Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Install, Configure and Use Kids Mode in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

If you're like me, then surely your kids ever borrow your phone and play with it. But, in some cases, the kids' curiosity sometimes make them accessing a thing that you don't want to be accessed by them. Luckily, Samsung Galaxy S5 provides the users with a widget called Kids mode that you can find in the Home screen. Kids mode allows you to restrict children's access to certain apps or contents stored in your phone so that you can provide your kids a fun and safe environment while using your phone. Since this widget is not installed by default, then you have to download it first and then install it in your phone manually. Once done, you can configure kids mode according to your need.

How to install Kids mode?
Before using this widget in your phone, you have to download and install it first by using the following steps:

1. Find the Kids mode widgets icon in the Home screen, and then tap it.
2. Tap OK button in the Install application screen.
3. Tap Install button. Your phone will download the widget and then install it.
4. Once installation is completed, you'll be asked to set your PIN. You can do so by tapping Set PIN button.
5. Enter your PIN twice.
6. Enter your alternative password (it'll be used if you forget your PIN) and then tap Continue button
7. Re-enter your alternative password and then tap OK button
8. In the Kid's profile screen, you can create a kid profile:
• If necessary, you can change the photo profile by tapping the picture box and then select the picture source (Select image to select picture from Gallery app, Take picture to take picture using the phone camera and then use the result as the photo profile or Select clip art to select picture from clip art) and then select the required picture.
• Enter your kid name.
• Tap the Date of birth field and then adjust to the required date and then tap Set button.
• Tap Next button.
9. Tap Accept button in the Disclaimer screen.
10. In the Add applications screen, select apps you're allowed by checking the box in the left side of the desired apps and then tap Next button.
11. Tap Finish button.
12. Now, the Kids mode has been installed in your phone.

How to configure Kids mode?
Once the installation and first configuration are completed, now you can configure Kids mode by using the following steps:

1. Tap Kids mode icon in Home screen or in the Apps menu.
2. Tap to enter the parental control screen.
3. Enter your PIN.
4. Tap to view all kids parental control menu.
5. Change the kid's profile:
• Tap the kid's profile name.
• Tap to edit the profile. Here you can change the photo profile, name and date of birth.
• Tap Save button.
6. See the kid's activities:
• Tap Activity.
• Tap Last 7 days tab to see total playtime and most frequently used apps in the last 7 days.
• Tap Last 30 days tab to see total playtime and most frequently used apps in the last 30 days.
7. Change the daily playtime limit:
• Tap Daily playtime limit.
• Slide the ON/OFF switch located at the top right corner of the screen to the right to enable this option.
• Tap the Circle time icon in the middle of the screen to adjust the limit.
• Here you can increase or decrease the daily playtime. The maximum daily playtime is 180 minutes or 3 hours.
• Tap Set button.
8. Allow or restrict apps:
• Tap Applications. Here you'll see all allowed apps.
• Tap and then select the required apps you want to add to the allowed apps list.
• Tap and then select the required apps you want to remove from the allowed apps list.
9. Allow or restrict contents:
• Tap Media.
• Tap and then select media (picture and video) you want to add to the allowed media list.
• Tap and then select the required media you want to remove from the allowed media list.
10. Adjust the Kids mode settings:
• Tap General.
• If necessary, you can enable 3D tilting effect on the Kids mode home screen by checking the box next to 3D tilting effect.
• If necessary, you can disable the Back key in Kids mode by checking the box next to Block key.
• If required, you can change your PIN by tapping Change parental PIN. You'll be asked to enter your current PIN and then enter your alternative password twice.
• If required, tap Reset and then enter your PIN to revert back the settings to the default.
11. Install kid's apps to the Kids mode Home screen:
• Tap Kids store.
• Tap OK button in the Disclaimer screen.
• Now you can see kid's apps grouped into some categories (Special, For kids, Learning, Play, Story and Other). As a note, you should have a Samsung account in your phone to be able installing apps from the kids store. If you have not added a Samsung account, you'll be asked to either sign up a new Samsung account or sign in with your existing Samsung account.
• Select the desired apps you want to install. I'll write further more about it in another post.
• The newly installed app will be added to the allowed apps list automatically

How to use Kids mode home screen?
Once you configure the settings of the Kids mode, now your kid can use your phone to play safely. Here are the complete steps to use kids mode:

1. Tap Kids mode icon in Home screen or in the Apps menu.
2. The Kids mode home screen is now enable. Here you can see some default apps (Kids Gallery, Kids Camera, Kids Drawing, Kids Voice Recorder and Kids Media) and additional apps that you have installed before from the Kids store. 
3. Now, your kid can play all allowed apps and contents in Kids mode safely.
4. As a note, unless you exit from this mode, this mode will remain active even when the screen is locked. And, when the daily playtime limit is over, the Kids mode will be locked and can't be used unless you extend the limit.
5. To exit or disable Kids mode, tap and then enter your PIN.

