Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Enable, Disable and Configure Hands-free Mode in Android 4.4 Kitkat

When I was digging into the Settings menu in my Samsung Galaxy SIV, I found an option called Hands-free mode. In a quick view, I noticed that this feature as same as Driving mode feature in an old Samsung Galaxy phones. Basically, Hands-free mode is designed to allow the user using the phone without touching it because the phone will read for the selected options in Hands-free mode, for example reads out incoming calls or incoming messages.


How to enable, disable and configure Hands-free mode?
FYI, enable this feature will turn on Air gesture feature to allow you using the Air call accept while you're in this mode and also enable S Voice Hands-free to allow you to interact with your phone using voice command. To enable Hands-free mode, you can use one of two methods below.

Method #1: From the Notification panel
You can quickly enable/disable Hands-free mode through notification panel, but this method doesn't allow you to configure this feature so the default configuration of the Hands-free mode will be used.

1. Swipe the top of the screen to the bottom using two fingers to open notification panel.
2. Tap Hands-free mode button to enable or disable this option. When the button shows green means the option is enabled and you'll see the Hands-free mode icon is displayed on the status bar.

Method #2: From the Settings menu
This method allows you to enable/disable hands-free mode as well as configure the feature.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap My device tab.
3. Scroll down to find Hands-free mode. Tap the ON/OFF switch to enable or disable this option. When the switch is on the right side or shows green means this option is enabled.
4. Under Hands-free mode, you can find six options available and then enable the desired options you wish to use.
• Incoming call: enable this option to make your phone reads out callers' information when receiving incoming calls.
• ChatON: enable this option to make your phone reads out callers' information when receiving incoming calls.
• Air call-accept: enable this option to allow you accepting incoming calls by waving your hand over the screen.
• Message: enable this option to make your phone reads out senders' information when new messages arrive.
• Alarm: enable this option to make your phone reads out alarm information when alarms sound.
• Schedule: enable this option to make your phone reads out scheduled alarm information when alarms sound.
5. When this feature has been enabled, you'll see the Hands-free icon is displayed on the status bar.

Well, given the function of this feature, this will be useful if you use this feature when you should keep your hand off the phone (eg: while you're driving) but don't want miss any important calls, messages or schedules.