7 issues I miss about Samsung since switching to a Pixel

[ad_1] <img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Pixel 10 Pro Galaxy S25 hero" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Pixel 10 Pro Galaxy S25 hero" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-10-Pro-Galaxy-S25-hero-scaled.jpg"/> Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority

I’ve used a number of Nexus and Pixels previously, however from 2019 till current, I’ve been a Samsung man, proudly owning the S10 Plus and each Extremely mannequin from the S20 to the S24 sequence. Just a few months in the past, I began eager about switching to a Pixel for the primary time because the Pixel 3 XL. After the Pixel 10 launched, I pulled the set off and acquired a ten Professional. After six years within the realm of Samsung, switching from One UI to Google’s imaginative and prescient of Android has been an enormous adjustment. A few of these changes have been tougher than others, and after just a few weeks with my Pixel, these are the issues I miss most from One UI.

Would the options in One UI stop you from attempting one thing else? 272 votes

Sure

49%

No

34%

I do not personal a Samsung

17%

Samsung Clock

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="One UI Clock (2)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="One UI Clock (2)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-2.jpg"/><img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="One UI Clock (1)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="One UI Clock (1)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/One-UI-Clock-1.jpg"/> I didn’t anticipate Samsung’s Clock app to be one of many issues I missed most, however One UI 7 added options I haven’t seen in some other clock app. Alarm teams are like folders on your house display, letting you place a number of alarms in a single place. Toggling the entire alarms in a gaggle with the press of a single button saves time and is a lot simpler than having to scroll by means of an inventory of alarms to search out the proper ones.

Alarm teams stop muddle, and that’s one thing I miss, particularly with Google’s Materials 3 Expressive redesign of its clock app. Google is outwardly planning to deal with complaints, however for now, it seems like a multitude.

Good Lock

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Good Lock (1)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Good Lock (1)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-1.jpg"/><img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Good Lock (2)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Good Lock (2)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Good-Lock-2.jpg"/> Good Lock is a group of modules that allow you to customise and modify totally different elements of how your cellphone seems to be and behaves. Theme Park allows you to customise app icons, both by creating your personal designs or importing an icon pack downloaded from the Play Retailer. These customized icons are system-wide, so that you’ll see them on the house display, within the overview display, and in all places else you’d anticipate. Subsequent, there’s Sound Assistant. Because the identify suggests, this module allows you to modify what your cellphone does with sound. My favourite a part of Sound Assistant is “management media with quantity keys.” When enabled, long-pressing the amount keys with the display off modifications the monitor you’re listening to. I flip the contact controls for my earbuds off at night time so I can lie on my facet, and this made altering tracks extra handy as a result of I didn’t must open my eyes or wake my cellphone.

However what I miss above all else is One Hand Operation +. Abysmal identify apart, this app modified how I navigated my cellphone for the six years I used to be utilizing One UI. The module customises what swipes from the facet of the display do. As a substitute of simply going again like each different Android cellphone, this app provides triggers for swiping straight out, diagonally up, and diagonally down. In my setup, which you'll see within the recording above, swiping diagonally up opens the overview display, swiping out goes again, and swiping diagonally down goes house. Having full navigation with out stretching my thumb to the underside of the display was extra comfy, particularly on bigger telephones.

Modes and Routines

Samsung Modes and Routines is an app that has numerous choices for automating your cellphone, with dozens of triggers and actions you can hyperlink up. Consider it as Samsung’s reply to Apple’s Siri Shortcuts. Modes and Routines can management every little thing in your Samsung ecosystem, together with earbuds and watches. You'll be able to, for instance, have your Galaxy Buds activate noise cancellation and change equalizer presets each time a recreation and Bluetooth controller are linked.

Having the ability to regulate all of these settings with a single faucet saves a number of squinting at my cellphone when I've a migraine.

Nevertheless, the 2 routines I used most are for migraines and cellphone appointments. The previous is activated manually by a widget on my house display and dims my show, activates the blue gentle filter, and mutes all sound. Having the ability to regulate all of these settings with a single faucet saves a number of squinting at my cellphone when a migraine aura is making every little thing blurry.

The latter routine makes positive I by no means miss any of the over-the-phone physician’s appointments I've usually. With the entire notifications I obtain every day, I maintain my cellphone on silent on a regular basis. When I've an appointment, I set an alarm to go off about ten minutes earlier than that decision is scheduled. A particular alarm can set off routines, so when my “appointment” alarm goes off, the routine units my ringer and notification quantity to 100%.

