Use your Galaxy foldable phone when it's opened or closed

There wasn't much you could do on an old school flip phone's front screen - if it even had one. Once your phone was closed, that was it. With Galaxy foldables, that’s no longer the case! You can use certain apps on their front and main screens for easy access and multitasking. If you have a Galaxy Z Fold2, Z Flip3, or later, you can even use apps when the phone is partially folded!
Partially opened Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 displaying the cover screen
Partially opened Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 displaying the cover screen

Use your Galaxy foldable phone when it's opened or closed

Note
You may notice a crease at the center of the main screen. This is a natural characteristic of the phone.

Use apps when the phone is partially folded

Note
Flex mode is not available on the original Galaxy Z Fold.

Women using Galaxy Z Fold4 Flex mode


On the Z Fold and Z Flip series, you can use apps when the phone is partially closed. In other words, when it’s “flexed.” Just prop up your foldable phone on a flat surface and use apps that are compatible with Flex mode. For example, you can use Google Meet to video chat with family when your hands are full. Or, open the Camera app, set a timer, and pose for a selfie that you normally couldn't do when holding a phone.

 

When you're folding your phone, you can use Camera, Video calling, Gallery, Video player, Clock, Calendar, YouTube, and Google Meet.

To enable Flex mode and select which apps you’d like to use in Flex mode, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to and open Settings, then tap Advanced features, and then tap Flex mode panel
  2. Tap the switch at the top to turn on Flex mode, and then tap Auto show panel when folded
  3. Tap the switch(es) next to your desired apps, or tap the switch next to All supported apps at the top.

You can also open apps in split screen view or pop-up view! Start by tapping Recents on the Navigation bar, and then tap a recently opened app’s icon. Select Open in split screen view or Open in pop-up view. You can repeat this process with other recently opened apps.

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Use your phone while it's closed

The front screen on the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Flip6 is known as the Flex Window (the front screens on previous Galaxy Z Flip devices are called the Cover screen). No matter which device you own, this screen lets you view notifications, battery life, and other information like the time – all while the phone is closed. You can even send messages, answer phone calls, and take selfies from the Cover screen.

When the Z Flip is closed, just use one of the simple command gestures, like double pressing the Side button to open the Camera app. You don't even have to open your phone to use Samsung Wallet.

You can also perform the following on your Z Flip’s cover screen:

  • Double tap the cover screen, and then swipe down to open the Quick settings panel. You can swipe left to view additional settings.
  • Double tap the cover screen, and then swipe right to view your notifications. You can swipe up and down to view the notification list, and then tap a notification to view its details.
  • Double tap the cover screen, and then swipe left to view your widgets. To add additional widgets, continue swiping left.
  • Double tap the cover screen, and then swipe up to open Samsung Wallet. Swipe left or right to view your available payment cards.
  • To view additional customization options, open the phone to the main screen, then navigate to and open Settings, and then tap Cover screen.
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Use apps folded or unfolded on your Z Fold

Note
Right now, App Continuity only works with select apps; however, the number of compatible apps will increase with time.

If you have an app open on your Z Fold's front screen, it will continue working when you unfold to the main screen. But things work a little differently when you close your phone. By default, the front screen will turn off, but you can customize this setting to make your Z Fold work for you. For example, you can use Samsung Wallet when the screen is folded!

App continuity settings screen on the Fold

  1. Navigate to and open Settings. Tap Display, and then tap Continue apps on cover screen.
  2. From here, tap the switch next to your desired apps.
  3. The apps you choose will stay open when you close your phone, and you can continue using them on the front screen. Any apps you don't select will automatically close when you fold your phone.

