Samsung shares FAQ to clear the confusion surrounding changes to AOD with One UI 6.1 update

Samsung (Korea) has released a detailed FAQ addressing user questions and clearing up confusion regarding significant changes made to the Always On Display (AOD) feature with the latest One UI 6.1 software update for Galaxy devices. One of the most notable changes is the integration of AOD and the lock screen to provide a seamless transition between the two screens. As a result, the same clock style and widgets that appear on the lock screen will also show on the AOD.

A major change stemming from this integration is the removal of separate AOD clock style settings. Users can no longer independently customize the AOD clock style. Instead, they must change the lock screen clock style, which will apply the same look to the AOD. Samsung’s guidance is to long-press the lock screen, go to the edit mode, select the desired clock style, and confirm – this will change both lock screen and AOD clocks. For those unaware, this is exactly how it works on Google Pixel phones. So it’s possible that Samsung is trying to bring certain aspects of its skin in line with Google’s take on Android.

The portrait/landscape orientation switching option specifically for AOD has also been eliminated with One UI 6.1. The AOD screen will follow whatever orientation settings are applied to the lock screen. Users can access the auto-rotate settings by swiping down the top of the home screen to open the quick settings panel and toggling the lock screen rotation on or off.

Manual brightness adjustment for just the AOD is no longer available, as the brightness is now tied to the lock screen settings. However, Samsung notes that users can override this through the third-party Good Lock app’s LockStar module, which allows disabling auto-brightness and manually setting AOD brightness.

Some users may also notice the default clock colors for AOD and lock screen have changed with this update. Samsung explains that for those who never customized these colors before, the new default palette will be applied. To revert to previous colors or choose new ones, users have to change the lock screen clock color in edit mode, which will apply to AOD as well.

Fans of the music controller widget on the AOD screen will find it is now view-only to prevent unintentional touches when the phone is in their pocket or bag. Users have to unlock to the lock screen to actually control music playback using the widget controls. Samsung says this change is to minimize accidental input.

Another scaled-back element is the real-time updating of the music progress bar on the AOD music controller, which now only refreshes every minute to conserve battery on the always-on display.

While many of these changes are aimed at providing a simplified, more seamless integrated AOD and lock screen experience on One UI 6.1 devices, Samsung acknowledges that some frequently used AOD options have been altered or removed as part of this integration effort. However, the company notes that power users still have the option to use the Good Lock app’s LockStar module to apply different clocks and manually control brightness specifically on the AOD screen if they desire to maintain a differentiated look.

Overall, this official FAQ should help provide clarity to Galaxy users who were confused by the changes to AOD functionality after updating to the latest One UI 6.1 software version. Similarly, Samsung also shared troubleshooting steps for common issues that popped up after the One UI 6.1 update.

Featured image credits: TechnoProz