Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 Tips and Tricks: Get the Most Out of Your Phone

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the most sophisticated and undeniably the best foldable phone on the market today. It has two different home screens – one on the cover display and another when unfolded. You can use the cover display for app shortcuts, folders, and widgets. The second homescreen is for using the phone and provides a tablet-like user experience.

Considering this unique aspect of the smartphone form factor, there are some special things you can do with the Galaxy Fold 4. In this article, we list some of the best Galaxy Fold 4 tips, tricks, and hidden secrets.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 Tips & Tricks

Choosing your phone’s case

Let us start with the obvious. Now that you have a foldable god, you must treat it differently from other mortals. When choosing a case for the Galaxy Fold 4, there are a few things to consider. If you want to use the S Pen with your phone, you will need a different case than if you just want a kickstand. Generic unbranded cases are usually a bad idea.

Spigen Slim Armor Pro Pen Edition is a good choice if you use an S Pen. Else, you can consider the UAG Civilian as a good option with a slim hinge. If you prefer a thin case, then consider the Spigen Thin Fit P or the Supcase UB Pro if you are looking for the most protective Galaxy Fold 4 case.

Forcing apps to follow the certain aspect ratio

When you fold up your Samsung Galaxy Fold 4, the display defaults to a 16:9 aspect ratio, but the inner display has a weird 23.1:9 aspect ratio. This can be a bit confusing since most apps are designed for a 16:9 aspect ratio, but Instagram is one of the few that isn’t pillarboxed (meaning black bars are added to the sides to make it fit). In its 4:3 aspect ratio, Instagram looks just fine, but it would be better with a wider aspect ratio. To force apps to utilize the full screen, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app, go to the Display section, and select Full-screen apps. There you will find a list of the apps installed on your phone. A drop-down menu will appear when you tap an app, allowing you to select how it appears on the inner foldable screen. Choose the scaling preset that fits each app best. There is more of a hunt-and-peck approach involved.

Developers are already optimizing their apps for foldable devices like the Galaxy Fold 4. Android 12L introduces force optimization features for foldables that will help developers create even better-optimized apps for these devices.

Hide and Improvise the Taskbar

Samsung has brought its well-known taskbar to the Galaxy Fold 4, and it works just like on other platforms. It can be used to access frequently used apps and functions

• To hide the taskbar, long press on an empty area of the taskbar.
• To bring the taskbar back, long press on an area near the bottom of the screen.

The taskbar can be customized to include app shortcuts and other features.

Multitasking tricks

Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4’s large inner screen and multitasking feature, you can easily use multiple apps at the same time. Apps can be dragged and dropped onto the main screen via the taskbar. The Samsung Galaxy Fold is capable of running multiple apps on its inner and outer screens. The Edge Panel and helicopter view can be used to orient the device and select which app to open. The cover screen can show two apps at the same time. To use the other screens of the Fold, activate them in the same way as the main screen.

Floating Window

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 has a helpful feature called Floating Window mode. This is useful for multitasking and adding a fourth app to the screen. To use Floating Window mode, tap and hold an app from the Taskbar or Edge Panel and then drag it into the center of the screen.

You can also use Floating Window mode with a specific app by dragging the app icon from the Taskbar or Edge Panel into the center of the screen. Once you have opened a floating window, you can move and size it as you like. And when you’re finished with it, you can remove it by tapping and holding, and dragging it to the Remove button.

Gallery view

The Gallery View on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 lets you view, edit, and manage pictures, videos, and albums. You can change the cover picture for an album using the Gallery app. The cover picture for an album is not always the latest image in the album.

To change the cover image for an album, first, open the app and tap and hold the album for which you want to change the cover image. From the three-dot menu, select Change Cover Image. Select the image you want to use as the cover image and adjust the part of the image you want to use. Just tap the “Apply” button to save the changes. Gallery view is really a great way to see all your photos and videos in one place!

Selfie view

The Galaxy Fold 4 has a “selfie view” that lets you preview your photo before taking it. This is helpful if you want to make sure the photo looks good before you take it. The “Selfie View” mode can also be used to take photos of people without having to hide the phone

To do this, open the camera and switch to the front-facing camera. Then tap on the person icon in the lower right corner of the screen. You’ll then see a preview of what the photo will look like. When you’re satisfied with the look, press the shutter button to take the photo. You can also use the palm gesture to activate the selfie countdown timer.

Change your keyboard

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 comes with a keyboard that can be used on both large and small screens. However, users may prefer to use the Google Gboard keyboard on the small screen for more accuracy when typing. To swap out the keyboard on your Galaxy Fold 4, follow these steps:

1. On your home screen, tap the Apps icon.
2. Select Settings.
3. Tap Language and input.
4. Select the Default keyboard.
5. Tap Gboard to select it as your default keyboard.

Use Samsung Labs to Get Features Ahead of Others

Samsung Labs is a beta testing ground for new features that have not yet been released to the public. To access Samsung Labs, you must first enable it in the settings menu. After activation, you can access Samsung Labs by opening the app drawer and tapping the Labs icon.

Some of the features in Samsung Labs are experimental and may not work as intended. Be careful when experimenting with any of the features in Samsung Labs, as they may cause unexpected behavior or even crash your phone.

Galaxy Fold 4 Camera tricks

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a great camera that lets you shoot great videos. It’s also easy to use thanks to its foldable form factor, and its auto-framing feature is perfect for vloggers and content creators who want to make professional-looking videos without having to worry about proper framing

Motion Photo is a great way to record a short clip while simultaneously taking a photo with the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4. To enable Motion Photo, simply tap the Motion Photo icon next to the aspect ratio icon. This allows you to record a short video clip along with your photo to capture memories and moments.

