Technologies

5 Hidden Galaxy S23 Features to Uncover on Your Phone

These little-known Android features may become some of your favorites.

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung’s most popular products.

The Galaxy S23 models are Samsung’s latest flagship phones — the S23, S23 Plus and S23 Ultra. These devices bring several new features to the S series, including GIF remastering for improving GIF file quality, Astro Hyperlapse for capturing time-lapses of the stars and the massive 200-megapixel camera on the Ultra.

However, underneath all the popular specs, there’s an array of new, lesser-known features and settings that can significantly improve your experience on the Galaxy S23. You just need to know where to look. Here’s where you can find five hidden Galaxy S23 features and what they can do for you.

Don’t have a Galaxy S23 just yet? Check out our review of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, as well as the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus. And if you’re looking to upgrade, here’s how the Galaxy S23 compares to the Galaxy S22, iPhone 14 and the Pixel 7.

1. Clip objects out of your photos and videos with a single press

Just as Apple added an image-clipping feature to iOS 16, so has Samsung to the Galaxy S23. With image clipping, you can go into any image (or even video) in your photo gallery and separate an object, such as a person or an item, from the background, allowing you to then share it with others.

If you want to cut something out of an image, go to your camera roll and simply press on the object you want to clip from the photo. Not all objects can be clipped, so you may get a notification that says «Couldn’t find anything to clip.» If an object is successfully clipped, you’ll feel a slight vibration and you’ll be able to drag the clipped object around the photo. This also works on videos, but they do have to be paused.

You then have three options: Copy the clip to your clipboard, share the clip (email, SMS, etc.) or save the clip as a new photo in your gallery.

Clipping out Baby Yoda from a photo — For better clipping, choose a photo with a clear object in the foreground and a solid background.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

2. Take Expert RAW photos from within your camera

In 2022, Samsung released its advanced camera app Expert RAW, allowing seasoned photographers to shoot in Expert RAW format. Like raw files, Expert RAW files are uncompressed digital images but with the bonus of multi-exposure HDR, giving your images greater dynamic range. The only reason to shoot in Expert RAW is for improved photo editing in the post-processing phase. While Expert RAW is available on the Galaxy S22, it’s only through the Expert RAW app. On the Galaxy S23, Expert RAW is now built-in to the native camera — but you’ll need to enable it first.

In the Samsung camera, swipe through the various camera modes at the bottom and tap on More. Next, tap Expert RAW, which will ask you to then download the Expert RAW application. You only need the app downloaded on your device, but you won’t need to open it to shoot in Expert RAW. Once it’s downloaded, you can freely use Expert RAW mode in your camera to take Expert RAW photos.

Expert RAW mode on the Galaxy S23 — You can control white balance, shutter speed and more with Expert RAW.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

3. Prioritize your battery life over processing speed

There are many ways to preserve the battery life, including turning your phone off, using dark mode and enabling airplane mode — but Samsung has added a battery-saving feature on the Galaxy S23. The new Light mode prioritizes your battery life and cooling efficiency over processing speed, meaning your phone will use less energy to preserve battery life without affecting general use.

To enable the new Light performance mode, go to Settings and type «performance profile.» A single result, under Battery and device care, should appear — tap it. Next, tap Performance profile and select the Light option. Note that while this feature doesn’t apply while you’re gaming, it may affect the performance of other apps, so go back to Standard if you notice any issues.

Preserve your battery life by enabling this setting.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

4. Choose which app notifications are shown on your lock screen

If your Galaxy S23 is locked, you may not want to receive notifications for every single application on your lock screen. Instead of enabling Do Not Disturb mode, which stops all alerts in general, there’s a new feature that allows you to customize what shows up on your lock screen.

In the Settings application, go to Notifications > Lock screen notifications and tap the gear icon next to Show content. A list of every application on your phone will appear — if you don’t want to see certain app notifications on your lock screen, toggle it off here.

Lock screen notification setting on the Galaxy S23 — You can choose to disable lock screen notifications for all your apps or individually.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

5. Check out the battery life for all your Galaxy devices on your home screen

Samsung now makes it easier to keep an eye on the battery life of all your Galaxy devices. In your home screen customization settings, you’ll find two new battery widgets you can add to your home screen to check out the battery life of your Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Buds and more from your Galaxy S23.

Battery widget on the Galaxy S23 — As long as your other Galaxy devices are connected to your S23, you can monitor their battery from your lock screen.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Press your finger down anywhere on a blank space on your home screen and then go into Widgets. You now have two new battery widgets you can add to your home screen: battery status circles in a 4×1 grid and a battery status list in a 4×2 grid. As long as your other Galaxy products are connected to your S23, you can check out their battery life from your home screen.

Technologies

Chrome Autofill Now Supports Passport, Driver’s License and Vehicle Info

Soon, you’ll never need to remember anything ever again.

Computer users are accustomed to web browsers autofilling everything from names and addresses to credit card numbers. Now, Google Chrome is adding new enhanced autofill options that allow users to automatically populate fields for passports, driver’s licenses, and their vehicle’s license plate or VIN, Google said in a blog post on Monday.

Desktop users must choose to turn on the feature, which is called enhanced autofill. Otherwise, it stays off. To turn it on, open Chrome, and at the top right of your browser, select more, then settings, then autofill and passwords. Finally, choose enhanced autofill and turn it in.

Google says Chrome now can «better understand complex forms and varied formatting requirements, improving accuracy across the web.» The company also says that enhanced autofill will be «private and secure.»

This enhanced autofill update is available in all languages, and more data options will be supported in the coming months.

A representative for Google said the company had no additional comment.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Chrome is a critical component in Google’s business. The web browser, currently the most popular in the world with a 73% market share, according to GlobalStats, provides the company with valuable user data that it uses to sell advertising. Advertising is how Google makes the majority of its revenues. New features help keep users loyal to Chrome, making it more difficult for them to switch to other browsers, including those from companies like Perplexity and OpenAI.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 4, #407

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 4, No. 407.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle makers will never run out of categories because they have discovered they can just pick one athlete and make a connections group out of four facts about that person. They do that today with the blue category, so if you don’t know that one player, you’re out of luck. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Get up and go!

Green group hint: College hoops.

Blue group hint: Famous basketball player.

Purple group hint: Not fair, but…

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Energy.

Green group: Men’s college basketball teams with the most championships.

Blue group: Associated with Damian Lillard.

Purple group: Foul ____.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is energy. The four answers are pep, verve, vigor and zip.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is men’s college basketball teams with the most championships. The four answers are Kentucky, UCLA, UCONN and UNC.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with Damian Lillard. The four answers are 0, Dame Time, Trail Blazers and Weber State.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is foul ____. The four answers are out, shot, territory and tip.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Nov. 4

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 4.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? There are a few tricky clues, so read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.