Galaxy S26 Ultra: First 20 Things To Do

Quick summary: These are the first 20 or so things I change on a new Galaxy S26 Ultra, from the camera to the call app.

Camera

1. 4K video: in Video, tap the resolution (it’s FHD by default), choose UHD, then 60 or 30fps. I like 60. Do the same after switching lenses.
2. Auto FPS: in camera Settings, set it to use 30 and 60fps videos so it adjusts to the lighting.
3. Location tags on, “Save selfies as previewed” off.
4. Shooting methods: turn on voice commands (say “shoot,” “smile,” “cheese” or “record”) and show palm.
5. Shutter sound: off.

Protect it

6. Case and glass: this video was sponsored by Benks. The Aurora case has metal around the camera and exposed buttons. The Montage and ArmorGrid cases are slim. All three have Kevlar inside and MagSafe for wireless charging and magnetic grips. The Glass Warrior screen protector goes on in seconds.

Home screen and quick panel

7. Panel settings: swipe down, tap the pencil > Panel settings and choose Together, so notifications and quick toggles come down at the same time.
8. Edit toggles: press and hold to move tiles (like brightness), tap the minus to remove, add controls, then tap Done.
9. Wallpaper and style: featured, gallery, Create with AI, graphical and color wallpapers. Get more wallpapers opens the Galaxy Themes store with free and paid themes, icon packs and Always On Display designs. A full theme even changes the call dialer.
10. Left home panel: press and hold the home screen and swipe over to switch the Google feed panel to Samsung News if you prefer.

Settings

11. Wi-Fi notifications: Connections > Wi-Fi > three dots > Advanced settings, turn off Wi-Fi network notifications. While you’re in Connections, turn on Sync with Samsung Cloud.
12. Data warning: in Data usage > Mobile data usage, tap the gear and turn off Set data warning, so it stops warning you after 2GB. Leave it on if you don’t have unlimited data.
13. Galaxy AI: go through and turn on the features (read what each does). Photo Assist is really great.
14. Sounds: pick your ringtone and notification sound, then turn on Dolby Atmos under Sound quality and effects (I use Auto; movie, music and voice are options).
15. Display basics: choose dark or light mode (or a schedule) and keep adaptive brightness on.
16. Privacy display: turn it on and choose when it applies: specific apps, PIN and password entry, and notification pop-ups. Maximum privacy protection makes the screen harder to see, so be aware of that.
17. Vivid colors: set Screen mode to Vivid, nudge it to the cooler side, and in Advanced settings turn vividness all the way up. Make fonts bigger if you need to, set screen resolution to the highest option (uses more battery), set screen timeout to 2 minutes, and turn on keeping the screen on while you’re viewing it.
18. Navigation and battery: gestures or buttons (you can swap the button order), keep Circle to Search on. In Battery, I turn battery protection off, but keep it (or sleep time protection) on if you’ll keep the phone a long time, and check your battery health here.
19. Advanced features and updates: check Software update. In Labs, turn on Multi window for all apps (it gets around apps like Instagram) and try dark mode for apps. Turn on swipe for split screen (two fingers) and all the motions and gestures, like double tap to turn the screen on or off and palm swipe to capture.
20. Call app: tap the three dots > Settings, turn on call screening (and auto screening if you want), and block spam and scam calls. I’d block high-risk calls just to be safe. You can also pick the screening voice and how fast it talks.

Get it

• Galaxy S26 Ultra at Walmart
• Galaxy S26 Ultra from Samsung
• Benks cases and screen protectors