Just like other major Android updates, there are many new features and improvements in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update. Some of these new features and improvements are from Android Nougat 7.0; and others are customized by Samsung for their Galaxy devices.
This post will summarize the top 12 new features and improvements in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate to help you get the most from the new firmware in your Galaxy Note 5.
Samsung finally ditched the old blue/green UI and moved to new Grace UI , which was first spotted in the defunct Galaxy Note 7.
Actually, the new Grace UI is now standard in all Samsung devices with Android Nougat.
With the new UI, Galaxy Note 5 looks like a modern device. The old UI is really old-fashioned (arguable).
Of course, some Galaxy Note 5 may not like the white color based theme in the Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate. They can easily find many dark themes for Galaxy Note 5.
In Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate, you can find a new entry named device maintenance.
Device maintenance offers one-button optimization including:
In addition, in device maintenance, you can also:
So, device maintenance in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate is just a combination of various device management and optimization tools.
Do not confuse the new Calendar app in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate with Google Calendar.
The name may be similar and confusing. But this new Calendar app is actually just new S Planner.
In last two years, Samsung already shaved many useful and unique features from S Planner. Now, they rename it as Calendar.
Yes, it is just a mediocre Calendar app without any exciting or unique features.
Multi-Window is a signature feature of Galaxy Note devices.
In Android Nougat 7.0, Google finally implemented multi-window feature officially in Android Nougat. It is usually named as split-screen mode.
But you should not confuse multi window feature in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update with that in stock Android.
They are substantially different. Samsung’s multi window is superior to that in stock Android Nougat.
You may check this guide on how to use the improved multi window feature in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update.
To be honest, for most owners, 1080p (1920×1080) resolution of a 5.7″ screen (as in Galaxy Note 5) is sufficient. The native resolution of 1440p (2560×1440) is an overkill for most apps.
High screen resolution means more battery consumption.
The Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update brought the option to scale down the screen resolution to 1080p or even 720p to save battery life. It may potentially extend the lifespan of the screen as well.
In most regions, after you apply the Android Nougat update, the screen resolution was actually set as 1080p. Most owners never noticed it.
If you want, you can change the screen resolution in Settings— Display — Screen resolution.
You may check this guide for details on screen resolution settings.
In Android Nougat 7.0, display size (aka display scaling) was introduced to scale up or down ALL display elements.
Samsung renamed this feature as screen zoom in Android Nougat update for Galaxy Note 5.
In previous generations of Android, some display elements are fixed. For example, the text size in notifications, lock screen keypad and app icons are all locked down by the system to avoid possible misuse.
Now, you can adjust the zoom levels for all of these. You can get bigger or smaller text in notifications. You can adjust the size of app icons in Galaxy Note 5 Home screen and Apps screen.
Moreover, screen zoom in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate also works for all apps. It simply work on top of all apps.
You can adjust screen zoom in Settings — Display —Screen zoom.
For more details of screen zoom in Galaxy Note 5, you may check this guide.
Android Nougat update for Galaxy Note 5 also gave you a brand new camera app.
The new camera app interface is significantly different from the old one.
You now need to use gestures to switch to Galaxy Note 5 camera modes (swipe to right), and Galaxy Note 5 camera effects (swipe to left). You can also switch between front and rear camera by swiping upwards or downwards.
You may check this detailed camera app guide for Galaxy devices with Android Nougat update.
There are many different types of Galaxy Note 5 owners. They use Galaxy Note 5 in different ways.
Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update now have 4 difference performance modes under Settings— device maintenance — Performance mode:
You can also find the performance mode in the updated Galaxy Note 5 quick settings panel as well.
The detailed guide of the performance modes in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update can be found here.
Samsung debuted blue light filter in Galaxy Note 7. Basically, it reduces blue light and makes it more comfortable to use the screen in low-light or dark conditions.
Now, blue light filter is available in Galaxy Note 5 with Android Nougat update.
You can turn on/off blue light filter in Galaxy Note 5 quick settings. You can also schedule it in Settings —Display —Blue light filter.
Here is a detailed guide on using blue light filter in Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S7.
Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update also brought an updated quick settings panel.
First, the old-fashioned blue/green background was replaced with light (white color). It simply looks better (arguable).
