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Between work, social life, and many other things, I can’t spend all day fiddling with my phone. Thankfully, these Samsung routines take care of the small stuff for me.
1Fingerprint Unlock With Edge Lighting
Feel like unlocking your phone is boring? I did until I added Edge Lighting to my fingerprint unlock. Now, every time I touch the sensor, a soft glow wraps around the screen’s edges.
It’s a small change, but it makes unlocking feel more intentional, especially in the dark.
There are four effects to choose from: Basic, Glitter, Echo, and Spotlight. My favorite is Glitter because it adds rich sparkle to my screen.
To set this up, go to your Phone Settings and selectModes and Routines. On the Routines tab, tap the Plus (+) icon to create a new routine. In theIfsection, selectUnlock with Fingerprintand pick the fingerprint you want to use. This triggers the routine every time you unlock your phone with that fingerprint.
Next, in theThensection, chooseEdge Lighting Effect Onceand choose the effect you prefer. On theAdvancedtab, set the transparency and duration (Short, Medium, or Long). TapDone, thenSaveto finish. Now, every time you unlock your phone with that fingerprint, your screen edge will glow coolly.
2Disabling Fingerprint Unlock at Night
It sounds paranoid, but your fingerprint can unlock your phone while you’re asleep. To avoid that, I turn off fingerprint unlocking at night and switch to a PIN or pattern instead. It’s kind of likeenabling Lockdown Mode on Android, but it’s automatic and tied to a set time. This way, I can keep my phone secure and make sure no one secretly uses my fingerprint to unlock it while I’m sleeping.
To turn off fingerprint unlocking at night, open Modes and Routines and tap the plus (+) icon. In theIfsection, selectTime periodand chooseTime. Set the hours you want, like 11 PM to 7 AM, when you’d prefer fingerprint unlocking to be off.
UnderRepeat, you can go withEvery day, or select specific days if you want it to apply weekly or monthly. Once that’s done, hitDoneat the bottom right.
Now, in theThensection, chooseUnlock with biometricsand toggle off bothFingerprintsandFace. TapDone, thenSaveto lock in your routine. Finally, scan your fingerprint to confirm the changes. Your phone will now only unlock with a pattern or PIN at night. Adding this layer of security gives you peace of mind that your personal information stays safe while you sleep.
3Announcing Battery Status and Charging Events
Ever wished your phone would notify you if it’s charging or running low so you wouldn’t have to keep checking? Well, mine does, and it’s amazing. Whenever it’s plugged in, it says, “Charging started.”
When the battery is low, it chimes, “Battery is below 20%.” Whether I’m working or just watching something, I don’t have to keep checking my phone—I just know. It announces when charging starts, stops, or when the battery reaches certain levels, such as 15%, 80%, or full.
To automate battery-low announcements:
Open theModes and Routinesapp on your Samsung device and tap the “+” icon to start a new routine. Under theIfsection, hit the plus (+) icon to add a trigger. ChooseCharging statusas the trigger and set it toNot charging.
Then, tap “Add condition (+)” and pickBattery levelas the condition. Set it toBelowand choose 20% (or whatever percentage works for you).
In theThensection, tap the plus (+) icon and selectShow custom notification. In the title field, type something like “Your battery is low, please charge your device,” or whatever suits you.
you may also tweak the notification text to your liking. Turn onRead this notification aloudif you’d like, then tapDone. Finally, hitSavein the bottom right corner to lock in your automation.
Whenever your battery drops below 20%, this automation will activate and send you a customized notification with your chosen title and text. If you’ve turned on the “Read this notification aloud” option, your device will even read it out loud for you!
Similarly, you can set up automation for other situations, like when you plug your device into a charger or when your battery is fully charged.
4Decline Calls and Send Quick Message
When I’m already on a call, and someone else tries to reach me, it can be tricky to manage both conversations or respond quickly. Thanks to the automatic messaging feature, I can let the second caller know I’m busy and will get back to them ASAP.
It helps me stay professional and prevents me from being rude or unresponsive. If you often encounter situations like this, try this automation.
To set up this automation, head to Settings on your phone and tap on Modes and Routines. Hit the plus (+) icon to start a new routine. UnderIf, tap the “+” icon, selectDuring calls, and chooseFrom anyonefor all callers orFrom specific callersfor certain people. TapDoneto confirm the trigger.
