play ps1 games on android

Sunday, 12 October 2025

How To Play Sony PlayStation [PS2] Games On Android

The Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2) was a legendary gaming console that redefined an entire generation of gaming. A direct successor to the iconic PS1 console, the PS2 was greatly praised for its graphics that were ahead of its time. Thanks to its CELL broadband graphics engine and a massive gaming library, the PS2 sold over 155 million units. Its production was stopped long ago, so technically, you can’t own it now, but you can still play PS2 games on your Android. Whether you are a Tekken fan, a Need for Speed admirer, or an RPG pro, you can enjoy all these gaming titles on your phone. So, let’s see this post and relive the PlayStation 2 gaming era with pure nostalgia.

Top 10 PS2 Games of All Time (Nostalgia Factor)

If you ever owned a Sony PS2 console, you’ll remember how these titles made gaming unforgettable. Playing them again on Android emulators is like traveling back in time.

  1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The open world gaming masterpiece with CJ as the protagonist. GTA San Andreas is still remembered for its storyline, gameplay, unforgettable cheats and being the most successful PS2 game.
  2. God of War PS2 – Relive Kratos’ brutal mythological battles with jaw-dropping combat.
  3. Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater PS2 – Tactical espionage action at its finest.
  4. Shadow of the Colossus – An emotional masterpiece where you battle gigantic beasts.
  5. Final Fantasy X – One of the most beloved RPGs with breathtaking storytelling.
  6. Resident Evil 4 – The survival-horror experience that redefined the genre.
  7. Tekken 5 – Fast-paced fighting action that still holds up today.
  8. Gran Turismo 4 – The ultimate racing simulator of its era.
  9. Devil May Cry 3 – Stylish action and intense gameplay that fans still adore.
  10. NFS Most Wanted 2005 – High-speed racing, defeating blacklist rivals, and owning super cars, all filled with pure entertainment.

Playing these on Android is not just gaming—it’s reliving your childhood. Every mission, every soundtrack, every victory screen pulls you back into the golden age of PS2 gaming.

Requirements to Play Sony PS2 Games on Android

Here are the requirements below to play PS2 games on Android.

  • A high-end Android Smartphone.
  • PS2 BIOS (SCPH10000.bin) file.
  • PS2 ROMs or discs that you own.
  • A PS2 emulator for Android such AetherSX2, NetherSX2 or Play PS2 emulator Android.
  • There's absolutely no need to root your Android phone.

Disclaimer

Sony PlayStation 2 emulators are pretty legal, but PS2 ROMs, ISOs, and BIOS that you see on the internet are not. Almost every game ROM hosting website offers them for free without citing their legitimate source. Also, such websites never seek permission from the official game developers before offering the ROMs for free. So, technically, this is copyright infringement, and many websites have been legally taken down due to this.

So, to be on the safer side, you can dump your own PS2 discs and get the ROM files from them. Also, in the same way, you can extract the PS2 BIOS from your PS2 console that you own.

If you do not own a PS2 console and still want to enjoy the games, then make sure downloading PS2 ROMs and BIOS is legal in your country. Though Sony or any other PS2 game developer won’t go after you if you are downloading the ROMs for personal use, however, it is still a copyright infringement.

Also, if you are looking for PS2 games Android download from websites that host them may expose your phone or PC to malware, spyware, viruses, and ransomware. Never download any software that claims to download ROMs, as this would definitely be malware. So, proceed at your own risk.

What Is The Best PS2 Emulator For Android

If you’re ready to bring the PS2 library to your Android device, you’ll run into a few emulator options. Not all of them are worth your time, but three names stand out: AetherSX2, NetherSX2, and Play!.

What Is The Best PS2 Emulator For Android
  • NetherSX2 – Right now, this is the most reliable PS2 emulator for Android. It doesn’t show ads, runs smoothly on modern phones, and is actively updated by its developers. Many gamers see it as the natural successor to AetherSX2, offering the same solid performance with continued improvements.

  • AetherSX2 – Once the most popular PS2 emulator on Android. It delivered excellent compatibility and speed but is no longer being developed. If you still find an official build, it’s worth keeping, though NetherSX2 has now taken the spotlight.

  • Play! – A completely different emulator project. It’s still in development and has lower compatibility compared to the others, but it’s fun to test and can run some titles decently. A good secondary option if you want to experiment. You can use this PS2 emulator for Android if you have a high-end smartphone and don’t want to spend time customizing the settings.

Verdict: For the best overall experience, go with NetherSX2. Keep AetherSX2 if you already have it, and try Play! only if you’re curious about alternatives or want to follow its development.

How To Play Sony PlayStation [PS2] Games With Play! PS2 Emulator For Android

In this section, we will learn to play PS2 games on Android using the Play! emulator for Android. The Play! emulator is easy to use and must be used if you have high-end Android smartphone.

