Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Hide or Show Hidden Video from the Video Player App in Android 4.4 Kitkat

The "Hide items" and the "Show hidden items" are new features available in the Gallery app that have been brought by Android 4.4 Kitkat. By using this feature you're allowed to hide or show hidden photos or videos directly from the Gallery app. FYI, this feature only works for those that are saved in the internal storage, while if you want to hide those that are saved in the SD card you can use the old method by adding a full stop (.) in front of the photo or video name via My Files app or another third-party File manager app.

See also: How to Hide or Show Hidden Pictures or Videos in the Gallery app in the Samsung Galaxy S4 with Android 4.4 Kitkat

Unfortunately, both these methods, either using the hide items feature or adding a full stop only work in the Gallery app and they don't work in the Video player app because the hidden videos will still be displayed there. However, if you wish to hide a video from the Video player app, you can do so with ease by adding .nomedia extension behind the video file name via another third-party File manager app.

How to hide a video from the Video player app?
These steps are tested by using ES File Explorer app:

1. Download install ES File Explorer from the Play Store and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation.
2. Once the installation is completed, open the app.
3. Navigate to a folder where you save the video file you wish to hide.
4. Long tap the required video file to select it.
5. Tap the Rename button at the bottom of the screen to rename the video file.
6. Add .nomedia behind the video name, for example: video_name.mp4 become video_name.mp4.nomedia
7. Tap OK button to save the change.
8. The selected video won't be displayed in the Video player app as well as in the Gallery app.

How to show hidden video in the Video player app?
You can show the hidden video with .nomedia extension by removing .nomedia from the video file name via ES File Explorer app.


For the record, aside from hiding videos from the Gallery app and Video player app, these steps also can be applied to hide pictures from the Gallery app and hide music from the Music player app. It's because .nomedia extension will mark a file as having no multimedia data so that the file shouldn't be scanned and indexed by multimedia apps(Gallery app, Music player app and Video player app).

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Add a Note in a Photo in Android 4.4 Kitkat

Gallery app has several useful features that won't only allow the user to view their photos, but also will allow the user to do something more with their photos. One of which is the edit photo feature that will allow you to edit a photo directly from the Gallery app by utilizing some basic picture-editing functions available. From here, you can also add an effect or two from the various stylize effects available.

See also: How to Edit a Photo in Android 4.4 Kitkat in the Samsung Galaxy S4

This app also has another useful feature named photo note that will allow you to add a note or text to your photos. It's like turning over a printed photograph and then write a note/text on its back. By using this feature you can write any information related with the photo, such as event, place or date of the photo.

How to add a note/text in a photo?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Gallery app.
2. Tap the required album.
3. Tap the required photo you want to add a note.
4. Once the photo is opened, tap the Menu key and then select Photo note.
5. The photo will be turned over to let you write a text on its back.
6. While you're in the photo note screen, you can use the following options:
• Pen icon : use this option to adjust the pen settings (style, thickness and colour).
• Eraser icon : use this option to erase your text.
• Undo icon : use this option to erase the last change done to the picture and then revert it to an older action.
• Redo icon : this option is only available after the undo icon is used. You can use this option to reverse the undo action.
• Enlarge icon : use this option to enlarge the photo by double tapping the screen.
7. When you have completed adding a note, tap the Check mark icon located at the top right corner or the screen to save the changes. FYI, a photo with a note will have a folded edge to differentiate it with other photos.
8. Next time, you can view the photo note by tapping the folded edge on the top right corner of the photo.

Though Gallery app has an option that will automatically provide information for the photo, but by using the photo note feature to add a text in a photo will make it more classic and personal. So, have you ever used this feature? If yes, what text do you usually write?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Edit a Photo in Android 4.4 Kitkat

Aside from allowing the users to view all pictures that are saved in the phone(either in the phone memory or SD card), Gallery app also has been equipped with some useful features that will allow the users to do something else more than just viewing the pictures, such as create a photo collage feature that will allow you to combine between two and four pictures into a single snapshot of the event.

See also: How to Create a Photo Collage in Android 4.4 Kitkat in the Samsung Galaxy S4

Another useful feature that is owned by the Gallery app is the edit photo feature. This feature will provide you some basic editing functions(such as adjust brightness or rotate the picture) and provides various picture-editing effects.

