How to Turn On Edge Lighting S23 Ultra: Instant Customization for Notifications

I still remember the first time my S23 Ultra lit up like a disco for notifications. That edge lighting feature turns your phone into something special without adding bulk or draining battery.

The setting hides in plain sight under Display settings. You’ll find Edge screen then Edge lighting, where the magic happens. No third-party apps, no rooting—just Samsung’s built-in trickery.

Customization is where it gets fun. You can pick colors, styles, even which apps trigger the glow. I set mine to pulse blue for texts and green for calls—instant recognition without looking.

Takes under 2 minutes to set up. Works even with screen off, and you can adjust brightness and duration to match your style.

What Youll Need

Step-by-Step Instructions for Enabling Edge Lighting on Your S23 Ultra

Here’s the exact method I use to activate and customize the notification lighting effect.

Unlock the device and swipe down from the top to open the notification panel. Tap the gear icon to enter Settings. I always start here because it’s the fastest route to all system-level controls.

Scroll down and select Display. This is where all screen-related options live, including the one we need. If you don’t see it immediately, use the search bar at the top and type Edge lighting—it’ll take you straight there.

Tap Edge lighting from the list. The first toggle at the top turns the feature on and off. Flip it to the On position. You’ll see the effect preview instantly along the edges of the screen, even in the settings menu.

Below the toggle, choose when the lighting should activate. I recommend enabling Notifications and Charging for the most useful feedback. You can also set it to respond to Incoming calls or Alarm if you prefer more visual cues.

Tap Lighting style to pick how the light moves. Options include Glow, Pulse, and Chasing. Glow is subtle and professional, while Chasing is more dynamic and eye-catching.

Next, tap Lighting color to select a hue. You can pick from presets or use the color wheel for a custom shade. For notifications from specific apps, tap App notifications and assign unique colors—this helps you identify who’s messaging without looking.

Under Duration, set how long the lighting stays active. The default is 3 seconds, but I extend it to 5 seconds so I don’t miss it. Shorter durations are less distracting, but longer ones ensure visibility.

Use the Effect width slider to control how thick the lighting band appears. A wider effect is more noticeable, while a thinner one looks sleeker. Find the balance that suits your preference—medium width is a good starting point.

Exit settings and trigger a test notification by messaging yourself from another device or enabling Demo mode in the edge lighting menu. Watch the edges for the effect to confirm it works as expected.

If the lighting doesn’t appear, double-check that the toggle is On and that you’ve selected at least one trigger condition. Rebooting the phone can also resolve minor glitches if the feature behaves unexpectedly.

Tips and Common Mistakes

These practical insights will help you get the most out of your S23 Ultra lighting customization.

The Search Shortcut: In Step 1, if you’re having trouble locating the feature, don’t waste time scrolling. Use that search bar at the top of Settings—typing “Edge lighting” will take you directly to the menu, saving you at least a minute of hunting through submenus.

Trigger Optimization: For Step 2, I initially only enabled notifications, but found combining Notifications with Charging gives the best visual feedback. This way, you get both incoming alerts and a subtle glow when your phone is powering up, which is surprisingly useful in dark environments.

Duration Sweet Spot: The default 3 seconds in Step 4 often isn’t enough to catch your attention. I consistently use 5 seconds—it’s long enough to notice without being distracting. Anything beyond 7 seconds starts to feel excessive for daily use.

Testing Pro Tip: In Step 5, instead of messaging from another device, use Demo mode first. It’s faster and lets you test all your settings immediately. I used to skip this and then wonder why my custom colors weren’t working during actual notifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Turning on Edge Lighting on your S23 Ultra is a breeze once you know where to look! ✨ With just a few taps in Settings, you can customize vibrant notification alerts that match your style. Now that you’ve mastered this feature, try experimenting with different colors and effects to make your device truly yours. Happy customizing! 🌈