The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a technological marvel, and getting the most out of it means diving into its versatile settings. This guide will walk you through eight essential tips to optimize your new foldable, from customizing your displays to enhancing your video quality.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: First 8 settings to change
1. Separate Your Screens for Personalized Control
By default, your Galaxy Z Fold 7 mirrors content between its large inner display and the smaller cover screen. While convenient, true optimization comes from separating these displays. This allows you to create unique home screen layouts tailored to each screen’s use case.
To gain independent control:
- Long-press on your home screen.
- Tap Settings.
- Locate and tap Cover screen mirroring.
- Toggle the setting from ‘On’ to ‘Off’ and tap ‘Apply’.
Now, you can design a widget-rich layout on your main screen for productivity and a clean, minimalist setup on your cover screen for quick access to essentials.
2. Embrace Gesture Navigation for Maximum Screen Real Estate
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 boasts an expansive display, and a persistent navigation bar can intrude on that precious screen space. Switching to gesture navigation provides a more immersive and futuristic experience.
To make the switch:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Display.
- Scroll down and select Navigation Bar.
- Change the default ‘Buttons’ to ‘Swipe gestures’.
This simple change frees up significant screen real estate and makes navigating your Z Fold 7 feel even more fluid.
3. Customize Your Taskbar for Seamless Multitasking
The taskbar on your Z Fold 7 is a powerful tool for multitasking. By default, it might auto-hide when using gestures, but you can configure it to be a permanent fixture, keeping your favorite apps always within reach.
To customize your taskbar:
- Navigate back to Display settings.
- Tap Taskbar.
- Under ‘Taskbar style’, change ‘Auto hide when apps are opened’ to ‘Stay on screen’.
While you’re here, you can also adjust how many recent or suggested apps appear on the taskbar, or even disable this feature entirely, allowing for a truly personalized control center.
4. Optimize App Continuity for a Smooth Foldable Experience
One of the standout features of a foldable phone is the seamless continuity of apps as you open and close the device. Optimizing the ‘Continue apps on cover screen’ feature ensures a fluid transition tailored to your preferences.
Access these options in Display settings under ‘Continue apps on cover screen’:
- ‘Always’: The app instantly transitions to the outer screen.
- ‘Swipe up to continue’: This offers more control, preventing accidental launches but keeping the app readily available with a quick swipe.
- ‘None’: Completely disables the continuity feature.
For a balanced experience, ‘Swipe up to continue’ is often recommended, giving you both control and convenience.
5. Force Flex Mode on Any App
Flex Mode transforms your Z Fold 7 into a versatile workstation or entertainment hub. While many apps automatically support it, you can manually enable Flex Mode for any application, unlocking new possibilities.
To force Flex Mode:
- From your main Settings, scroll down to Advanced features.
- Tap Flex mode panel.
- Simply toggle on the switch for any app you wish to use in Flex Mode.
Once enabled, open the app and partially fold your phone. If it doesn’t automatically adjust, a small icon on the bottom left of the screen will appear, allowing you to manually activate Flex Mode.
6. Revert to the Classic Notification Shade
Samsung’s recent changes to the notification shade separate quick panel and notification access. If you prefer the classic ‘one swipe does it all’ method, you can easily revert to it.
To get the combined view:
- Swipe down from the top of your screen.
- Tap the small pencil icon.
- Go to Panel settings.
- Change the option from ‘Separate’ to ‘Together’.
Now, a single swipe down from anywhere on the top will provide the classic combined view, and another swipe down will reveal the full quick panel.
7. Alphabetize Your App Drawer for Easy Navigation
As your app collection grows, finding specific applications can become a tedious task. A simple yet highly effective quality-of-life improvement is to sort your app drawer alphabetically.
To quickly organize your apps:
- Open your app drawer.
- Tap the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner.
- Select ‘Sort’.
- Choose ‘Alphabetical’.
This straightforward change will make navigating your apps significantly faster and more intuitive.
8. Utilize Audio Eraser for Crystal-Clear Videos
For content creators and those who cherish clear memories, the Z Fold 7’s new audio eraser feature is a game-changer. It’s perfect for removing unwanted background noise from your videos, ensuring your memories sound as good as they look.
To use the Audio Eraser:
- Open a video in your Gallery app.
- Tap the optimize button (often represented by a magic wand or similar icon) .
- Allow the phone to process the audio.
- You can then tap ‘Auto’ to let the AI intelligently clean up the sound, or manually adjust the levels for fine-tuned control.
This powerful tool helps you capture and preserve high-quality audio in all your video recordings.
These eight essential tips will help you unlock the full potential of your new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. By customizing these settings, you’ll create a personalized and optimized experience that truly makes the most of this incredible foldable device.
What’s your favorite new feature or tip for the Galaxy Z Fold 7? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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