How to edit a picture?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Gallery app.
2. Tap the required album and then tap the required picture you want to edit.
3. Once the picture is opened, tap Edit button located at the top of the screen.
4. Tap and hold the screen and then on pop up menu select Selection mode to select an area.
5. While you're in the edit picture screen, you can use the following options:
• Rotate : use this option to rotate the photo(rotate left, rotate right, flip horizontally, flip vertically).
• Crop : use this option to select parts of the photo and then trim the selected parts.
• Colour : use this option to add color enhancement to the photo.
• Effect : use this option to add various stylize effects to the photo.
• Portrait   : use this option to adjust the photo using tools (e.g: red-eye fix, airbrush face, etc).
• Sticker : use this option to add decorations to the photo, such as brush sticker, comic sticker, etc.
• Drawing : use this option to draw on the photo.
• Frame : use this option to add a decorative frame around the photo.
6. Once done, tap Save button. It'll be saved as a new file in the same album and the original file will be left untouched.

In my opinion, for a regular user like me, the picture-editing options in the edit picture feature are more than enough to meet my need to edit a picture. I personally often use this feature to crop or add effect in a picture. So, how about you? Have you ever use edit picture feature? If yes, which option do you often use?

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Set Vibrate Only When Receiving Text Messages in Android 4.4 Kitkat

Most of users usually will be easier to know that they have a new incoming text message by setting the message tone to the desired one. Some users even assign a different message tone in a different contact to help them easier to know when new incoming text messages from particular contacts are received

See also: How to Change Message Tone with Three Easy Ways in the Samsung Galaxy S4

However, there are also some users who want to set their phone only vibrate without playing a message tone when a text message is received for their own reason, for instance they don't want to disturb others with their message tones or they don't want others know that they're receiving a text message.


How to set vibrate only when receiving text messages?
There are two methods available that you can use to do so. You can see them below.

Method #1
This method will allow you to set vibrate only for incoming text messages without turning off other notifications, but you need to change your message tone to make it works.

1. First, enable sound on your phone by swiping down the screen to open the notification panel and then enable Sound(it's located between the GPS and the Screen rotate button). The Sound button will show green when it's enabled.
2. Now, open Messaging app.
3. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
4. Scroll down to find Notifications, then enable it by ticking the box next to this option.
5. Tap Select ringtone and then select None from the list and then tap OK button.
6. Enable Vibrate by ticking the box next to this option.
7. Now, your phone should be only vibrate when a text message is received.

Method #2
This method will allow you to set vibrate only for incoming text messages without changing the message tone, but it'll turn off other notifications.

1. First, put your phone in the vibrate mode by swiping down the top of the screen and then enable Vibrate(it's located between the GPS and the Screen rotate button). The Vibrate button will show green when it's enabled.
2. Now, open Messaging app.
3. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
4. Scroll down to find Notifications, then enable it by ticking the box next to this option.
5. Enable Vibrate by ticking the box next to this option.
6. Now, your phone should be only vibrate when a text message is received.

FYI, both these methods have their own advantage and disadvantage therefore you can choose one of them that best suit your need. So, hope it helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Create a Photo Collage in Android 4.4 Kitkat

Gallery app is one of the stock apps that is owned by the Samsung Galaxy SIV. This app will allow you to view, edit and manage all pictures and videos that are saved in your phone, either those in the internal storage or in the SD card. With this app, even you're allowed to display photo albums from another sources(e.g: Facebook photo albums, Picasa albums, etc).

See also: How to Fix Can't Remove Picasa Albums from Gallery App in Android 4.4 Kitkat in the Samsung Galaxy S4

As same as other apps, Gallery app also has been equipped with some useful features, one of which is the create collage feature. This feature will allow you to select between two or four pictures then combine them into a single snapshot of the event.

How to create a photo collage?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Open Gallery app.
2. Tap the required album.
3. Tap the Menu key then select Create collage.
4. Select between 2 and 4 photos you want to use for your photo collage. The selected photos will be marked with the green check mark at the top right corners.
5. Tap Done button.
6. Select the desired collage layout(Split in 2, Split in 3, Split in 4) and then select the desired split style you want to use to split the photos.
7. Tap and drag to adjust the border of each photo within the collage.
8. Tap and swipe a photo to fit its position within the box.
9. Pinch or expand a photo within the box using two fingers to resize it.
10. Tap the Down arrow button above the collage to display additional options. From here you can do the following actions:
• Tap Remove icon to remove a photo from the collage.
• Tap Add icon (+) to add photos to the collage.
• Tap and hold a photo then drag it to an empty box to add it to your collage.
• Tap and hold a photo then drag it to a box then it'll replace the currently displayed photo within the box.
11. Once done, tap Save button to save your collage.