Please note that while Kids mode home screen is being used, all notifications sound will be turned off and the notifications panel can't be accessed. Well, given to the feature and how this mode works, now you can lend your phone to be played by your kid in peace without worrying they will access or use unwanted apps or contents.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Use the Recent Apps Button in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

In the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung has decided to make some changes. Some changes that I noticed at the first time I got this phone is the Settings menu view and change of the physical buttons functionality. Now, the Menu key is no longer available and replaced with the Recent apps key. I don't why Samsung did this change. But, I think it's done because the Recent apps key has more functions than the Menu key. If the Menu key only allow you to open additional options for the current screen, then the Recent apps key will allow you to open or close recently used apps, close active apps as well as open additional options for the current screen though with the different way.

How to open recently used apps?
Since all apps that you have opened before are not completely closed unless you close them from the recent apps list, then you can easily switch among them by using the Recent apps key as listed in the following steps:

1. On any screen, tap the Recent apps key (it's a physical button located in the left side of the Home key). You'll see thumbnails of recently used apps.
2. Tap the required app you want to open.
3. The selected app will be opened.

How to close recent apps?
You can easily remove a single or all recently used apps by using the Recent app key as listed in the following steps:

1. On any screen, tap the Recent apps key (it's a physical button located in the left side of the Home key). You'll see thumbnails of recently used apps.
2. To close a single app go to the step #3 while to close all apps go to the step #4.
3. Close a single app:
• Swipe the thumbnail of the required app you want to close to the right or to the left. Or, long tap the thumbnail of the required app and then select Remove from list.
• The selected app will be closed.
4. Close all apps:
• Tap .
• All recently used apps will be closed.

How to close active apps?
Some apps may not be closed when you close them from the recent apps list and they remain active in the background. In case you want to remove active/running apps, you can do so by using the Recent apps key as listed in the following steps:

1. On any screen, tap the Recent apps key (it's a physical button located in the left side of the Home key).
2. Tap and then you'll see RAM status and list of running apps.
3. To close a single app go to the step #4, while to close all apps go to the step #5.
4. Close a single app:
• Tap End button next to desired active app you want to close.
• Tap OK button.
• The selected app will be closed.
5. Close all active apps:
• Tap End all button located at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap OK button.
• All active apps will be closed.

How to use the Recent apps key as the Menu key?
If you feel more comfort using physical button than using the on-screen more options icon to access additional options for the current screen, then you do so by long tapping the Recent apps key, the additional options for the current screen will be displayed on the screen. To make it clearer, here are the example how to access the settings menu in the Messaging app by using the Recent apps key:

1. Open Messaging app.
2. Long tap the Recent apps key (it's a physical button located in the left side of the Home key).
3. On pop up menu select Settings.

Well, though at the first time it takes more time for me to familiarize myself with the new functionality of the physical buttons in this phone. But, now I find that this change gives me more benefits. Now, it's so easy for me to close/open recently/active apps compared if I have to do so by long pressing the Home key. So, how about you? Did the Recent apps key bring you any benefits?

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Enable, Use and Disable My Magazine in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

When I got my Samsung Galaxy S5 for the first time, I noticed that when I scrolled right on the Home screen, I was presented with inactive My Magazine, asked me whether I wanted to activate it. Since this app is not activated by default therefore you have to configure it first before using it in your phone. In case you have not known about My Magazine yet, when it's activated you'll be able to see summary of the news and live social network updates that you're interested with in a single page.

