My Galaxy S25 Ultra came loaded with all the bells and whistles, but felt a bit impersonal right out of the box. After making these six tweaks, though, it’s now set up to my liking.
6Reunify the Quick Settings Panel
I appreciate the expanded grid design of the quick panel—it’s nice to have more toggles in a larger layout. But I’m not a fan of the separate Notification Panel and Quick Settings Bar—it feels like a straight-up copy of iOS.
Sure, it’s a minor change, and I’d probably adjust over time. But for now, it feels weird and confusing. Thankfully, Samsung gives you the option to go back to the good old unified panel, and I did that right away:
Your favorite unified panel is back! Now, all your notifications and quick toggles are all in one place again. Of course, you can always switch back to the separate view if you’re feeling adventurous
5Display Settings
The first change I made in my S25 Ultra’s Display settings was tweaking theScreen mode. By default, it’s set toNatural, which gives a realistic, muted look—great for some, but not for me. I love bold, vibrant colors, so I switched it toVivid, maxed out theVividnessslider inAdvanced settings, and adjusted theWhite balanceaccordingly.
Next, I tackled theScreen resolution. Out of the box, it’s set to FHD+ (2340x1080), but this powerhouse supports QHD+ (3120x1440) for stunning clarity. However, this may drain the battery faster, so if you’re focused on long battery life, sticking to FHD+ is the smarter choice.
Then came theNavigation barsettings. I swapped the defaultButtonlayout forSwipe gestures, and getting around is so much sleeker. Swiping up to go home, holding to view recent apps, or swiping left/right to switch between them feels so intuitive.
I tweaked a few more options for a better experience: I turned onAccidental touch protectionto avoid random pocket or bag touches and enabledTouch sensitivityfor better responsiveness when using a screen protector.
4Now Brief and Now Bar
The next aspect I customized on my Galaxy S25 Ultra was the Now Brief feature. It shows an overview of your day, including calendar events and other relevant info, right on your lock screen. At first, it felt cluttered with random notifications I didn’t care about, but then I found out you may customize it to show only what you want:
Now, you’ll only get updates from the categories you care about—no more random clutter.
Then there’s the Now Bar, anothermust-have feature of One UI 7. It’s a fully customizable toolbar on your lock screen that lets you access live updates like music controls, timers, Google Maps navigation, or notifications—all without unlocking your phone.
To set it up:
After choosing your options, close the Settings window. Your favorite apps' actions will now appear in the Now Bar, putting quick, easy access at your fingertips.
3Lock Screen Options
In One UI 7, lock screen notifications now appear in the top left-corner of the status bar instead of as icons under the clock. I find this annoying—it’s hard to spot which apps have notifications, and the new layout feels cluttered. Luckily, after some tinkering, I discovered that while this is the default setup, you can restore the old layout:
You can also chooseDotfor a clean, minimalist vibe orIconsfor a fresh, updated feel.
2App Drawer Configuration
Samsung finally listened and added a vertically scrolling app drawer. I’ve been waiting for this feature, and I’m glad to see it now. With One UI 6, Samsung made the bold move to remove this feature from the Good Lock Home Up module. I tried everything—custom launchers, random workarounds—but nothing came close to the seamless experience of having it built right in.
By default, this feature is turned off, but enabling it is easy. Just open the app drawer, tap thethree dotsin the bottom-right corner, and selectSortfrom the menu. Then chooseAlphabetical order, and that’s it—you’ve got a vertically scrolling app drawer.
1Battery-Saving Features
One UI 7 isn’t just about customization and great user experiences—it also includes smart features toextend your phone’s battery life. Keeping your battery at 100% for too long can shorten its lifespan, so switch to Adaptive or Maximum mode instead.
WithAdaptivemode, your phone learns your charging habits and adjusts the battery charging accordingly. For example, if you charge your phone overnight and unplug it in the morning, Adaptive mode will pause charging at 80% while you sleep. Then, before you wake up, it’ll go back to Basic mode and finish charging to 100%. This way, you’re able to reduce the rate at which your battery degrades over time.
If you want more control, there’s also aMaximummode, which lets you set a custom charging limit. You can choose to stop charging when your battery reaches 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%. It’s perfect if you want to prolong battery life and are conscious of battery health.
I’ve found Adaptive to be the most convenient and effective as it prevents overcharging and manages my battery automatically. To access these modes, go toSettings>Battery>Battery protection, then choose the one that works for you.
These are just a few settings I tweaked right after getting my Galaxy S25 Ultra, but there are many other customization options. Whether it’s changing the theme, adding widgets, or rearranging app icons on your home screen, the possibilities are endless. It’s all about personalizing and improving your experience.
And if you’re looking for even more customization options,check out Samsung’s Good Lock app—it’s packed with cool options for Galaxy devices. Give them a shot, and let me know if you have other tips for customizing your Galaxy S25 Ultra!
