Galaxy Note 9: Tips and tricks to get the most out of your smartphone

From new functions of S Pen resources that were already present in the Galaxy S9 / S9 + and were improved, the top of the line certainly arrived in Brazil very complete. If you haven't read what are the main positives and negatives of the Galaxy Note 9, stop this article here, and go read!

But if you already know what it's like to have a Notes 9 in hand, it's time to discover how to extract the full potential of your new smartphone from Samsung through our 20 tips and tricks.

Tips and tricks: Galaxy Note 9

Change the font color of the new S Pen

O Galaxy Note 9 arrived in Brazil in the colors Black, Blue and Cobre, with the detail that the S Pen that comes with the smartphone in the blue version has a yellow finisho.

The condition might go unnoticed were it not for the fact that the font color of the Note 9's S Pen is the same as the color of the pen itself, which makes it difficult to view saved notes later, as the font color is confused with the background color.

So you don't have to strain your eyes or try to guess what you've written yourself, just go to Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen > Screen Off Note. There, in addition to being able to activate or deactivate the writing feature with the screen off, it is also possible to deactivate the option of “Use the characteristic color of the S Pen” and start reading your notes more easily.

Use the S Pen to open your favorite app

now that the S Pen gained connection Bluetooth and a small battery, you can use the pen button to perform various types of media-related actions. It is also possible to go a little further, since in the Galaxy Note 9 you can choose an app or feature to open by pressing and holding the S Pen button.

To do this, the user just needs to go to Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen > S Pen Remote Control. In this tab, the smartphone system gives access to the option “Keep pressure. the S Pen button to”, which allows you to choose the app in question.

Use the S Pen as a remote control

As mentioned earlier, the button on the S Pen allows different types of interactions with various applications. Here, the system guarantees the choice of two actions for the button, which are divided into “Press once” or “Press twice”. in the application of camera, for example, pressing the button once takes a photograph. Meanwhile, double tapping causes the app to switch between the front and rear cameras.

If you want to customize what each app does, go to Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen > S Pen Remote Control. There, just locate the tab of “Applications Actions” and make the appropriate changes.

Unlock your Galaxy Note 9 with the S Pen

Despite not being the safest resource in the world, in Notes 9 there is the possibility to unlock the screen with a simple press of the S Pen button. The only rule is: the smartphone must have been locked while using the sharpie.

This option can be activated ou disabled Go to Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen > S Pen Remote Control > Unlock. with S Pen remote control.

Restore your S Pen

If you encounter any connection problems between the Galaxy Note 9 and the new S Pen, know which device Samsung allows the pen to be reset in order to get it working properly again.

To do this, simply place the S Pen in its charging compartment and go to Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen > S Pen Remote Control. Within this tab, the option to restore the pen will be hidden in the upper right corner of the screen, where the three dots vertically.

Media-focused volume knobs

One of the main features to be brought by Google in the Android 9 Pie is the media volume control as a priority. even if the Galaxy Note 9 does not have access to this update at the moment, it has this option through the interface that Samsung itself puts in the operating system.

“Use volume buttons for media” can be found and activated in Settings > Sounds & Vibration.

Disable new AI features for cameras

Despite having the same set of cameras present in the Galaxy S9+, the Galaxy Note 9 brought with it two new features of artificial intelligence which are quite useful. They are: the scene optimizer and the fault detection. The latter, for example, serves to inform the user if someone blinked during the photos.

If you want a more “raw” user experience, just deactivate features under Camera > Camera Settings.

Record in Super Slow-Mo for longer

Since Galaxy S9 / S9 +, we have the possibility to record cinematographic videos with the presence of the Super Slow Mo (960 fps) for up to 0,2 second. At the Galaxy Note 9, however, you have the option of changing this time to 0,4 second, sacrificing the final quality of the video – whose resolution drops from 720p to 480p.

This option is found just above the Mode Shutter. Super Slow Mo, requiring only one touch to switch between the two modes.

Play with Food Mode

Despite being developed for capturing photos of delicious dishes, the “Food Mode” – which is easily found by dragging the screen to the right – allows the user to pay close attention to the object when leaving the focus free to handle. Plus, this capture mode lets you fiddle with the color palette, in order to bring more life to the dish or object in question.

