Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Fix Missing Microphone Button on Samsung Keyboard

In the stock Samsung keyboard, there are some keys that have several functions, for instance a key in the left side of Space bar(it's usually displayed with a Settings/Cog wheel icon), when you long tap this key, you will see some options available, such as Keyboard settings, Smiley, Clipboard, Microphone, etc. Those hidden button sometimes make some users who want to use one of them have difficulty to find the button.

See also: How to Find Mic Button on Samsung Keyboard

But, in certain case, the Mic button is completely not available though the user have had long tapped the key in the left side of Space bar, as experienced by one of insider named Linda. She says that she can't find Mic button though she has had long tapped the key in the left side of Space bar when she want to use it to voice to text.

How to fix missing mic button on Samsung keyboard?
If you're also experiencing the same problem, you can make the Mic button available again in your keyboard by following the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap My device tab.
3. Scroll down to find Language and input, then tap it.
4. Check the box in the left side of Google voice typing to enable this option. Enable this option will make the Mic button available on your Samsung keyboard and vice versa.
5. Now, open an app that requires you to use keyboard, such as Messaging app.
6. On keyboard, long tap the key in the left side of Space bar. You should see the Microphone icon displayed in the pop up menu as one of available option.

Well, with this post I also want to apologize to Linda for so late answer. I hope it's not too late. I personally seldom use Mic button to voice to text and more prefer to use keyboard to compose a text message, that's why I don't know much about this feature. So, how about you? Do you often use Mic button on your Samsung keyboard?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Make Swiping Archive or Delete in Gmail App

When you're opening a Gmail message or selecting multiple Gmail messages, a set of quick icon will be displayed at the top action bar. By default they are Archive, Delete and Mark as Unread icon. And of course, you're allowed to change them, if you don't like with those default.

See also: How to Change Archive and Delete Actions in Gmail App in the Samsung Galaxy S4

FYI, selected option in the archive and delete actions will also change the swipe function in the conversation list. In other word, swipe a Gmail message in the conversation list will be deleting or archiving the message according to the selected option in the archive and delete actions. This option of course will allow you to easily delete or archive a Gmail message in the conversation list.

How to easily delete or archive a Gmail message?
I've tried this steps in Gmail version 4.7.2. Well, if you want to set a swipe to delete or archive a Gmail message, then kindly follow the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
3. Tap General settings.
4. To make swiping delete go to the step #5, while to make swiping archive go to the step #6.
5. To make swiping delete:
• Tap Archive & delete actions.
• On pop up menu select Show delete only.
• Check the box next to Swipe to delete to enable this option.
• If you want Gmail app confirm you before deleting, scroll to the bottom and then check the box next to Confirm before deleting.
• Now, when you swipe a Gmail message in conversation list, the message will be deleted and moved to the Bin folder.
6. To make swiping archive:
• Tap Archive & delete actions.
• On pop up menu select either Show archive only or Show archive & delete.
• Check the box next to Swipe to archive to enable this option.
• If you want Gmail app confirm you before archiving, scroll to the bottom and then check the box next to Confirm before archiving.
• Now, when you swipe a Gmail message in conversation list, the message will be archived and moved to the All mail folder.
7. No matter what the archive and delete actions option you have chosen, if you clear the checkbox next to Swipe to archive or Swipe to delete, the message in the conversation list will be opened when you swiped it.

So, if you often delete a Gmail message rather than archive it or vice versa, now you can set your Gmail app to delete or archive a Gmail message when you swipe it in the conversation list. So, how about you? Which swipe function do you like to use? Swiping delete or swiping archive?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Change Archive and Delete Actions in Gmail App

Once you've activated a Google account, you'll be allowed to access Google services available in your phone. One of which is Gmail app that will allow you to send or receive email messages. By using this app, you're also be able to reply or forward a Gmail message.

See also: How to View, Reply or Forward Gmail Message in the Samsung Galaxy S4

If you noticed, when you're opening a Gmail message or selecting multiple Gmail messages, there's a set of quick icon displayed at the top action bar. By default they are Archive, Delete and Mark as Unread icon. But, if you don't like those default, you can change them by utilizing an option in Gmail settings called archive and delete actions.

How to change archive & delete actions in Gmail app?
FYI, I use Gmail version 4.7.2. Well, below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
3. Tap General settings.
4. Tap Archive & delete actions.
5. You'll see three options available, they are:
• Show archive only: select this option if you wish to display Archive, Mark as Unread and Move to icon.
• Show delete only: select this option if you wish to display Delete, Mark as Unread and Move to icon.
• Show archive & delete: select this option if you wish to display Archive, Delete and Mark as unread icon.
6. Select the desired archive & delete actions option you wish to use.
7. Now,  the top action bar in an opened Gmail message or when you multi select Gmail messages will display a set of quick icon according to the archive and delete actions option you've just selected.

