Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Setup and Use Text Templates in Messaging App

Till now, communicating use a text message still be the favourite method for most of phone users, including with the Samsung Galaxy SIV users. That's because this method will allow the user to send a text message to all kinds of mobile phones and most of phones usually provide a stock Messaging app for their users so they can use it directly without having to install it first.

See also: How to Create and Send a Text Message in Samsung Galaxy S4

In Samsung Galaxy SIV itself, the Messaging app has equipped with some features that will facilitate you when you want to send a text message, one of which is a text template. You can use this feature to save your most frequently used text templates, so you'll be much more faster and easier when you want to use them every time you want.

How to edit, delete and add a text template in Messaging app?
By default, there are 10 text templates available. You're allowed to edit, delete and add a text template by following the steps below:

1. Open Messaging app.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
3. Tap Text templates.
4. To edit a text template go to the step #5, to remove a text template go to the step #6, and to add a text template go to the step #7.
5. Editing a text template:
• Tap the desired text template you wish to edit.
• Here you can edit the selected text template.
• Tap Save button to save the changes.
6. Deleting a text template:
Method #1: Delete a single text template
• Long tap the desired text template you wish to delete.
• Tap Delete.
• Tap OK button.
• The selected text template will be deleted.
Method #2: Delete multiple text templates
• Tap the Trash can icon located at the top right corner of the screen.
• A check box will be appeared in each text template.
• Tick the check box next to the desired text templates you wish to delete.
• Tap Delete button.
• Tap OK button.
• The selected text templates will be deleted.
7. Adding a new text template:
• Tap Add (+) button.
• Here you can type your own text template.
• Tap Save button.

How to use text template in Messaging app?
You can use text template when you compose a new text message or reply a text message. Well, below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Messaging app.
2. Tap Create new text message button .
3. Enter the desired contact you wish to send a message with in the Enter recipient field.
4. Tap the Enter message field.
5. Tap the Menu key then select Add text.
6. On pop up menu select Text templates.
7. Tap the desired text template you wish to use.
8. The selected text template will be added to your message.
9. To add more text template, repeat from the step #5.
10. Tap Send button to send your message.

Given its function, this feature will be more useful for those of you who often send similar message or when you need to reply a message with a quick answer. So, how about you? Have you ever used this feature?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Disable Notifications on Certain Application

Though not many, some of Samsung Galaxy SIV users finally decide to uninstall certain third-party app from their phone because they felt annoyed with lot of notifications were sent by that app, while it's impossible for them to turn off notification tone because they may worried missing other important notifications.

See also: How to Uninstall App in Samsung Galaxy S4

Luckily, Samsung Galaxy SIV with Android Jelly Bean inside has a feature that will allow you to block notifications on certain app without having to uninstall it. In some cases, it'll help the user to save their data because sometimes they may accidentally touched the notifications contain with ads/offers that make them to load referred link/webpage.

How to block certain app notifications?
Generally, there are two methods that you can choose to disable notifications on certain app.
Method #1: From Settings Menu:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap More tab.
3. Tap Application manager.
4. Swipe the screen to the right until you see the All screen.
5. Scroll down to find the desired app you wish to disable its notification, then tap the row.
6. Clear the checkbox next to Show notifications.
7. Tap OK button.
8. Now, you won't receive notification from the selected app.

Method #2: From Apps Menu

1. Go to Apps through Home screen.
2. Tap and hold the desired app you wish to disable its notification then drag it to the App info icon located at the top of the screen.
3. Clear the checkbox next to Show notifications.
4. Tap OK button.
5. Now, you won't receive notification from the selected app.

Indeed, both of methods mentioned above will allow you to block notifications in certain app, but by doing this you may miss important alerts and updates for the app. So, it'll be better if you don't disable notifications in your important apps. And for the record, some apps may not allow you to disable notifications by default.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Adjust Touch Key Light Duration

Multi Window is an advanced feature that you can find in the Samsung Galaxy SIV. This feature will allow you to open two apps at once. You can enable this feature through the Settings menu or through the notification panel. After this feature is activated, you'll see a half circle icon displayed in the left/right side of the screen that you can use to display multi window tray. If you don't see that icon, you can bring it up by long pressing the Back key.

