Your Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely has arrived, and now you are questioning whether or not you made the proper name shopping for a $650 smartwatch? It is too late for purchaser’s regret, so step one is to personalize your Extremely in order that it is as helpful and individualized to your wants as doable.
Having reviewed the Galaxy Watch Extremely and several other different Samsung watches, I am acquainted sufficient with its One UI Watch spin on Put on OS to level you in direction of each software program characteristic, new or outdated, that requires you to dive into settings earlier than you entry them. Listed below are my Galaxy Watch Extremely ideas and tips for getting began!
Word: Every time I say “Settings” beneath, I imply the Galaxy Watch Extremely settings discovered once you swipe down from the primary watch face, until I say in any other case.
Change your default assistant, apps, and shortcuts
For those who’re a fan of Samsung’s apps like Bixby and Samsung Pockets, then skip to the subsequent part. However for everybody who prefers Google’s apps, Samsung enables you to change them in as your default choices. However you may must obtain a lot of them from the Play Retailer first, and never all of them may be activated in the identical place.
To modify your default apps, go to Settings > Apps > Select default apps. Here is the place you may make Google Assistant and Google Messages your default choices. Then, again in Settings, open Buttons and Gestures and, below Dwelling button, choose Press and maintain and select Assistant as a substitute of Bixby.
Sadly, Samsung refuses to allow you to remap the long-press again button shortcut from Samsung Pockets to Google Pockets (or anything). However on this identical menu, you may make the Double Press shortcut go to any app, together with Google Pockets.
When you’re on this Settings menu, you possibly can change what the Fast Button does; it defaults to Samsung Well being exercises, however you possibly can select the Stopwatch, Flashlight, or Water lock instruments as a substitute, or default to a particular exercise sort.
Lastly, if you wish to use Gboard as a substitute of Samsung Keyboard, obtain Gboard from the Play Retailer, then go to Settings > Basic > Enter > Keyboard listing and default > Default keyboard and select Gboard.
Activate gestures
Samsung has three gesture controls in the identical Buttons and gestures menu, all disabled by default. Samsung would not level these out through the preliminary buttons-and-functions tour, so that you would possibly by no means understand they’re there until you go searching.
Double pinch enables you to “reply calls, dismiss alerts, launch apps, management your music, and take pictures.” Shake to dismiss has you rotate your wrist twice to “decline incoming calls or dismiss alerts akin to alarms, timers, and reminders.” Knock knock has you bend your wrist down twice to drag up whichever app you need.
You may flip every on or off individually, so you may must resolve in the event that they’re worthwhile to you. Our Galaxy Watch 7 reviewer praised these shortcuts, even whereas saying they solely work about 70% of the time. It is smart to attempt them for your self and see if (A) you’ve gotten points with false positives and (B) you discover it simpler than counting on the buttons. Personally, I really like “Knock knock” essentially the most, just because I really like having extra shortcuts to my favourite apps as a substitute of getting to go looking within the app drawer.
Arrange Emergency SOS and Fall Detection
In an emergency, you possibly can press and maintain the Fast Button to set off a loud siren, to assist anybody close by discover you. However for those who’re someplace remoted and must name for assist, you possibly can faucet the Dwelling button 5 instances to name 911 out of your watch, in addition to ship your location and an SOS message to your emergency contacts. And your watch can auto-call 911 if it detects you falling.
A few of these options must be arrange upfront, nevertheless! Open your cell Galaxy Wearable app with the Extremely synced and comply with these steps:
1. Faucet Watch settings > Security and emergency.
2. Below Medical information, fill out your Identify, Medical circumstances, blood sort, allergy symptoms, drugs, organ donor standing, and different information.
3. Again in Security and emergency, faucet Emergency contacts > Add emergency contact and select whoever you’d need notified in an emergency out of your cellphone Contacts. Then toggle Share throughout emergency calls and texts to make sure emergency response receives your medical information and emergency contact information.
4. Subsequent, faucet Emergency SOS. Change your Emergency quantity to name if vital (mine mentioned 112 as a substitute of 911) and resolve whether or not you need to toggle require swipe to name to forestall unintended 911 calls, or to Share information with emergency contacts to concurrently ship your information out as you name 911.
5. Lastly, toggle Onerous fall detection on. With this perform, your watch will detect for those who’ve immediately stopped shifting and name 911 for those who’re not acutely aware or in a position to answer the on-wrist alert.
