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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 may have just hit the market but there’s already an update currently rolling out to help owners navigate the oversized device more easily. More specifically, the update itself comes as part of a new version of Samsung’s own Experience UI Android skin and allows users to finally expand their notifications with a swipe on any part of the screen. Previously, users could only use the gesture as a way to quick launch the app drawer, with both an up or down swipe performing the same action. This new update should make using the Galaxy Note 8 much less of a chore since it is such a large device. Aside from working on the company’s latest flagship phablet, the new Experience UI and its enhancements are also coming to other current flagships, including the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.
Once the update is installed, it is fairly easy to activate the new swipe feature and even easier to use. At any rate, it will certainly be easier for most users than the prior stretch needed to reach a thumb all the way to the top of the Galaxy Note’s 6.3-inch screen or juggling the device in two hands. Users simply need to access their device settings and then navigate “Home Screen” subcategory, which is hidden within the “Display” category. A toggle to turn on or off “Quick-open notification panel” will appear near the bottom of that settings menu.
Once toggled to the on position, users can go back to their home screen and swipe down to open the navigation bar from anywhere on their screen. Swiping down again will expand the notification bar out further. Meanwhile, swipes in both directions, with the toggle turned on, will not result in the same action after the update. Instead, a swipe up after the notification bar has been pulled down will send the notification bar back to its closed position. As with all major update rollouts, it could take some time before this one appears on everybody’s device, so users shouldn’t be too alarmed if it hasn’t hit theirs just yet. Keeping that in mind, it’s always possible to check manually to see if the update is available.