If you’re the proud owner of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, here are some tips to help you get the most from your earbuds.
1. Wear the Buds Correctly
This might sound obvious, but you should first make sure you’re wearing the Buds Live correctly. Their design is unusual and different from the Galaxy Buds and Buds Plus, after all. Improper use can diminish the sound quality and render the touch features ineffective.
With the speaker facing inward and at the bottom, check for the “L” and “R” to indicate the correct ear. First place the earbud in your lower ear. Next, rotate the earbud so that the upper section slots into your ear’s concha.
If the earbuds feel loose, experiment with the supplied wing tips so they’re secure and don’t fall out. You might need to use different sizes of wing tips for each ear.
2. Clean the Buds
Something sitting in your ear for long periods of time is bound to get dirty with earwax and debris. It’s important that you keep your buds clean so that the speaker and air duct remain unobstructed. If you don’t, your Buds Live may sound unbalanced.
To clean your buds, use a dry cloth to wipe away any visible dirt. You can also use a soft brush or cotton swab. Never use liquids to help clean—although the Buds Live have an IPX2 rating, which means they can withstand small amounts of dripping water, it isn’t worth the risk.
3. Keep Everything Updated
Gone are the days when devices never changed after the initial setup. Now nearly everything improves through software updates, which is equally true of the Buds Live.
To ensure you have the best listening experience, you should keep all components of the Buds Live up-to-date. That includes your phone—if you’re on a Samsung device, do that by going to Settings > Software update > Download and install.
You can update the Buds Live using the over-the-air service. To do this, launch the Galaxy Wearable app and tap Earbuds software update.
Don’t forget that you should keep the Galaxy Wearable app updated too!
4. Change the Touch Function
When using your wireless Buds Live on the go, you don’t want to worry about pulling out your phone to adjust the volume or skip a music track. Happily, the Buds Live have lots of different touch functions to make adjustments easy, and you can customize their actions too.
By default, the touch functions are:
Single tap: Play/pause Double tap: Next track or answer/end a call Triple tap: Previous track Touch and hold: Enable active noise cancellation or decline a call
You can change the touch and hold functionality via the Galaxy Wearable app. Go to the Touch controls section and beneath the Touch and hold section, tap either Left or Right. You can choose from Active noise canceling, Voice command, Volume down/up, and Spotify.
By the way, you don’t need to use Bixby with your Samsung devices. Here’s how to disable Bixby on any Samsung Galaxy phone.
5. Enable Active Noise Cancellation
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is feature of the Buds Live that reduces unwanted background noise (like the rumbling of a train) while still letting you hear important sounds (such as overhead announcements). You don’t need to turn up the volume—just enable ANC.
To do this, launch the Galaxy Wearable app and tap Active noise canceling. Alternatively, providing you haven’t changed the touch function, it’s quicker to touch and hold an earbud for a second to enable ANC. Repeat the same action to disable it.
6. Reduce Audio Delay
Bluetooth devices can suffer from audio delay. This is where what you hear doesn’t exactly match what’s happening on the screen. You’ll notice this most when watching videos or playing games.
You can try to resolve this by using the Buds Live away from other Bluetooth devices and moving closer to the connected device.
However, when using your buds with a Samsung phone or tablet, the best way to reduce audio delay is to enable a feature called Gaming mode. To do this, open the Galaxy Wearable app, tap Labs, then enable Gaming mode.
7. Charge the Case Wirelessly
The case that you store your Buds Live in also charges them. On a full charge, the buds give you eight hours of playback, with an additional 21 hours from the case.
You can charge the case with the supplied USB Type-C cable, but did you know that it also supports wireless charging?
Simply place the case in the center of a wireless charger and you’re done. Of course, Samsung recommends using one of its wireless chargers, but any from a reputable company will do the job well.
You can also use the Samsung PowerShare feature to charge your earbuds. Place the Buds Live charging case on the back of a compatible device, like the S20 or Note10, and you can charge the buds using the battery of your phone.
8. Experiment With the Equalizer
Do the Buds Live not sound quite how you’d like them to? If so, you should experiment with the different equalizer settings to find one that suits you.
Simply launch the Galaxy Wearable app, then in the Equalizer section, tap the different options to immediately change the sound. The choices available are Normal, Bass boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear, and Treble boost.
Your personal preference will vary, but if you’re unsure, then opt for Dynamic. This gives a solid overall balance, with a rich sound that improves the bass.
9. Find a Missing Earbud
You certainly don’t want one of your earbuds to go missing. But if that happens, don’t worry. The Galaxy Wearable app has a function to help you find them.
Tap Find My Earbuds and then choose Start. Both buds will play a sound that slowly increases in volume. Of course, this only works if you’ve lost them somewhere nearby, rather than on your travels.
10. Read App Notifications
Your Buds Live can read some notifications, which saves you from pulling out your phone. To enable this, launch the Galaxy Wearable app, tap Read notifications aloud, then slide the toggle On at the top.
Some apps will be enabled by default, including Samsung’s Alarm, Email, Messages, and Phone. However, you can expand this by tapping See all, then use the top dropdown to select All. Here you can enable the apps you want to hear from.
More Samsung Device Tips
Hopefully you’re enjoying your Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and these tips have helped you get even more from these excellent earbuds.
If you’re a Samsung fan, you might also consider picking up the company’s other accessories, like the solid Samsung Galaxy smartwatch.
