Join me, and together we’ll conquer the Galaxy. For years, I’ve been helping Samsung Galaxy users unlock the true potential of their devices. If you’ve just gotten your hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the impact on our wallets. But here’s the good news: you now own one of the most premium and powerful smartphones on the market. In this video, I’ll show you exactly how to get the most out of your investment.

Now, this video is going to be a bit different from the usual “quick setup” guides you might have seen. Stick around, and you’ll see why.

How to Take a Day off

Normally, I’d kick things off with the basics, but this time, we’re diving straight into the features that will make your friends and family say, “Wow, your phone can do that?”

Yes, I'm talking to you, iPhone users. Here’s a scenario for you: Imagine the inevitable happens, and you need to call in sick to work. But let’s be honest—you’re not great at coming up with excuses. No worries! With the power of Samsung Galaxy's AI, you’ve got all the excuses you’ll ever need right at your fingertips.

Here’s how it works: Open your email app or a notepad, and using the Samsung keyboard, tap the Sparkling Star icon. This is your AI assistant, and you’ll find it everywhere on your device, so keep an eye out. Next, tap on "Composer," choose the format and style, type a brief explanation of what you’re trying to write, and then hit "Generate."

Once you’ve got your excuse generated, you can easily insert it into an email or text message, or even just read from it directly. And just like that, you’ve secured yourself a day off. Of course, I’m kidding, but you can see how powerful this tool can be for writing just about anything. So keep it in mind, and remember, it works in any app that uses the keyboard.

Your Hidden Talent

Now, let’s move on to another impressive AI feature. Suppose you’re pretty good at drawing, or maybe you have great ideas but lack the artistic skills to bring them to life. With Galaxy AI, you’ve got those skills at your disposal. Just open the Samsung Notes app, select the pen or brush tool, and start drawing.

Tap the little sparkly star icon and highlight your drawing. From here, you can choose the style you want and then hit generate. Suddenly, everything you imagine becomes real—bonus points if you know where that quote is from! With your newfound artistic talent, you can create any image you desire. You can even download your masterpiece to use as your wallpaper or profile picture.

PAINT PERFECT PORTRAITS

And while you could sketch pictures of your friends, why stop there? Here’s a fun idea: open your photo gallery— (make sure it’s the Samsung Gallery, not Google Photos). Scroll through your photos and find one that gives you a good laugh.

The face in the photo doesn’t need to be clear for this trick to work. Once you’ve found the perfect shot, tap the AI stars, and you’ll see the Portrait Studio option. Choose a style you like, then hit generate. Now, you’ve got the perfect profile picture for yourself or your friends. You can even attach these to the contacts in your phone, so their photo pops up whenever they call.

Just like with the previous tip, you can save this image to your gallery and use it however you like.

BE UNIQUE

Now, here’s another bit of Samsung Galaxy AI magic, especially if you want truly unique wallpapers instead of the same old ones everyone else has. Simply pinch the home screen or press and hold on an empty space.

Navigate to Wallpaper and Style, tap Change Wallpapers, and select Create with AI.

From there, choose the Generative option.

Pick a theme that catches your eye, then tap Next. On the next screen, you can customize the AI prompt with words that match your personal style. This allows you to generate a truly unique wallpaper that’s all your own.

TAKE THE WEATHER WITH YOU

Now, let’s move on to another tip. If you already have a wallpaper you like but want to make it stand out—especially if your friends are using the same one—here’s a little trick. Pinch the home screen again, go to Wallpaper and Style, tap Change Wallpapers, and this time, scroll down to the Generative AI section and select Ambient. This will give your wallpaper a fresh, personalized touch.

This feature overlays contextual weather graphics on your wallpaper based on your location. With this enabled, you’ll be able to tell at a glance whether it’s raining or snowing outside, which might even inspire you to use that AI trick to call in sick for work.

PROTECT YOURSELF

Since we’re on the subject of protection, let’s talk about safeguarding your investment. Browsing the web, downloading games, and even just opening emails can be all fun and games—until you encounter a hacker. So, let me share a couple of tips to help you stay secure.

First, head into your settings, navigate to Security and Privacy, and tap on App Security. Make sure to enable App Protection—this is a must if you’re concerned about security.

SAFER SURFING

Now, let’s cover another important tool to keep you safe when connecting to public hotspots or guest networks, which are prime targets for hackers.