  1. Using the file manager on your Android phone, create a folder named 'PS2.'
  2. Now create two subfolders inside the 'PS2' folder as 'PS2 BIOS' and 'PS2 Games.'
  3. Copy the PS2 BIOS SCPH10000.bin file to the 'PS2 BIOS' folder and copy the PS2 ROMs or ISO to the 'PS2 Games' folder.
  4. Download and install the Play! PS2 emulator for Android from the Google Play store.
  5. After installation, open the emulator and tap the menu button in the top left corner.
play ps2 emulator menu button

  1. Once the menu opens, tap 'Add Folder' option.
add game folder in Play! PS2 emulator for Android
  1. Now your phone's file manager will open, locate the 'PS2 Games' folder and tap to open it. Finally, tap 'USE THIS FOLDER' to select it.
select folder for PS2 games in Play!
  1. A popup will open asking you to grant file storage access to the Play! emulator. Tap 'Allow' to proceed. This will add the PS2 games ISOs within the emulator.
PlayStation 2 games added in Play! emulator
  1. Tap the game to start playing it. You do not have to customize any settings. Just start playing once you add the games to the emulator.
NFS most wanted 2005 PlayStation 2 game on Play! emulator for Android

New Games Not Visible In Play! PS2 Emulator After Adding: How To Fix

It is possible that you may not see your PS2 games in the emulator even if you copy them to the 'PS2 Games' folder. If you face this issue then the fix is just simple. Open the Play! emulator and tap the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and then tap 'Settings.' Then tap 'UI Settings' and then select and tap 'Rescan Storage.' Tapping the 'Rescan Storage' option will scan for new games that you've added in the 'PS2 Games' folder and will add the games to your emulator.

How To Play Sony PlayStation [PS2] Games With NetherSX2 For Android

NetherSX2 is currently the best Android PS2 emulator as it even works smoothly on mid-range Android smartphones. The Play! PS2 emulator is not for mid-range phones as its hardware requirements are high. So, if you do not own a high-end smartphone then NetherSX2 will be your best choice. Also, NetherSX2 lets you configure and tweak the gaming performance for optimal gaming experience. Let's see how to Play PS2 games on phone.

  1. Download and install the NetherSX2 PS2 emulator for Android. This emulator is not available on Google Play Store so, you have to sideload it as an APK.

Note:Your phone may block the installation due to security reasons. You can grant permission to the file manager on your phone to install APKs and later revoke it. Also, if you are using a Samsung Android phone then you have to disable the 'Auto Blocker' temporarily. Once the app gets installed, enable the 'Auto Blocker' again.

  1. After installation, open NetherSX2 and tap the 'NEXT' button on the welcome screen.
  2. Read the FAQ section if you wish and then again tap 'NEXT.'
  3. In this step, you will the 'Settings' page. Do not modify any settings here. Just make sure that 'Optimal/Safe Defaults' are selected, then tap 'Next' to proceed.
quick settings NetherSX2
  1. Now in this step you have to import the PS2 BIOS file SCPH10000.bin. Tap the 'Import BIOS' button and locate the BIOS file from 'PS2 > PS2 BIOS' on your phone's internal storage. Tap the BIOS file to select and then tap 'Done' to import it in NetherSX2.
import SCPH10000.bin PS2 BIOS file
  1. Once the imported BIOS file appears in NetherSX2, tap it to select and then tap 'NEXT' to proceed.
Select imported BIOS file SCPH10000.bin
  1. In this step, we have to select the PS2 games directory that we have created on our phone's internal storage as PS2 > PS2 Games. Tap the '+' plus icon to select a game directory.
add a game directory in NetherSX2
  1. Once you locate your PS2 game ROMs directory, tap 'USE THIS FOLDER' to import it in NetherSX2. A popup will open asking you to allow NetherSX2 to access files in your PS2 Games folder, tap 'ALLOW' to proceed.
select the PS2 game folder containing ROMs and ISO files
  1. Once the game directory is visible in NetherSX2, tap 'NEXT' to proceed further.
game directory added in NetherSX2
  1. The initial setup has been completed, tap 'FINISH' to close it.
  2. You will be able to see your PS2 games once you tap 'FINISH.' Tap any game of your choice to start playing it.
games visible in NetherSX2
  1. At any time you can choose to rotate your phone's screen to play the PS2 games on your Android in full screen.
NFS most wanted 2005 on NetherSX2 Android PS2 emulator

Note: If you're using a mid range Android smartphone then the PS2 games will lag and won't run smoothly. This is something we can't control as PS2 games are heavy and need a high-end smartphone for good gaming experience. However, some games will work fine even on mid-range Android smartphones if you enable the 'Frame limiter-' option, but game's cut scenes may still stutter.

