best screens available on smartphones. That is exactly why they allow us to change different display modes. I highly recommend that you check out the Cinema mode available in the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. This basically allows you to get a more enjoyable viewing experience and great color reproduction. Sure, it may tone down the saturated look of the default setting but it also makes the screen less stressful to look at for longer periods of time. To activate this setting, Go to Settings > Display and set select the cinema mode.
10. Be Private
A lot of people want their privates the main private on their smartphone. But some people just want to check out your phone and end up in your photo gallery. This is exactly why we have gallery lock apps for Android available on the Google Play Store. Thankfully, you don’t have to install any third party app on the paste it because Samsung ships with a great private mode. In order to activate it head over to Settings > Personalization and simply create a pin. Now you will see a notification in the notification bar that the mode is activated. Now simply go over to the gallery app long press on the pictures the you want to hide from normal view. Click on the menu button, select Move to private option and those pictures will be moved to a separate location. They will also disappear when you exit the private mode as well.
11. View Settings in List View
If they default settings view on the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is looking odd, you can always switch to an easier to use list view. Simply tap on the three dots located on the top right corner of the settings window, and you can select list view as the default view of the settings. Now you can easily scroll through the settings and it won’t look strange. I also recommend the search button located right next to the additional settings button on the top right corner. This will allow you to search for a specific setting without going deeper into the menu.
12. Increase Touch Sensitivity
Did you know that you can use the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active while wearing gloves? It makes sense because this is an outdoor smartphone that is specifically designed to be used in the wilderness and withstand extreme conditions. To enable this mode, go to Settings > Display > Increase Touch Sensitivity and simply check on the option. Now you will be able to use your Samsung Galaxy S5 Active with gloves on.
13. Use Easy Mode
If you find the default TouchWiz view to be confusing, you can always switch to the Easy Mode. This mode basically takes everything easier to not only understand but look at that as well. For example, if you’re granddad is just starting using Android smartphones, it will be good to simply introduce him to the Easy Mode first. This is assuming that you’re granddad is not a technologically enlightened person. Or if you forget your spectacles at home, you can use easy mode for the big icons and large text as well. You can enable the easy mode by going to Settings > Easy mode. From there you can and simply click on done when you have completed.
Conclusion
These were a few tips and tricks for Samsung Galaxy S5 Active that will surely help you in your day-to-day usage. Have I forgotten something important in this list? Do tell me if there is great tip missing from the list and I’ll make sure to add it. If you have any questions about this list or the smartphone itself, feel free to talk to me in the comments below. Credit: Special thanks to PhoneArena.com for the photos of the device.
