Can you run apps on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover screen?

Samsung simply revealed a slew of latest foldables, tablets, and wearables — together with the next-generation Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 — at its Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 occasion in Seoul, South Korea.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is launching sizzling on the heels of the Motorola Razr Plus, which has been one of many best folding phones this yr. A serious perk of the Motorola Razr Plus is the truth that the big 3.6-inch cowl display screen acts like an everyday show, full with a house display screen, fast settings, panels, and the power to run any Android app.

So, can Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 run apps on its 3.4-inch cowl display screen too? Effectively, it’s a bit sophisticated.

You may run choose apps on the Z Flip 5’s cowl display screen

By default, the duvet display screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will solely present widgets, much like the way it works on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The widgets embrace issues like climate, calendar, notifications, and extra.

However if you wish to run apps, issues get a bit extra sophisticated. As a way to get apps operating on the duvet display screen, you’ll need to allow that characteristic from the Labs part of the Settings app. To do that, it’s worthwhile to observe these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Faucet on Superior Options.
3. Faucet on Labs.
4. Faucet the toggle subsequent to Apps allowed on cowl display screen.

When you allow this setting in Labs, you’ll then get entry to the “Apps widget” on the duvet display screen. This widget encompasses a curated assortment of apps that can work on the duvet display screen. These apps embrace YouTube, Netflix, Samsung Messages, Google Messages, Google Maps, and WhatsApp. From Labs, you’ll be able to allow all the apps or decide and select which of them you wish to present up.

As you’ll be able to see, the apps widget for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a bit … restricted. That basically is just a handful of apps, and if you evaluate it to the Motorola Razr Plus’ capacity to run any Android app out of the field, it’s disappointing, to say the least.

There’s a workaround to run any app on the duvet display screen

Nevertheless, you’ll be able to pressure run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s cowl display screen so long as you obtain the Samsung Good Lock app. This app isn’t accessible on the common Google Play Retailer — it’s solely accessible by Samsung’s Galaxy Retailer as an alternative, which is preinstalled on all Samsung gadgets.

When you’re not conversant in Good Lock, it’s a Samsung-specific app that’s made that will help you redesign the aesthetic feel and appear of your Galaxy gadget. It might probably change the looks of your private home and lock screens, current apps format, clock face, Fast Settings panel, and extra. On the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it additionally provides you a “cowl display screen launcher.” With the Good Lock cowl display screen launcher, you’ll have the ability to run any apps you select.

Samsung is technically providing an answer to run any app you need on the Flip 5 cowl display screen, however it requires you to leap by some hoops earlier than you’re capable of. We additionally haven’t had an opportunity to check this out for ourselves (the Good Lock app wasn’t accessible to make use of throughout our preliminary hands-on time with the Z Flip 5), so we’ll have to attend and see what the entire course of truly seems to be like.

Way more sophisticated than the Motorola Razr Plus

In comparison with the not too long ago launched Motorola Razr Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a little disappointing relating to the duvet display screen performance.

On the Razr Plus, you’ll be able to launch any Android app you will have put in — proper out of the field. There aren’t any additional steps concerned, no workarounds; it simply works.

Samsung, alternatively, requires you to allow Labs, that are technically beta, experimental options. And even then, you solely have six apps that work on the duvet display screen. When you obtain and set up Good Lock, nonetheless, then you’ll be able to open any app you select.

With all these workarounds, it’s clear that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can run any app on the duvet display screen. However it’s unclear why Samsung put this performance behind an “experimental” characteristic that’s additionally tremendous restricted until you obtain a customized launcher.

Motorola makes it straightforward to only get your apps operating on the duvet display screen of the Razr Plus with none additional steps concerned. So if that’s what you’re on the lookout for, then you could wish to contemplate the Razr Plus as an alternative.

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