Samsung’s One UI 7 is sleek, smart, and oh-so customizable. But if you’ve updated recently and noticed the Now bar (a.k.a. the media playback bar) keeps jumping around or refuses to stay centered… yeah, we feel your pain. Don’t worry, though—we’ve got you covered.

TLDR: Keep that Now bar right where you want it!

In One UI 7, the Now bar can shift around depending on your settings, apps, or even widgets. To keep it centered, you’ll need to adjust your layout and home screen features. It’s easier than it sounds, and once done, you’ll never chase that music bar again!

---

What Is the Now Bar Anyway?

The Now bar is the slick media player that shows up when you play music, videos, or podcasts. It pops up on your lock screen, notification shade, and sometimes even the home screen. Some love using it from the notification panel, while others want it front and center all the time.

But the thing is, with all the cool features in One UI 7, this bar can shift. And it gets annoying fast.

Why Does the Now Bar Move?

Good question! The Now bar might appear off-center or even slightly misaligned due to a few reasons:

• Your home screen layout isn’t even
• Widgets are pushing it to the side
• Edge panels may take up hidden space
• Some apps force their media controls to a different display order

Samsung is all about customization—and sometimes that freedom = chaos.

Steps to Keep the Now Bar Centered

Here’s the simple guide, no tech degree required:

Step 1: Tidy Up Your Home Screen

Go to your home screen and long-press it. Tap on “Settings” and look for “Home screen layout”. Set it to “Home screen only” if you don’t use an apps drawer. This keeps things more symmetrical.

Next, check your widgets. Remove or reshuffle any that are unevenly pushing content to one side. Even a tiny weather widget can mess with your bar alignment.

Step 2: Adjust Display Settings

Go to Settings > Display. Check the following:

• Font size and screen zoom: Keep it on default or balanced settings. Large text can sometimes shift UI elements.
• Navigation bar: Use gestures instead of buttons if you want extra space and cleaner alignment.

Step 3: Disable Edge Panels

Edge Panels are cool, but they steal screen real estate. If you’re not using them actively, do this:

1. Go to Settings
2. Tap Display > Edge Panels
3. Switch it off

This opens up space for centered content, like your Now bar.

Step 4: Lock the Bar with Good Lock

Samsung’s Good Lock app is amazing for advanced customization. You can use a module called “LockStar” or “Home Up” to adjust layout positions like a pro.

To use it:

1. Download Good Lock from Galaxy Store
2. Open it and find “Home Up”
3. Tap on “Home Screen”, then go to “Folder & Layout”
4. Use the grid tool to recenter icons and the Now bar

Don’t forget to apply and restart your phone!

Image not found in postmeta

Step 5: Adjust Notifications

If your Now bar only appears in the notification shade off-center, try this:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications
2. Tap on Advanced settings
3. Turn on “Show media controls”
4. Choose Compact or Default style

The Compact style helps it stay aligned better inside notifications without being shifted by other alerts.

Bonus Tips for a Smooth Experience

Want your Now bar looking all clean and cool every time? Try these:

• Keep your music apps updated – some need UI updates to mesh perfectly with One UI
• Use Samsung Music or Spotify over lesser-known apps—they work best with the OS
• Reboot often. Yeah, seriously. Restarting your phone clears minor UI bugs

When the Now Bar Just Won’t Behave

Still misaligned? Try this nuclear option:

1. Go to Settings > Apps
2. Search for the offending media app (e.g., YouTube Music, Spotify)
3. Tap Force Stop, then Clear Cache
4. Reopen the app and test the Now bar again

Sometimes the problem isn’t the OS—it’s just a moody app.

What If You’re Using a Custom Launcher?

If you’re using something like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, your mileage may vary. These launchers don’t always follow Samsung’s UI guidelines.

If you’re facing issues:

• Make sure you’re on the latest launcher version
• Check the launcher’s grid settings and padding
• Test switching to the default Samsung Home just to compare

If things are better on the default launcher, it may be worth using it until One UI 7 becomes more launcher-friendly.

Wrapping It Up

The Now bar in One UI 7 is a great tool when it works like you want it to. With a few tweaks and a little patience, you can easily keep it centered and stylish. Whether you use it for music, podcasting, or just to show off your latest banger—control is back in your hands.

Stay centered, stay chill 🎧