Samsung Galaxy Phones Have A HIDDEN Menu You Can Access With A 'Secret' Code

RJ Pierce, Tech Times 27 March 2022, 11:03 pm

Samsung Galaxy owners, here's something you likely never knew about your phone until now.

(Photo : Unsplash/Anh Nhat)
Samsung Galaxy

According to SlashGear, modern Galaxy smartphones have a so-called "secret" diagnostic menu which you can access via a special code. This hidden menu features a basic design for its interface, and is reportedly intended for repair people who work on these models of smartphones.

But while this menu sounds like something you won't find useful, it's not. Perhaps by using it, it might tell you whether a specific component in your phone is not working as intended. That way, you can understand why your smartphone slows down at times or maybe even locks out on you for no apparent reason.

As per the original SlashGear report, though, not every Samsung Galaxy owner will have access to this hidden menu. It seems to only be available on phones which run One UI, and won't be accessible on some devices which have software blocks introduced by mobile carriers. Aside from that, older phone models which run TouchWiz might also be unable to open up the menu.

How To Open The Hidden Samsung Galaxy Menu

Here's what you need to do to open up the menu:

Sign into/unlock your phone and tap the "Phone" icon.
Dial this code using the "Keypad" tab: *#0*#

Pretty simple, right? Right after entering the right code, the phone will flash a light-gray, boring-looking screen with white buttons. Each of these buttons will allow you to test the components of the phone you want to check. For instance, you can test your phone's front and back cameras, touch screen, and even its receiver to see if they work well enough.

Here's a video demonstration from the Tech YouTube channel sakitech which demonstrates the hidden menu's capabilities:

MORE Secret Galaxy Codes

While the hidden menu mentioned above sounds interesting, that's not even the only one hidden in modern Samsung smartphones (not just their Galaxy line). This is due to how customizable and developer-friendly Android is as an OS.

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(Photo : JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
The Android logo is displayed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 26, 2019. - Phone makers will focus on foldable screens and the introduction of blazing fast 5G wireless networks at the world's biggest mobile fair as they try to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones.

TechNastic published a list of other Samsung secret codes recently. You can use these codes on almost all devices from the S5 to the S20 line, as well as the Note 4 to Not 20, Galaxy A to M, or even a Galaxy Tab. There are so many secret codes you can try, but here are among the most interesting ones:

*#06#: This code brings up your phone's IMEI number, which serves as its "fingerprint" or identifying number. It can help you find your phone if it has been lost or stolen.
*#34971539#: This allows you to update the firmware of your phone's camera. If your camera feels a bit janky and doesn't work well for some reason, maybe updating its firmware will fix the issues.
*43# [dial] or #43#[dial]: The first code enables your phone's Call Waiting feature, which will notify you if you're getting another caller on the line. If there is, they will be put on hold until you pick the phone up. The second code is to turn Call Waiting off.
*#004*[number]#: This code will let you divert incoming phone calls to a specific number. It can be quite handy if you're on vacation, for instance, and do not want to be disturbed by work calls at all costs.