Samsung last month released a software update for the Galaxy S8 that makes it easier for one to hide the navigation bar from within an app. By hiding the navigation bar, one would be able to display more content on the screen and make full use of it for an immersive experience.
Hiding the navigation bar can be particularly handy while you are reading an article, playing a game, or browsing the web as the use of the navigation bar is minimised in such cases.
If you are still not aware on how to quickly hide the navigation bar on the Galaxy S8 to run apps in full-screen mode, check out the steps below.
Pre-requisites
The ability to quickly hide the navigation bar was only added by Samsung through a recent software update. While the update has already made its way to the unlocked and carrier variants of the Galaxy S8 in the US, the feature has still not made its way across certain carriers and variants of the Galaxy S8.
How to hide the navigation bar on the Samsung Galaxy S8
Step 1: Head over to Settings -> Display -> Navigation Bar and make sure the Show and hide button option is enabled.
Step 2: When you are inside any app or just browsing around on the device, you will notice a small dot being displayed on the extreme left of the navigation bar. Simply tap on it to hide the navigation bar and use your apps in a full-screen mode.
To bring the navigation bar back up, simply swipe up from the bottom part of the display. The navigation bar will automatically hide again after a few seconds. If you don’t want it to hide again, simply tap the dot once more.
Using apps on the Galaxy S8 with the navigation bar hidden gives a very immersive experience. It is particularly handy when you are browsing the web or are reading something. It also allows one to make the full use of the 18.5:9 aspect ratio display. With more OEMs bound to adopt 18.5:9 or similar aspect ratio displays, it is a matter of time before we see other OEMs implement a similar feature in their device.