There is a quiet Tuesday evening when Maya and I realize we have been swiping, tapping, and long pressing our Samsung phones for three straight years without ever peeking under the hood. After one unintentional long press, a see through panel comes out from the side of the screen like a secret drawer. We both gasp like kids who just uncovered the secret level in a video game. Samsung’s One UI is full of little superpowers that are hidden just below the surface. These include shortcuts, gestures, and toggles that make boring jobs fun. Below, we unpack the tricks that still make us grin every time we use them.
Why One UI Hides So Much Power
One UI was built for big screens and one handed comfort, but along the way Samsung stuffed it with Easter eggs. Some features save seconds, others save sanity, and a few feel like outright sleight of hand. Once you know where to look, the phone stops being a rectangle of glass and starts being a Swiss army wand.
Getting to the Secret Menu
Open Settings, scroll to Advanced Features, and tap Labs. Inside you will find an ever growing list of experimental toggles. Most are safe to flip, and none require root or warranty voiding. Think of Labs as the spell book for everyday magic.
Camera Tricks That Erase Evidence
Finger Removal in Document Scan
Open the Camera app, tap the Settings gear, and choose Scan Documents. Flip on Remove Unwanted Objects. Now when you scan a receipt or form, One UI automatically erases stray fingers that crept into the frame. The first time Maya saw her own thumb vanish from a tax document, she laughed out loud.
Scene Optimizer Auto Scan
Leave Scene Optimizer on and point the camera at a document. The shutter fires the instant the page is flat and in focus. No tap needed. It feels like the phone is reading your mind.
Quick Share Menu Reordering
Open Gallery, hit Share, scroll right, tap More, then the Pencil icon. Drag apps into a custom order so your favorite destination sits first. We moved Messages to position one and cut the daily scroll to find ritual in half.
Notification Pop Up Makeover
Head to Settings, Notifications, Notification Pop Up Style, and choose Brief. Instead of giant bubbles, you get elegant banners that slide away like polite butlers. Our lock screen went from Times Square to zen garden overnight.
Lock Screen Widget Sorcery
Tap Settings, Lock Screen and AOD, Widgets, and pick what appears when you tap the clock on the Always On Display. We added Music and Weather widgets so the phone becomes a bedside jukebox and forecast panel without unlocking.
Hide Apps Like a Spy
Long press the home screen, choose Settings, then Hide Apps. Select Instagram, Tinder, or anything you want off the grid. The icons vanish from the drawer and search, but the apps still run. Perfect for surprise party planning or surprise nothing planning.
Secure Folder for True Invisibility
Swipe down Quick Settings, tap Secure Folder, and stash entire apps or files behind a fingerprint wall. Exiting the folder wipes the session, so even a nosy friend sees only a blank slate.
Wireless PowerShare Wizardry
Drop Quick Settings, tap Wireless PowerShare, and place Galaxy Buds or a friend’s phone on the back of your Galaxy. The phone becomes a Qi pad that fits in your palm. Campfire nights now include emergency earbuds charging.
Side Panel Quick Launch
Enable Labs, then Edge Panels. A translucent bar appears on the right edge. Double tap it to slide out app shortcuts or app pairs that launch in split screen. Maya set up Camera plus Notes so she can snap a photo and jot a caption in one motion.
Dual Messenger Clone Army
Settings, Advanced Features, Dual Messenger lets you clone WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram. A second icon with an orange badge appears, ready for a work number or side hustle. Two accounts, one phone, zero confusion.
Bixby Button Reassignment
Settings, Advanced Features, Side Key. Change the long press from Bixby to Power Off Menu. Finally, the power button behaves like a power button should.
Gesture Navigation Sleight of Hand
Settings, Display, Navigation Bar, choose Swipe Gestures to banish the three button bar. The freed space gives apps more breathing room and makes the six inch screen feel like a seven inch tablet.
Dark Mode Scheduling
Settings, Display, Dark Mode Settings, Turn On As Scheduled. Pick sunset to sunrise or custom hours. The phone shifts to midnight hues without you lifting a finger.
Reduce Animations for Speed
Settings, Accessibility, Vision Enhancements, Reduce Animations. App transitions snap instead of glide, making the whole interface feel turbocharged.
Stacked Widget Magic
Long press the home screen, add a widget, then drag another widget on top to create a stack. Swipe up and down to flip through weather, calendar, and reminders without taking extra space.
Maintenance Mode Privacy Shield
Settings, Device Care, Maintenance Mode. Hand the phone to a repair tech and it boots into a clean profile with no access to your photos, messages, or banking apps. Exit the mode and everything reappears untouched.
Keyboard Trackpad Trick
In any text field, long press the spacebar until the keyboard area fades. Slide your finger to move the cursor like a tiny trackpad. Precise edits without the finger hunt.
Always On Display Theater
Settings, Lock Screen, Always On Display. Choose from clocks, calendars, or live battery rings. We set a minimalist digital clock that pulses gently when notifications arrive.
Screenshot Scroll Capture
Hold Power and Volume Down, tap the Scroll icon, and the phone stitches a long webpage into one tall image ready for sharing.
Voice Recorder Transcription
Samsung Voice Recorder can transcribe meetings offline. Hit the T icon and the spoken words become searchable text without sending data anywhere.
Smart View Screen Mirroring
Swipe Quick Settings, tap Smart View, choose the TV, and the phone beams photos or videos to the big screen in seconds.
Call Backgrounds
Settings, Call Background. Pick a video or color loop that plays behind incoming calls. Maya chose a calm ocean wave that makes every ring feel like vacation.
Air Command Stylus Shortcuts
If you own an S Pen, pulling it out opens Air Command. Tap the pen icon, set Create Note, and scribble instantly without unlocking.
Screen Recording with Selfie Overlay
Quick Settings, Screen Recorder, enable Selfie Camera. The resulting video shows your face in a bubble while you demo an app—perfect for quick tutorials.
Conclusion
One UI is more like a play box full of little wonders than an operating system. Every method saves you time on a chore or makes something boring more fun. Every time we update, Maya and I find new ones. Each one feels like finding a secret room in a house you know well. Go to Settings, look around in Labs, and let the phone show you its silent magic. Once you do, the rectangle in your hand ceases being a normal thing and becomes a pocket stage where everyday life gets a standing ovation.