How to Use the Driving Mode on Your Samsung Galaxy Phone

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: July 30, 2020

This wikiHow teaches you how to use the Samsung Galaxy's Driving Mode, which is only available on the Galaxy S4 and earlier Samsung Galaxy model smartphones.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Using the Settings Menu

1
Open the App Drawer. It's the grid of dots on your Android's Home Screen.
2
Open your Android's Settings. This app is a grey gear. You'll typically find it near the top of the App Drawer.
3
Tap the My device tab. You should see this option toward the top of the screen.
4
Scroll down and tap Driving mode. On some versions of Samsung Galaxy S4, this option will instead be called Hands-free mode.
5
Slide Driving Mode right to the "On" position. This switch, located at the top of the screen, will turn green, signifying that driving mode is now activated.
- If you tapped Hands-free mode, you'll instead slide the Hands-free mode switch right.
6
Make sure all settings you wish to enable are checked. These settings include the following options:
- Incoming call - Reads aloud the name and number of a contact who is calling you.
- Messages - Reads aloud the name of a contact who is messaging you.
- Alarm - Reads aloud the subject of an alarm when it goes off.
- Schedule - Reads aloud a scheduled item's subject when it applies.
7
Press the Home button. Driving Mode is now enabled, meaning it will be active while you take a trip.
8
Say "Hi Galaxy" to your Samsung after a call or message comes in. This will prompt your Samsung Galaxy S4 to begin listening to you.
- If you haven't yet set up S Voice, first do so by opening the S Voice app from the App Drawer and following the on-screen instructions.
9
Speak a command. For example, you might say "Call Nick" or "Text Sarah message (your message)" to call or message one of your contacts without having to look at your phone.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Using Verizon's Message+

1
Open the Message+ app. It's a red app with a pair of white speech bubbles. While the Galaxy S5 and up don't have the Driving Mode feature provided in the S4, Verizon versions of these phones come with a pre-installed text service that uses a driving mode feature.
- If your Samsung Galaxy isn't a Verizon phone, this process won't work.
2
Tap ☰. It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
- If Message+ opens to a conversation, first tap the "Back" button in the top-left corner of the screen.
3
Slide Driving Mode right to the "On" position. This will enable driving mode, which will read aloud sender information, for any incoming calls or text messages in the Verizon Messages+ app.
- You can also slide on Auto-Reply, which will automatically reply to incoming calls or messages with a standard text that says something like "I'm driving right now."
4
Press the Home button. This will close Message+. The next time you're driving, Message+ will read aloud your incoming messages and, if you enabled Auto-Reply, respond to them with a cautionary text message.

Warnings

Never text and drive.

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Even just using your phone's buttons while driving is illegal in some states.

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