By knowing how to change quick icon displayed at the top action bar in a Gmail message, now you can set it according to your need. As the example, because I often delete Gmail messages then I choose to use an option which will display a delete icon in Gmail message. So, how about you? Which option do you like to use?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Select Multiple Gmail Messages when the Sender Image is Enabled or Disabled

Gmail app is an email service provided by Google that's become one of the stock apps in the Samsung Galaxy SIV. This app will allow you to check, send or receive email messages directly from your phone. To access this app, make sure you have had activated a Google account on your phone.

See also: How to Create and Send a Gmail Message with or without Attachment in the Samsung Galaxy S4

For those of you who often use email messages to communicate with others, surely you've ever found your inbox filled with lot of email messages. If so, deleting unimportant or unused email messages would be one way that you can do. To make you more easier to do so, you can select multiple Gmail messages first and then delete them all. There are two methods available to select multiple Gmail messages depend on how you set the sender image option in your Gmail app.

How to enable or disable sender image?
Sender image is a box located in the left side of each Gmail message. If the email sender has been added in your contacts app and it has contact's picture then the sender image will display contact's picture. If not, the sender image will display the first letter of the sender's name. If you don't know how to turn on or off sender image, then you can do so by following the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
3. Tap General settings.
4. Depending on your current settings, tap Sender image to enable or disable this option. When the box next to this option is ticked means the option is turned on.

How to select multiple Gmail messages when sender image is turned on?
If you decide to turn on sender image, then you can make multiple selection in Gmail app by following the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the sender image of a Gmail message you wish to select. The sender image will be replaced with the Check mark icon as a sign that the message has been selected.
3. To make multiple selection, tap another sender image next to another Gmail message.
4. Now, when Gmail messages are selected, you can utilize some option available, such as delete them all or move them to certain folder, etc.

How to select multiple Gmail messages when sender image is turned off?
While if you turn off sender image in Gmail app, then you can make multiple selection by following the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Long tap the desired Gmail message you wish to select. The message will be highlighted with a blue color as a sign that the message has been selected.
3. Single tap another Gmail message to make multiple selection.
4. Now, when Gmail messages are selected, you can utilize some option available, such as delete them all or move them to certain folder, etc.

If you're like me, I prefer to enable sender image in my Gmail app. It makes my inbox more colorful and makes me more easier to know who the sender image is by seeing the contact's picture displayed in there. It also makes me more easier to select multiple Gmail messages compared if I do so when the sender image is turned off. So, how about you? Do you enable or disable sender image in your Gmail app?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to View, Reply and Forward an Email Message in Gmail App

If you have had activated a Google account in your Samsung Galaxy SIV, then you'll be allowed to use it to access another Google services available in your phone. One of which is Gmail app that will allow you to send an email message with or without attachment, either to another Gmail users or to another email-services users. This of course will helpful, especially for those of you who often use an email message to communicate with others.

See also: How to Create and Send Email Messages with or without Attachment using Gmail App in the Samsung Galaxy S4

Aside from sending email messages, you can also utilize this app to receive email messages. When you have an incoming email message, you'll be presented with some options available, such as read, reply or forward the message.

How to view a Gmail message?
FYI, Gmail app has 3 inbox folders, they are Primary, Social and Promotions. But, by default, when you're opening Gmail app, you'll be redirected to the Primary inbox folder. Well, as the example, here are the step to view an email message in the Primary inbox folder:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. In the Primary inbox, tap the desired email message you wish to read.
3. The selected email message will be opened to allow you to read it.
4. If you wish to read email message in social and promotions inbox folder, while you're in the Gmail's main page, swipe the screen from left to the right and then under Inbox section tap Social or tap Promotions.

How to reply Gmail message?
If you wish to reply an email message to its original sender, then you can do so by following the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the desired email message you wish to reply.
3. Tap Reply icon to reply email message.
4. Write your message in the Compose email field.
5. Tick the box next to QUOTED TEXT if you wish to quote the original message into your message. Or, tap RESPOND IN-LINE to include the original message into your message.
6. Tap Send email message button at the top right corner of the screen.
7. Your reply will be sent.

