20 handy Galaxy S7 Edge tips and tricks

How to use your Edge

Samsung has put some thought into making the curved edges more useful with the S7 Edge, so there are various different options that you might enjoy. To access your Edge panels, you simply drag the Edge panel handle from the curved edge toward the middle of the screen. It’s a small protrusion that sits at the top right of the curved edge on the right side by default, but we’ll take a look at how you can change that in just a moment.

How to change your Edge panel handle

Let’s start with that handle we just mentioned. Go to Settings > Edge screen > Edge panels > Edge panel handle settings and you can decide which side the handle should appear on, what size it should be, the transparency, and the vertical position.

How to select Edge panels

You’ll want to decide which panels should actually appear next. Go to Settings > Edge screen > Edge panels and you’ll see a list of options. The Apps Edge allows you to select your 10 favorite apps. People Edge enables you to choose five contacts. Tasks Edge allows you set up to 10 shortcuts to tasks, such as sending a text message to a specific contact or taking a selfie. There are many other options, including news, calendar, and weather panels. Check the box at the top if you want to include that panel. You can also download more options or reorder your panels via the links at the top of the screen.

How to use Edge feeds

If you swipe a finger along either edge when the screen is off, you’ll bring your Edge feed to life. It’s a tiny ticker tape of useful information like missed calls, time, news, or weather. In order to decide what it displays, go to Settings > Edge screen > Edge feeds and tick the boxes above the ones you want. As with the Edge panels, there are download and reorder options at the top that allow you to find more Edge feed options and order them.

How to customize your Edge panels

Open up your panels by dragging the Edge panel handle over. You simply swipe to get to the next panel. Each panel is pretty easy to customize. You’ll see a plus icon to add new entries and there’s a cog icon at the bottom left to access more settings. The options are fairly self-explanatory.

It’s worth noting that the colors you choose for your People Edge contacts correspond to the color that your S7 Edge flashes when it’s placed face down and you have an incoming call. The edge will glow the same color as the caller, so you can see who’s calling at a glance.

How to record games

If you want to capture a screenshot or video of yourself gaming, Samsung has made it easy. Go to Settings > Advanced features > Games and turn Game Tools on. Tap on the floating button when you’re gaming on your S7 or S7 Edge, and you’ll find Screenshot and Record options.

How to block game interruptions

Using the same Game Tools feature we just mentioned, which you can turn on in Settings > Advanced features > Games, you can also lock the Recent and Back keys, so you don’t accidentally hit them, and turn off incoming alerts while you play.

How to change color saturation

The S7 Edge has an amazingly vibrant AMOLED screen, but not everyone likes the saturated color look. If you find that it’s annoying you, go to Settings > Display > Screen mode and switch from Adaptive display to Basic for greater color accuracy.

How to set notifications

Some apps will spam you with constant notifications, and they’re not always very useful. You don’t need to dig into individual app menus to get rid of notifications that are bothering you. Simply go to Settings > Notifications and toggle off the apps you don’t need to hear from.

How use it one-handed

If you find that the S7 Edge is a little too big to handle with one hand, then try using the one-handed mode. You’ll find One-handed operation listed in Settings > Advanced Features, and you can decide whether you want to reduce the screen size or align keyboards and other inputs to slide over closer to one side of the display.

How to get missed call and message alerts

The Smart Alert feature has been available on many Samsung smartphones for a while now, but it’s still really handy. If you miss a call or message, your Galaxy S7 Edge will alert you by emitting a subtle vibration the next time you pick it up. Go to Settings > Advanced features and toggle Smart Alert on.

How to identify callers

Calls from unknown numbers are always something of a gamble. Is it going to be a telemarketer? Probably, but if you don’t answer it can leave you with a nagging worry. You can get some help identifying those callers on your S7 Edge by going to Settings > Advanced features > Identify unsaved numbers and toggle it on.

How to pin windows

If you want to lock the app that’s onscreen before handing your phone over to someone else, then you can use Android’s pin windows feature. It was rolled out in Marshmallow, but you’ll need to dig into Samsung’s TouchWiz menus to find it and toggle it on. Go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Other security settings and scroll down to Pin windows. When it’s turned on, you can tap the Recent apps button and then tap on the pin icon at the bottom right corner of the app you want to pin.

How to schedule restarts

If you take a look at any of our troubleshooting guides, including our roundup of Galaxy S7 Edge problems, you’ll find that a restart is often the first step towards solving a performance issue. Samsung offers you the option to schedule a regular restart, and help to make sure your S7 Edge is running optimally. Go to Settings > Backup & reset > Auto restart and set a schedule that suits you.

How to hear doorbells and babies crying

You can actually enlist your S7 Edge to help you listen for the doorbell ringing or your baby crying, which could be ideal if you’re listening to music or watching a loud movie in another room. Head into Settings > Accessibility > Hearing > Sound detectors, and you’ll find toggles to turn on Baby crying detector or Doorbell detector, which will prompt you to record the sound of your doorbell, so your S7 Edge can recognize it.

How to adapt sound for you

A lot of people listen to music and watch movies on their phones nowadays, but the sound quality isn’t always the best. Samsung offers you the option to configure a listening profile to suit your hearing and your earphones. If you head into Settings > Sounds and vibration and scroll down to Sound quality and effects at the bottom, you’ll find the Equalizer, a handful of different sound effects to choose from, and an Adapt sound option at the bottom. Plug in your earphones and work through the sound test. You’ll be asked to tap when you can and can’t hear a series of beeps, so that the S7 Edge can personalize its sound profile for you.

How to use pop-up view

Did you know that you can swipe down diagonally from the top left or top right corner in some supported apps, such as Facebook, and reduce them to a window? If you want to check something, but leave your current app open, it’s a handy option. Go to Settings > Advanced features and make sure that Pop-up view gesture is toggled on.

How to charge faster

The Galaxy S7 Edge supports fast cable charging and fast wireless charging. To make sure that you’re charging up as fast as you can, take a look in Settings > Battery and turn Fast cable charging and Fast wireless charging on. You will need to use a charger, cable, and wireless charging pad that support fast charging. The Fast wireless charging option may be absent, but it should pop up when you put the S7 Edge on a wireless charging pad that supports it.

How to quickly clear cached data

Are you looking to free up some storage space? Maybe you want to clear your app cache to make sure it isn’t causing any issues on your S7 Edge. Either way, it’s easy to do by going to Settings > Storage, tap on Internal storage and give it a few seconds to update. When it shows how much space each section is taking up, tap on Cached data and then tap Delete.

How to stop the screen turning on in your pocket

You can prevent your S7 Edge screen from turning on when it’s in your pocket or in your bag by going to Settings > Display and scrolling down to toggle on Keep screen turned off. Your display should stop turning on accidentally now, when it’s stowed in a dark place.