To enable the 'Frame Limiter' option tap the 'Pause' button in the top right corner while the game is running then tap 'Toggle Frame Limiter' to enable it.

enable frame limiter

Another Note: If you do not see all your PS2 games in NetherSX2 then tap the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and tap 'Scan For New Games' and then tap 'Rescan All Games.' Your PS2 games should now be visible in the emulator.

scan for new games, ROMs and ISOs

How to Save a Game State In NetherSX2

Saving a PS2 game state becomes essential when you do not wish to play the games for long hours. Once you save a game state, you can then continue exactly from where you left and saved the game. To save the PS2 game state on NetherSX2, you can follow the steps below.

  1. While the game is running, tap the 'Pause' button in the top right corner and then tap 'Save State' option.
save state NetherSX2
  1. You can now see multiple save state slots. A total of 10 save states are available. Tap any slot to save your PS2 game state immediately.
save state slots
  1. You can long tap any save state slot and tap 'Delete State' if you wish to delete a save state.

How to Load a Game State In NetherSX2

Loading a saved game state on NetherSX2 lets you play your favourite PS2 games from the point where you left and saved it. You can load a saved game state by following the steps given below.

  1. While the game is running, tap the 'Pause' button in the top right corner and then tap 'Load State' option.
load a PS2 game state in NetherSX2
  1. You will now see all the PS2 save states here.
load state slots
  1. Tap the desired saved state to load it and start playing from where you left the game.

How to Connect a PS3/PS4/PS5 Game Controller/Joystick To NetherSX2

NetherSX2 supports both wireless and wired gamepads. You can use any Bluetooth enabled joystick such as from a PS3, PS4 or even a PS5 to enjoy the PS2 games on your Android phone.

Warning: We do not recommend connecting a generic USB wired gamepad to your phone as it will drain your phone's battery and may damage it. Always use a Bluetooth enabled gamepad as Bluetooth is energy efficient and won't damage your phone's battery.

Let's now see, how to connect a gamepad to NetherSX2 below.

  1. Connect your wireless game controller via Bluetooth to your Android phone.
  2. Once the gamepad is connected, open NetherSX2 and tap the menu button in the top left corner and tap 'Controller Settings.'
PS2 emulator controller settings for Android
  1. In the 'Controller Settings' swipe to the left and tap 'Controller Port 1.'
controller port 1 settings
  1. In 'Controller Type', make sure 'DualShock 2' is selected.
select controller type as DualShock 2
  1. Now tap 'Automatic Mapping', a popup will open asking you to select your connected gamepad.
select gamepad for automatic button mapping
  1. Once you select the gamepad, the gamepad buttons will be auto-mapped in NetherSX2. However, for non-PlayStation controllers some buttons may not be mapped and you have to map them manually.
automatic button mapping fails for some buttons with generic gamepads
  1. Tap the button which didn't get mapped. A popup will open asking you to register a button from your gamepad. Press the button on your gamepad map it with the button in NetherSX2. Repeat this process for all the buttons you want to configure.
manual gamepad/keyboard button mapping in NetherSX2

Note: If you wish you can also connect a gaming keyboard if you do not have a gamepad. However, automatic mapping will not work for your gaming keyboard. You have to assign buttons manually. To register a keyboard's button in NetherSX2, you have to press it twice.

How to Import/Export NetherSX2 App Data

Exporting NetherSX2 app data would be beneficial if you wish to transfer it on a different phone. If you backup the emulator's data then you will be able to fully restore it on a different Android phone or tablet. The backup also gets important in a situation where you accidentally uninstall the emulator app. In that case, if you have the full backup then you can restore it. The backup contains app settings, saved game states, PS2 memory card files and BIOS files. So, let's see how to import/export NethersSX2 app data below.

  1. Open NetherSX2 emulator app on your phone/tablet and tap the 'Menu' button in the top right corner.
  2. Tap the option 'Transfer Data' to proceed.
import/export NetherSX2 app data
  1. To make a backup on your phone tap 'EXPORT' and then select a folder on your phone's internal storage.
export app data to phone storage
  1. The app will ask you for permission for file storage access on your phone. Tap 'ALLOW' to proceed.
select export location for app data
  1. You can now select what app data you wish to backup: BIOS, cover images, game settings, memory cards and save states. Keep all files checked if you want to backup all data.
select type of files to export for NetherSX2
  1. Once the backup is complete, you can open the save location on your phone's storage and see that all files would be there. You can save this folder on a different phone also as then you can import NetherSX2 app data from it.

How to Import NetherSX2 App Data

Let's say that you have reinstalled the NetherSX2 app on your phone or installed it on a different Android phone and want the same app settings and configuration. In this case, we just have to import the app data and restore it to get the same settings across multiple devices. Here's how you can import NetherSX2 app data.