Go back to Settings, then Security and Privacy, and select More Security Settings. Here, you’ll find Secure Wi-Fi—essentially a free VPN service from Samsung.

You get 1 GB of free data per month, and at the bottom of this page, you can enable Auto Protect. This ensures that the Secure Wi-Fi service activates automatically whenever you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, keeping your data secure.

I highly recommend enabling this feature if you don’t already have a VPN. With it turned on, you won’t need to worry about hackers as much.

QUICK SET

This leads me to something everyone should do, but not everyone remembers to. Pull down your Quick Settings menu, tap the pin icon, and take a moment to remove any unnecessary quick settings that you never use.

Now, here are three quick settings I suggest adding for enhanced security and functionality:

1. Secure Wi-Fi: Add this to your Quick Settings menu so you can toggle it on and off manually whenever needed.

2. Dolby Atmos: For an improved audio experience, especially if you enjoy watching videos or listening to music.

3. Camera Access: If privacy and security are important to you, add this setting to control camera access manually. This can be particularly useful when using apps like TikTok that may have access to your camera.

While I can’t confirm whether TikTok monitors your reactions through the camera, it’s always good to have the option to disable camera access if you want to.

UPGRADED AUDIO

Now, regarding Dolby Atmos, as I mentioned earlier, here’s why you should add it: enabling this feature slightly enhances the audio quality on your device's built-in speakers, giving you a richer sound experience.

Dolby Atmos works particularly well for video content, and many users, myself included, believe it generally enhances the overall sound quality of the phone.

I recommend turning it on and seeing if you prefer it over the regular audio settings. If it’s not your favourite for certain types of content, you can easily toggle it off with the Quick Settings option you’ve added.

POWER IS THE KEY

if there’s only one thing you do after reading this article, make sure it’s this.

By default, the side key on your device is set to activate Bixby. But for most people who rarely use Bixby, this setting can be more frustrating than helpful.

Here’s what I recommend: Go to Settings, select Advanced Features, and find the Side Key option. Change the setting from Bixby to the power menu.

Now, your side key will function as a proper power button, allowing you to easily power down or restart your device—something it should do by default, in my opinion.

And while you’re in the settings, here’s another incredibly handy tip: change the double-tap action on the power key to open your Google Wallet. This makes accessing your digital wallet quick and effortless.

That’s assuming you use Google Wallet. If you don’t, I highly recommend giving it a try. You can download it from the Play Store if you don’t already have it. It’s incredibly reliable these days—I rarely carry my physical bank cards anymore. Plus, it even works when your phone is in airplane mode, so you can make payments without an internet connection.

UTILISE THE SPACE

With the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you have two screens to customize, and it’s worth setting them up individually to suit your needs. While you can mirror the cover screen to the larger display, I wouldn’t recommend it—it can get cluttered quickly. Remember, each screen serves a different purpose, so you’ll want to optimize them accordingly.

First, choose the grid size for each screen. To do this, pinch or hold down on an empty space on the screen, then go to your settings. Here, you’ll find the home screen layout options. I personally set my cover screen to a 5x6 grid, which allows more room for apps and widgets on each page. If you have slightly wider fingers, you might prefer a smaller grid so the app icons are larger.

Now, just repeat the same steps for the larger screen, adjusting the grid size to fit your preferences.For the larger screen, I recommend setting the grid to 6x6. With all that space available, it makes sense to maximize its use.

APPS & LAYOUT

Now, onto the next step, which is a straightforward one: download and arrange all your essential apps on your home screen. If you’re transitioning from Apple, the Google Play Store is your equivalent of the Apple App Store. This is Google’s official app marketplace. There are other app stores as well, such as the Samsung Galaxy Store, but it’s important to know the difference. Long-time Samsung and Android users might already know this, but it’s especially useful information for those who’ve recently switched from Apple.

When it comes to setting up your home screen, it’s important to do so thoughtfully. You want a layout that helps you save time and makes your screen time more efficient. Avoid letting apps get scattered across multiple pages. Instead, consider organizing them in a way that suits your daily routine.

Here’s a basic formula I use for my Galaxy phone if you’re looking for inspiration: I reserve page one for the apps I use every day or almost every day. This way, they’re always within easy reach whenever I pick up my phone.

