Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Enable and Use Assistant Plus Feature in Camera App in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

Within the assistant menu, there's a feature named assistant plus that can be used in some default apps, one of which is the stock Camera app. By enabling the assistant plus feature, you'll be given with some additional contextual menu options within the assistant menu icon when you're using the stock Camera app to let you easily access to a certain frequently used option or feature in the stock Camera app.


How to enable the assistant plus feature for the stock Camera app?
Assuming that you have enabled the assistant menu feature, you can easily enable assistant plus feature for the stock Camera app by using the following steps:
  1. On any screen, tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings to quickly go to the settings menu for the assistant menu feature.
  2. Tap Assistant plus.
  3. Slide the ON/OFF switch to the right to enable this option. The switch turns green when it's enabled.
  4. Check the box next to Camera to enable assistant plus for the stock Camera app.
  5. The assistant plus feature for the stock Camera app has been enabled.


How to use the assistant plus feature for the stock Camera app?
Once the assistant plus feature for the stock Camera app is enabled, you can use the following steps to use this feature in the stock Camera app:
  1. Open the stock Camera app.
  2. Tap the assistant menu icon .
  3. Aside from all default menus, you'll see these two additional contextual menu options within the assistant menu icon:
    • Switch camera : tap this option to easily switch between the rear and the front-facing camera.
    • Gallery : tap this option to quickly open up the latest picture taken with the stock Camera app in the Gallery app.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Use Assistant Menu Feature in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

If you want to easily navigate your phone using one hand or if you're the one with dexterity issue, you can enable the assistant menu feature so that your phone will display the assistant menu icon on your screen to let you easily access to a certain frequently used feature or action. You can enable this feature using some methods and then configure it to suit your needs.


How to use the assistant menu feature?
Assuming that you have enabled the assistant menu feature, you'll see the assistant menu icon is displayed on your screen and always stays on top when you're opening apps, in the home screen and lock screen. You just need to tap the assistant menu icon and you'll be provided with these default menus:
  • Recent apps : tap this option to view all recently used apps, or long tap this option to access additional options available for the currently opened screen or app.
  • Home : tap this option to return to the default home screen, or in other word you can use this option to replace the Home button function
  • Back : tap this option to return to the previous screen or undo your last action, or in other word you can use this option to replace the Back button function
  • Notification panel : tap this option to open up the notification panel.
  • Cursor : tap this option to use the cursor tool to navigate your phone.
  • More options : tap this option to access additional options available for the currently opened screen or app.
  • Volume : tap this option to open the volume adjustment bar and then you can use it to adjust the volume.
  • Easy pinch to zoom : tap this option to open up the zoom adjustment bar and then you can use it to zoom in or out the currently opened screen or app. Please note, that some apps don't support this option.
  • Settings : tap this option to quickly go to the setting menu for the assistant menu feature.
  • Power off : tap this option to turn off the phone, or long tap this option to open up the device options menu.
  • Lock screen : tap this option to lock the screen.
  • Screen capture : tap this option to take a screenshot of the currently opened screen.
  • Device options : tap this option to open up the device options menu.
  • Screen rotation : tap this option to enable or disable the screen rotation feature. When the screen rotation is disabled, you can tap this option to manually change the screen rotation (portrait view or landscape view with the Home button in the left side or the right side)
  • Brightness : tap this option to open up the brightness adjustment bar and then you can use it to adjust the screen brightness as well as to enable or disable auto brightness feature.
  • Restart : tap this option to restart your phone.

As a note, if you have enabled the assistant plus feature, you'll see some contextual menu options within the assistant menu icon when you access this icon in the selected app.

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Enable and Configure Assistant Menu in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

Basically, the assistant menu feature can be found in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat. But, you can still find this feature when you have updated your Samsung Galaxy S5 to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. Just to remind us, assistant menu is a feature designed to assist those with dexterity issues or those who want to easily navigate their phones using one hand by simplifying access to certain frequently used features or actions using the assistant menu icon. The icon will stay on top so that the users can easily access it.


How to enable the assistant menu feature?
You can turn on this feature by using three different methods: from the settings menu, from the S Finder and from the direct access menu.


Method #1: From the settings menu
You can enable assistant menu from the general settings menu by using the following steps:
  1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notifications panel and then tap at the top right to go to the settings menu.
  2. With the settings menu is displayed in grid view, scroll down to the Personalisation section and then tap Accessibility .
  3. Tap Dexterity and interaction.
  4. Tap Assistant menu.
  5. Slide the ON/OFF switch to the right to enable this feature. The switch turns green when this feature is enabled and the assistant menu icon will be displayed on your screen.


Method #2: From the S Finder
You can utilize the S Finder app to quickly go to the assistant menu feature and then enable it by using the following steps:
  1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notifications panel and then tap S Finder button.
  2. Type "assistant menu" in the search field and then tap at the virtual keyboard to start searching.
  3. In the search result list, tap Assistant menu to quickly go to the assistant menu feature.
  4. Slide the ON/OFF switch to the right to enable this feature. The switch turns green when this feature is enabled and the assistant menu icon will be displayed on your screen.