Restrict your notifications
I solely need sure notifications popping up on my wrist; I can verify much less necessary ones later, and when sure apps buzz your wrist consistently, it turns into extra aggravating than useful.
Within the Galaxy Wearable cell app, faucet Watch settings > Notifications > App notifications. Right here, you will notice a full listing of put in apps and might individually toggle off apps you do not care to see.
By default, Sync Don’t disturb with cellphone is toggled on, which implies you need not fear about getting notifications at night time. I additionally like to enter Superior notification settings and toggle on Activate display. Which means that I need not twist my wrist each time I really feel a notification buzz; after I’m working at my desk, I like with the ability to look at my wrist with out having to maneuver it.
Replace your watch face
The cool factor in regards to the Galaxy Watch Extremely is how its 3,000-nit show can squeeze in a ton of readable data and has some new, sporty watch faces by default. That mentioned, you must positively take the time to replace them with extra helpful information and your private aptitude.
You may edit watch faces on the Extremely immediately, but it surely’s a lot simpler to take action within the Galaxy Wearable app below Watch faces. There you possibly can select between the entire default One UI 6 Watch choices or go downloading from the Play Retailer. Sadly, as a result of Put on OS 5 makes use of a brand new XML Watch Face Format, it is incompatible with the favored watch face app Facer.
Nonetheless, you may discover loads of customization choices in the primary Wearable app. With the brand new Extremely Analog watch face, for example, you possibly can edit the colour, model, arms, night time mode look, and all eight issues, so you possibly can see all method of various information based mostly on what you care about. Merely choose every standards, change what you need, then hit Save and it will instantly auto-update to the Extremely.
I wish to pre-customize and complicate a number of totally different watch faces suddenly. Then, if I am within the temper for a mode change, I can simply faucet and maintain the primary display after which swap to one in every of my backups whereas protecting the identical information I care about.
Modify your show and timeout settings
The Galaxy Watch Extremely lasts lengthy sufficient that I like to make use of the All the time-On Show (AOD) setting, make my display timeout delay longer, and preserve apps open and operating within the background in case my watch show turns off by mistake.
Swipe down from the primary watch face and faucet the Settings cog icon, then choose Show. Right here, you possibly can (and will) allow Adaptive brightness for apparent causes, then resolve whether or not to go away AOD on or off.
On this identical menu, I want to regulate Display timeout to 1 minute and Present final app to Inside 2 minutes, simply to have essentially the most flexibility. This may drain your battery slightly sooner however really feel like an enchancment everytime you do use your Extremely.
You too can change the default font on this menu. For the visually impaired, the Gothic Daring font makes all textual content a bit bigger and simpler to learn at a fast look once you’re not sporting your glasses.
Learn to prolong your battery life
For polar-opposite folks extra involved about making the Galaxy Watch Extremely final so long as doable, let’s run by way of your choices.
First, the apparent one: Swipe right down to Fast settings and faucet the Battery with leaf icon to insta-trigger Energy Saver mode. This turns off the Get up gesture, AOD, and Wi-Fi, and it “limits” CPU efficiency, background community and placement updates, and display brightness whereas shortening your display timeout.
By default, Energy Saver additionally disables auto-detected exercises, excessive/low HR alerts, steady HR / HRV / stress, and nightly pores and skin temp, SpO2, respiration, and sleep rating. However Samsung appears to know that you just would possibly need to minimize the smarts however preserve the well being information in Energy Saver mode; go to Settings > Battery and toggle Restrict well being options to Off to retain them. It makes Energy Saver much less environment friendly however extra life like that you just’d need to use it.
One different battery-saving choice is so as to add extra Sleeping apps. Primarily, this ensures that sure apps will verify for notifications “solely often,” delaying data. It is form of a semi-DND for apps that you would be able to’t flip off fully however know you do not get many notifications or do not care about seeing them instantly.
Prolong Unlock your Samsung cellphone
Considered one of my favourite Put on OS options is to maintain my cellphone unlocked if it detects my smartwatch close by. Toggling this software is simple, as long as you’ve gotten a Galaxy cellphone.
Open your cellphone settings, then Lock display and AOD > Prolong Unlock. You may be prompted to enter your cellphone PIN. Then faucet Trusted gadgets > Add trusted system and select your Galaxy Watch Extremely out of the listing of linked Bluetooth gadgets.