For the action, tap plus (+) underThenand selectDecline call and send a quick message. Customize the message that will be sent to the caller, such as “Sorry, I’m busy right now. Will get back to you shortly.” When you’re all set, hitSaveand give your routine a name.
From now on, whenever you get a call while you’re already on one, your phone will automatically decline it and send a pre-set or customized message to the caller.
5Switch to Dark Mode at Night
Dark Mode is a cool, eye-friendly feature that saves battery, especially on devices with OLED or AMOLED screens. But I don’t always want it on during the day, so I set it up for automatic switching at night.
I no longer have to remember to toggle the Dark Mode feature every night for a more comfortable browsing experience. If you’re a night owl like me, this automation is worth setting up.
To set up automatic Dark Mode switching, open the Routines and Modes app on your Samsung device and tap the “+” icon. In theIfsection, tap “+” to add a trigger. SelectTime periodand chooseSunset until next day sunriseas your timeframe.
This way, Dark Mode will turn on at sunset and switch back to Light Mode at sunrise. you’re able to also set a custom schedule if needed. UnderRepeat, selectEvery dayor specific days for your routine.
In theThensection, selectDark Mode, set it toOn, and tapDone. You can also addEye Comfort ShieldwithAdaptive(auto-adjusts screen color) orCustom(manual temperature adjustments). Finally, tapSave, name your routine, and you’re done.
6Power Saving Mode When Battery Is Low
When my battery drops below a certain threshold (like 20%), this routine activates Power Saving Mode. It reduces performance, limits background activity, and restricts certain features, giving me just enough juice to make it home without hunting for a charger.
To set up this routine, head toSettings>Modes and Routines, and tap the plus (+) icon. Under theIfsection, chooseBattery level, set it to less than20%, and tapDone. Next, in theThensection, search forPower savingand turn itOn. TapDone>Save, give your routine a name, and hitDoneagain.
When your battery drops to 20% or less, your phone will automatically switch to power-saving mode—giving you the extra boost to get through the day.
7Turn Wi-Fi On at Home, and Use Mobile Data When Away
This automation eliminates the daily hassle of switching Wi-Fi on and off. At home, my phone automatically connects to Wi-Fi, saving mobile data. The moment I step out, it switches to mobile data, so I don’t have to deal with connection drops when I’m out of range. It’s smooth, saves battery, and ensures I’m always connected to the best network available.
To set up this automation, head over toSettings>Modes and Routines. Switch to theRoutinestab and hit the plus (+) icon to trigger a new automation. UnderIf, tap the “+” icon, search forPlace, and pick eitherMy current locationorHome(if you’ve already set it up).
Adjust the slider to set the radius for triggering the automation—I’d recommend a larger radius if you frequently commute between home and work. Then, chooseWhen I arriveand hitDone.
In theThensection, search for and selectWi-Fi, set it toOn, and tapDone. After that, tap the “+” icon to add another action, chooseMobile Data, and set it toOff. Once completed, tapDone>Saveto activate the automation. To finish, give your automation a name and pick an icon to make it easy to spot.
When you arrive home, your phone will automatically turn on Wi-Fi and turn off mobile data. It’s a quick and easy way to save both data and battery life.
You can also create an automation for when you leave home to turn off Wi-Fi and switch on mobile data. Just follow the same steps as before, but this time, pickWhen I leaveas the trigger. Then, setWi-FitoOffandMobile datatoOn.
Whenever you head out, your phone will automatically switch to mobile data, so you stay connected and never miss important notifications or emails while you’re away.
8Optimizing Entertainment Settings
When I binge-watch or listen to music, I want no interruptions. So, I built a one-tap routine I call Entertainment Mode. It turns on Do Not Disturb, enables Dolby Atmos, raises the brightness, and sets the volume slightly above my normal level. This lets me fully immerse myself in my favorite shows and tunes without any distractions.
To set up a similar routine, go to Modes and Routines and tap the “+” icon to create a new one. In the If section, hit “+” to add a trigger. Search forApp openedand pick the media apps you want for your entertainment mode, like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify.
In theThensection, tap “+” again to set your actions. Turn onDo not disturbto block notifications, setScreen orientationto Auto Rotate,Media volumehigh, andBrightnessto 100%. Now, you’re all set for the ultimate viewing and listening experience.
These are just a few of the automated routines I use to simplify things, but there’s so much more you can do! You can mix and match different triggers and actions in the Routines feature to suit your needs and lifestyle. Play around with it and see what works best for you.
