When diving into the depths of a Samsung phone, it’s easy to get distracted by flashy new AI features and endless GoodLock customization options.
However, there is one hidden feature in One UI that’s buried in Settings and deserves more attention.
This tool allows you to completely customize your phone’s behavior based on your location, time of day, connected devices, and more. It’s the set-it-and-forget-it feature that turns your phone into a proactive device.
After months of manual fiddling, I finally remembered just how transformative it is, and completely fell back in love with the sheer convenience of a phone that just knows what to do.
What exactly is Routines, anyway?
When I first started using my Samsung phone, I thought Routines was just another slightly awkward voice command feature tucked into the software. I was wrong.
At its heart, Routines is Samsung’s powerful yet simple ‘If This, Then That’ automation engine, baked right into the core of One UI.
You can think of it less as a personal assistant you talk to, and more as a digital butler who quietly lives in your phone’s settings, constantly monitoring your life.
All you do is set up a simple logical statement: IF a specific condition is met (like I arrive at the gym or the clock hits 11 PM), THEN perform a specific action (like open Spotify or turn on the blue light filter). That’s it.
It’s a tool that takes all the tedious adjustments we make every day and performs them for us, completely eliminating the friction from using our phones.
Routines is feature-packed
The real reason I fell back in love with Routines is its depth. It’s immediately clear this wasn’t some half-baked add-on, but a feature developed to be the bedrock of automation on a Galaxy phone.
When you head into Settings > Modes and Routines, it greets you with dozens of templates that get you started in seconds.
And if those aren’t enough, you can build your own, choosing from a massive list of conditions that go far beyond time and location.
I can trigger actions based on things like my battery level, the state of my Galaxy Buds, if I open a specific app, and more.
There is even an option to add a home screen widget for Routines. This means my phone is either fully automated in the background or a single tap away from executing a complex sequence of tasks.
This sheer amount of integration and control proves that Routines is the power-user feature of One UI that allows me to fully automate and personalize my phone in ways no other Android skin can match.
Routines is even better with Good Lock and One UI 8
For a power-user like me, the fun doesn’t stop with built-in features; it just begins.
With the Good Lock’s Routines+ add-on and the latest One UI 8 update, you can even unlock more features under the Routines menu.
Thanks to Routines+, I can build automations that simply aren’t possible in the native app. I can now set a routine to run specifically when I unlock my phone with a certain fingerprint.
Imagine using your right thumb to unlock and launch your work email, while your index finger unlocks the phone and opens your streaming app. It turns security into a shortcut.
And with touch macros, I can record a series of taps, swipes, and presses on the screen, and then trigger that entire sequence with a single routine.
If I always open the Weather app, tap the five-day forecast, and then take a screenshot, I can automate all of those steps with a single routine.
The native Routines app continues to evolve with the One UI 8 update. Routines unlock more functions and actions in core Samsung apps like Notes, Calendar, and Clock.
Endless possibilities with Routines
Routines doesn’t just manage my phone. It integrates into my life. While the possibilities are endless, here are some of the routines I use on my Samsung phone.
- When my phone disconnects from my Home Wi-Fi, it automatically turns off Wi-Fi, enables mobile data, and switches to Power Saving mode to save battery life while I’m out.
- If I open a streaming app like YouTube or Netflix, the phone instantly turns on auto-rotate, sets the brightness to 85%, and activates Dolby Atmos.
- When my phone connects to the car’s Bluetooth, it automatically launches a split-screen pair (like Maps and Spotify) to prep my navigation dashboard.
- When I open a reading app like Kindle, the system automatically activates the Eye Comfort Shield and lowers the display refresh rate for a more comfortable reading experience.
Samsung’s best-kept secret
If there is one takeaway from rediscovering One UI Routines, it’s this: a truly smart phone isn’t one with the fastest chip or the best camera, but one that disappears into the background and simply manages your day.
Routines is not just a clever gimmick; it’s a genuine quality-of-life upgrade. What are you waiting for? Give Routines a try and eliminate dozens of minor annoyances every single day.
If you are looking for some inspiration, check out the top Routines I use on my Galaxy phone.