Camera with variable lens aperture

As with the Galaxy S9 line, the main camera of the Galaxy Note 9 It has a variable lens aperture. This means that if your image needs more light (during the night, for example), the smartphone will increase the aperture to f / 1.5. On the other hand, if you are capturing a photo during the day, this aperture will decrease to f / 2.4.

By default, the Notes 9 performs this exchange automatically, maintaining the quality of the images in any situation. However, it is possible to adjust the aperture manually using the "Pro mode" camera, which can be enabled in the native app settings.

Activate floating shutter

O shutter it's that button we use to capture photos or videos through the camera app. Usually located in the lower corner (if the smartphone is vertical), the virtual button can be a little hard to reach with just one hand.

Luckily, under Camera > Camera Settings we find an option to floating shutter, which serves to ensure that we will reach the button anywhere on the screen, as it can be dragged.

Brightness control always visible in the notification bar

Have full control over the screen brightness level from your smartphone is very useful. In case your Galaxy Note 9 only show this type of setting in the complete notification bar (which needs two swipes to be activated), know that you can make the brightness adjustment also visible in the incomplete notification bar.

Next to the bar with the brightness level, we have a silk pointed down. It hides some advanced settings and one of them is the “Show control above”, which ensures the presence of the tweak above the notification bar. Just activate it.

Turn off Bixby Home

Not everyone likes to swipe right – on the home screen – and face the Bixby-Home. So, if you want to disable this feature, just:

1. Touch the home screen and hold until the configuration interface appears;
2. Drag your finger to the right until you reach the tab of the Bixby-Home;
3. In the upper right corner of the Bixby-Home, turn off the feature.

Change the screen resolution of your Galaxy Note 9

Your Note 9 may come with the screen set to the resolution Full HD + (2220 x 1080 pixels), which does not represent the best possible quality of the Super AMOLED panel from Samsung. So go to Settings > Display > Screen resolution and choose the resolution WQHD + (2960 x 1440 pixels).

Use the Galaxy Note 9 with just one hand

With 6,4 inches, the Note 9 is certainly one of the biggest smartphones sold today. However, it is still possible to use it with just one hand when activating the “One-Handed Mode”, located under Settings > Advanced Features. Here, the size of the app windows is ideal for this type of use.

Multitasking, multi-windows

beyond the classic “Split screen mode”, on the new top of the line from Samsung you can also use the “Popup Display Mode”, which is characterized by the possibility of minimizing windows as we do in Windows, for example.

To enable this feature, go to Settings > Advanced features > Multi-windows and check the option with the name “Popup Display Mode”. This mode can be activated in compatible apps by dragging your finger diagonally from the top of the screen.

Change the order of navigation buttons

By default, the “Home”, “Back”, and “Recent” buttons on the Galaxy Note 9 are positioned in a way that might be strange to someone who is used to the Android conventional. If you prefer the button 'Come back" is on the left side and not on the right side, you need to go to Settings > Display > Navigation Bar > Button Appearance.

immersive mode

Since we're talking about the navigation bar of Notes 9, it is worth mentioning that there is a fourth button on it. nicknamed “Immersive Mode” the small circle-shaped button allows you to collapse the navigation bar to bring more immersion in readings. Oh, and if you press it twice, the circular button disappears.

Wallpapers and themes

Who doesn't enjoy customizing the smartphone's interface? In Settings > Wallpapers and Themes you can search – in the Samsung – your favorite wallpaper or theme. Even app icons can be changed without any difficulty.

Advanced settings you will want to enable

In Settings > Advanced Features you have a series of extra settings that may or may not be useful for your day to day. One of them is the option to open the camera by pressing twice the on/off button on the Galaxy Note 9. In addition, in this same tab the user can activate the gestures of the fingerprint sensor, which allow you to open the notification bar without touching the screen, for example.

With information from: PCWorld, Droid Life e Guiding Tech.

Read also

Check out 21 tips and tricks for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+