8 Underused Samsung Galaxy Features Most People Miss

“If you use a Galaxy device, you will probably find at least one “wait… I have that?” moment in here.”

Most people do not need another phone feature, you need fewer headaches. You want your day to run smoother, with less tapping, less switching, less “where did I put that?”

Samsung has built a long list of features that save time and make daily tasks easier. A lot of them sit in plain sight, but most users never touch them because nobody walks them through the “why” and the “how.” Some features look flashy. Others save you time every day. Most people miss the ones that save time because nobody points them out during setup.

Our team at Tom Harris was asked a simple question, what Galaxy feature do customers underuse most, plus why. The answers focused on everyday shortcuts customers already paid for, then never learned.

Most people buy a phone, set up email, then stop exploring. You usually find features when something breaks or a pain point hits. So this blog frames each feature as a shortcut, one problem, one feature, one quick win.

S Pen features most people never use

A lot of people think the S Pen is just for drawing, that is the smallest part of the story. When you use the S Pen the right way, you stop fighting your phone. You stop tapping around to find tools. You start doing the thing you meant to do.

Why the S Pen is underrated

Most people only try the S Pen once, then they put it away. They do not build a habit around it. That happens because they do not see a daily use case.

If you want the S Pen to stick, you need one practical reason to use it every day. For most people, that reason is quick notes, fast screenshots, and precise editing.

Features that make a difference in real life

Screen Off Memo

Screen Off Memo helps when you need to capture something quickly. You pull out the S Pen, and you write a note immediately, even if the screen is off. You do not need to unlock the phone, open Notes, or wait for an app to load.

This is useful when you are on a call and you need to write a number down. It is also useful in-store when you want to note a model name, a quote, or an order detail without switching screens.

Air Command shortcuts

Air Command gives you a small tool menu that follows the S Pen. It can launch notes, smart selection, screen write, and other shortcuts. It is not flashy, but it saves time because you do not need to dig through menus.

If you use your phone for work, this is a simple productivity boost. You can jump from reading to capturing to sharing without losing your place.

Smart Select and Screen Write

Smart Select lets you capture only the part of the screen you need. Screen Write lets you mark it up right away. This is better than taking a full screenshot, cropping it later, and then forgetting why you saved it.

This is perfect for saving confirmation numbers, delivery details, directions, or a line in an email you need to reference later.

Split screen multitasking that feels natural

Most people assume multitasking on a phone is annoying. They remember old phones that could not keep apps open, or they remember feeling cramped on a small screen. Samsung’s multitasking works well because it is flexible. You can run split screen, use pop-up windows, and switch layouts quickly once you learn the gesture.

Your phone is not one job anymore. You use it for messaging, navigation, email, photos, payments, and work tools. You often need two of those things at the same time. Split screen helps because it stops the back-and-forth. It reduces mistakes. It keeps your context.

Examples that you could use

• You can keep Maps open while you message a customer or coworker about arrival time.
• You can keep an email open while you refer to a document or quote in another app.
• You can watch a tutorial while you follow the steps in Notes.
• You can compare two products or two tabs without losing your place.

Pop-up windows are the hidden upgrade

Split screen is great, but pop-up windows often win for day-to-day use. Pop-up lets you float one app on top of another. That is perfect for quick replies, calculators, and authentication codes. If you have ever switched apps to grab a code, then forgot what you were doing, pop-up windows solve that.

The easiest way to build the habit is to use it for one specific scenario. Start with Messages and Maps. You already do that task. You just do it cleaner. Once it feels normal, you will find more uses on your own.

SmartThings and the Samsung ecosystem advantage

SmartThings is one of those features that feels optional until you set it up. Once you set it up, it feels strange to go without it. SmartThings pulls your home devices into one place, and it lets you control them from your phone. It also lets you automate the boring parts of daily life.

SmartThings connects devices like TVs, speakers, lights, plugs, appliances, sensors, and more. It supports Samsung devices, plus many other brands. The value is not only control. The value is visibility and routine.