  1. Open NetherSX2 emulator app on your phone/tablet and tap the 'Menu' button in the top right corner.
  2. Tap the option 'Transfer Data' to proceed.
  3. To restore app data, tap 'IMPORT' and then select the backup folder on your phone's internal storage where you stored the app data files.
  4. The app will ask you for permission for file storage access on your phone. Tap 'ALLOW' to proceed.
  5. You can now select what app data you wish to import: BIOS, cover images, game settings, memory cards and save states. Keep all files checked if you want to import all data. Finally, tap 'IMPORT' to complete this.
  6. Now your PS2 emulator's app data has been imported and you can start using it without making any change in settings.


Final Words

I hope you enjoyed this article to play PS2 games on android. Gaming in the past was blissful, and the PS2 console was a perfect fit for that era, some 25 years ago. Since then, gaming has changed a lot. Today, games are more focused on graphics rather than the gameplay experience and storyline. You can still find many PS2 games that hold credibility for being actual games, offering a solid mix of engaging gameplay, compelling storylines, and great graphics. If you wish to relive the PS2 gaming era, this article is definitely for you. It will surely remind you of your childhood gaming days.

If you enjoyed this article, kindly share it with your friends and family. And if you have any questions or suggestions, please consider posting a comment below.

Saturday, 27 September 2025

Download Stunning Free HD & 4K Wallpapers for Android & iPhone – Step-by-Step

Smartphones have become more than just communication tools—they’re an extension of our personality and style quotient. One of the easiest ways to make your device truly yours is with high-quality wallpapers that reflect your taste, mood, and creativity. Whether you’re an Android or iPhone user, downloading free HD and 4K wallpapers can instantly transform your phone’s look and feel.

From stunning landscapes and abstract art to minimalistic designs and vibrant graphics, there’s a wallpaper for everyone. In this guide, we’ll show you a step-by-step guide on how to find, download, and set the perfect wallpapers for your smartphone. The good thing about this tutorial is that it works for almost every smartphone in this world that exists today.

The Issues With Default Wallpapers On Your Smartphone

Every smartphone comes with a set of default wallpapers that you can use to change your smartphone's visual appeal. But the default wallpapers are pretty limited in the way that they aren't natural, don't have vibrant colors, don't show high-quality detail, and are limited in categories.

To fix this issue, you will need to apply free HD and 4K wallpapers on your Android or iPhone. The phone wallpapers we are referring to here are copyright-free, fit for personal use, and include multiple categories. So, let's explore more about this topic.

Step-by-Step Guide to Download Stunning Free HD & 4K Wallpapers for Android & iPhone

In this step-by-step guide we use pexels.com to download free HD and 4K wallpapers for your Android and iPhone/iPad. Pexels is an image hosting website that provides free stock photos, royalty free images and videos.

The collection for images and videos on pexels is huge and this website gets updated regularly, so, you will see fresh wallpapers for every category that you choose. Let's learn to download free HD and 4K wallpapers for your Android and iPhone.

  1. Open the internet browser on your Android and iPhone (Google Chrome or Safari) and go to pexels.com.
  2. In the search bar, enter a search term based on your interest. For example, I am searching for '4K nature wallpaper' and '4K wallpaper anime.'

search for wallpapers on pexels.com

  1. Once you see the search results, tap the 'Filter' button in the bottom right corner and under 'Orientation' tap 'Vertical' because for smartphones we only need tall or vertical wallpapers.
change 4k phone wallpaper filters on pexels.com
  1. After applying the filter you will only see vertical wallpapers to choose from. Tap the desired wallpaper to open it.
  2. Tap the drop-down arrow within the 'Free download' button to open the download options.
download phone wallpapers in 4K resolution
  1. Make sure that 'Original' size option is selected to download the wallpaper in its best quality. Tap 'Download Selected Size' to download the wallpaper to your phone.
  2. Once downloaded, open the file manager on your phone and go to your phone's download folder. You will see the downloaded wallpapers here. Tap to open the wallpaper and set it as the main wallpaper for your home screen or lock screen.

So, this is how you can use the pexels.com website to download free and stunning 4K UHD wallpapers for your Android and iOS devices. Also, this tutorial is not just limited to smartphones, if you have a PC, iPad, a laptop, or a Mac PC then you can also download wallpapers for these devices. In the tutorial above we used the pexels website via a browser to download 4K wallpapers.

However, if you frequently change your wallpapers then going the browser way may seem inconvenient to you. In this case we can use the pexels app for quickly downloading the wallpapers on your phone, let's see the next section for this.

How to Use The Pexels App For Downloading Free HD and 4K Wallpapers For Android and iOS

Here's a complete and step-by-step guide to use the pexels app for downloading high-quality wallpapers for your Android smartphones and iPhones such as iPhone 15, iPhone 16 and iPhone 17.

