10 Life Hacks Every Samsung Galaxy S26 Owner Should Know
So, you’ve bought yourself a brand-new Samsung Galaxy S26 . How can you get the most out of it? Samsung’s latest flagship phones come with One UI 8.5 out of the box, and there’s a lot you can do with the software and some hardware improvements Samsung has implemented. Here are 10 ways to make your Galaxy S26 more useful than it is out of the box:
Use DeX to turn your Galaxy phone into a computer.
I’ve talked about Samsung DeX before : it’s a desktop interface for your phone that activates when you connect the device to a monitor, meaning you can use your Galaxy device almost like a PC if you connect a mouse and keyboard.
DeX isn’t a new technology, but on models with One UI 8.5, it offers up to four separate desktops, each capable of holding five apps, giving you more space to work. Additional options for positioning the extended display in DeX mode are also available. To get started, go to “Connected devices” > “Samsung DeX” in Settings.
Use your Galaxy S26 as a high-quality webcam.
Starting with Android 14, Pixel phones can be used as webcams, and with the Galaxy S26 series , Samsung has finally joined the bandwagon . This should work on Windows and macOS: simply connect your phone to your computer with a USB-C cable, open the notification on your Galaxy screen, and select “Webcam” mode. The next time you launch an app that can use the webcam, the Galaxy S26 Ultra should appear in the list of available apps in the camera selection menu.
If you have a laptop with a built-in webcam, you might wonder why you need to use your phone as a webcam. However, it’s a good option if you’re using a desktop computer without a webcam or if your built-in webcam isn’t very good. A phone also offers much more flexibility in camera position and angle, so this can actually be very convenient.
Use Privacy Guard to hide your Galaxy’s screen from prying eyes.
The most notable feature of the Galaxy S26 is the “Privacy Display” feature, although unfortunately it’s only available on the Ultra model. Thanks to clever tricks, it makes it virtually impossible for others to see what’s displayed on the screen.
The On-Screen Privacy setting is located under the Display section of Settings (it’s also available in the Quick Settings panel), and you can enable it manually or set it to turn on automatically (for example, when you enter a PIN or password). There’s also an option to enable On-Screen Privacy for notifications only, as well as a setting called ” Maximum Privacy Protection .” This maximizes privacy, but, as Samsung states, “may also affect regular browsing.”
Use the ‘Restart when idle’ feature to automatically protect your Galaxy from hackers.
Head into the One UI 8.5 settings on your Galaxy S26 and you’ll find a new option under Security & Privacy > Advanced Security Settings . It’s called “Reboot when idle,” and it means your phone will automatically reboot if you don’t use it for 72 consecutive hours. After rebooting, it will be in a more secure mode than before. Incoming notifications and calls won’t appear on the screen, and unlocking the device (using a PIN, password, or pattern) will be required to use it again.
At first glance, this may not seem much different from a regular phone lock, but rebooting activates the so-called “Before First Unlock” (BFU) state. This BFU state adds several additional security measures to the standard lock, including notification blocking, full data encryption, and temporary disabling of biometric authentication.
Customize the quick access toolbar to quickly find the functions you use most often.
One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S26 series brings enhanced control over the Quick Panel, which appears when you swipe down from the top right corner of the screen. You can now edit buttons individually or in groups, and important elements like the brightness and volume sliders can be resized and moved. You can customize the Quick Panel with the layout that’s most convenient for you, including all the most frequently used settings and features.
To start, swipe down from the top-right corner to find the panel, then tap the pen icon at the top. Use the Edit button on the main panel to change the shortcut buttons and the Add Control button to add a new one. You can move elements by pressing and holding them, resize them using the handles on the sides, and delete them by tapping the – (minus) icons.
Use this setting to automatically switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data when needed.
One of Samsung’s more subtle uses of AI can be found in the Connections > Wi-Fi section of your Galaxy S26’s Settings page. If you select “Switch to mobile data using AI,” you’ll have options to intelligently switch to cellular data if Wi-Fi coverage is spotty or absent. This should reduce interruptions if you’re on the move and switching between multiple networks.
Use the Audio Eraser feature to reduce background noise in any video.
With the Galaxy S25, Samsung introduced the Audio Eraser feature, which allows you to isolate various sounds from recorded videos (such as background crowd noise, music, or speech) and amplify some sounds while attenuating others. This ensures your videos won’t be marred by background wind noise or other distractions.
In One UI 8.5 and the Galaxy S26 series, the Audio Eraser app received an update. It can now work in real time with any video and app. This implementation is simpler than with your own videos, but effective: you get two sliders for reducing background noise and boosting voices in dialogue or vocals in music. When a video is playing on the screen, swipe down from the top-right corner to access quick settings, then select Audio Eraser to access the sliders.
Detect fraudulent schemes in real time.
As I previously reported , the real-time fraud detection technology previously available in Pixel is now available in the Galaxy S26 series. What’s more, it’s built right into the Samsung Phone app. To enable this feature in the Phone app, tap the three dots (top right), then select “Settings” and “Fraud Detection.” All incoming audio is processed locally by Gemini, and nothing is recorded or sent to the cloud. Fraud detection isn’t 100% accurate, but if the built-in AI deems the words you hear match patterns commonly used by scammers, you’ll see a message on the screen and receive haptic feedback. You can then choose to end the call or stay on the line.
Use the “Private Album” to hide your private photos.
For your most private photos and videos, there’s now a private album built into the Gallery app in One UI 8.5. You can hide images and videos without creating a separate folder, and you don’t even need to sign in to a Samsung account. With a photo or video open, tap the three dots (in the upper-right corner), then select “Move to private album.” A link to the album will appear if you press the Menu button in the Gallery app, but you’ll need a screen unlock method (such as a fingerprint) to access it.
Use Horizon Lock to automatically stabilize all your videos.
If you choose the top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, you also get access to a rather clever camera feature called Horizon Lock . This means that when you shoot video, it can be locked in its original orientation—portrait or landscape—no matter how much you subsequently rotate the phone. To access Horizon Lock, you need to select the Super Steady Video shooting mode in the Camera app. While some video stabilization was available in previous Samsung models, this feature truly takes it to the next level.