How to enable My Magazine?
It's quite simple to configure or turn on My Magazine, you can use the following steps to do so:

1. In Home screen, tap to go to My Magazine.
2. Tap Next button in the welcome screen.
3. Check the box in the left side of I agree option in the Term of use screen and then tap Start button.
4. To change the content of My Magazine, tap and then select Settings.
5. If necessary, you can set My Magazine to refresh its content when you open it by checking the box next to Auto refresh on opening.
6. Under the NEWS section, you can choose the news you're interested with by checking the box in the desired news from the following options:
• Arts and culture
• Business
• New and noteworthy
• News
• Photos and design
• Sport
• Style
• Technology and science
• Books
• Today's picks
• Food and dining
• Living
• Music
• Travel
7. Under the SOCIAL section, you can choose social networks you're interested with by checking the box in the desired social network from the following options:
• 500px
• Flickr
• Google+
• LinkedIn
• RenRen
• SINA Weibo
• Tumblr
• Twitter
• Youtube
8. My Magazine app will display the news and live update for the social networks you have selected before.

How to use My Magazine?
Once you activate My Magazine and select the desired news and social networks, then you can use My Magazine by using the following steps:

1. In Home screen, tap to go to My Magazine.
2. It'll automatically refresh the content if you have activated auto refresh on opening. If not, you can refresh My Magazine content manually by swiping down the screen.
3. Tap and hold a content and then drag it to the top or bottom to reorder the content.
4. Tap the news or social network update to read the entire news or social network update in the website/app. FYI, if you have selected a social network that has not been activated in your phone then you'll be asked to activate it when you tap the social network content in My Magazine. Until you activate it, the content of inactive social networks will be blank and labelled with Tap to get started.

How to disable My Magazine?
In case you don't want My Magazine is displayed on the Home screen or want to remove it from the Home screen, then you can turn off My Magazine by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on the Home screen or tap on any blank area on the Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. Tap Home screen settings .
3. Clear the checkbox next to My Magazine to disable this option.
4. Tap the Back button to return to the edit mode.
5. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.
6. My Magazine won't be displayed on the Home screen.

Please note that since this app requires a network connection, it may result in additional charges if you use mobile data instead of Wi-Fi. Thus it'd better if you disable auto refresh content if you're not connected to the Wi-Fi network or if your data plan is not unlimited.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Add, Rearrange and Remove Apps or Widgets in Home Screen in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

Home screen is a customizable part owned by Samsung Galaxy S5. You can add more additional Home screens if the 4 Home screens come with it at the first time are not enough for you. You're allowed to have up to 7 Home screens in this phone and you can manage them to suit your needs.

See also: How to Add, Rearrange, Delete and Set Default Home Screen in Samsung Galaxy S5 with Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

Since Home screen is the first place we meet once we turn on the phone and often passed by when we want to open a new app therefore most of users often use Home screen to place their favourite or the most frequently used apps so that they will be faster and easier when they want to access those apps because it will skip them a step or two compared if they have to find those apps in their original places.

How to add apps to Home screen?
Before adding a shortcut of an app, first make sure you have free space in Home screen. Well, here are the steps to do so:

1. Tap Apps in Home screen.
2. Swipe the screen to the right or to the left until you find the required app you want to add the shortcut to Home screen.
3. Tap and hold the app and then drag it to a free space in Home screen.
4. Release to place it.
5. A shortcut of the selected app has been added to Home screen.

How to add widgets to Home screen?
As same as when you add a shortcut of an app, make sure you have free space in Home screen before adding a shortcut of a widget. You can add a widget to Home screen by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on Home screen or long tap on any blank area on Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. Tap Widgets .
3. Scroll the screen to the right or to the left until you see a widget you want to add the shortcut to Home screen. Or, you can use search function to find the desired widget by using the following steps:
• Tap and then select Search widgets.
• Enter the widget name in the search field.
• All matches widgets will be displayed.
4. Tap and hold the widget and then drag it to a free space in Home screen.
5. Release to place it.
6. A shortcut of the selected widget has been added to Home screen.
7. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.

How to rearrange apps or widgets in Home screen?
In case you have placed a shortcut of an app or widget in the wrong place in Home screen or if you want to reorder or tidy them up then you can move them to the desired position in Home screen by using the following steps:

1. Tap and hold the shortcut of the app or widget you want to move and then drag it to the new position.
2. Release to place it.
3. The shortcut of the selected app or widget has been moved to the new position.

