How to Customize Your Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Every year, high-resolution products are released. The resolution wars have been ongoing, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 does not have the Theme Store like its smartphones.

There are ways to customize this tablet and make it more effective for multimedia and reading. Let’s see how.

1. Wallpapers

The Tab S2 comes in 2 variants – an 8-inch and a 9.7-inch. Both have high resolution screens with 1536 x 2048 pixels in a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is great for reading, but not ideal for multimedia. A helpful user on the XDA forum has shortlisted quality high-res wallpapers for the Tab S2.

I’ve used a few myself and really loved the look. They cover various interests including Star Wars, Technology, and Material Design. Who doesn’t like pretty wallpapers on large screen devices, right?

2. Backlit Buttons

The back and multitasking buttons on the Tab S2 are backlit, but they stay lit for only 1.5 seconds. This can be annoying if you’re not used to larger tablets, as you have to search for them again. To solve this issue, you can install the Galaxy Button Lights app. It allows you to keep the backlit buttons on for more than 5 seconds, which makes a noticeable difference.

3. Reading Mode

Samsung missed some features on the Tab S2, like the theme store and customizable grid. However, they did a good job with the Reading Mode, which can be turned on in the notification menu.

The Tab S2 has a high-res Super AMOLED screen, making the text stand out in any reading app. However, remember to turn off this mode after reading, as multimedia may appear yellow. If you love reading, check out our guide on how to make it more fun while on the go.

4. Faster Animations

This is an old-school Android trick that I haven’t had to use lately. However, the TouchWiz UI on the Tab S2 feels a bit jittery. If you’ve installed many apps and have the same issue, go to “Settings,” then select “About device.” Keep tapping on “Build number” until you get a notification that Developer options are enabled.

Once you spot them, go to the “Drawing” section and adjust the animation scales for “Windows animation scale,” “Transition animation scale,” and “Animator duration scale” from 1x to 0.5x.

5. Create Groups of Similar Apps

If you install many apps on your tablet, it’s important to create folders in the main app drawer for better organization. No need for third-party launchers or dragging app icons around. This tip will only interest those who install lots of apps.

Just hit the “Edit” button on the top-right corner of the app drawer screen and arrange apps in groups. I created one for Google Cloud. This is also the quicker way to uninstall apps, by hitting the minus sign on the top-right corner of the app you wish to uninstall.

Love Tablets?

Mostly meant for reading and multimedia, tablets haven’t been the game-changers that manufacturers had hoped. How do you use your tablet? We’d like to hear from you in our forum.