What people do not expect

Notifications that reduce load

SmartThings can notify you when laundry is done, when the oven is preheated, or when a filter needs replacing. These small alerts prevent repeat checking, and they reduce the mental “did I forget something?” feeling.

Simple routines that feel like you upgraded your home

You can set routines such as turning lights on at a certain time, adjusting settings when you arrive home, or preparing your house for sleep. When these routines run automatically, your home feels consistent and easier to manage.

One app instead of five

Many people end up with separate apps for lights, plugs, speakers, and appliances. SmartThings helps reduce that mess. You still keep the original apps if you want, but you get a central hub for daily use.

SmartThings is not about showing off. It is about time and convenience. Once someone sees a washer notification, or they see their TV and lights controlled in one place, the value becomes obvious.

Samsung Food for meal planning and grocery lists

Samsung Food is one of those features people ignore because they assume it is another recipe app. It is not just recipes. It is a planning tool that reduces the weekly “what are we eating?” stress. If you have ever stared into the fridge, then opened five tabs, then ordered takeout because it felt easier, Samsung Food solves that workflow.

What Samsung Food does well

Meal planning that feels realistic

Samsung Food helps you plan meals across the week. It supports simple planning, not the perfect “Sunday prep” fantasy. You can plan two meals, not seven. You can plan around leftovers. You can adjust based on real life.

Shopping lists that cut down wasted trips

Once you pick recipes, you can build a shopping list based on ingredients. You stop guessing. You stop buying duplicates. You also reduce the “I forgot one thing” second trip.

Substitutions that save a meal

A lot of meals fail because you are missing one ingredient. Samsung Food helps with substitution ideas so you can still make dinner without restarting the plan.

How it ties into the Samsung ecosystem

This is where the ecosystem angle gets interesting. When you combine SmartThings-connected devices with Samsung Food, your phone becomes a home management tool, not just a screen. That is why people who own Samsung appliances, TVs, and wearables often get more value out of Samsung’s platform. The parts connect.

Samsung Health for real habit change

Samsung Health doesn’t just track steps. It is because it tracks patterns, patterns change behavior. Many people start with the watch because they like the hardware, then Samsung Health becomes the reason they stick with the ecosystem.

What Samsung Health is best at

Sleep tracking and trend awareness

Sleep is one of the biggest drivers of energy, mood, and discipline. When you can see your sleep pattern, it becomes easier to make small changes that actually stick. Samsung Health helps you see consistency. It helps you notice what happens when you sleep late, drink late, or stop moving for a week.

Workout tracking that supports consistency

Samsung Health paired with a Galaxy Watch supports workouts, heart rate, and activity trends. You can also track food if you want, but the strongest value is the habit loop, not perfection.

Body composition tools when supported

On supported devices, body composition tracking gives another data point for people focused on fitness. The point is not obsession. The point is feedback and direction.

People think health tracking requires motivation. It does not. It requires friction-free tracking. When tracking happens automatically, you get useful signals without extra effort. That is why wearables matter here.

Samsung DeX and practical USB tricks

Samsung DeX is one of the most underused Samsung features, especially for people who already work in Google Workspace, Microsoft apps, or web-based tools.

DeX can turn your phone or tablet into a desktop-style interface. That means you can use multiple windows, connect to a monitor, and work with a keyboard and mouse.

When DeX makes sense

DeX is not for everyone every day. It is for moments when you need a bigger screen, a more desktop-like layout, or a backup option.

• You are traveling and you want a “light” setup.
• You are presenting a file and you want a cleaner viewing experience.
• You need to send emails, manage documents, or edit something quickly.
• You want a backup work option if your laptop is not available.

The underrated USB trick that saves people

If a phone screen stops responding but the phone is still on, you can sometimes plug in a USB mouse or keyboard to navigate the device. That can help someone access two-factor authentication, recover accounts, and pull important files. That is not a “fun feature.” That is a real-world save.

Camera, AI, and battery “cheat codes” that surprise people

These are the features that make customers stop mid-demo and say, “I did not know it could do that.” They are not hard. They are just not explained.

