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Now Brief
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
If you haven’t yet upgraded to the latest version of One UI 7, take a screenshot of your home screen layout before you do. According to some reports, upgrading could swap up your homescreen like a shaken Scrabble box. One UI 7 doesn’t support the same number of grid layouts as its predecessor, largely because it now makes room for the Now Bar.
One UI 6 supported grid layouts of 4×5, 4×6, 5×5, and 5×6. One UI 7 drops that support to just 4×6 and 5×6, according to Android Authority. If you currently use one of the unsupported layouts, things will look a bit different when you upgrade — and you’ll have to decide how you want to arrange the home screen from that point.
The same is true if you transfer your data to a new device that is already on One UI 7, like a new Galaxy S25. However, there’s a workaround. The Good Lock app lets you customize your Samsung interface, and the Home Up module allows you to create custom grid layouts and has a DIY Home Screen feature.
Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsLosing a few layout options seems a small price to pay when you consider everything that One UI 7 brings to the table. Its suite of AI features, including the Now Brief, Circle to Search, Writing Assist, and many more, make it a fantastic upgrade that will greatly enhance the usability of your device.
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More than that, the Now Bar is similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island and can provide many of the same functions at a glance, such as driving directions or on-the-go weather updates. One UI 7 might change a few things, but what it brings to the table more than makes up for the loss of a layout — especially when you can now fully customize your home screen with the Home Up Module.
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
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