When we talk about thoughtful new Android features, we’re usually talking about how they’re inexplicably missing from action for Samsung phone owners.
It’s one of those situations with a blessing and a curse: Android is an open platform by nature – and that means phone makers can mess with the software as they see fit. This often leads to not-so-optimal interface choices (and sometimes even more troubling drawbacks), but sometimes it can also lead to impressively intelligent additions that aren’t available in the stock version of Google Android.
Today we’re going to explore a shiny new trio of such beneficial elements. It’s some really nice new gesture-based shortcuts that Samsung has sneaked into its Android 13 setup. They all have the potential to save you time and make using your phone easier, more fun, and more efficient than ever.
And they’re all things you wouldn’t even realize existed if you didn’t know where to look.
Check them out and make sure you read all the way through to see how to activate them – and if you’re hungry for even more hidden shortcuts, check out my free Android shortcut Supercourse next one. It will teach you tons of time-saving tricks for every Android phone you use and shave all sorts of wasted seconds from your days.
Samsung Android 13 Shortcut No. 1: Easier Split Screen Access
For starters, Samsung’s version of Android 13 lets you swipe up from the bottom of your screen with two fingers to instantly get into Android’s split-screen mode. (That’s the interface where you can see two apps on your screen at the same time.)
JrPretty handy right? That split screen feature has been kind of out of the way and buried in Android for quite some time now, and I don’t know about you, but I tend to find that’s why it’s mostly out of sight and out of mind . So this really makes it feel more like a prominent, integrated part of the main interface and something that’s never more than a single swipe away.
And on a related note…
Samsung Android 13 Shortcut No. 2: A pop-up multitasking option
In addition to using Samsung’s shortcut for opening the default split-screen configuration, you can swipe your finger diagonally down from the top corner of your screen to move any app into a floating pop-up window on any Galaxy phone running Android 13.
JrIt’s a slightly different twist on using two apps at the same time and something that can come in quite handy in certain situations. And that it can happen so easily at any time is definitely a nice touch.
Speaking of which:
Samsung Android 13 shortcut No. 3: Overload overview
With Android 13 on your Galaxy device, if you go to the system overview – you know, the thing that shows you all your recently used apps when you swipe one finger up from the bottom of the screen and then stop (provided you’re using the current Android gesture system) – you can find a cool new hidden shortcut to move any app to that split screen view or popup view from there.
Just hold your finger on an app’s map in that area and:
- Drop it in the middle of the screen to put it in a pop-up window
- Drag it to the top or bottom of the screen to go straight to that split screen mode and see it next to any other app you want
JrNot too shabby. Not too shabby at all.
And with all these options, all you need to do is take 20 seconds to dive into your system settings and activate them.
How to activate Samsung’s new Android 13 shortcuts
These nifty new Android 13 gestures are all technically experimental Samsung features. And that’s why you’ll need to find some quick toggles in your Samsung phone’s settings first and then flip them before they’re available to you.
But don’t worry – it’s easy. Just go to your system settings on a Samsung phone with Android 13 and:
- Scroll down and tap the line for “Advanced features”
- Tap on “Laboratories”
- And activate the switches next to ‘Swipe to pop-up view’ and ‘Swipe to split screen’.
That is it!
Pretty chic things – and I’m not gonna lie, things that just make me a teen a bit jealous as an old Pixel user. I keep hoping that Google will bring some of these elements into Android itself at some point, as it really does seem like a series of sensible additions to the existing Android gesture setup. Do not you think?
But in the meantime, Samsung friends, the most advanced Android gesture shortcuts are available your fingertips and all yours to enjoy.
Get even more advanced shortcut knowledge with my free Android shortcut Supercourse. You will learn tons of time-saving tricks for your phone!
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