7.1 Circle to Search from the viewfinder

Circle to Search is widely known, but the viewfinder use case is often missed.

You can point your camera at something and search from what you see, without taking a photo. That means you can identify products, logos, signs, and objects without creating photo clutter. This is useful for travel, shopping, and quick answers in the moment.

7.2 Super zoom video workaround

Many phones cap video zoom lower than photo zoom. If you want higher zoom while recording, you can enable a setting that lets you record video while you are in photo mode.

You go into camera settings and enable “Hold shutter to capture video.” Then you stay in photo mode, zoom higher, and press and hold the shutter to record. This approach helps when you want video of something far away, like a child on a stage or a distant landmark.

7.3 Longer super slow motion feel

Super slow motion clips are short. If you want more control, you can record longer clips in normal slow motion. Then during playback, you can press and hold the screen to slow it down further.

This method works well because you capture the whole moment, then you choose where the slow effect matters.

7.4 Generative AI photo edits with Sketch to Image

A lot of people think Sketch to Image requires drawing skill. It does not. You can use it to change something in an existing photo by circling the area you want changed.

A strong example is changing a text-based sign into a clearer icon by circling it and generating an alternative. This approach makes the tool feel accessible because you are selecting, not drawing.

If someone wants better results, the trace method helps. They can load a reference image, turn transparency down, trace the shape, choose a style, and generate.

7.5 Super power saving with “limit apps and home screen”

This battery setting deserves more attention because it changes what “10% battery” means.

You go to Settings, Power saving, and enable “Limit apps and Home screen.” Your phone then asks you to choose up to eight apps to keep available. It limits everything else so the phone can stretch remaining power much longer.

This is perfect for travel days, long shifts, emergencies, and any time you need your phone to last, not perform.

Modes and Routines (automate your phone)

Modes and Routines lets your phone change settings automatically based on time, location, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth device, or an app you open. That means your phone adapts to your day without you digging through settings.

Why it matters

Most people waste small chunks of time every day toggling the same things.

• Volume up, then down

• Wi-Fi on, then off

• Do Not Disturb on, then forgotten

• Power saving turned on too late

• Brightness and Always On Display adjusted manually

Routines remove those little “admin tasks.”

Simple routines people actually use

• Work mode: When you arrive at work, turn on silent, enable Do Not Disturb, open Teams or Slack, plus keep your screen on longer.

• Driving: When your phone connects to your car Bluetooth, start Maps, read notifications aloud, plus turn on auto-rotate.

• Gym: When you open Samsung Health or Spotify, set volume higher, keep the screen on, plus enable power saving.

• Sleep: At a set time, turn on Do Not Disturb, dim the display, reduce blue light, plus turn off Always On Display.

• Battery rescue: When battery hits 15%, enable Power saving, turn off 5G if needed, lower brightness, plus limit background activity.

This feature ties the whole “underused Samsung features” theme together because it helps you get more value from everything else, without extra effort.

A simple way to try these today

Most people think upgrades solve everything. In reality, most Galaxy phones already have features that save time, reduce friction, and make your day smoother. You just need to turn them on and use them once or twice until they stick.

If you take one thing from this list, start with one feature today. Pick the one that fixes an everyday annoyance. Then build from there.

A simple way to start:

• Set up one Routine, like “Work” or “Sleep,” so your phone handles the boring settings changes for you

• Turn on one camera shortcut, like Circle to Search from the viewfinder or the 100x zoom video workaround

• Try one productivity feature, like Split Screen or DeX, and use it for a real task, not a demo

• Add one ecosystem habit, like SmartThings notifications or Samsung Food meal planning, so your devices work together

These are small changes, but they stack fast. You save minutes every day. You waste less time digging through settings. Your phone starts feeling like it is working for you.

If you want help setting any of these up, visit your local Tom Harris store. Our team can walk you through the features on your exact model, help you set up SmartThings and your Galaxy wearable, and show you the camera and multitasking shortcuts in real time.