Method #3: From the direct access menu
If you have enabled the direct access, you can quickly go to the assistant menu feature and then enable it from the direct access menu by using the following steps:
  1. On any screen, press the Home key three times to open up the direct access menu.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Tap Dexterity and interaction.
  4. Tap Assistant menu.
  5. Slide the ON/OFF switch to the right to enable this feature. The switch turns green when this feature is enabled and the assistant menu icon will be displayed on your screen.


How to configure the assistant menu feature?
Assuming that this feature is enabled, there are some options within this feature that can be customized according to your need:
  1. Change the assistant menu icon position:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings .
    • Tap Dominant hand and then select Right if you'd like to place the icon on the right side of the screen, or select Left if you'd like to place the icon on the left side of the screen.
    • The icon will be displayed in the selected position.
  2. Customize menus within the assistant menu icon:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings .
    • Tap Edit.
    • To remove the existing menu from the assistant menu icon, tap at the required menu you want to remove.
    • To add the available menu to the assistant menu icon, tap at the required menu you want to add.
    • To reorder menus within the assistant menu icon, drag and drop the menu to the desired position.
    • To reset the menus within the assistant menu icon back to the default, tap at the top right and then select Reset. Tap Reset button to confirm.
  3. Enable the assistant plus feature:
    You can enable this option so that your phone will display contextual menu options for the selected applications by using these steps:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings.
    • Tap Assistant plus.
    • Slide the ON/OFF switch to the right to enable this menu. The switch turns green when it's enabled.
    • Select the required apps that you want to display its contextual menu options in the assistant menu icon. There are 7 apps available: Camera, Email, Gallery, Internet, Messages, Phone/Contacts and Settings.
    • If you have selected an app(e.g: Internet app), when you open this app, you'll see some contextual menu options are displayed in the assistant menu icon, e.g: Enter URL, Tab manager and New Tab.
  4. Change the touch pad size:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings .
    • Tap Touchpad size and then select Small, Medium or Large.
    • From now on, the touchpad will be displayed with the selected size when you're using the cursor tool in the assistant menu.
  5. Change the cursor size:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings .
    • Tap Cursor size and then select Medium or Large.
    • From now on, the cursor will be displayed with the selected size when you're using the cursor tool in the assistant menu.
  6. Change the cursor speed:
    • Tap the assistant menu icon and then tap Settings .
    • Tap Cursor speed and then select Slow, Normal or Fast.
    • From now on, the cursor will use the selected speed when you're using the cursor tool in the assistant menu.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Delete Videos from a Windows Computer via Windows Explorer App

When your phone is connected to your Windows PC and being explored using Windows Explorer app, you can easily delete videos stored in your phone from this app to remove unwanted videos from your phone or to free up some space in your phone. If needed, you can backup your videos by transferring videos to your PC via Windows Explorer app before permanently deleting them from your phone.

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Disclaimer: this post is written based on Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 runs with Android 5.0.1 Lollipop and the computer uses Windows 7 Professional 32-bit as the operating system.
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How to delete videos stored in Samsung Galaxy S4 with Android 5.0.1 Lollipop from a Windows computer via Windows Explorer app?
As the example, we'll delete all videos stored in the DCIM\Camera folder in the internal storage of Samsung Galaxy S4 from a Windows PC via Windows Explorer app by using the following steps:
  1. Connect your phone to the computer using the provided USB cable by plugging the micro USB connector to the micro USB port in your device (it's located under the Home key) and the USB connector to a USB port on your PC. If it's the first time for you to connect your phone with the PC, your PC may need a few minutes to install the driver. By default, your phone will use MTP as the connection mode.
  2. When the phone has been successfully connected to your PC and is ready to use, a pop up window will appear on your computer. Click Open device to view files to automatically explore your phone in the Windows Explorer.
  3. Navigate to the DCIM\Camera folder in the internal storage of your phone by using these steps:
    • In the Windows Explorer app, click the Phone folder to explore the internal storage of your phone.
    • Click the DCIM folder.
    • Click the Camera folder. FYI, it's the default folder used to save all videos recorded by the stock Camera app.
  4. Since the DCIM\Camera folder contains with photos and videos, you can make it easier by sorting the files by its type. You can do so by clicking the right-mouse button and then hover the cursor above the Sort by and then select Type. Now, select all videos (those with .mp4 file extensions) within this folder.
  5. Delete the selected videos by pressing the Delete key in your PC's keyboard, or by clicking the right-mouse button and then select Delete.
  6. Click the Yes button to confirm deleting videos.
  7. All videos within DCIM\Camera folder in the internal storage of your phone will be deleted permanently.
  8. Once done, close the Windows Explorer app and then you can disconnect your phone from the PC by unplugging the USB cable from your phone and your PC.