  1. Download and install the pexels app for Android and iOS. Search for the app in Google Play Store and Apple's app store.
  2. After installing the pexels app, open it and tap the 'Search' button.
search 4K wallpapers for phone in pexels app
  1. In the search field, enter your search term. Here, for example, I am searching for '4K mobile wallpapers' and 'black phone wallpaper HD.' Tap the green 'Search' button after typing your search term.
pexels app wallpaper search
  1. Now immediately after tapping the 'Search' button you will see the wallpapers. Tap the 'Filter' button in the top right corner and under 'Orientation' tap the 'Portrait' option. We are selecting this option because we only want tall and vertical wallpapers for our phones.
pexels app 4K wallpapers filter
  1. If you wish to change other filters such as 'Sort', 'Sizes' and 'Colors' then customize them accordingly and finally tap 'Apply Filters.'
  2. You will now see wallpapers as per the filter configuration selected by you.
  3. Browse through the list of wallpapers unless you find the wallpaper(s) you like.
  4. Tap the desired wallpaper to open it and then tap the green 'Download' button.
download phone wallpapers from pexels app
  1. A popup will open from where you can even share the wallpaper directly to your Instagram stories or share on WhatsApp or Facebook status. Tap the 'Download Image' button to download it to your phone. You can also tap 'Set Wallpaper' option to apply it automatically to your phone's home screen. The downloaded wallpaper can be found in the 'Downloads', 'Download' or the 'Pictures' folder.
download, share or set wallpaper on your phone from pexels app
  1. If you do not want to apply the wallpaper automatically then tap the 'Download Image' button then select the image size. For full HD quality, select the 'Original' size and then tap the 'Download Image' button. The wallpaper will be downloaded to your phones 'Downloads', 'Download' or the 'Pictures' folder, so, check accordingly.
download phone wallpaper in full resolution
  1. You can now choose to set this downloaded wallpaper on your phone's home screen or lock screen to make them elegant.

Why to Use Pexels.com For Downloading Free HD and 4K Wallpapers

We're listing some solid reasons below to use free phone wallpapers websites such as pexels, zedge, unsplash and pixabay.

  1. Free stunning, high-quality, pexels royalty free 4K UHD wallpapers for large screen phones such iPhone 16, iPhone 17, flagship Samsung phones such as Galaxy S24, S24 Ultra, S25 Ultra, S24 FE etc. However, it is good to learn more about their image licensing policy. Read: pexels license policy.
  2. Highly suitable for AMOLED screens and retina displays due to their capability of showing darker blacks and colors that visually pop.
  3. No need to purchase a monthly subscription to use these free image hosting platforms.
  4. Use pexels app to get daily recommendations for cool mobile wallpapers and that too for free.
  5. Sign up to create an account to follow other users who keep posting quality content for wallpapers.
crystal cherry 4k hd wallpaper paradise 4K HD wallpaper

Should You Use Pexels For Your Phone's Lock Screen

Pexels.com is a worthy resource for getting free 4K wallpapers for your phone. However, the wallpapers are pretty good for your phone's home screen, they are not ideal for your Android's lock screen. A phone's lock screen with a wallpaper setting must be dynamic. A dynamic lock screen shows you a different wallpaper every time you wake it up. You can choose multiple categories of wallpapers for your dynamic lock screen to keep it stylish.

If you own a Samsung Android phone then I recommend using its dynamic lock screen feature instead of applying some five to ten static wallpapers. Dynamic lock screen downloads new wallpapers every two weeks for your selected categories and applies them automatically. You will see a new wallpaper on your lock screen every time you wake your phone's screen. Dynamic wallpapers not only add style to your phone but they can also affect your mood positively by showing you colorful images.

So, if you have got a Samsung Android phone and wish to customize its dynamic lock screen then read: How to Setup Dynamic Lock Screen On Samsung Android Smartphones.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Check out the FAQs section below that answers some of the most common questions related to free smartphone wallpapers.

Q1. What is the best free wallpaper app?

For basic use you can use pexels for free phone wallpapers. However, if you want anime wallpapers, digital art, mobile only wallpapers then you can go with zedge.net. Zedge runs ads and show premium wallpapers along with free wallpapers. You can filter free wallpapers if you wish. If you do not have issues with their ads then zedge.net is a solid platform for getting free 4K mobile wallpapers.

Q2. What size is a 4K wallpaper for mobile?

The 4K UHD resolution is 3840x2160 pixels but wallpapers can be larger than this resolution. We have wallpapers having resolution more than 5000 pixels. So, for a smartphone any wallpaper having resolution 1080x1920 pixels or larger will work just fine.

Q3. How to pick a good phone wallpaper?

Firstly, select a category then search for the desired wallpaper on zedge or pexels. Look for vibrant colors and darker blacks with clear details. Avoid dull wallpapers that are not bright. Always download your wallpapers in the highest possible resolution.

Conclusion

Selecting the right wallpaper for your phone is the best thing to improve the visual aesthetics of your phone. You are not short of sources in this case as you can download nearly tons of free HD and 4K wallpapers to your phone. Wallpapers are not just a digital piece of art, they can set your mood positively and motivate you on a daily basis.