Page two is dedicated to productivity, tools, and finance-related apps, while page three is reserved for entertainment and social media. By keeping social media on the third page, I find it helps reduce distractions and boosts overall productivity. I know this tip might seem basic, but it’s crucial for setting up an efficient home screen. Don’t worry, though—stick around because we’ll dive into some more exciting and valuable tips later on, including one particularly important one you won’t want to miss.

MORE CUSTOM TWEAKS

For now, let’s talk about some additional customization tweaks. With the ample screen real estate on the unfolded display, a great way to make the most of it is by setting up widgets. You can add any widgets you prefer, but here are a few I recommend setting up on day one.

To add a widget, pinch the home screen, go to Widgets, and scroll down to the Device Care widget. This one is especially cool because it can be transparent, and it allows you to clear the RAM being used in the background if your phone starts to slow down. Another useful widget is Digital Wellbeing, which helps you keep track of how much time you’re spending on your phone and what apps you’re using most.

Having a clear understanding of how to use these tools can significantly boost your efficiency. The Samsung Notes widget is another invaluable addition to your home screen. You’ve already seen how AI can assist with drawing, but this app offers even more powerful tools, making it worthwhile to have quick access to it. A great feature of these widgets—Device Care, Digital Wellbeing, and Samsung Notes—is that they can be made transparent.

In the settings, you’ll find a slider that lets you adjust the transparency, ensuring they don’t interfere too much with your wallpaper. Another widget worth mentioning is the customizable clock, which can be tailored to fit your aesthetic.

A particularly useful skill to learn is how to create scrollable widget stacks. To do this, simply hold down on an existing widget, and you’ll see the option to create a stack. By hitting the little plus button, you can add other widgets on top, as long as they match in size and shape.

THE TASKBAR

This is a handy bonus tip for maximizing your screen real estate.

Additionally, when using the large screen, you’ll notice that your docked apps appear at the bottom in a taskbar-like format whenever you open an app. This setup makes multitasking smoother and keeps your most-used apps easily accessible.

This taskbar feature is incredibly handy, and you’ll understand why in the next tip. However, if you ever find it distracting, there’s a simple trick to hide it and bring it back when needed. Just press and hold on an empty space near the taskbar, and it will disappear. To make it reappear, hold your finger on the same spot, and it’ll come right back.

PRODUCTIVITY HACK

In this next part, I’m going to show you one of the ultimate productivity hacks the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has to offer: split screen mode. This feature is something iPhone users can only dream of for now, and there are several ways to use it.

First, when you have an app open, you can drag another app from the dock to instantly start a split screen. Another method is to open the recent apps view, tap the app icon, and select the split screen option.

Finally, you can also use the Edge panel, which is that faint line on the right-hand side of the screen, to quickly access and split apps.

When you drag the Edge panel out, you can also drag an app onto the screen to start split screen mode. I’ll be showing you more tricks with the Edge panel in a moment. As you can see, I now have three apps running simultaneously in split-screen mode.

Here’s another important tip for using a split screen: if you tap the three dots in the centre of the split screen, you can rotate the app windows around. Additionally, by tapping the star icon, you can save your specific split screen setup to your taskbar—the bar across the bottom of the screen. You can also choose to save it to your home screen or the Edge panel, and there’s nothing stopping you from saving it to all three if that’s your preference.

UNDERSTANDING THE EDGE

Now, let’s move on to setting up the Edge panels. Swipe out the Edge panel and tap the pen icon at the bottom. This allows you to customize the apps that appear on the Edge panel. I recommend removing all the default apps on day one and adding only the ones that are most useful to you.

Using the Edge panel to hide your social media apps can be a smart way to keep them out of sight on your home screens. This might help reduce distractions and keep you from getting sucked into the social media rabbit hole too often. When setting this up, consider which apps you might want or need to use in split-screen mode for maximum efficiency.

GET THE EDGE

Here’s a bonus tip to enhance the usability of your Edge panels. Slide the Edge panel out again, and you’ll briefly see the settings icon at the bottom. Make sure to tap it before it disappears. This will bring up all the options for additional Edge panels. I recommend adding the Contacts panel for quick access, the Samsung Clipboard to store multiple copied texts (not just the most recent one), and the Compass for navigation.

Lastly, if you tap the three dots in the top right corner, you can reorder the panels to suit your preferred setup. This customization will make the Edge panel work even better for your needs.

