Galaxy S23 lock screen: How to customize it and add new app shortcuts

Andrew Romero | Feb 16 2023 - 12:33 pm PT

You might be surprised to learn how much you can actually customize with the Galaxy S23 series. For instance, the lock screen has multiple characteristics that can be changed or adjusted. Here’s how.

Introduced with One UI 5, Samsung’s Galaxy devices have the ability to switch up little details on the lock screen. Lock screen customization can go a long way, as a lot of us tend to simply wake up our phones and check notifications, only to turn them back off. With these options, you can change the clock style, notification appearance, and even the shortcuts you see at the bottom.

How to customize the lock screen on the Galaxy S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra

On your Galaxy S23, head to your settings.
Find and tap Lock screen.
Tap the image of the Lock screen.

From here, you have a few different options. The first is to change your clock style. Much like iOS, Samsung gives you the ability to adjust what kind of clock is front and center on your lock screen. By tapping it, you can not only change the design, but also the font and color.

Towards the bottom, you’ll see Contact information. If you choose, you can add your name, number, or other details to ensure a lost phone will be returned to you safely. Below that, you’ll also see two app shortcuts. Tapping those will allow you to change what app is opened when each is selected. By default. If you want to emulate a Pixel device, you can change these to Google Home and Google Wallet, respectively.

Setting useful widgets on the lock screen

Next to that little image of your lock screen is another illustration with Widgets underneath. Tapping it will bring you to the lock screen widgets page, which is accessible by tapping the clock on your home screen.

Here, you can adjust what widgets show up and in what order. You can’t add third-party widgets, unfortunately, though it does help with a seamless experience. This neat little feature is extremely useful for music playback control and information at a glance.

As lock screens go, Samsung has one of the best ones in the smartphone market. With widgets, app shortcuts, and a clock design that fits your style, the Galaxy S23 has a very welcoming display.