From nature's scenic and serene visuals to wildlife wallpapers, portraits, food, travel, space exploration, anime wallpapers, there's a wallpaper for everyone. So, if you do like this post then start customizing your phone's home screen with colourful and vibrant wallpapers and make your phone stand out.

If you do like this article then I kindly request you to take 2 minutes to share it as this will help and motivate me to keep creating such content in the future.

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

10 Handy Samsung One UI 7 Tips, Tricks & Hidden Features

Samsung's One UI now comes with some built-in features that ease your Android experience. From taking screenshots to recording your phone's screen, extracting text from images and photos, erasing objects from your images and photos, checking notification history, there's a lot more features that many Samsung users aren't aware of.

So, in this article we are presenting 10 handy tips and tricks for Samsung One UI 7 that you can learn to make your Galaxy smartphone easier to use, boost your productivity, and get the most out of its hidden features. Kindly read the complete article to know the One UI 7 tips and tricks that we are sharing.

10 Handy Samsung One UI 7 Tips, Tricks & Hidden Features

Here are the top 10 Android tips and tricks for the Samsung One UI 7 that will make your Android experience more productive and intuitive. These Samsung One UI 7 tips and tricks should work on One UI 6 and One UI 8.

1. How to Take Screenshots Without Pressing Buttons On One UI 7

Taking screenshots is a very common practice on an Android phone. In the early days of Samsung Galaxy smartphones, screenshots can only be captured by pressing a combination of buttons. But as Samsung One UI evolved over time, it removed the need to press buttons to take screenshots. You can now tap the screenshot option in the 'Quick Settings' panel to take a screenshot. Let's see the step-by-step guide below to take screenshots on your Samsung Galaxy device without pressing any button.

  1. Swipe down on your phone's screen from the top. You may need to swipe twice unless you see the 'Take screenshot' option.
screenshot shortcut in quick settings panel in Samsung One UI
  1. Once you see the 'Take screenshot' option, tap it to capture the screenshot.
  2. You can find that captured screenshot in your phone's Samsung Gallery app. Also check: how to take a long screenshot on Android.

2. How to Use Screen Recording On Your Samsung Galaxy Smartphone

Recording your Samsung Android phone's screen gets very useful when you need to make a tutorial, recording your Android gaming videos, or record a series of steps to troubleshoot Android system. The good news is that you don't have to download a third-party Android screen recording app because the feature is built-in into many Samsung Android smartphones.

However, Samsung's official screen recording feature is not available on all Samsung phones. If you have a Samsung phone that runs on an Exynos chipset, there are high chances that it would have the screen recording feature built-in. Follow the steps below to use the screen recorder on your Samsung Android smartphone.

  1. Swipe down on your phone's screen from the top. You may need to swipe twice unless you see the 'Screen recorder' option.
  2. Once you see the 'Screen recorder' option, tap it, a dialog box will open on your phone's screen.
Samsung screen recording option in quick settings panel
  1. Under 'Record sound', you can either select 'None', 'Media', 'Media and mic.' If you select 'None' then no sound will be recorded, if you select 'Media' then phone's internal sound will be recorded (such as video's audio and Android system sounds) and if you select 'Media and mic' then you will be able to record your voice along with the phone's internal sound.
Samsung screen recorder options
  1. If you wish to show your screen taps and touches in the recorded video, enable 'Show taps and touches.'
  2. Finally, tap 'Start recording' to start the screen recording on your Samsung Android phone.
  3. Once the screen recording starts, you will see a control panel with four controls, see the image below.
Samsung One UI screen recording tools
  1. With the annotation tool (pencil) you can select anything on the screen by drawing any shape. The color of the annotation tool is customizable. Once you tap the annotation tool, you also see the color, tap the color to change it. To remove the annotation, use the undo button or tap the pencil icon again.
Samsung screen recorder annotation tool
  1. If you wish to record yourself along with the screen recording, tap the 'selfie recorder' button to open the front camera. A selfie recorder will open as an screen overlay that you can drag and drop almost anywhere on the screen.
Samsung One UI selfie screen recorder
  1. Use the 'Pause' and 'Stop' buttons to pause or stop the screen recording when required.
  2. You can check the recorded video in your Samsung Gallery app. If you wish you can also use the built-in Samsung video editor to edit your video.

3. Use Extra Dim For Night Time Viewing

During night-time viewing, we use the dark mode to avoid unnecessary strain on our eyes due to the screen's light. However, watching videos or movies on your phone in a dark room may strain your eyes, even if dark mode is enabled and the screen brightness is set to minimum. In this case, you can use the 'Extra dim' feature to lower your Samsung phone's screen brightness beyond the minimum possible level. Here's how to enable to the 'Extra dim' feature on your Samsung Galaxy Android smartphone.