How to remove apps or widgets from Home screen?
In case you want to delete unwanted or unused shortcut of an app or widget from Home screen, then you can do so by using the following steps:

1. Find a shortcut of an app or widget in the Home screen you want to remove.
2. Tap and hold the shortcut of the app or widget and then drag it to the Trash can icon located at the top of the screen.
3. Release to delete it.
4. The shortcut of the selected app or widget has been deleted.

To give a better result, add only your favourite or the most frequently used apps or widgets to the Home screen and if necessary you can rearrange icons according to your need as well as remove unwanted or unused icons in Home screen so that you can help your phone manages RAM by using Home screen as needed and keep your Home screen stay clean and neat.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Add, Rearrange, Delete and Set Default Home Screen in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

Home screen is the first place we see once we turn on the phone. Most of user usually use Home screen to place their favourite or most frequently used apps and widgets so that they can access them with more easily and fast compared if they have to find those apps in their original places. Home screens can also be customized, you are allowed to have up to 7 home screens, change home screen position, remove unused home screens as well as set any home screen you like as the default.

How to add a new Home screen?
The first time I got my brand new Samsung Galaxy S5, it only came with 4 home screens. However, since this phone allows the users to have up to 7 home screens thus if those 4 home screens are not enough to fill up your need then you can add more home screens by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on the home screen or long tap on any blank area in the Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. Swipe the screen from right to the left until you see the blank home screen preview with sign. Tap it to add an additional home screen.
3. The new home screen will be added. 
4. As a note, if you have added 7 home screens, the blank home screen preview with sign will no longer available which mean the maximum numbers of the home screens has been reached and you can't add more.
5. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or do a single tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.

How to rearrange Home screens?
If you want to change a Home screen position to the new one, then you can do so by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on the home screen or long tap on any blank area in the Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. Tap and hold the required Home screen preview you want to move and then drag it to the required position.
3. Release to place it in the new position.
4. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or do a single tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.

How to remove a Home screen?
In case you want to remove a home screen, to clean up your home screen or to remove the unused one for instance, then you can do so by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on the home screen or long tap on any blank area in the Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. Tap and hold the required home screen preview you want to remove and then drag it to the Trash can icon located at the top of the screen.
3. Release to remove it.
4. The home screen will be removed. 
5. As a note, when you remove a Home screen, all apps and widgets within this home screen will also be removed but they will not be uninstalled. Also, if you remove the default Home screen, then the phone will automatically set another Home screen as default.
6. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or do a single tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.

How to set a Home screen as default?
One of your Home screens has been set as default. Usually, a Home screen with the weather widget is set as the default Home screen at the first time. So, in case you want to set other home screen as the default, then you can do so by using the following steps:

1. Pinch your fingers together on the home screen or long tap on any blank area in the Home screen to enter the edit mode.
2. You'll see that the default Home screen is labelled with a highlighted home icon .
3. To change the default, tap Home icon in the Home screen preview you want to set as default. When the Home icon is highlighted means the home screen is set as default.
4. Spread two fingers apart together on the screen or do a single tap on any Home screen preview to get out from the edit mode.

Please note that even though you're allowed to add up to 7 home screens, it'd better if you only use home screen as needed. You can do so by placing only the favourite or most frequently used apps or widgets in the Home screen or by removing unused Home screens. It needs to be done because more home screen you have more RAM are used where in the worst case it can be slowed down your phone. That's why most of us might have known that removing unused home screens can be used to reduce RAM uses.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Add a Google Account in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

When I got my new Samsung Galaxy S5 two days back, after did a quick exploration of the phone appearance and the Settings menu, added a new Google account was the next thing I did because I had to install some apps from the Play Store into my phone.


How to add a Google account?
You're allowed to add a new Google account or an existing one either through the Settings menu or any Google-related apps available in the phone.

Method #1: From any Google-related apps
If you have not added any Google account yet, then whenever you open any Google-related apps(e.g: Gmail app, Play Store app, Youtube app, etc) you'll be asked to add either the new Google account or the existing one. As the example, we'll try to add a new Google account through the Play Store app.

