Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 14 Settings to Change First (Tips and Tricks)
Just unboxed your new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7? This powerful device offers incredible versatility, but to truly make it your own and enhance your experience, there are several key settings you'll want to adjust right away. Here are 14 essential tips to optimize your Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Interface and Navigation
Unified Notification Shade: Say goodbye to separate notification and quick settings panels. Revert to a combined view for easier, one-swipe access to everything you need.
How to: Swipe down to open the notification shade, then click the pencil icon. Select "Panel settings" and change the setting to "Together."
Gesture Navigation: Free up screen space and switch from the default three-button navigation to intuitive swipe gestures.
How to: Go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar. Change from "Buttons" to "Swipe gestures."
Keyboard Preference (to Gboard): Consider installing Gboard for a potentially more familiar typing experience.
How to: Download and install Gboard from the Play Store. Open Gboard and follow the on-screen prompts to enable it in settings and select it as your input method. Within Gboard settings, under "Text correction," you might want to turn off "Don't suggest offensive words."
Alphabetical App Drawer: Organize your app drawer alphabetically for quicker navigation. Note that with the change to vertical scrolling, this makes finding apps much more efficient.
How to: Open your app drawer. Click the three buttons (menu icon), select "Sort," and change the sorting to "Alphabetical order."
Cover Screen Mirroring: To achieve independent layouts on your inner and cover displays, disable cover screen mirroring. This allows for tailored setups for each screen.
How to: Long-press on an empty space on your home screen. Go into "Settings," find "Cover screen mirroring," and turn it off.
Taskbar Customization: Choose to make your taskbar permanently visible for quick app access or keep it hidden and easily accessible with a short swipe up.
How to: Go to Settings > Display > Taskbar. You can choose to have the taskbar appear with a short swipe up or set it to "Stay on screen" so it's always visible.
Continue Apps on Cover Screen: Take control of app continuity. Decide whether apps should continue on the cover screen when you close the phone, always lock, or always continue.
How to: In the same Taskbar settings menu, find "Continue apps on cover screen." By default, it's set to "Swipe up to continue." You can change this to "Never" (always locks the device) or "Always" (automatically continues the app).
Multitasking and Productivity
Multi-Window for All Apps: Unlock true multitasking by enabling multi-window functionality for all apps, even those that don't natively support it. Use them in split-screen or pop-up view.
How to: Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Labs. Turn on "Multi-window for all apps."
Swipe for Split Screen & Pop-up View: Activate gestures for rapid multitasking. A two-finger swipe from the side launches split-screen, while a swipe from the corner opens apps in pop-up view.
How to: In the "Labs" section (Settings > Advanced Features > Labs), under "Multi-window," turn on "Swipe for split screen" and "Swipe for pop-up view." To use split screen, swipe in from the side of the screen with two fingers. To use pop-up view, swipe in from a corner of the screen.
Show Multi-Window Menu with One Window: Add a persistent menu bar to the top of single apps. This provides quick access to split-screen and floating window options, streamlining your workflow.
How to: Still in the "Labs" section under "Multi-window," turn on "Show multi-window menu with one window." This will display a small line at the top of your screen, which when tapped, gives you quick options for floating window or split screen.
One-Handed Mode: Make the large inner screen more manageable by enabling one-handed mode. Simply swipe down on the bottom bar to activate it.
How to: Go to Settings > Advanced Features. Turn on "One-handed mode." To activate it, swipe down on the bottom bar of the screen. Tap outside the shrunken area to return to normal size.
Enhanced Recent Screens (Task Changer): For better use of the large display, consider using the Good Lock app (specifically the HomeUp module) to change your recent apps screen to a grid layout.
How to: Install the "Good Lock" app from the Galaxy Store. Open Good Lock and install the "Home Up" module. Open the Home Up module, turn it on, and go to "Task Changer." Turn on Task Changer and select your preferred layout, such as "Grid view."
Customization and Personalization
Side Button Function: Customize the long-press function of your power button. Change it from the default Gemini AI assistant to Bixby or the traditional power menu based on your preference.
How to: Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Side Button. From here, you can choose to set the side button to activate Bixby or function as a power button.
Generative Wallpapers & Color Palette: Personalize your device with unique generative AI wallpapers. Enable the color palette feature to seamlessly match your system UI elements to your chosen wallpaper. Remember that cover screen wallpaper needs to be set separately.
How to for Generative Wallpapers: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen. Go to "Wallpaper and Style" > "Change Wallpaper" > "Generative." Pick a category (e.g., Soft Focus) and customize the keywords (e.g., change "poppies" to "leaves" and "orange" to "blue"). The system will generate a unique wallpaper. Tap "Set" and choose to apply it to your home screen and/or lock screen. Note that you'll need to set the wallpaper for the cover display separately.
How to for Color Palette: After setting your generative wallpaper, stay in the "Wallpaper and Style" menu. Go into "Color Palette" and ensure it's turned on. The system will automatically extract colors from your wallpaper and apply them throughout your phone's interface.
By adjusting these settings, you'll be able to get the most out of your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Do you have any other essential tips? Share them in the comments!