Second, you can set the button layout to customize number of buttons in one row in this update.
Android Nougat 7.0 also introduced a quick setting bar in the top of notifications. Samsung phones have this feature for long time.
But in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update, the number of buttons is limited to 6, instead of 10 previously.
The brightness control bar can now be customized on top of notification or the bottom.
To use the new quick settings panel, you may follow this guide.
Bundled notification and direct reply (quick reply) are both new features in Android Nougat 7.0, although Samsung implemented a similar feature in Galaxy Note 7 in Marshmallow.
When you receive multiple notifications from the same app, Galaxy Note 5 can group them in notification panel. This makes the Galaxy Note 5 notification panel cleaner and well-organized.
For some notifications, for example, email or SMS, you can directly reply without opening the app.
Please refer to this guide on using the new notification features in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update.
Android Nougat 7.0 introduced this data saver mode to help you save mobile data usage.
By default, the Nougat update for Galaxy Note 5 turned on data saver already in most regions. You may notice a new status icon with a plus in a circle as shown in the left.
You can turn on and off data saver mode in Galaxy Note 5 with Android Nougat update in Settings –Connections –Data usage –Data saver.
For detailed technical information on data saver mode in Android Nougat and whether you should leave it on in Galaxy Note 5, you may check this guide.
If you have any questions on new features in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate, or if you want to share your thoughts on Android Nougat update for Galaxy Note 5, please let us know in the comment box below.
The community will help you.
You may check Galaxy Note 7 guides in this page.
For other Galaxy Note 5 features and detailed Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides, please check Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page.
You may also download and read the updated official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manual with Android Nougat update here.
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View Comments
I cannot find the drawing mode in the s-pen handwriting pad after my note 5 update to android 7.
Are your talking about the keyboard or any specific apps?
Hello. I've favorites and added your site to my bookmarks. Following this message, Ill check into your facebook page. This is a very relevant site for me. Nice to meet you. My name is Cindy, and I have the Samsung Note 5 SM N920V. I have run out of space on my phone, so I purchased the 128GB Sandisk Ultra USB Drive 3.0 (it has two connector types... USB, and Micro phone port. I went to the Samsung site, and although it lists the Note 5 as being compatible, my specific model number is not listed. I downloaded the 'Memory Zone' Sandisk app from the play store which is a required element in order to use the external drive, but its not detecting my Sandisk external thumbdrive. Do you happen to know a way to get this to work? My phone is old but I cant afford a new phone yet. I started to make video tutorials for artists and crafters, so I need the external space. Any help at all would be humbly appreciated. Thank you for your time, and thank you for your useful site.
Normally, it should work. Did you see any notifications when you insert the drive? Occasionally, insufficient current output through the micro USB port may cause the issue.
Of course, if you want to play safe, the USB 2.0 version of similar drives usually has fewer issues. It requires a power current. But the speed may be slow when using the drive on a computer.
In note 5 does have the alwasy on display option in nougat update?????
Nope.
Does new update have translator which we can use with s pen?
Translation is still offered in air command.
Problem with my Note 5 - Nougat 7.0 update Feb 2018.
when I put my calls on speaker phone, I can hear them but they cannot hear me at all! its as if they are muted, what can I do to fix this?
If you switch back to the earpiece, can the other party hear you?
You can also try to reboot the phone to see whether it helps.
I wanna ask about finger print sensor in my note5. I just recenly realize that my fingerprint sensor doesnt work properly. It pops up bar that told “an error has occured with the fingerprint sensor” and requesting for restart. But after I try to restart all over the time..it’s just still the same. Can anybody give me a solution? Or is there any possibility that hardware damage involved in that kind of trouble? Thanks
Need ASAP solution please..thanks
It is probably a hardware issue. You may back up the phone, then try a factory data reset.
please does the note 5 support Vulkan api after Android n?.
Nope.
I do not like how in my Messages I no longer can have pics of my frequent contacts at the top of the screen. Yes I can pin people that will stay at the top of the message list - but that takes up room on the screen.
Before I could just click on a pic and even scroll on over to who I was looking for - quick fast and easy peasy.... now not so much.
In phone app, you still have favourite contacts and you can and messages there.
This feature was removed from messages app for some time already.