Take into account that Prolong Unlock works even for those who’re not at present sporting your watch; somebody may theoretically decide up your unattended watch as a key to unlock your cellphone. For those who’re apprehensive about that, you possibly can go into the Modes and Routines settings and make it in order that Prolong Unlock solely works at a specific location or time, once you’re much less prone to take your watch off or depart your cellphone unattended.
Add music recordsdata to your watch
The Galaxy Watch Extremely can stream your playlists from widespread music streaming apps over its built-in LTE connection for those who add it to your mobile plan, however that is additionally a battery killer, even for a long-lasting watch. A greater choice is to make use of the doubled cupboard space and pre-install your music playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks onto the Extremely. That manner, you possibly can depart your cellphone at house and deal with the Extremely like a real standalone system.
This information on add music recordsdata to Galaxy Watches runs by way of the steps in additional element, however to briefly summarize, you open the Galaxy Wearable app in your cellphone, faucet Handle content material > Tracks on watch, and add any playlists, albums, or particular songs you need.
In any other case, for those who subscribe to a particular music streaming app like Spotify, you possibly can usually obtain offline playlists immediately from every respective app. The identical applies to Put on OS apps like Audible (which has you pre-download audiobooks onto the watch) or Put on Casts for podcasts. You then simply want some Galaxy Buds 3 Professional or different wi-fi earbuds to pair with the Extremely.
On a considerably associated be aware, for those who want to stream by way of your cellphone, it’s possible you’ll need to go to Settings > Superior options > Auto launch media controls. This makes the controls seem by default after you begin a playlist or video, so that you need not go attempting to find them.
Purchase some backup bands
For those who preordered your Galaxy Watch Extremely, you bought a second band to go together with whichever you picked. In any other case, you are caught along with your single Marine, Path, or Peakform band, every with its explicit perks and disadvantages. Since Samsung expenses a whopping $79 for its official bands and the Extremely makes use of a proprietary band connector, you may must search for some third-party choices if you wish to change issues up.
We now have a complete information on Galaxy Watch Extremely bands you must contemplate; you may both must go together with low-cost, generic bands from nonsensically-named manufacturers or pay full value on Samsung’s superior choices. Both manner, the benefit of the Extremely is that swapping your band takes lower than a minute due to how straightforward it’s to pop them out and slide new ones again in.
Activate developer choices
For those who actually need to get essentially the most out of your Galaxy Watch Extremely, attempt taking part in with the identical settings that the Put on OS builders secretly use. They typically have drawbacks that make them unfit for on a regular basis customers, however you would possibly nonetheless need to attempt them.
In Settings, scroll all the way in which right down to About watch, then faucet Software program data and discover the Software program model area. Then faucet it 5 instances. A Developer Mode pop-up ought to flash, so again as much as Settings and you will see Developer choices below About watch.
There are dozens of developer choices, too many to debate right here, however I used to be pleasantly shocked to see Power full GNSS measurements. Samsung already gave the Galaxy Watch Extremely higher monitoring accuracy, however this dev mode makes your watch verify your location extra incessantly on the expense of battery life. For those who do not thoughts the trade-off, this could make your outcomes much more correct.
You too can toggle issues like Vibrate on connectivity change to warn you for those who depart or enter a community, or guarantee your watch stays awake whereas charging for those who wish to have it sit in your desk throughout that point. An particularly widespread setting, based mostly on what I’ve seen on Reddit, is to shorten the animation when switching between apps or menus to 0.5x.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely has the identical software program as previous Galaxy Watches, barring a number of Put on OS 5 adjustments. Except for the brand new Fast Button shortcuts and gestures, many of the expertise will really feel fairly acquainted to you, or to followers of Android watches generally.
I did not cowl some ideas like ensuring to put on your Extremely to mattress to see your Power Rating, or to take an ECG studying and comply with the prompts to arrange the leads to the Samsung Well being monitor app — since most Galaxy Watch homeowners will naturally determine these issues out on their very own. Hopefully, this Galaxy Watch Extremely newbie’s information could have proven you issues that you just may not have observed by yourself!
Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely
Accommodates hidden depths
The Galaxy Watch Extremely prices greater than your typical smartwatch, so ensure you’re getting your cash’s value by updating the entire above settings straight out of the field. It is a long-lived smartwatch — each for its 60-hour battery life and 4 years of Put on OS updates — so you may need to take advantage of these perks.