Samsung's Modes and Routines does what I used to need Tasker for, and it's already on your phone

Third-party apps provide solutions and add features that are natively missing from the phone's UI. Tasker is one such popular automation tool that lets you build a small series of tasks that execute when a condition is met. It's a powerful, still usable app that doesn't even offer a free trial now. However, if you use a Samsung phone, you won't need a third-party app to create automations.

Samsung offers a built-in Modes and Routines feature that can do what Tasker does, without any sort of restrictions or paywalls. I've been using Modes and Routines for a while now, and I don't miss it by any chance. The feature covers my automation needs well and pairs with an easy-to-understand interface. Let's discuss why you shouldn't look for any other app if you own a Samsung phone.

Tasker is powerful

But it's certainly not for beginners

Tasker isn't a bad app. In fact, it's a saving grace for so many phone brands that don't offer built-in automation features. The app has a simple section called Tasky where you can download a curated list of automations. Some solve very niche problems, but it is easy to set up and run automations this way. However, everything is tied to your Google account now, and you'll need it to download these prebuilt tasks.

The second part is the serious mode of the app, where you can build complex automations, import tasks, and do much more. But if you take a glance at the task builder, you'll be confused by the whole thing. It doesn't make it simple for beginners, and that's what upsets me the most. If I use a Xiaomi phone, I'll have to stick with what Tasker offers because there is no alternative for it. But on a Samsung phone, I wouldn't prefer it over Modes and Routines.

Currently, if you want to use Tasker, you either need a Play Pass or have to buy the app. If you install the APK file from the official site, it redirects you to the Play Store to purchase the license. So, you have to spend your money first, get no trial, and that's a bad thing for me. The Modes and Routines app doesn't hide behind a paywall, and even if I'm disappointed by its features, I can turn it off permanently.

Automating the boring parts

Built-in Modes come in handy

Modes and Routines sound like a similar thing but are not. These are two different parts of the same tool, and each one has its own use. In simpler terms, think of Modes as a specific profile that can make a lot of changes to the phone. A profile essentially changes settings to adjust to a specific scenario. For example, a sleep profile would tweak settings that create a non-distracting environment that supports deep sleep. Similarly, gaming mode would try to close all the background activity and direct every bit of the power to the phone.

There are a lot of modes listed on the app page, and I use Sleep mode. I hate ruining a perfectly good sleep, and this mode has a bunch of options that help. Once it activates, it enables DND, grayscale mode, reduces volume, and does a few more actions. But it sounds very basic, doesn't it? The features that I described are just the tip of the iceberg.

Modes allow you to have complete control over its predefined profiles. For example, the simplest way to enable Sleep mode is to set a time-based sleep schedule. I can set it to run at 11 p.m. But my sleep schedule is all over the place, and I use a custom condition to activate the mode. Since I only turn off the Wi-Fi when I'm done with the phone, I use these specific conditions.

Modes notices that once I disconnect from the home Wi-Fi, it should enable Sleep mode and change all the settings. Tasker doesn't make automation as easy as Modes, and that's why even a basic task profile can do so much more on a Samsung phone. For niche conditions, I use routines.

Routines do a specific job

Granular tasks that are only relevant to you

Routines are custom automation rules that use the “if this, then that” concept. In a nutshell, when one or multiple triggers occur, the routine executes a specific task. These are highly specific automations, and I use a few to maintain my sanity. My most useful routine is managing a connected Bluetooth audio device whenever I pick up an incoming call. Usually, the dialer app has an option to switch to the phone mic or speaker, but it's frustrating.

My routine notices when the phone rings and then temporarily disconnects the Bluetooth speaker. When the call ends, it reconnects for use. Similarly, I have one for turning off continuous scans to find Bluetooth devices after I disconnect from my wireless earbuds. You can have multiple “ifs” in a routine and then adjust it to do a bunch of actions.

You can build some very niche and useful routines if you experiment with the triggers and actions. Routines are useful when the phone doesn’t offer a specific setting you want, and this feature lets you add one manually. Tasker can build such routines at a deep system level, but it shows Android OS functions that are difficult to understand. Unless you are a developer or love doing web searches for every task you want to create, Samsung Routines is a much better option.

Don’t ignore Modes and Routines

I usually stay away from OEM apps and tools because they do a substandard job. But Modes and Routines is nothing short of a polished automation app that adjusts to your needs. You can configure modes, create scenario-specific routines, and even browse and download some items from the store. Tasker used to be my preferred app and still is for other phone brands. But it lacks the simplicity of Samsung Modes and Routines, and the paid-only nature is a disappointment for beginners.

Sam