As a busy college student, I’m usually short on time. So, I’ve made a proactive decision to try to optimize everything on my Samsung phone. One of the best ways to do this is to place widgets and app shortcuts on your home screen so essential functionalities and information are always at your fingertips.
1Countdown Widget by Samsung Calendar
The countdown widget in Samsung Calendar has become an essential tool in my daily routine as a busy college student. I use it to keep track of important dates like the next exam, the assignment due date, or an upcoming social event, presentation, or workshop.
Simply noting down these dates in the calendar app doesn’t seem to work for me because the app only reminds you of the event on the date it’s supposed to occur, and by that point, it’s already too late. By adding the countdown widget on my home screen, I stay alert and can assess how much time I have left to prepare.
Google Calendar sadly doesn’t have a countdown widget, so you might not be able to replicate this functionality on a non-Samsung device.
2Search Widget by Samsung Internet
If I need to quickly look something up on the internet during a class, say, the meaning of a new word or the formula for a certain math problem, I use Samsung Internet’s search widget.
The alternative is to open the app, wait for all my tabs to load, open a new tab, and then type my search query. By then, the lecturer might have already moved on from the subject, leaving me behind the class. With the widget, I just tap the icon and start typing my query immediately.
Chrome has a similar search widget, too, if you prefer it more, but I would highly recommend using Samsung Internet over Google Chrome. Samsung Internet can be downloaded on any Android phone via the Google Play Store; it’s not exclusive to Samsung devices.
3Type Note Shortcut by Samsung Notes
Samsung Notes has several widgets and app shortcuts, but I use its basic Type note shortcut to quickly jot down ideas, class notes, questions, tasks, reminders, and the contact numbers of new acquaintances.
Having a dedicated shortcut like this is especially useful in lectures and meetings. It eliminates the frustration of fumbling through my phone to find the right app for each piece of information–whether it’s a contact, a reminder, or a quick note.
Samsung Notes is not a pre-installed system app like the other apps on this list, so you’ll have to download it from the Google Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store. Alternatively, you can also use Google Keep’s New text note shortcut.
You might want to check out the best features of Samsung Notes if you’re unsure of its utility over other note-taking apps.
4Set Timer Shortcut by Samsung Clock
The default clock app on Samsung phones has a really handy timer shortcut that you can use to manage tasks in short bursts. I use it to be notified when it’s time for the next class, to take timed breaks, to spot if I’m taking too much time to answer a certain question, and to perform the Pomodoro technique when studying.
Of course, you can use the feature without having to put a dedicated icon on your home screen, but I’ve found that doing so is the only way I can encourage myself to actually use a timer. The psychological resistance of having to open the app drawer, select the clock app, and then go to the timer tab is too much hassle if you intend to use the feature almost constantly throughout the day.
5Start Recording Shortcut by Samsung Voice Recorder
The start recording shortcut is a lifesaver if you’re like me and find it troubling to pay attention to the lecturer while also taking notes that don’t look like a jumbled mess. I use this shortcut to record important lectures, so I can replay them later for deeper insight and note-taking.
The voice recorder app has several features to enhance this experience. You can place bookmarks in the middle of your recording to highlight the most important parts so you don’t have to listen to the whole thing. You can also mark a recording as a favorite, edit it, skip silences during playback, and convert the speech into text.
The speech recognition is not the best—certainly not as good as Google’s—but it’s serviceable nonetheless. In my experience, it struggles if the recording is done in an echoey hall or if the speaker has a certain accent. Still, the feature has saved me multiple times, so I’m willing to overlook this tiny drawback.
6Recent Files Shortcut by Samsung My Files
No one likes spending more time than necessary searching for something on their phone, especially when all your friends are waiting for you to send them that awesome group selfie you took but now can’t find in your gallery.
This is where the recent files shortcut comes in handy. It’s a great way to quickly access recently taken or downloaded photos, videos, screenshots, documents, and audio files. This saves you the trouble of scanning multiple albums and folders so you can share things faster.
7Direct Dial Widget by Samsung Contacts
If there’s someone you call frequently, such as your roommate, classmates, partner, parents, or sibling, the direct dial widget of the Contacts app can make things more convenient.
To set it up, add the widget to your home screen and select the contact you want to link it to. Pressing the widget will dial that contact directly, so you won’t have to press the call button to confirm every time. The number of widgets you can set is unlimited.
Samsung routinely gets flak for bloating its devices with its pre-installed apps, and while I do share that sentiment, I’ve found its system apps and their respective shortcuts to be very useful in aiding my daily routine. Try out these widgets and app shortcuts for yourself and see which ones you find the most useful.