1. Open Play Store app.
2. Tap New button.
3. Enter your first name and last name in the provided fields and then tap the Right arrow icon.
4. Enter the required name for your new Gmail email address and then tap the Right arrow icon.
5. Enter the required password for your new Google account two times and then tap the Right arrow icon.
6. In the Google password recovery screen, tap Set up recovery options button to set it up right now and then follow the on-screen instruction or tap Not now button to skip this step.
7. In the Google services screen, you can choose to enable or disable backup and restore option and then tap the Right arrow icon.
8. Tap I accept button.
9. Enter the provided captcha to authenticate your account and then tap the Right arrow icon.
10. In the Upgrade to Google+ screen, tap Get started button to set it up right now or tap Not now button to skip this step.
11. In the Entertainment screen, tap Set up credit card button to set it up right now or tap Not now button to skip this step.
12. Done, now your new Google account has been added and you're ready to use Google Play Store and other Google-related apps or services.

Method #2: From the Settings menu

1. Swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notifications panel.
2. Tap to enter the Settings menu.
3. In case you have not changed the view of the settings menu yet and left it displayed in grid view, scroll down to the USER AND BACKUP section and then tap Accounts .
4. Tap Add account.
5. Tap Google.
6. Here you'll be asked whether you want to create a new Google account (go to the step #7) or activate an existing one (go to the step #8).
7. Add a new Google account:
• Tap New button.
• Enter your first name and last name in the provided fields and then tap the Right arrow icon.
• Enter the required name for you new Gmail email address and then tap the Right arrow icon.
• Enter the password for your new Google account two times and then tap the Right arrow icon.
• Follow the on-screen instruction to complete your new Google account setup.
• Once the setup is completed, your new Google account will be listed in the Google account list.
8. Activate an existing Google account:
• Tap Existing button.
• Enter your Gmail email address and password in the provided fields and then tap the Right arrow icon.
• Follow the on-screen instruction to complete your existing Google account setup.
• Once the setup is completed, your existing Google account will be listed in the Google account list.

Once your Google account is added, now you can access and use all Google-related apps or services on your phone, for instance install apps from the Play Store or upload video on Youtube or else. You'll also get some new email messages in your Gmail apps contain with welcome message and some tips from Gmail team.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Change the Settings Menu View in Android 4.4 Kitkat

Well, finally I decided to purchase a brand new Samsung Galaxy S5 yesterday. As soon as I got the phone, the Settings menu was the first place I headed, just wanted to fulfill my curiosity of what the new features and options available inside this phone.

While in the Settings menu, I noticed that the Settings menu was displayed in grid view. Since I have been already familiar with the tab view in my old Samsung Galaxy SIV with Android 4.4 Kitkat, it takes more time for me to explore and use the Settings menu in this phone. Luckily, grid view is not the only view in the Settings menu because it also has two additional views: list view and tab view. Fiuhh..it's so relieved when I know that I can change the Settings menu view to the same view of my old Galaxy SIV :D I do believe that it'll be able to help me learn further more about the Settings menu in this phone more easily.

How to change the view of the Settings menu?
If you don't like the grid view, you can switch the view of the settings menu to the list view or tab view by using the following steps:

1. Swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notifications menu.
2. Tap to enter the Settings menu. It's displayed in grid view by default.
3. To change the view, tap to open more options and then select List view or Tab view. See the first picture in this post to know the differences among the views.

How to edit the quick settings in the Settings menu?
The quick settings is a new menu in the Settings menu. It's provided to help you accessing the most frequently used or favourite menus more easily and fast compared if you have to go to them in their original places. It's always available regardless the view you are currently using for the Settings menu. By default, this phone has been provided you with some favourite menus in the quick settings. But, if you don't like those default, you can change the menu in the quick settings by using the following steps:

1. While you're in the Settings menu, tap to open more options and then select Edit quick settings.
2. Since the maximum numbers of the quick settings are 12 menus, then if you want to change the menus you have to deselect the unused ones and then use the available slots to select other menus you want to display in the quick settings.
3. Tap Save button. All the selected menu will be displayed in the quick settings. See the first picture in this post to know the position of the quick settings in each view.

Aside from the view of the settings menu, there's a significant change that stole my attention. I do believe it will change the way I (and probably you) interact with this phone, now we have to tap the more option icon instead of tapping the Menu key (physical button located in the left side of the Home button in the old Samsung phones) to use more options because the Menu key is now replaced with the Recent apps key which will allow us to quickly open up all of active apps and the task manager. So, do you already have a Samsung Galaxy S5 as your device?