How to make use of your Samsung’s Now Bar on the lock screen and AOD

Samsung’s Now Bar feature displays real-time information at the bottom of your lock screen and on the Always on Display (AOD).

It’s a UX feature that makes it easier to access quick information or controls, such as live alerts, media controls, and timers, without unlocking your device.

Your Samsung Galaxy device must be running One UI 7 or later to access this feature. It was also considered a somewhat underrated feature when the update came out.

While the feature had limited app support at its initial release, Samsung had promised continued improvement.

But if the apps you use are supported in the Now Bar settings, consider using the extra toolbar on your lock screen and AOD, as it may save you unnecessary screen time.

Here’s everything to know about the Now Bar and how to take advantage of Samsung’s new UI feature.

What is the Now Bar, and what can you add to it?

The Now Bar is a toolbar feature that’s often paired with other AI-powered features to deliver a convenient, personalized experience.

The Now Bar lets you add a list of apps as live notifications; you can access controls for media playback and timers. It includes sports scores, modes and routines, Google Maps GPS navigation, Samsung Health updates (like Sleep Scores), and more.

The Now Bar primarily works with Samsung apps, but some Google and third-party apps are also supported.

Apps supported by Now Bar will vary by your current OS version and device. The examples we provide are what’s available in One UI 8 and Samsung Galaxy S25+.

The feature is currently still a work in progress, so expect more app support and Now Bar settings from Samsung and Google in upcoming updates, along with expanded availability across older devices.

How to set up Samsung’s Now Bar

Firstly, your device should be on One UI 7 or later to have this feature enabled.

You will then also want to ensure that this feature is enabled within your settings. The settings also allow you to customize the Now Bar to control how you use it.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Lock screen and AOD.
3. Select Now bar.
   

   
4. Scroll down to Live notifications and tap View more.
5. Tap the toggles next to apps you wish to enable live notifications for. You can always revisit this section to turn them off by re-tapping the toggle.
   

   

How to use the Now Bar on your lock screen and AOD

Now that you have the Now Bar customized and ready to go, it’s time to access it via your lock screen/AOD.

It becomes way less of a helpful feature if you don’t know where to find it or how to use it the way Samsung intended.

To interact with your Now Bar on your lock screen/AOD, do the following:

1. Double-tap your phone or press the Power button to open your lock screen.
2. Swipe upward on the pill-shaped notification or app controls bar (it should be at the bottom of your lock screen next to your set app shortcuts).
3. Tap the Now Bar to expand it. Tap and hold (long press) on your Now Bar to access more options.
4. Tap Remove or Now bar settings. If these options aren’t there, it means that particular app doesn’t have them.
   

   

If the Now Bar for a specific app doesn’t appear on your lock screen, and it’s available for live notifications in your options, that means you don’t have that app open or running.

You will have to unlock your device and check the app before you can see the Now Bar notification/interaction for that app.

Can your Now Bar be a significant source of battery drain?

As someone who is personally careful about preserving their smartphone battery, I was initially skeptical of using this feature.

While I can say the feature does contribute to some battery drain, it hasn’t been a significant issue on my Galaxy S25+.

But enabling the Now Bar has helped me reduce my overall screen time, so I don’t have to unlock my phone just to read all my in-app alerts and access apps every time.

The minimalist design has its pros. While the playback controls for Spotify and YouTube are very simple with Now Bar, navigating those full apps would still be worse with the battery drain (phone activity uses power).

You may run into issues if you have too many apps open simultaneously to take advantage of the Now Bar feature, or if you’ve enabled too many live notifications in your Now Bar settings.

You can make a quick fix by going to settings and turning off the Now Bar live notifications feature per app to reduce the number of live notifications shown on your Now Bar.

Set up Now Brief to pair with your Now Bar

Despite Samsung’s Now Bar being released alongside Now Brief, the two are separate features.

Now Brief is an AI-powered feature that provides curated content throughout your day. You can use it to get weather updates, receive reminders, and view your calendar events.

The point of Now Brief is to provide relevant information based on everything you’ve recorded (including the recorded sleep and awake periods) and to be supplied on a small card tucked away in your Edge panel, home screen (widget), and lock screen.

Your Now Brief will also show up in your Now Bar notifications. So if you want more personalized insights, set up Now Brief in your lock screen and AOD settings.