How to Increase Lock Screen Time so a Good Samaritan can read my emergency contact info?

[MelbJim]

Just got a new Galaxy S20 after I had a major disaster with my old Samsung J3 ( dropped into the water after a boating accident and lost all my contact and good data not on the microSD card).

Trying to increase the lock screen wallpaper display that has my emergency contact info scroll text. The default is about 5 secs before it all goes dark and can't read. I want to increase this time to at least 10 secs to give a user finding my lost phone time to see my emergency contact message.

Samsung technical support seems clueless and the messed up Human User Interface has options all over the phone so I seem to be not finding the right one in "Settings". I can change the screen to go to lock mode after 1 minute just fine but when tapping on the screen or pressing the power button to "wake it up" into lock screen mode so a person can read emergency contact - it goes dark in about 5 secs. That's not enough time to see all the contact info.

Anyone able to help me out here? I am so hoping it's not as Samsung told me "you can't do what you want to do".

 

[Mooncatt]

If the person keeps touching the screen, it should stay on. You may have to either tap it often or slide your finger around, though. Just pressing and holding could still let it time out.

 

[hallux]

Is there not a way to enter that information specifically? If there's an Emergency button on the lock screen (where the PIN entry is), it can be shown there. That's an option on the Pixel devices anyway. Maybe this info from the S10 will help or is that what you're trying to get more time for people to see? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpJzzwc_FSo

 

[MelbJim]

Does not seem to be. Very disappointing that we can't control this - even a simple option on the emergency contact message for time to display it would be so easy. I saw that video and there's no options for it. Sounds like the only thing a person can do is keep tapping the screen to keep it alive. Such a silly user interface design oversight.

 

[MelbJim]

The silly human interface is tricky if a user tries to hold their finger on it - can trigger it off, or trigger the swipe pattern login sequence or start changing the display brightness if you move it around a little. Very esoteric and weird. Tapping it repeatedly does work if not tapping so fast it triggers the unlock pattern to activate for sign on validation (if using pattern verification).

 

[VidJunky]

it seems that you have some foresight but if someone was going to return your device I think they would go through the extra trouble of doing what they have to get the information.

I pose to you another thing to consider which is Samsung's Find My Mobile service. Since you had the J3 you may be familiar with it but in case you didn't know, there are more features that must be enabled to function. For example remote unlock and power save mode. You must have a Samsung Account and enable the services on the device for them to work. You can type "find" in the settings search bar or look for them under Biometrics and security. Touch on the words not the toggle to see the added features, their descriptions and how to enable them.

I believe taking this proactive step will be far more helpful then concern over a screen timer should the unthinkable happen.


Best wishes.