So, you simply bought your self a brand-new Galaxy S26. The telephones might not appear too totally different from the Galaxy S25 sequence, however Samsung’s newest flagships include a heap of latest options, a few of which can trickle right down to earlier fashions.
In fact, we encourage you to discover your new telephone and take a look at all that it has to supply, however these are a number of the first issues we expect you must change or try after organising the telephone. Whether or not you’ve got the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, or S26 Extremely, listed below are some early ideas and tips.
At present’s greatest Samsung Galaxy S26 offers
Arrange your Privateness Show to cover your display screen
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One of many greatest {hardware} options on the Galaxy S26 sequence is the Privateness Show. Sadly, restricted to the Galaxy S26 Extremely, this function makes use of a novel pixel construction and successfully hides the contents of your display screen from anybody wanting from an angle by turning a few of these pixels off. The result’s that you would be able to nonetheless see your show, however somebody making an attempt to sneak a peek should not be capable of.
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The impact is surprisingly efficient, and Samsung even enables you to customise the Privateness Show in order that it solely prompts once you open sure apps or once you obtain notifications.
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To activate the Privateness Show in your Galaxy S26 Extremely, head to Settings > Show > Privateness Show and toggle the function on. Then, faucet the choice to dig deeper into the assorted customizations.
When you allow the Circumstances for turning on, you will see the next choices:
- Apps: Allows the Privateness Show when opening sure apps
- Pin, sample, password: Hides the display screen once you enter delicate info, though solely works within the Settings app, lock display screen, and Safe Folder.
- Notification pop-ups: Partially allows the Privateness Show in order that it hides solely notifications, though the remainder of the show is seen to others.
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
You even have the choice to allow a Most privateness show, which can change how the show seems when considered straight on. This can additional block others from viewing the show and also will change your viewing expertise.
It ought to be famous that there are some trade-offs in relation to the general show expertise, as famous in our Galaxy S26 Extremely show overview. Nonetheless, the function is an unimaginable feat on a smartphone general, and we want it might come to different Samsung telephones moreover the Extremely.
A brand new method to voicemail
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Voicemails are usually dealt with by carriers or apps, such because the T-Cellular Visible Voicemail app. Nonetheless, Samsung is taking issues into its personal fingers with Direct Voicemail, a function that primarily upgrades your voicemail expertise at no additional value.
With Direct Voicemail, Samsung offers you extra management over your expertise. For instance, once you obtain a name, you may choose to ship it to voicemail, ship it to voicemail instantly, or set it to go to voicemail after a sure period of time.
What to learn subsequent
You’ll be able to entry and arrange Direct Voicemail by navigating to the Cellphone app > three-button menu > Settings > Direct voicemail and toggling it on. Then toggle on whether or not you need the app to routinely ship calls to voicemail and set the time to take action.
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The place Direct Voicemail has a bonus over different options is its skill to transcribe voicemails once they are available, one thing that T-Cellular makes you pay additional for. And just like the old-school voicemail recorders that play the message because it’s coming in, you may reply the decision whereas they’re leaving a message in case you determine it is one thing you must truly deal with within the second.
Voicemails are additionally saved on-device, so you may simply entry them from the decision log in your telephone app. It’s also possible to use the upgraded Audio Eraser to wash up the audio if you cannot clearly hear the principle speaker due to background noise.
Or you may display screen your calls
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Name Display on the Pixel is considered one of our favourite options, permitting the telephone to make use of AI to reply the telephone in your behalf. The thought is to reply calls from unknown numbers so the assistant can work out the explanation for the decision, so you may know if it is actually price answering.
Samsung lastly has the same function: the aptly named Name Screening. Like on the Pixel, you will not must reply the decision, however you will nonetheless be capable of see a stay transcription of what is being mentioned. The AI will ask who is looking and the explanation for the decision, and you’ll both look ahead to the caller to hold up or you may reply the decision in case you assume there is a purpose to.
(Picture credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Entry this function by navigating to the Cellphone app > three-dot menu > Settings > Name screening. When you toggle the function on, you may also toggle on the Auto display screen calls and set it to both Suspected spam and scams or Unknown callers. You’ll be able to cowl all of the bases by choosing the latter possibility and turning on Caller ID and spam safety in the principle Name settings.
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Along with Name screening, different Name Help options embrace Textual content name and Reside translate. Just like Name screening, an AI assistant will reply, however you may sort or choose responses your self. Happily, this function ties instantly into Name Screening, so you may all the time change to this technique if you wish to take management of the dialog. It’s also possible to change how the voice sounds, customise Fast responses, and decide to play the opposite individuals voice along with the on-screen textual content.
24MP: The Goldilocks digital camera mode?