By default, the front screen is treated separately from the main screen. Here are some things you can do on the main screen:

  • Swipe down from the top of the screen to view notifications or access the Quick settings panel.
  • Swipe right on the main screen to access Google Discover. If you touch and hold the screen and then swipe right, you can select either Google Discover or Samsung News.
  • Swipe left on the main screen to view other Home screens and add app shortcuts.
  • Swipe up on the main screen to access the Apps screen. Swiping up from the very bottom of the screen will open Samsung Wallet.
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Set up security for both screens on your Z Fold

The front and main screens are two parts of the same whole. So, when you apply security to your phone, the same Lock screen will appear on both screens.

Setting up a Lock screen on a Galaxy Z Fold phone is the same as on any other phone. The only difference is that you may need to enter the Lock screen PIN or scan your fingerprint more than once when you open and close the phone, depending on how you set everything up.

Lock screen and AOD settings on a Galaxy Z Fold6

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Add apps to both Home screens on your Z Fold

To make your Z Fold phone easier to use, first you'll want to add your favorite apps to the front and main screen's Home screen.

For example, you can add a message app to the front screen for quick access when the phone's folded. Or, add a reading or movie app to the main screen since you'll get a better viewing experience when the phone is unfolded.

However, when you add an app to a Home screen on one screen, you'll need to add it to the other as well. An app won't automatically show up on both screens unless you add it to both. Just touch and hold your desired app, and then tap Add to Home. The process is the same for both screens.

Add to Home highlighted when long pressing the My Files app

On the Galaxy Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, and Z Fold6, you can mirror the cover screen with the main screen. Please see the last section in this article for more details.

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Other Home screen settings on your Z Fold

Home screen settings menu for the Fold


There are other ways you can customize the two Home screens on your Z Fold series phone. You can change the screen's layout, prevent apps from moving around, hide apps you don't want seen, and more.

To do this, navigate to and open Settings, and then tap Home screen. Here you can view the available Home screen settings. But please be aware that these settings may only apply to one screen:

  • Cover screen mirroring: Use the same layout on your cover and main screen. Changes in one place are reflected in the other. Each page of your main screen will show two pages of the cover screen layout.

    Note: This is only available on the Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, and Z Fold6.
  • Home screen layout: Make your phone display a Home screen and a traditional Apps screen, or make it display just a Home screen, where you can swipe left to access your apps.
  • Home screen grid or Apps screen grid: Adjust the layout and number of apps displayed on the Home screen or the Apps screen. This only applies to the main screen.
  • Folder grid: Adjust the layout of folders on the main screen.
  • Add media page to Home screen: Add media apps to your Home screen, like Google Discover and Samsung News.
  • Show Apps screen button on Home screen: Add an Apps screen button to your Home screen.
  • Lock Home screen layout: Prevent items on the Home screen from being removed or rearranged. This applies to both the front and main screens.
  • Add new apps to Home screen: Automatically add newly downloaded apps to the Home screen. This applies to both the front and main screens.
  • Hide apps on Home and Apps screens: Hide apps you don't want displayed on the Home and Apps screen. This applies to both the front and main screens.
  • App icon badges: A badge will appear on an app’s icon when there are notifications. You can select from Number or Dot.
  • Quick-open notification panel: Swipe down to open the notification panel from the Home screen. This applies to both the front and main screens.

    Note: This is called "Swipe down for notification panel" on the Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, and Z Fold6.
  • Rotate to landscape mode: Allow the main screen to rotate automatically when your phone is held sideways. This only applies to the main screen. The front screen will not automatically rotate.
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Mirror the cover screen and the main screen

The Galaxy Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, and Z Fold6 allow you to sync the cover screen with the main screen. This means you can access your cover screen’s display right from the main screen! Keep in mind that previous foldable models do not support cover screen mirroring.

  1. From the cover screen, press and hold an empty section on the Home screen.
  2. Tap the Settings icon to open Home screen settings.
  3. Next, tap Cover screen mirroring, and then select On.
  4. Tap Apply.
    Apply button highlighted in Cover screen mirroring settings
  5. Now, when you unfold your device, you’ll see two columns: your main Home screen on the left side, and your cover screen on the right side.
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