One UI 7's Now Bar is nice, however this variation would make it nice

[ad_1] <img class="e_jh" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 3" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 3" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-3.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

I’ve actually loved utilizing One UI 7, even when it does have a couple of niggles. It’s at all times thrilling to have a shiny new toy, even when that toy is software program. However my fondness for it goes past its new automotive scent. The brand new Samsung Android pores and skin packs loads of sensible options I’ve grown to love, and the Now Bar tops that listing.

For the uninitiated, the Now Bar is a UI addition that shows context-relevant data on the lock display and always-on show. The pill-shaped information field doesn’t assist many apps at launch, with clocks and timers, sport scores, modes, and Google Maps instructions a few of its extra helpful listing gadgets. Nonetheless, I’ve discovered it nice for monitoring at the moment enjoying music.

Would you like Samsung so as to add Now Bar customization choices? 2 votes

Sure, I would like extra management over Now Bar's design and controls.

100%

No, Now Bar is ok as it's.

0%

My morning work routine goes lots like this: I’ll make a robust cup of espresso, sit down, slap on a Spotify playlist, and get keyboard mashing. My Galaxy S24 FE sits on a stand beneath my monitor, and the Now Bar makes it really easy to look on the display to see which observe is enjoying (even when it’s locked). The characteristic has been a stunning high quality of life enchancment for me as I now not should faucet to wake the display or have Spotify baking my show, which might little question distract me from my present activity and damage my cellphone. Regardless of all the things I like about Now Bar, it’s removed from perfection and there's loads of room for enchancment.

The place are my Now Bar customization choices, One UI 7?

<img class="e_jh" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-1.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

Let’s begin with my greatest annoyance: its rigidity.

One UI 7 lets customers customise extra options than ever earlier than, and with Good Lock, nearly no aspect is out of attain. Now Bar will not be a kind of gadgets.

Now Bar makes monitoring at the moment enjoying music so easy, however it ought to enable me extra management of its look and performance.

On the lock display, the Now Bar tablet shows minimal information, together with the observe’s identify, a play/pause button, and former and subsequent choices. That’s it. There’s no possibility to modify these buttons for others or show different particulars, just like the artist’s identify or present observe place. I’d actually prefer to know who composed or carried out the observe I’m listening, too. I wouldn’t say no to measurement and place changes for the tablet, as you are able to do with nearly all different UI parts on the lock display. Nonetheless, no such choices exist, forcing me to make use of Now Bar as Samsung dictates.

<img class="e_jh" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="samsung one ui 7 now bar galaxy s24 fe 2" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/samsung-one-ui-7-now-bar-galaxy-s24-fe-2.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

My second huge subject isn’t a lot a lacking characteristic however how an present characteristic is carried out. Tapping the bar whereas a observe is enjoying expands it into a number of parts that show a lot richer data — primarily what I’m calling for above. I get a big album artwork view, the observe’s identify and artist beneath, and a management field, with the present output system, an animated search bar, and extra shuffle and add to library controls. The colour of those parts additionally adjustments based mostly on the album artwork’s main hues, which isn’t true on the always-on show.

You'll be able to see the expanded Now Bar design beneath.

Attractive, proper? Visually alluring and sensible, this view would clear up most of the issues I've with its present barebones design. So what’s the fuss? Properly, there’s no choice to make this a everlasting fixture. Because it’s restricted to the lock display, I’m again to the threadbare Now Bar show when my cellphone relocks. The answer right here is easy: enable this view on my always-on show when enjoying music. Simple.

Small adjustments could have an enormous affect

<img class="e_jh" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="one ui 7 now bar timer hero" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-64w-36h.jpeg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-1000w-563h.jpeg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-1920w-1080h.jpeg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-1536w-864h.jpeg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-675w-380h.jpeg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-300w-170h.jpeg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-1280w-720h.jpeg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-840w-472h.jpeg 840w" alt="Now Bar in one UI 7." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/one-ui-7-now-bar-timer-hero-scaled.jpeg"/> Joe Maring / Android Authority

Now Bar in One UI 7.

To present Samsung credit score, I do actually just like the idea of the Now Bar, and total, my grievances are minor. They don’t finally detract from its goal of delivering fast bites of information, and, if I have to, I can draw extra particulars from it. Moreover, it really works properly, I haven’t encountered any bugs but, and the apps that assist it are all made higher by it. Nonetheless, I’m not going to say it’s the completed article. That’s to be anticipated. It’s a brand new characteristic, and it’ll take time to mature.

Nonetheless, I don’t need Samsung to simply sit on its arms with the Now Bar. It’s right here, however now it wants additional refinement. I've hope that it'll, although. The corporate has handed over the reins of One UI to customers with glee, and I can’t see why it wouldn’t embrace Now Bar with it.

Briefly, I’m optimistic. With Android 16 simply across the nook and One UI 8 hopefully following briefly order, I belief the adjustments I search will come sooner somewhat than later.