  1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision enhancements > Colours and clarity > Extra dim.
extra dim option in Samsung Android settings
  1. Once you the tap the 'Extra dim' option, you will see its customization options.
  2. Tap the 'Off' button to enable the 'Extra dim' feature. Once enabled, your phone's screen brightness will get lowered even more than the minimum possible level.
extra dim settings in Samsung One UI
  1. Check the 'Intensity' level and slide it towards left to decrease the brightness and towards right to increase. You can experiment on this and find the correct intensity level for the 'Extra dim' feature.
  2. You can also find the 'Extra dim' shortcut in the 'Quick Settings' panel. For this enable the option 'Extra dim shortcut' and then you will see it in the 'Quick Settings' panel.
extra dim shortcut in quick settings panel in Samsung One UI

4. Increase or Decrease Camera LED Torch's Brightness

We all know that we can use our phone's camera's LED flash as torch. When Android was pretty new, this feature was only available via third-party Android apps. But as Android evolved over time, the feature to use camera flash as LED torch started coming as an inbuilt utility. However, on almost every Android phone the brightness of the camera LED torch can't be increased or decreased, but in Samsung One UI 7 we can customize the brightness as follows:

  1. Access the 'Quick Settings' panel on your Samsung phone and look for the 'Torch' button. Tap it to enable the LED torch.
torch button in quick settings panel in Samsung One UI
  1. Long tap the 'Torch' button. You will now see the 'Brightness' option with five levels.
increase or decrease LED torch brightness on Samsung phones
  1. After selecting the required brightness level for your LED flash torch, tap 'Done.'
  2. The camera LED torch will now work at your set brightness level. You can anytime increase or decrease the LED torch's brightness as required. Also check: how to enable battery protection on Samsung Android smartphones.

5. Use Screen Colour Filters To Avoid Eye Strain

To reduce eye strain, we can use the dark mode or the 'Extra dim' features. However, these two features do not apply any color filter on the phone's screen to ease the viewing. Samsung One UI provides a built-in option to apply color filters on your phone's screen for easy viewing and without straining your eyes. You can follow the steps below to apply color filter on the phone's screen.

  1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision enhancements > Colour filter.

    colour filter option in Samsung Android settings
  1. Tap and enable 'Colour filter shortcut' to show the colour filter shortcut in the 'Quick Settings' panel.
  2. Under 'Opacity' select the colour filter opacity from 20% to 60%.
colour filter settings in Samsung One UI
  1. Scroll down and select the colour for your screen's colour filter. There are a total of 12 colours which can be used as a colour filter for your phone's screen.
  2. After making the colour filter customizations, tap the 'Off' button to enable the colour filter. You can also access this shortcut from the 'Quick Settings' panel to enable or disable it.

Also Read: Download Stunning Free 4K Wallpapers For Android and iPhone

6. How to Extract Text From Images In Samsung One UI 7

The feature to extract text from images is not available on all Samsung phones. It is one of the best hidden features in Samsung One UI 7. However, you can see this feature on high-end Samsung phones and Samsung phones housing the Exynos chipsets, such as Galaxy M35 5G and Galaxy M36 5G for example. If your Samsung phone supports it then you will see a yellow 'T' icon on every image that has text in it. Follow the steps below to use this feature.

Extract Text From Images Saved In The Gallery App

In this part we are not using the phone's camera to read the text from images. Samsung doesn't market the extract text from images as OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature, however it works similar to the OCR feature. So, let's see how to extract text from images stored in your Samsung Gallery app, see below.

  1. Open Samsung Gallery app and open any image that has text in it.
  2. When you open the image having text, you will see a yellow 'T' Optical Character Recognition (OCR) button in the bottom right corner. Tap the yellow 'T' icon and the app will start identifying the text within the image.
Samsung optical character recognition button
  1. Within a few seconds you will see that multiple pieces of text in your image get highlighted within a localized box with three options: 'Scan', 'Add to note', and 'Copy all.'
Samsung OCR extracted text options
  1. Long tap on the text and you will see two blue markers on the text block. Now drag these blue markers over the text to select it. Once you finish selecting the text, you will see option an option to 'Copy' or 'Share' the selected text.
select text in images with Samsung optical character recognition feature
  1. Tap 'Copy all' to copy the entire text to clipboard or tap 'Add to note' to add the copied text in a new note in Samsung notes app.
  2. Once you tap 'Copy' the text will be copied to Android's clipboard and is ready to be pasted in any app such as WhatsApp chat, text messages, Facebook etc.
  3. You can also use the 'Share' option to share the copied text directly to any app or Samsung notes app.

Note: The accuracy of the copied text depends on how well the text is visible in the image. You may still see some errors in the copied text but you can correct them as required. The extract text from images hidden feature is a very useful feature in the Samsung One UI 7.

