Instant upgrades

NOW TRY THIS… THEN GET THESE…

1 FLEX YOUR MUSCLES

Launch the camera app and half-fold the Z Flip4 to try Flex mode. This sends the preview into the top half of the screen and your controls into the bottom half. Put the phone down for a steady shot, or hold it sideways for landscape video capture. Director’s View shows a preview of what both cameras will capture, while Pro mode displays all your manual controls. 2 SNUB THE SELFIE-CAM

Yes, the Z Flip4 has a selfie-cam, but why use it when you can use the superior main camera? To do this, and turn the cover display into a viewfinder, double-tap the power button with the phone closed then press the volume button to snap your shot. Swipe up and down on the cover screen to switch between the main and ultrawide cameras; swipe right for Portrait mode, left for video. 3 GO HALVES

Flex mode isn’t just a camera feature. Some apps (such as YouTube) natively splice the UI in half; but for those that don’t, it’s time to flex. Open any app, fold the phone a bit then tap the icon that pops up in the bottom left corner. You can push specific apps into the top half of your screen, and use the bottom half for volume controls, a screenshot and notification shortcut or a trackpad.

4 KEEP IT HANDY

The big appeal of the Z Flip4 is its compact form when closed, but what about when it’s open? Unfurled, its tall screen is a stretch to use with one hand, so turn on one-handed mode to prevent any thumb strain: go into the settings and select ‘Advanced features’, then ‘One-handed mode’. Once it’s active, swipe down in the bottom centre of the screen and the interface will shrink. 5 BE UP FRONT

The front screen does more than tell the time and help you take selfies. Double-tap it and, once the time and date have lit up, swipe right for notifications and left for widgets. These include weather, calendar events, alarms and a timer, plus SmartThings scenes for smart home control. Long-press a widget to delete it; add a new widget by scrolling to the last one and tapping the ‘+’ icon. 6 GO OFF ON ONE

If you’re scratching your head or taking screenshots every time you try to turn the phone off with a long press of the power button, it isn’t just you. Go into settings and select ‘Advanced features’, then ‘Side key’. Under the ‘Press and hold’ section, select ‘Power off menu’. As well as making the power-down process simpler, this can disable Bixby, Samsung’s unbearably perky voice assistant.

COVER SCREEN OS

Not content with Samsung’s cover screen widgets? Open any app on the Z Flip4’s tiny front display with CoverScreen OS. It’s great for eking out battery life. £free (IAP)

QUIK

Even if you haven’t ever picked up a GoPro, the Quik app is a nifty tool for cropping video into a bunch of aspect ratios and turning your phone’s clips into musical montages. £free (IAP)

ECHOES OF MANA

Optimised for the Z Flip4’s wide screen and fizzing with rich detail, Square Enix’s latest freemium game combines a Streets of Rage battle system with big JRPG energy. £free (IAP)