How to make the most of your Samsung phone and appliances working together

If you’ve got more than one Samsung device at home, chances are you’re already sitting on a smarter, more connected experience than you realise. What most people don’t realise is that some of their devices will work together right now, with some simple setup, bringing appliances and even simple notifications into t he palm of your hand.

Perhaps the most obvious example is in the hands of Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners. If you’ve got Samsung appliances, along with products from many different smart home brands, the Samsung SmartThings app and ecosystem could be ready at your fingertips.

Here are a few ideas for making the most of your Samsung smartphone, SmartThings and your Samsung appliances. It’s quick, easy and could save you time and money in the long run.

First step: get all the “things” talking

SmartThings is a single app that puts all your “smart things” in one place at a glance, giving you easy access to basic functions as well as advanced configuration and automation.

Getting started is easy, with a simple ADD DEVICE option in the app. There are a few ways to add a device. Sometimes it’s a QR code, sometimes the app can scan your local network to find a device waiting to pair, and you can add many devices manually by brand and device name.

Assign the device to the room it’s in, which helps you map out your virtual home and you’re off and running.

It’s a one-time job, and you can invite other members of your family to use SmartThings too, so you’re not the only one getting the benefit.

Some simple wins around the home

In the laundry, some people might think there’s no great benefit in knowing the washing machine has finished. Those people haven’t earned the ire of a partner who specifically asked them to hang the washing out when it was done, only to get home and find it still sitting in the machine.

With SmartThings, your compatible washing machine can send a simple “Washing Complete” notification to your Samsung smartphone, or any phone with the SmartThings app, or even show it on a Samsung Smart TV. Now that’s an ecosystem working for you!

Likewise, in the kitchen, modern appliances can alert you when the fridge door has been left open, or the oven has reached temperature or remind you that you left the oven on.

Another one is SmartThings AI Energy Mode – which does just that: tracks, analyses and reduces power consumption on Samsung devices (that are compatible) . This allows Australians to get more value out of their connected range^[1].

Automation can be a game-changer

The real magic of automation is getting your devices to work together without you having to think about it. SmartThings lets you create routines around compatible devices, so everyday tasks can happen automatically when certain conditions are met.

It might  be that when you leave work on a weekday over summer, the air conditioning at home turns on so the house is cool when you arrive.

Or it could be as simple as making sure all the lights are off overnight. The kids can’t be trusted to do that; we all know it.

Why bother?

It’s a fair question, because a lot of the “smart home” things we talk about do sound a little lazy. They’re often just easy examples. Laziness is one description, but another way to look at it is time. Are you saving time and giving yourself time back? That’s valuable.

Then there are tangible cost savings. Many devices can share energy usage information, so you can monitor power consumption and better understand where that power bill is coming from.

Automations can also help you save money by shutting things down when you don’t need them, whether that’s lights or appliances.

Handy tips for your Samsung smartphone

Once you get into it, there’s a lot you can do. For example, set up widgets on your Home Screen for certain appliances, giving you quick, at-a-glance access to functions and features.

Notifications from some apps might annoy you, but SmartThings is worth setting up properly. That way you get the alerts that matter, like the temperature, the cleaning or the washing, no matter where you are, and you can act on them in the app if needed.

The key: don’t overwhelm yourself

This can be an amazing experience, but it can also be overwhelming.

My advice: start small. Set up your most-used appliance with SmartThings and get a feel for it. Then add others as you want, and embrace the whole integration of your Samsung appliances, Samsung smartphone and SmartThings-compatible smart home gadgets.

This article was written with support from Samsung, helping us bring you the information you need by prioritising our time.

[1] Available on Android and iOS devices. The SmartThings App, a Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required to use AI Energy Mode. Feature may vary by country, region or compatible device and the available saving options may vary by region. Can be applied when the selected washing temperature is 20~40°C. Based on internal testing on the WW11BB944AGB model in normal usage conditions. Results: Power consumption without AI Energy Mode = 0.539 KWh. Power consumption with AI Energy Mode = 0.145 KWh. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.