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Samsung has supplied a 24MP mode on its cameras for a while, nevertheless it’s solely accessible by way of the Skilled RAW app, which is geared toward extra skilled photographers. Nonetheless, with the Galaxy S26 sequence, now you can entry a 24MP mode inside the common digital camera app.
You should first have the Digicam Assistant app, which you’ll obtain from the Galaxy Retailer. As soon as put in, open the Digicam app > faucet the Fast controls button > faucet the Settings icon > scroll down and faucet Digicam Assistant > faucet Superior decision choices. Toggle on 24 MP decision, then faucet the choice to allow Maintain 24 MP decision to take care of your decision choice.
After that, you may return to the digital camera viewfinder to modify the decision to 24MP.
The good thing about a 24MP decision possibility is that it enables you to seize sharper photographs than the 12MP possibility. Whereas processing will take somewhat longer, it will not take so long as it might with the complete 50MP or 200MP choices, giving customers a pleasant medium possibility. The variations will not be night time and day, however you will get extra decision to work with, with some added element.
Samsung warns that zoom and sure digital camera settings might scale back decision. You’ll be able to offset this by enabling the Upscale digital zoom possibility, which goals to maintain photographs at their unique decision even once you zoom in.
Let Gemini do it for you
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Gemini is a powerful AI assistant, however Google has given it much more superpowers. Launched alongside the Galaxy S26 sequence, Gemini display screen automation can now deal with duties in choose apps with minimal enter from you. For instance, you may ask Gemini to request an Uber or order meals from choose eating places.
It is a neat function, however to make use of it, it’s important to allow it. You are able to do so by opening Gemini, tapping your Google account icon, then navigating to Settings and Display automation. Right here, you may determine to all the time permit display screen automation, by no means permit it, or to have Gemini ask each time.
That is additionally the place you may see the supported apps that you’ve put in in your telephone. These embrace (however aren’t restricted to):
- Uber
- Lyft
- Starbucks
- McDonald’s
- Uber Eats
- Doordash
What’s nice about this function is that you simply hardly need to raise a finger. Gemini will open the app and navigate it as in case you’re the one doing it. You’ll be able to even watch Gemini because it dismisses in-app adverts, finds the objects you are searching for, sifts by way of your latest orders, provides the objects to your cart, and removes something which may not be obtainable on the location.
You’ll be able to cease the automation at any time if it’s essential to make changes, or Gemini might pause itself if it wants clarification on an order, equivalent to your required drink dimension. The automation will finish as soon as the objects are added to the cart and fee needs to be made. Gemini will then inform you that the order is prepared so that you can make the ultimate affirmation, after which you’ll enter or verify your fee particulars and place the order.
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Gemini Display automation is surprisingly succesful, and we will not wait to see it broaden with extra capabilities and to extra apps.
Get much more private together with your Galaxy S26
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Samsung launched a ton of latest and upgraded AI options with the Galaxy S26 sequence (like Gemini display screen automation). Nonetheless, a part of what makes a number of these options work so properly is Private Knowledge Intelligence. That is what Samsung makes use of to allow apps to supply helpful info and solutions primarily based on on-device information and your telephone use. Basically, it is the spine of options like Now Temporary and Now Nudge.
Private Knowledge Intelligence was obtainable on the Galaxy S25 sequence; nonetheless, it has been expanded on the Galaxy S26 sequence to incorporate extra apps and options. So, to ensure you’re getting essentially the most out of your Galaxy S26 and AI options like Now Nudge, you will wish to be sure that Private Knowledge Intelligence is enabled.
Navigate to Settings > Safety and privateness > Extra privateness settings > Private information intelligence. It could already be toggled on, however in case it isn’t, accomplish that. Beneath, you may overview the apps that you simply wish to improve with Private information intelligence. When in comparison with the Galaxy S25 sequence, the brand new apps on this record embrace:
- Now Nudge
- Finder
- Cellphone
- Contacts
- Reminder
- Fast Share
- Notifications
- Bixby
Toggling these on will allow further options, equivalent to Fast Share recommending photographs to share primarily based on the individuals in mentioned photographs or Bixby offering extra private responses primarily based on how you employ numerous apps and companies.
It’s also possible to handle your private information from the Private Knowledge Intelligence menu, together with your identify, telephone quantity, e-mail deal with, passport info, and extra. Based on Samsung, this information is used “to supply related content material in your Now temporary and to assist autofill info in types.”
Lastly, Samsung makes it simple to handle which information you permit apps and companies to make use of, which incorporates Samsung’s built-in apps like Gallery and Samsung Well being, in addition to Google apps like Messages and Gmail.
(Picture credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
That is all powered by Samsung’s Private Knowledge Engine (PDE), which the corporate says processes information on-device to guard privateness when coping with issues like photographs or contacts. This, together with Knox Enhanced Encrypted Safety (KEEP), permits Samsung’s AI companies to work seamlessly within the background whereas preserving your information secure.
