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Four Samsung tools are easy to forget because they do their work in the background or sit several menus deep: Modes and Routines, SmartThings, Now brief and Samsung Health. Each one becomes far more useful when a shortcut or widget keeps it in view. Samsung’s Apps & Services catalog lists these among its Galaxy services, but the catalog is a discovery list, not a promise that every app comes preinstalled on every phone or in every market.
The four apps worth a home screen slot
Modes and Routines
Modes and Routines automates phone behavior. You choose the conditions and the actions, and the phone carries them out without you opening anything. Because the feature runs quietly, people rarely revisit it. A shortcut gives you a fast way to check or edit a routine when your schedule changes. Samsung’s UK support guide on Routines, updated March 16, 2026, explains how to show the feature on the Apps screen. It also notes that menu paths differ across software versions and models.
SmartThings
SmartThings is Samsung’s connected-home app, and its routines are the part most worth a glance. Samsung’s April 9, 2025 SmartThings announcement describes recurring weekly, monthly or annual routine schedules, and integration with Samsung Health for sleep-related automation. Samsung’s examples are turning off lights and a TV at bedtime, or opening curtains and playing music in the morning. Those scenarios need compatible connected devices. Samsung’s Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings, said the update aims “to make the smart home more intuitive, connected and personalized.” That is Samsung describing its own update, not independent evidence of how it performs in homes.
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Now brief
Now brief is a set of configurable cards rather than a standalone app to open. Samsung lists cards for schedules and reminders, health and wellness, weather, news, music and podcasts, travel, SmartThings and Wallet. You reach it from the Now bar on the lock screen, from a Home screen widget, or from the Edge panel. Samsung’s UK setup guide, updated April 14, 2026, notes that availability may vary.
#1 Best Overall
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
Samsung Health
Samsung Health is most useful as a set of summaries you can read without launching it. Samsung’s One UI feature overview documents Health widgets on the Lock screen that show exercise, sleep, steps, activity, water and food summaries. That page covers One UI 6, so the widget options on a newer or older build may not match.
How the four compare
| App | What a home-screen placement gives you | Documented access options | Prerequisites and caveats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modes and Routines | Quick checks and edits of automations | Apps screen (Samsung UK support, March 16, 2026); Home screen widget: not stated | Menu paths vary by software and model |
| SmartThings | A routine you run often, one tap away | Routines widget cited by Samsung US support as an example of glanceable information | Automation examples need compatible connected devices |
| Now brief | Configurable cards for schedules, weather, health, news and more | Lock screen Now bar, Home screen widget, Edge panel (Samsung UK support, April 14, 2026) | Availability may vary by model and region |
| Samsung Health | Exercise, sleep, steps, activity, water and food summaries | Lock screen Health widget (Samsung One UI 6 feature overview) | Documented for One UI 6; not universal across versions |
How to add a widget to your Home screen
For the three apps that offer widgets, the steps are the same. Samsung’s widget instructions for Galaxy phones describe the general flow, though exact labels can vary by device.
Rank #2
- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro). Battery: 5000 mAh, non-removable | A power adapter is NOT included.
- Press and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
- Select Widgets.
- Find the app or widget you want, such as Now brief, SmartThings or Samsung Health.
- Select it and add it to the Home screen, then resize it if the option appears.
For Modes and Routines, follow Samsung’s guide to show the feature on the Apps screen first. From there, press and hold its icon and look for an option to add it to the Home screen. If that option is missing on your phone, keep the Apps-screen shortcut instead.
Optional: more control with Good Lock Home Up
Good Lock is a separate personalization tool rather than one of the four apps above. Its Home Up module adds a DIY Home Screen, letting you resize and reposition apps, widgets and folders, along with a favorites row and gesture animations. Samsung’s April 9, 2025 Good Lock explainer ties these features to One UI 7, so confirm that Home Up is available on your model and software before planning around it.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist¹ with Galaxy AI.² Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more³
- FAST. POWERFUL. AI-READY: Power through your day with AI-accelerated performance from our fastest, smoothest and most powerful Galaxy processor yet, built to keep up with everything you do
- IMMENSELY IMMERSIVE: No matter where you are or what you’re watching, your favorite videos and more come to life with the vibrant display on Galaxy S26
- FIT EVERYONE IN THE SHOT: Group selfies are easier on your Samsung phone with a wider front camera⁴ that captures more of the scene, so no one gets left out of the moment
Rank #4
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
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- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Rank #3
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Which one to set up first
- If you keep forgetting that an app exists, start with Now brief, because its cards surface information without a launch.
- If you have connected devices and a daily routine, start with SmartThings.
- If your automations run but you never check them, start with the Modes and Routines shortcut.
- If you want to see progress or summaries, start with the Samsung Health widget.
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