See also: How to Enable and Use Multi Window Feature in the Samsung Galaxy S4

One day, an insider sent her email and said to me that she always had a difficulty to remember where the Back key is located when she want to bring up the multi window tray icon. Well, by default, the Menu key and the Back key only display their icon when you're touching one of them and they only light up for a few seconds, so it sometimes makes the user (especially with the new users) hard to remember which the Menu key and the Back key are. Luckily, this phone has an option which will allow the user to increase or decrease the touch key light duration.

How to adjust touch key light duration?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap My device tab.
3. Tap Display.
4. Scroll down to find Touch key light duration, then tap it.
5. Here you'll see 4 options available, they are:
• 1.5 seconds: Select this option to make the Menu key and the Back key remain light up for 1.5 seconds after you touched one of them.
• 6 seconds: Select this option to make the Menu key and the Back key remain light up for 6 seconds after you touched one of them.
• Always off: Select this option to make the Menu key and the Back key don't light up even when you touch them.
• Always on: Select this option to make the Menu key and the Back key always light up even when you don't use them.
6. Select the desired touch key light duration you wish to use.

By knowing what the function of this option is, now you can set it according to your need. So, if you have difficulty to remember where the Back key and the Menu key are located, you can increase the touch key light duration or even set them to always light up during the screen is on, and vice versa.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Turn Off the Screen Manually or Automatically

A huge screen owned by the Samsung Galaxy SIV surely will be able to improve the users' experiences of using this phone. But, in other side, the huge screen is a part of this phone that consume most of battery. Luckily, this phone has come with some options that will help their users to reduce battery consumption by the screen. One of which is a screen mode that will allow you to change the colour profile of the screen.

See also: How to Change Screen Mode in the Samsung Galaxy S4

Aside from changing the screen mode, to save more battery, you can also turn off the screen when you don't use it. You can do so manually or you can also set your phone to automatically turn off the screen when you don't use it for a specified time.


How to turn off the screen manually?
You can do so by pressing the Power key. To turn on the screen, press the Power key or the Home key and if you turn on your lock screen you need to unlock the lock screen first before you can use the phone.

How to turn off the screen automatically?
You can set the length of time before your phone automatically turning off the screen by adjusting the screen time out. To do so, kindly follow the steps listed below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap My device tab.
3. Tap Display.
4. Scroll down to find Screen timeout, then tap it.
5. Here, you'll see some options available, they are:
• 15 seconds: select this option to make your phone wait for 15 seconds of inactivity before turning off the screen.
• 30 seconds: select this option to make your phone wait for 30 seconds of inactivity before turning off the screen.
• 1 minute: select this option to make your phone wait for 1 minute of inactivity before turning off the screen.
• 2 minutes: select this option to make your phone wait for 2 minutes of inactivity before turning off the screen.
• 5 minutes: select this option to make your phone wait for 5 minutes of inactivity before turning off the screen.
• 10 minutes: select this option to make your phone wait for 10 minutes of inactivity before turning off the screen.
6. Select the desired screen timeout option you wish to use.
7. Now, when you don't use your phone for a specified period you have chosen in the screen timeout, then the phone will turn off the screen automatically and in a few seconds the screen will be locked(if you turn on the lock screen).

Indeed, more lower screen timeout means save more battery. That's why, no wonder if there are some advices to set the screen timeout as low as possible to save battery as much as possible. But, low screen timeout sometimes irritates the user, especially for those of the user who set their lock screen with Password/PIN, resulting they should entering their Password/PIN many times each time they want to use the phone. So, in my opinion, it'll be better if you choose the screen timeout option according to your need and also will make you feel comfort while using your phone.

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?