Now that you’re familiar with the Edge panel, let’s move on to the next tip.

PRODUCTIVITY HACK

One very useful feature of the Edge panel is the Select tool, which you’ll find at the top when you slide it out. This tool offers several practical functions. For instance, if there’s an important piece of information you need to keep in mind throughout the day, you can select it and pin it to your home screen.

It will remain floating on top of whatever you’re doing on your phone until you decide to close it.

You can also copy and paste the selected area into a Samsung Note or save it to your gallery.

If the tool recognizes specific details like times, dates, or addresses, it can even suggest actions such as adding an event to your calendar or opening an address in Google Maps.

EVEN MORE Ai ART

Congratulations on making it to the end! As a reward, here are some bonus quick-fire tips to help you level up your Galaxy experience. Remember the Samsung Notes drawing trick from earlier?

If you thought that was the only way to use it, think again—there’s another clever way to take advantage of this feature.

Slide out the Edge panel again and tap the pen icon with the squiggly line.

You can draw anything you like on the screen and hit generate to create your masterpiece.

CIRCLE TO SEARCH

The Circle tool, similar to Smart Select, is designed more as a research tool. To use it, hold your finger down on the line at the bottom of your screen or the home button.

This allows you to circle any element on the screen, and it will provide relevant information. It’s a handy feature for quick research.

GEMINI ASSIST

Next, head over to the Play Store and install Google’s Gemini. Once installed, open the app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Then, navigate to Settings and select Gemini Settings.

Here, you can switch your voice assistant to Gemini. This means that whenever you say "Hey Google," instead of launching the regular Google Assistant, you’ll tap into the enhanced capabilities of Gemini.

For quick access without using your voice, swipe diagonally up from the bottom right corner of your screen, and Gemini will be activated. Plus, if you need a simple explanation for anything on your screen, Gemini has you covered.

WEB SUMMARIES

To use this powerful tool, swipe up from the corner of your screen, tap **Add to Screen, and then type in what you want it to do. This feature offers incredible functionality.

For example, if you’re using the Samsung web browser, you’ll find AI capabilities built right in. While browsing a webpage, simply tap the AI sparkly stars icon.

From here, you can choose to summarize or translate the entire page.

When summarizing, you have the option to generate a simplified summary or tap for a more detailed one, depending on your needs.

VOICE RECORDER Ai

The Samsung Galaxy Voice Recorder also comes equipped with AI features, allowing it to transcribe audio in multiple languages and even identify different speakers.

What makes it even more impressive is its ability to summarize those recordings, just like the web browser.

Keep in mind that these summaries are limited to recordings of up to ten minutes.

So, for longer lectures, podcasts, or similar content, you’ll need to stop and start the recording to ensure it works correctly.

Ai ADDITIONS

And here’s an absolutely mind-blowing AI trick: open a photo in your gallery, tap the AI stars icon, and select Sketch to Image.

This feature allows you to transform your sketches into detailed images, taking your creativity to the next level.

With your drawing skills, try sketching what you want to add to the image. Once you’re satisfied with your drawing, hit Generate. It’s genuinely impressive every time you use it.

Ai ADDITIONS

Now, here’s a quick way to identify who’s messaging you without even needing to read the notification.

Head to Notification Pop-up Styles in your settings, then navigate to Color by Keyword. I’ve found that using names works best here.

Make sure to type the person’s name exactly as it appears in your phonebook. After that, you can choose a custom colour for that person.

Whenever they message you, the notification will appear in the colour you selected, making it easy to see who’s messaging at a glance.

A PARTICULAR SET OF SKILLS

And now, for the final and most important tip: your Fold probably cost you a small fortune, so the last thing you want is to lose it or have it stolen.

Let me introduce you to a vital set of security features. Open your app drawer, go to the Samsung folder where all the Samsung apps are stored, and find the Find My Mobile app. This app is essential for locating your device if it ever goes missing.

Make sure to set this up on day one. If your phone ever gets taken, you’ll be ready to track it down with your own particular set of skills—just like Liam Neeson in Taken. While you might not be hunting down kidnappers, you’ll certainly be prepared to retrieve your device.

Now that you’re on your way to becoming a true Samsung Galaxy master, the next time someone claims their iPhone is superior, you can confidently say, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" and show them some of the impressive features of this guide.