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Key settings you need to change on your brand-new LG V40 ThinQ

Now that your brand-new LG V40 ThinQ is in hand, it’s time to set it up. We’ve compiled a short list of settings you may want to tinker with in order to get the best experience on your new phone. And once you have your new phone all set up, you may want to find a good case to keep your LG V40 ThinQ gorgeous and safe.

How to hide the notch

To say the display notch is controversial is an understatement. If the notch is not your cup of tea, you may find yourself with relatively few premium smartphone options in 2018. Although the LG V40 ThinQ does have a notch, it’s relatively easy to hide.

If you want to hide the notch, go to Settings > Display > New Second Screen. Tap on the Custom radio button. If you want to customize what LG calls New Second Screen more, you can easily adjust its color by tapping on one of the circular palette icons, or even adjust the way the corners of the screen appear by toggling the App Corners radio buttons.

How to set a schedule for the blue light filter

Blue light hype reached fever pitch in 2018. And while blue light exposure will probably not cause blindness, it may interfere with a good night’s sleep. Luckily the LG V40 ThinQ has a great blue light filter.

When you’re ready to set up the blue light filter, tap Settings > Display > Comfort View. If you want the blue light filter to be active all the time you can toggle on the Use Comfort View slider; otherwise you’ll want to toggle on the Schedule slider below and then tap the overflow (three-dot) icon to its left. From here you can adjust the times you’d like the blue light filter to be active.

How to add Shortcuts to the Lock Screen

Lock screen notifications make it easy to quickly get updates from your favorite apps and messaging services without unlocking your phone. But did you know you can also add shortcuts to frequently used apps to the lock screen?

Adding shortcuts to the lock screen is simple. Go to Settings > Lock Screen & Security > Customize Lock Screen > Shortcuts. From here you can add up to five shortcuts by tapping on the + icon. Once you’ve added your selected apps, they should appear at the bottom of the lock screen.

How to turn on the Floating Bar

If you’re the type that routinely uses the same few apps or contacts the same few people, the LG V40 ThinQ has a feature that may be very useful. It’s called Floating Bar and its basically a menu of frequently used shortcuts or contacts that you can access by swiping in from the edge of your screen.

To get started with the Floating Bar select Settings > Extensions and toggle on the option for Floating Bar. Tap the overflow (three-dot) icon to customize your Floating Bar by toggling on the features you want to add. You can then organize the active features by dragging the tabs to the left of its name.

Once you have the Floating Bar enabled, you’ll see a small indicator on the right side of the screen. Tap it to open the Floating Bar and swipe to the left to move through the selected features.

How to turn off Smart Bulletin

Smart Bulletin is not exclusive to the LG V40 ThinQ; it has been making appearances on LG phones for some time now. While some may find it useful, it doesn’t compare to Google Assistant, which is built in as well.

Disabling Smart Bulletin is easy. Just go to Settings > Display > Home Screen > Left Home Screen and select the radio button next to None. Tap OK to finish.

If you want to use Google Assistant, just long tap on the home button.

How to create an app drawer

Like to keep your home screen tidy? Well, there’s a setting you’ll definitely want to update on the LG V40 ThinQ. It’s called the Apps list icon and it’s basically an app drawer that allows you to hide all of your apps from the home screen.

You can create an app drawer with just a few steps. Go to Settings > Display > Home Screen > Select Home. Select the Home With Separate Apps List radio button and toggle on the Apps List Icon option below. Press OK to complete.

How to set up Do Not Disturb

After being tethered to your phone for hours on end, it’s important to get a little time away from your screen. The LG V40 ThinQ has a robust Do Not Disturb feature that allows you to schedule quiet time every day (or night).

Setting up Do Not Disturb takes a few moments but is worth the effort. To do so, go to  Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb and select Add schedule. Toggle on the On slider and name your Do Not Disturb schedule. Select the days and times when you’d like Do Not Disturb enabled. When you’re finished tap Save.

Steven Winkelman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
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