Widget stacks

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Widget stacks (1)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Widget stacks (1)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-1.jpg"/><img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Widget stacks (2)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Widget stacks (2)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Widget-stacks-2.jpg"/> I really like having widgets on my house display, and Samsung makes it simpler than ever to make use of them in a approach that’s each helpful and pleasing to take a look at. Widget stacks allow you to “stack” widgets of the identical dimension on high of one another and scroll by means of them. This manner, you possibly can have as many widgets as you possibly can ever want on one display with out your setup trying like a multitude. On my Galaxy S25, I've three stacks: Calendar and Tick Tick, battery and Now Temporary, and Clock and Climate.

Now Bar

The Now Bar is Samsung’s implementation of Stay Updates, an Android 16 function that exhibits real-time data, akin to navigation, sports activities scores, and extra, in a notification What frustrates me with Stay Updates on the Pixel is that few apps assist it — I can’t get Google Maps to show instructions this manner, though Samsung telephones on Android 15 have been in a position to do that with Maps and extra since One UI 7 was launched earlier this 12 months.

Samsung acquired Google’s personal apps working with its implementation months earlier than Google may do the identical for Pixels. To make issues worse, media controls received’t be supported on Pixels though they work with Samsung’s Now Bar. Media controls are what I take advantage of the Now Bar for greater than anything, and it’s disappointing that I received’t be capable to do this on my Pixel.

Edge Panels

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Edge panels (2)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Edge panels (2)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-2.jpg"/><img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="Edge panels (3)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-30w-64h.jpg 30w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-1000w-2167h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-665w-1440h.jpg 665w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-498w-1080h.jpg 498w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-399w-864h.jpg 399w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-175w-380h.jpg 175w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3-554w-1200h.jpg 554w" alt="Edge panels (3)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edge-panels-3.jpg"/> The Edge Panel is a love-it-or-hate-it function, and I adore it. A small deal with along with the display allows you to pull out numerous panels, like a favourite apps web page, fast instruments like a compass or tally counter, climate, and extra. The apps and instruments panels are those I take advantage of most, and it’s one of many issues that makes multitasking in One UI that significantly better.

From anyplace in your cellphone, a easy swipe offers you entry to all your apps and a lot extra, and it’s one thing I’ve missed greater than I anticipated. Some apps attempt to replicate this on non-Samsung telephones, and whereas they work fairly nicely, it’s nowhere close to as easy an expertise as what Samsung has constructed into One UI.

Pop-up home windows

I take advantage of multi-window on my Android gadgets on a regular basis. The Pixel matches Samsung’s gadgets for split-screen multitasking, but it surely doesn’t come near pop-up home windows. These freeform apps behave as they might in a desktop atmosphere, so you possibly can minimise, resize, and drag them round your display. I primarily use pop-up home windows to leap out and in of chat apps whereas doing different issues on my cellphone, like watching YouTube. Having the ability to learn a message and reply with out leaving the app I’m in is extra handy than some other technique. Pop-up home windows tie again into Edge Panels, too, as you possibly can drag an app from the apps panel to the middle of the display to launch it in a window.

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Pixel chat bubbles" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-1000w-2231h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-645w-1440h.jpg 645w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-484w-1080h.jpg 484w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-387w-864h.jpg 387w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-170w-380h.jpg 170w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles-538w-1200h.jpg 538w" alt="Pixel chat bubbles" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pixel-chat-bubbles.jpg"/> Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority

The Pixel does have choices. Chat Bubbles allow you to put conversations in a floating bubble, however this needs to be turned on and off per dialog, and when it’s switched on, it’ll robotically open a bubble every time you get a message as a substitute of displaying up as a standard notification. It additionally solely allows you to work together with the chosen dialog, so you possibly can’t navigate to some other chats, and it solely works with messaging apps. Samsung’s pop-up home windows work with any app, and you should use these purposes usually as a substitute of being restricted to a particular message thread.

Chat Bubbles really feel like a crude, half-baked resolution slightly than a dependable function I'd need to use on a regular basis. In actual fact, Chat Bubbles are switched off by default and buried within the settings menu, so it seems like Google has given up on it.

<img class="e_xg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google pixel 10 pro jade back 10" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-1000w-562h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Someone holding the Google Pixel 10 Pro against a red background." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google-pixel-10-pro-jade-back-10-scaled.jpg"/> Joe Maring / Android Authority

I miss a number of the quirks and options from One UI, however that doesn’t imply I remorse making the change again to a Pixel as my main cellphone. Each cellphone comes with its personal set of execs and cons, and proper now I’m prepared to forego issues like pop-up home windows and the Now Bar for the opposite stuff the Pixel has to supply. Even so, I’d love for Google so as to add a few of these issues to its Android pores and skin someday.

Don’t need to miss the most effective from Android Authority?

Are there options in One UI that you simply’d miss when you modified smartphone manufacturers? Would you miss them sufficient that you simply wouldn’t think about shopping for something apart from a Galaxy? Tell us.