How to forward Gmail message?
If you wish to forward an email message to another email recipient, then you can do so by following the steps below:

1. Open Gmail app.
2. Tap the desired email message you wish to forward.
3. Tap the Three dot icon then select Forward.
4. Enter the email recipient in the To field.
5. Write your message in the Compose email field. 
6. Tap RESPOND IN-LINE to include the original message into your message.
7. Tap Send email message button at the top right corner of the screen.
8. Your forwarded email will be sent.

By utilizing some options available in an email message in Gmail app, now you can easily read an email message and then if necessary you can reply the message to the original sender or forward it to another email recipient. So, hope it helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Use Wishlist Feature in Google Play Store

As the official market, Google Play Store used by most of Android phone users to download and install apps into their phones. Here, you can find tons of apps, either free version or paid version. To make sure that the app is suit your need and will not make some problems in your phone, it'll be better if you read the app detail and review first before installing the app into your phone.

See also: How to Install Free Apps from Google Play Store in the Samsung Galaxy S4

When you're opening an app in the Play Store, you may notice that there's a bookmark-like icon at the top of the screen. It's called a Wishlist icon. If the Wishlist icon in certain app is displayed with the Plus sign means the app has not been added to the wishlist, while if it's displayed with the Check mark icon means the app have been added to the wishlist. You can use this icon to add or remove an app from wishlist. An advantage of using wishlist feature is an easiness to find and track apps you have been added to the wishlist.

How to add an app to the wishlist?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Tap the Search icon and then enter your search term.
3. All apps that match with your search term will be displayed here.
4. If you wish to add an app to the wishlist without reading the app detail, tap the Three dot icon in the right side of the app's name and then select Add to wishlist.
5. If you want to read the app detail first before adding the app to the wishlist, tap the app and then tap the Add wishlist icon.
6. The selected app will be added to the wishlist.
7. To see all your wishlist apps, while you're in the Play Store's main page, swipe the screen from left to the right and then tap My wishlist. All your wishlist apps will be displayed here.

How to remove an app from wishlist?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Swipe the screen from left to the right.
3. Tap My wishlist to display all of your wishlist apps.
4. If you wish to remove an app from the wishlist without reading the app detail, tap the Three dot icon in the right side of the app's name and then select Remove from wishlist.
5. If you want to read the app detail first before removing the app from the wishlist, tap the app then tap the Remove wishlist icon.
6. The selected app will be removed from wishlist.

If you're like me, I usually use this feature when I accidentally found an interesting app but having no time to read the app review (FYI, I always read the review first before installing an app). Next time, I can easily find the app through My wishlist menu to read the review and then decide to install the app or not. So, have you ever used this feature? Has this feature helped you?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Change Screen Mode

One of weaknesses usually owned by most of smartphone is poor battery life, especially with those that have huge screen and lot of advanced features that usually consume lot of power. To reduce battery consumption by a huge screen, you can decrease the screen brightness as low as possible or you can also enable auto brightness to let your phone adjust the screen brightness automatically depends on how much light around you.

See also: How to Adjust Screen Brightness in Galaxy S4

Aside from adjusting the screen brightness, use the darker color profile can also reduce battery consumption compared when you use the brighter ones. Luckily, Samsung Galaxy SIV has come with an option called screen mode which will allow the user to change the phone's colour profile. Some of them have a darker colour profile which will help the user who are tight with the battery life issue to save more battery and also improve the users' comfort (including me) who have a problem with the brighter colour.

How to change screen mode?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap My device tab.
3. Tap Display.
4. Tap Screen mode.
5. Here you'll see five screen modes available, they are:
• Adapt display: This mode is selected by default. this mode will automatically optimizes the colour range, saturation, and sharpness of the display in the Gallery app, Camera app, Stock Browser app, Video app, WatchON app and Samsung Books.
• Dynamic: for me who have problem with the colour sharpness, this mode hurt my eyes because it's more red and more sharp.
• Standard: This is my favourite screen mode. It has soft colour and enough sharpness that make me feel comfort to use my phone with this mode.
• Professional photo: I have no idea about this mode. But, I noticed this mode has less sharpness and color range compared with the standard.
• Movie: Compared with other modes, this mode has the lowest sharpness and the darkest color.
6. Tap the desired screen mode you wish to use (Look at the picture above to see the differences between each screen mode).
7. Tap Save button.
8. The selected screen mode will be applied.

If you're like me, I prefer to use standard as my screen mode. This mode has a soft colour compared with the adapt display and dynamic, and has enough sharpness compared with the professional photo and movie. Even so, each user has their own taste. So, no matter what the screen mode you'll choose, make sure to choose the one that will make you more comfort using your phone.