Looking for a specific setting or app?
Table of Contents
< All Topics
Print

Lock Screen

Screen Lock Type

To make sure your phone stays secure, you can set up a lock on your phone to use a password, PIN, or Pattern. That way, even if someone gets a hold of your phone, they won’t be able to access it. It is highly recommended that you keep some type of lock on your phone.

From Settings, swipe to and tap Lock screen. Then, tap Screen lock type and select your desired type of lock. Follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.

Here are the basic Screen lock types:

  • Swipe: 

    Swipe the screen to unlock it.

  • Pattern: 

    Create a pattern that you draw on the screen to unlock.

  • PIN: 

    Select a PIN to unlock the screen.

  • Password: 

    Create a password for unlocking the screen.

  • None: 

    No screen lock.

Biometrics

From here you can turn on a Face ID and Fingerprint biometrics. For more, click on the links.

Smart Lock

The Smart Lock feature unlocks your phone automatically by recognizing different signals. For example, it can recognize if your phone is near your home’s wireless router, your car’s Bluetooth system, or your smart watch.

Smart Lock is great if you despise consistently entering your pin or password to unlock your device.

Note: Available screens and settings may vary by wireless service provider, software version, and phone model. Smart Lock is not available on all carriers.

When you click on Smart Lock from the lock screen settings you will be given the following options:

  • On-body detection: 

    Once you unlock your phone, it will remain unlocked while it’s moving (if you’re walking with it for example) Your phone will stay unlocked for a maximum of 4 hours or until you put it down. Click on the switch next to “Use On-body detection” to activate this feature.

  • Trusted places: 

    Once you unlock your phone, it will remain unlocked as long as you’re at or close to a trusted place such as your home, work or a family members house. It will lock after 4 hours or when you leave the place you’ve designated as a trusted place. To register a location, click Add trusted place. Search for an address, browse the map, or choose a suggested address. Then click OK to add it to trusted places.

  • Trusted devices: 

    Once you unlock your phone, it will remain unlocked when it’s connected to a trusted device, like a smart watch or your cars bluetooth system. Your phone will remain unlocked for up to 4 hours or until it disconnects from all trusted devices. To register a device, click Add trusted device, and then click Pair new device. Connect to your Bluetooth device the way you usually would. Then, when Smart Lock is active, you can force your phone to lock anytime. Just open the Power menu and tap Lockdown.

Secure Lock Settings

 

  • Make pattern visible: 

    Choose whether or not the pattern appears on the screen when you draw it. This option will only appear if you have a pattern set as your Lock screen.

  • Auto lock when screen turns off: 

    Set a time limit for when your phone will lock, such as 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 1 minute, or 5 minutes.

  • Lock instantly with Side key: 

    Set your phone to lock instantly when you press the Side key.

  • Auto factory reset: 

    After 15 incorrect attempts to unlock your phone, it will be reset to factory default settings, and all data will be erased, including files and downloaded apps. Note: It is Highly Recommended that your information in backed up before using this setting.

  • Lock network and security: 

    Keep network and security-related functions locked while your phone is locked, making it easier to locate and protect if it’s lost or stolen.

  • Show Lockdown option: 

    Display a Power button option that turns off Smart Lock, biometrics unlock, and notifications on the Lock screen.

Always on Display

Always On Display can be pretty useful, but keep in mind it can drain your battery power. However, you can toggle AOD on or off was needed.

  1. From Settings, search for and select Always On Display.

  2. Tap Always On Display, and then tap the switch to turn it on or off.

Always on Display Settings

 

  • Tap to show for 10 seconds: 

    This is typically on by default. When it’s activated, you can tap the screen to make AOD appear for 10 seconds. This setting will help conserve battery.

  • Show always: 

    When this setting is on it will display AOD continuously whenever the screen on your phone is off. This setting is helpful if you don’t want to tap anything to see your AOD. When this setting is on it will use up more battery power.

  • Show as scheduled: 

    This setting will show your AOD based on a schedule you set. This setting is helpful if you want AOD to display at specific times. For example, you can set your AOD to only display while you’re at work and then  it will turn off at night while you’re sleeping. This setting will drain the battery less.

  • Show for new notifications: 

    This setting will show your AOD when you receive a new notification. This setting doesn’t drain the battery too much.

Clock Style

From this AOD setting, you can customize the clock style that appears on your phone.

From Settings, search for and select Always On Display. Tap Always On Display again, and then tap Clock style. From here, you can choose your desired clock style. You can also change the clock’s color. Tap Color, and then select your desired color. When you are finished, tap Done.

Show music information

Use this setting to show music information on your screen when it’s off. This is useful because you’ll see the artist and track information of a song without having to unlock your phone.

Screen Orientation

From here you can choose between portrait and landscape.

Auto Brightness

This setting is the default setting and it will adjust the brightness of your AOD automatically. To control the brightness manually, click the switch next to Auto Brightness. Then, use the slider bar to customize the brightness that you want. You can also double click the clock when your AOD displays, and customize the brightness from there.

Wallpaper Services

From here you can choose wallpaper options for your lock screen, see Lock screen wallpaper services.

Roaming Clock

This setting will show the time of both where you are and your home while you’re traveling. Choose a time zone and decide if you would like it to show with your AOD setting.

Widgets

Widgets are a quick way of accessing apps and features without opening the app itself. When you go to Settings > Lock Screen > Widgets you will see the following widgets you can add, take away, or reorder. Note: Your widgets will show up on the lock screen in the order you choose from this setting. To reorder them, click Reorder in the top right corner of the screen. The widget options are:

  • Music
  • Weather
  • Todays schedule
  • Next alarm
  • Digital Wellbeing
  • Bixby Routines
  • You can also click Show on Always On Display to add widgets to the AOD feature

Contact Information

Here you can add your phone number, email, or whatever contact info or message you’d like to appear on the lock screen on your phone in the event that you may lose your device.

Notifications

When this setting is on you will be able to see notifications on your lock screen. If you click on notifications you can customizes these settings. For more notification information and how to customize click Here.

Shortcuts

You can add and access shortcuts on the lock screen such as, your calculator, camera, flashlight, and Do Not Disturb from this tab.

Table of Contents
wpChatIcon