Extract Text From Images Using Phone's Camera

If you wish to extract text from images using your phone's camera in real time then follow the steps below.

  1. Open your Samsung phone's camera and point the camera on any object having the text. Once you point the camera on the text, you will see the yellow 'T' Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the bottom right corner.
scan/extract text from images with Samsung OCR

  1. Once you tap the yellow 'T' icon the phone will start scanning the text. Once it finishes scanning, it will display three options: 'Scan', 'Add to note', and 'Copy all.' For some text documents you may only see the 'Scan' option. In this case long tap the text on the screen and select it using the blue markers. 
scan text with camera on Samsung phone
  1. Tap 'Copy all' to copy the entire text to clipboard or tap 'Add to note' to add the copied text in a new note in Samsung notes app.
  2. You can save the note on your phone and copy the text whenever required.

7. How to Hide Apps In Samsung Home and Apps Screen

If you do not wish to show several apps on your One UI's home and apps screen then hiding them would be ideal. Hiding the apps on home screen ensures that no one access them if they do not know about how to unhide them. You do not need to install a third-party app to hide apps as the feature is built-in right into Samsung One UI 7. Let's see below how to hide apps in Samsung Android phones.

  1. Go to Settings > Home screen.
Home screen setting on Samsung Android phone
  1. Scroll down to find 'Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.'
hide apps on home and app screen in Samsung One UI
  1. You will see a list of Android apps that you can hide from the home and apps screen. Tap to select all the apps that you wish to hide and tap 'Done.'
hide apps in Samsung One UI
  1. Once you tap 'Done' the apps will be hidden.
  2. To unhide the apps, go to 'Settings > Home screen' and again tap 'Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.'
  3. Here, you will see all the apps that you hid earlier under the 'Hidden apps' section. Tap the apps in the 'Hidden apps' section to remove them from this section. Do this for all the apps that you want to unhide and finally tap 'Done.'
  4. Once you tap 'Done' the apps will be visible again in your home and apps screen.

8. How to Create Stickers From Photos or Images In Samsung One UI 7

Samsung One UI 7 has a hidden feature that lets you create a sticker from any image or photo. Again, this premium looking feature is not available on all Samsung Android smartphones. Here's how to create stickers from any photo or image on your Samsung phone.

  1. Open your Samsung Gallery and then open the image or photo or your choice.
  2. Long tap the desired object in your image or photo unless you see an animation on that object.
  3. Release the tap and then you will see three options: 'Copy', 'Share' and 'Save as sticker.'
create sticker from any image in Samsung Gallery app
  1. Tap 'Save as sticker' to save the image object as a sticker. You can now use this sticker in apps like WhatsApp and Facebook for Android.
  2. To use the sticker in your WhatsApp chats you can open a new chat and then tap the text field to open the Samsung keyboard.
  3. Tap the 'smiley' icon on your Samsung keyboard and then tap the 'Custom stickers' button to access your stickers that you have created using the Samsung Gallery app.
share custom Samsung stickers on WhatsApp
  1. Tap the custom sticker to send it in your WhatsApp chats.

Note: The custom stickers can only be accessed in the Samsung Keyboard. If you are using Google keyboard then the custom stickers will not be visible in it.

9. Use Object Eraser For Your Photos and Images In Samsung One UI 7

Object eraser feature on Samsung One UI

Some Samsung Android smartphones do come with the object eraser feature. Using the object eraser feature, you can remove unwanted objects and people from your photos and images. The object erasure feature is not available on low-end Samsung Android smartphones. However, if your phone supports it then you can read this awesome tutorial: Easily Remove People or Objects from Photos with Samsung Object Eraser

10. Access Notification History In Samsung One UI 7

Android’s Notification History is a built-in feature that records all your recent alerts, even if you dismiss them. It can be helpful in many everyday situations:

  1. Recover dismissed alerts – Easily check OTPs, messages, or reminders you cleared too quickly.
  2. Catch silent or hidden notifications – See alerts that didn’t make a sound or vanished quickly.
  3. Monitor app behaviour – Identify apps that send too many or spammy notifications.
  4. Enhance security – Spot suspicious or unknown app activity.
  5. Boost productivity – Use it as a reference for missed calls, events, or updates.

To access notification history on your Samsung Android phone go to: Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Notification history. Here, you can see the notification history for recent notifications and notifications from the past 24 hours. Also check: how to extend battery life on Samsung Android phones.

Final Thoughts

Samsung One UI 7 comes with plenty of hidden features, hacks and tricks that can make using your phone easier and more fun. From customizing your screen to creating stickers or managing notifications, these tips help you get the most out of your device. Spend some time exploring One UI 7 tips and tricks, and you’ll likely discover even more ways to make your Samsung Galaxy phone truly yours. Also, you can try these tips and tricks on your One UI 6 and One UI 8. If you do like this article then I kindly request you to share it with your friends and family members who may be using a Samsung Android smartphone.