7 Ways to Optimize and Manage Apps on a Samsung Galaxy Phone

Dealing with app overload? Here are seven features in Samsung Galaxy phones that enable you to manage and access apps more easily.

While it's one of the best things about mobile devices, the sheer abundance of apps available for installation can become overwhelming. App overload can cripple your phone's performance as well. While some of these apps may be useful, others could pose a threat to your device and user data.

Here are seven quick optimization settings to help you keep your apps under control, and have your Samsung Galaxy device running smoothly.

1. Pin Apps to an Edge Panel

You can tackle the problem of app overload with a few simple steps. One of the best ways to do this is by pinning your most-used apps to a side panel on the home screen, which displays your apps in a taskbar-like interface. Here's how you can enable this feature:

1. On your Samsung Galaxy device, navigate to Settings.
2. Scroll down and select Display. For some devices, this may be listed as Advanced features > Labs.
3. Toggle On Edge panels or Pin your favorite apps.
4. Scroll down and tap Panels > Apps.
5. Tap Edit and choose your selection of apps to add them to the taskbar.

Swipe from the right edge of the screen to open the edge panel.

Image Gallery (4 Images)

2. Disable Updates and Notifications With Zipped Apps

Advanced smartphone features including frequent system updates and notifications can take a toll on your phone's hardware and battery life. To alleviate these issues, you need to turn off certain features, or at least limit their usage.

Samsung devices offer a handy solution as part of a storage booster functionality, known as "zipped apps". This feature lets you keep rarely-used apps in a neat folder and out of sight.

Follow the steps below to enable it:

1. Open your device Settings, then scroll down and tap Battery and device care.
2. Tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.
3. Tap Storage booster.
4. Scroll down and select Zip rarely used apps.

Image Gallery (4 Images)

3. Enable Auto-Optimization Settings

Even if you're only using your phone for simple tasks like checking email, several apps could be running in the background that can slow things down. The auto-optimization feature allows you to improve your phone's overall performance by shutting down apps that are using too many resources or draining the battery.

Here's how you can activate it:

1. On your home screen, navigate to Settings.
2. Select Battery & device care.
3. Tap the three-dot icon and select Automation.
4. Enable Auto optimize daily to optimize your device once a day.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

4. Set App Usage Limits

Have you ever found yourself spending too much time on a particular app?

Samsung devices offer an App Timer feature that allows you to set up time limits and even block yourself from accessing certain apps for specific amounts of time. This helps you stay focused. The steps to enable app timers on your device are outlined below:

1. Navigate to Settings and tap Digital wellbeing and parental controls.
2. Scroll down and select App timers.
3. Tap the hourglass icon next to your desired app.
4. Set how long you want to be able to use the app in a day and tap Done.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

5. Enable Floating App Notifications

Samsung Galaxy phones offer a variety of advanced settings that are designed to optimize the device for your personal use patterns.

These settings allow you to enable features such as floating app windows (also known as Smart Pop-up view), which float over other applications on your home screen and provide quick access to an app so that you do not have to open it every time.

The feature is available on Samsung devices running on Android versions 9.0 or higher. In some cases, you will need to configure your device before you start getting pop-up notifications.

You can set up the Smart Pop-up configuration with a few easy steps:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Floating notifications.
2. Select Smart pop-up view.
3. Under Smart pop-up view, tap Included apps. You should be able to view a list of apps that support this feature.
4. To activate notifications for individual apps, enable the slider buttons that appear beside each app.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

Once the feature is set up, you will be able to view and interact with notifications via pop-up bubbles that appear on your device screen.

6. Identify and Uninstall High-Risk Apps

Android allows you to sideload apps, but if you aren't sure where they came from, they can bring a certain amount of risk.

Use the Google Play Protect option to identify and remove junk apps—it even works on those not downloaded from the Play Store.

Here's how you can detect and uninstall harmful apps and games from your Samsung Galaxy device:

1. In the Google Play Store, tap your Google Account Profile icon and select Play Protect.
2. Tap Scan to identify potential security vulnerabilities for installed apps.
3. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.
4. Toggle on Scan apps with Play Protect and Improve harmful app detection to make sure this runs automatically in the future.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

7. Install Samsung Max and Use Ultra Apps

The Samsung Max app provides VPN access along with a feature called Ultra Apps, which are lightweight versions of native apps such as Facebook and Wikipedia.

The idea behind the Max app is to provide privacy to Samsung Galaxy owners, while also cutting data usage by a significant amount. If you're on a strict data allowance, it could be a good way to avoid having to ration how much you use your favorite apps.

Image Gallery (3 Images)

There is a free version of Samsung Max, although you have to watch an ad to get four hours of VPN access. You can also upgrade to your choice of the Deluxe or Deluxe+ plans for unlimited access and extra features including those Ultra Apps.

Download: Samsung Max (Free, subscription available)

Monitor, Manage, and Optimize Your Apps

Apps can be a great addition to your device, making your life simpler and easier. However, an over-cluttered app drawer can drain device resources, and affect performance. It's important to monitor app usage to manage them effectively.

Optimizing your Samsung Galaxy device is critical as it can help you get the most out of your apps and also keep your phone working efficiently.

About The Author

Cheryl Vaughn (4 Articles Published)

Cheryl is a Content creator and strategist with a focus in lifestyle, mobile applications, and digital media. She has reviewed tech products and applications for content, usability and accessibility. She works closely with individuals and businesses to design campaigns that connect brands with customers using the appropriate mix of words and visuals.

More From Cheryl Vaughn