By knowing how use create collage feature in the Gallery app, now you can create your own collage and then save it for your collections or use it as your unique wallpaper or share it with your friends.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Fix Can't Remove Picasa Album from Gallery App in Android 4.4 Kitkat

If you notice, there some sync options available under your Google account and all of them are enabled by default. One of sync options available is an option to sync with your Picasa web albums. When this option is enabled, then your Picasa albums will be displayed in the Gallery app and they will be labelled with Picasa icon .

See also: How to Activate Google Account in the Samsung Galaxy S4

A couple days ago, an insider sent me an email and told me that he want to remove Picasa albums from Gallery app because it slowed down his phone whenever he opened Gallery app, unfortunately he can't remove the albums because when he was selecting an album he wasn't given an option to delete it. FYI, given Picasa albums come from another source, then to remove it you need to disable sync process between your phone and Picasa web albums and then clear the Gallery app data.


How to completely remove Picasa album from Gallery app?
Generally, there are two methods available that you can use to remove Picasa album, through the Settings menu or through the Gallery app.

Method #1: Via Settings menu

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Accounts tab.
3. Tap Google.
4. Under Accounts section, tap your Google account.
5. Scroll to the very bottom and then clear the checkbox next to Sync Picasa Web Albums.
6. Tap the Back button twice to go back to the Settings menu and then tap More tab.
7. Tap Application manager.
8. Swipe the screen to the right until you see All tab.
9. Scroll down to find Gallery, then tap it.
10. Tap Clear cache button and then tap Clear data button (it won't erase any photo you save in your phone, it just repopulates them and revert back the Gallery app to the default settings).
11. Now, the Picasa web albums should be removed from your Gallery app.

Method #2: Via Gallery app

1. Open Gallery app.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Settings.
3. Under Accounts section, tap your Google account.
4. Scroll to the very bottom and then clear the checkbox next to Sync Picasa Web Albums.
5. Now, go to Settings by swiping down the top of the screen then tap Settings icon.
6. Tap More tab.
7. Tap Application manager.
8. Swipe the screen to the right until you see All tab.
9. Scroll down to find Gallery, then tap it.
10. Tap Clear cache button and then tap Clear data button (it won't erase any photo you save in your phone, it just repopulates them and revert back the Gallery app to the default settings).
11. Now, the Picasa web albums should be removed from your Gallery app.

I personally like to use sync features to backup my pictures but I don't like to display albums from another sources(including with Picasa web albums) because sync process--especially if it contains lot of pictures--sometimes makes the phone slower or even crash when opening Gallery app. So, if this problem also occurs on your phone, you can use these steps to completely remove Picasa albums from your Gallery app.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Fix Can't Delete Folder in Apps Menu in Android 4.4 Kitkat

A few days ago, an insider sent me an email and asked why she can't delete a folder that has been created after she had updated her phone to Android 4.4 Kitkat, even when the folder is empty. If you notice, in Android 4.3 Jelly Bean we can delete a folder in apps menu by tapping and holding the folder and then drag it to the Remove icon located at the top of the screen. Actually, this option is not removed, but in Android 4.4 Kitkat you need to do an extra step to be able to remove a folder in the apps menu.

How to delete folder in apps menu in Android 4.4 Kitkat?
Below are the steps to do so:

1. Go to Apps through Home screen.
2. Tap the Menu key then select Edit.
3. Tap and hold the required folder you want to delete and then drag it to the Remove icon located at the top of the screen. Release to delete the folder. FYI, if the folder contains some apps, when you delete the folder then the apps will not be uninstalled but they will be placed again in apps menu.
4. Tap Save button to save the changes.
5. The selected folder has been deleted.

I personally love this Android version than the old one because it doesn't give me any problem and it makes my phone work better than before though in this Android version, sometimes we need to do an extra step to do some things as you can see in the steps above. However, if you also have the difficulty to remove a folder in the apps menu post update to Android 4.4 Kitkat, now you can delete them easily by using these steps :)