Here are some other features and settings you should take advantage of:

1. Built-in Tripod feature
2. AI photo editing
3. Remaster a photo with the photo editor
4. Take RAW photos
5. Use Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro to control Fold 4 camera

Here is a great video explaining these and many more Fold 4 camera tips & tricks:

Use Fold 4 with mouse or keyboard

The Galaxy Fold 4 can be used with a mouse or keyboard for extra productivity. To use a mouse or keyboard, you will need to connect them to the phone via Bluetooth. To do this, go to the Settings menu and select “Bluetooth.” Then, turn on Bluetooth and select the mouse or keyboard from the list of available devices. Once connected, you will be able to use the mouse or keyboard with your Galaxy Fold 4.

Mirror cover screen

The mirror cover screen option on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 allows you to keep things simple by mirroring the outer display on the inside. This option is easy to enable and is useful if you want to keep things simple.

Edge lighting

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 has a feature called edge lighting, which makes the phone look sleek and modern. Edge lighting may also reduce the amount of glare on the screen, making it easier to see. To use edge lighting on the Galaxy Fold 4, go to Settings, then Display, and then Enable edge lighting. You can also change the edge lighting styles to your preference.

Close the phone while keeping an app active

The Z Fold 4 allows you to keep specific apps active when you close the phone. To do this, go to Settings -> Display -> Continue apps on cover screen. This will prevent the app from being locked when you close the phone.

Set your Flex mode panel apps

You can use Flex Mode to split the app into two halves, with each half serving a different purpose. The Flex Mode Panel is located in Settings > Advanced Features > Labs > Flex Mode. You can choose the apps you want to use with Flex Mode. Flex Mode is great for video chatting as shown below.

Choose your favorite app view

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 has a number of different ways that you can view your apps. You can add up to eight apps to the bottom dock, which will show up on the left side of the phone when it is unfolded. Additionally, there are two app views that can be selected by pressing the “view” button on the left-hand side of the screen – “unfolded” and “folded.” The “unfolded” view shows all of your apps in one long list, while the “folded” view shows four icons at a time.

Toggle on/off multi-view

If you go to Settings > Display > Screen Layout and zoom, you can choose to toggle off multiview and have it on Standard view or vice versa. So it’s up to you whether you like to have the settings on the left-hand side. And you can also change the screen zoom size.

Use smarter video brightness

Under Settings > Display > Advanced features > Video brightness, you can make the display even better by toggling on Bright. Because now, what happens is when you have a fairly dim screen, if you open up any video or media, it’ll brighten up the screen, and when you go back home, it’ll dim again.

Choose different wallpaper for each screen

Did you know with Fold 4, you can actually choose a different wallpaper for each screen? So if you go into Wallpaper and Settings and select one for your inside screen, you can then close it and run through the exact same settings on the Cover screen and choose a completely different wallpaper. Interestingly, you need to run through those settings on each individual screen to get it right. You can’t just do it in one, so just keep that in mind.

Enable “Find My Phone”

To make your Galaxy Fold 4 phone easier to track down, enable “Find my phone” and “Offline Finding” in the phone’s settings. You can also check the Fold’s status and location by logging into your Samsung account from any browser. The Galaxy Fold 4 has a biometric security feature that allows users to track their devices. The setting can be found under “Biometrics and security -> Find My Mobile.”

Turn on the always-on display

To turn on the always-on display on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4, go to Settings > Display > Always On Display. From here, you can select what information you want to be displayed on the always-on display, such as notifications and the time. You can also change the color and add a background image to make it more interesting.

Make best use of Lockscreen Widgets

You can use lock screen widgets on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 to quickly access information such as your music, upcoming appointments, and more. Customizing the widgets allows you to determine the order in which they appear on the lock screen. You can also enable or disable certain widgets, as well as change their size.

To use lock screen widgets on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4, open the “Lock Screen” setting and tap on the “Widgets” tab. From there, you can add, delete, or change lock screen widgets.

Enable Dark Mode on Z Fold 4

The Galaxy Fold 4 has a dark mode that can be turned on from Settings > Display > Dark Mode. This mode will change the colors of the phone to make it easier on your eyes in low-light situations. There is also a Sunset to Sunrise schedule where the mode will turn on at the time of sunset and turn off at sunrise.

Speed dial contacts

In order to set up speed dial contacts on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4, you need to visit the Cover Screen settings and choose the Direct Dial option. You will then be able to select contacts you want to add to quick dial. To access your speed dial contacts, double-tap on the cover screen and swipe left.

Set up Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is a digital wallet that allows users to store their default payment card information for easy and quick access. To use Samsung Pay with a card other than the default one, users need to swipe on the screen. For authentication, users need to touch the fingerprint scanner.

Smart Widget

The Smart Widget on the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 can help you save space on your home screen by stacking multiple widgets on top of each other. You can find the Smart Widget in the Widgets list and select your preferred size. Once you’ve added the widget to your home screen, you can choose which apps or actions you want to stack widgets for. This can help keep your home screen organized and tidy.

Enable Live Caption

If you go into the dropdown Quick Settings and choose to add a new option, you can choose Live Caption and toggle this on. And now, anytime you watch any video content on your phone, it will automatically transcribe exactly what is being said on the video or media. It’s also surprisingly accurate.

Enable Palm Touch to turn off screen

Here is a nifty hidden feature. Under Settings > Advanced features > Motion and gestures, you can toggle on Palm Touch to turn off screen. Now, any time you get a phone call, if you just place your palm on top, it’ll silence the call. Also, within the motion and gesture settings, if you scroll down, you can toggle on finger sensor gesture. What this does is every time you want to open the notification panel, you can just scroll over the fingerprint sensor with your finger and it will open it up quick and easily in a couple of seconds.