Your Samsung phone has secret Wi-Fi settings that are seriously useful - here’s how to unlock them

2025-07-04 15:06:00
www.zdnet.com

Samsung Intelligent Wi-Fi setting OneUI — Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Did someone on Reddit just uncover one of the best-kept secrets of Samsung Galaxy phones? OneUI, the software launcher that powers Samsung phones, is best known for its abundance of features — so much so that you’ll either never use some of them because there’s simply too much, or they’re just hidden from plain sight.

Also: The best Samsung phones to buy in 2025

A recent discovery may take the crown for best hidden feature. The feature is called “Connectivity Labs,” and it’s only accessible with a secret gesture within your phone’s Wi-Fi settings. Cool, right?

The capabilities within Connectivity Labs are even cooler; they include a home Wi-Fi inspection tool, AI-powered mobile data switching, developer options, and more. Here’s how to access them, which Samsung models are compatible, and some of the best features you should start using.

How to turn on Connectivity Labs on a Samsung phone

What you’ll need: A Samsung phone running OneUI 6 or newer (anything after the Galaxy S20 series).

To activate Connectivity Labs, scroll down to the bottom of the Intelligent Wi-Fi page and tap seven times on the software version (currently labeled as Intelligent Wi-Fi 7.0.0).

Also: I changed 10 Samsung phone settings for an instant performance boost

As you repeatedly tap, a pop-up message should appear, giving you a countdown for how many more taps are left to activate Connectivity Labs. Once that’s done, you’ll find the secret menu appear at the bottom of the page.

When you first open Connectivity Labs, you’re presented with a column of graphs depicting the various bands, types, and networks your phone is connected to. There’s also a “Daily Average” ticker for how long your phone is connected to Wi-Fi every day.

Also: Your Samsung phone just got a big security upgrade for free (these models included)

However, the meat of this page is in the bottom half. As you scroll down, you’ll find a catalog of useful internet connection toggles, including Wi-Fi 7 mode, Wi-Fi handover, network quality info, and more.

I’ve been experimenting with all the options, and while most of them are niche, three are generally useful:

Home Wi-Fi inspection: This option runs a live Wi-Fi signal test, showing you drop-offs and spikes in connection strength as you walk around your home. I recently installed new video security cameras around my house and needed an efficient spot to place the monitoring hub. I ran the Wi-Fi inspection tool, found an area in my office with high signal strength, and set it up.
Switching to mobile data faster: Have you ever experienced slow internet because you’re on the border of a public connection (say, outside a cafe or office building) and your phone is juggling between mobile data and Wi-Fi? Toggling this option will prompt the phone to quickly switch to mobile data when it detects your Wi-Fi signal is weakening. This option is especially great if you’re under an unlimited data plan.
Wi-Fi Developer Options: This tab contains another list of settings, but one of the most helpful ones is “Nearby Wi-Fi information,” which lists the signal strength of your local networks. This can be useful when you have multiple public Wi-Fi networks available — like at an airport — and want to know which one will yield the fastest browsing speeds.

Bottom line

I’ve only scratched the surface of Connectivity Lab’s capabilities, but there are clearly plenty of useful tools within it to make exploring worthwhile. I highly recommend taking the time to investigate these settings, test them out, and discover the options that best cater to your individual internet connectivity needs. You might be surprised at the level of control and optimization you can achieve, all without costing you a penny.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Source Link

Keep your entertainment at your fingertips with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K! Enjoy streaming in 4K Ultra HD with access to top services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. With an easy-to-use interface and voice remote, it’s the ultimate streaming device, now at only $21.99 — that’s 56% off!

With a 4.7/5-star rating from 43,582 reviews and 10K+ bought in the past month, it’s a top choice for home entertainment! Buy Now for $21.99 on Amazon!

Start your free Amazon Prime trial
today and unlock unlimited streaming and more!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!

BITCOIN

Bitcoin Logo