If you opt for an Android phone over an iPhone, there are certain features you get as standard as part of Android. Then there are other features specific to certain manufacturers, as each Android phone maker puts its own spin on the software.

Pixel phones, for example, get the Now Playing widget on the home screen and lock screen that works like an instant Shazam. It’ll tell you the name of the song playing in your environment before you’ve even searched for it.

With Samsung phones, one of the best perks isn’t as widely known about or used as it should be. It’s called the Edge Panel, and it works like a customizable shortcut bar that gives you speedy access to the other parts of your phone.

If you own a Galaxy device and have never come across the Edge Panel, or you used it once but have since forgotten about it, here’s what it’s capable of now—and how you can make the most of it to optimize your mobile experience.

How the Edge Panel Works

You can think of the Edge Panel as being a little bit like the Start menu on Windows, or the dock on macOS. It provides something that Android doesn’t have by default, which is a user-configurable launcher for collecting your favorite apps and feature shortcuts.

When it’s enabled, the Edge Panel appears as a faint line along the side of the screen, and you can swipe across it to open the pane. If you don’t see it, head to Settings and choose Display > Edge Panels to turn it on (via the toggle switch) or customize what the panels show (by tapping the menu entry).

There are actually seven different types of panel to choose from, as you’ll see when you start to customize the feature: Apps, People, Tasks, Weather, Tools, Clipboard, and Reminder. You can have just one of them active, or all seven, or something in between (once you’ve got the Edge Panel up, swipe across it to switch between the different types).

Edge Panel gives you access to your favorite apps and shortcuts.Courtesy of David Nield

The names of these panels give you some idea of what they can do. You can use the Apps panel to access the apps you use the most, without having to hunt for them in the main app drawer or having them clutter up your home screen. You can also jump to your most important people on the Contacts panel in the same way.

The Clipboard panel gives you quick access to the phone clipboard, while Tasks features shortcuts such as taking screenshots, adding new calendar events, adding alarms, and taking a screenshot. Having these shortcuts on the Edge Panel means you don’t have to dig through menus or remember key combinations for the same functions.

Tools is actually just a single tool: a compass that tells you your current location and points you north, south, east, or west. Weather is pretty self-explanatory, while Reminder syncs information from the Reminder app that comes preinstalled on Galaxy devices.

Customize the Edge Panel

The Edge Panel works fine in its default state, but to make the most of it you really need to set it up to suit you and the way you use your phone. From the main Settings menu, choose Display, then tap Edge Panels.

First, select Panels to pick which panes are shown. Put a check next to the panes you want to have available. If you tap the three dots (top right) then Reorder, you’re able to choose the order they appear in as well—place the panes you use most often furthest to the left, as they’ll be available in fewer swipes.

You can also tap the three dots then Hide on Lock screen if you don’t want the Edge Panel to appear before you’ve unlocked your phone. Bear in mind that you might not want some information—such as the contents of the clipboard or your reminders—being available to anyone who picks up your handset.

Get the Edge Panel set up to suit you.Courtesy of David Nield

With Apps, People, and Tasks, you can customize what’s included. Just tap the Edit button underneath the pane. In each case, there are more available options than there are slots on the Edge Panel, so you need to prioritize accordingly.

Back on the Edge Panels screen, there are a couple of other options worth knowing about. If you pick Handle, you can set the properties of the little onscreen strip that Edge Panel is activated through. Pick the size and transparency level of the handle, its color, and which side of the screen it appears on.

Finally, there’s the Show in landscape mode toggle switch; disable this if you don’t want to see the Edge panel when you’re using your phone in its landscape orientation. This mode is mainly used for watching videos and playing games, in which case the Edge Panel and its handle might distract you.