Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: 6 tips to get the most out of its new taskbar

Samsung’s latest, greatest and most expensive foldable smartphone is here. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a slightly tweaked design compared with the Z Fold 3, giving it marginally larger displays, improved cameras and a brand-new software feature courtesy of Android 12L.

That new software feature is a taskbar that lives at the bottom of the screen, giving you access to your favorite apps at all times. 

Review: Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a high-priced ticket to productivity heaven

But that’s not all it can do. What if you want to hide it, even if it’s just for a moment? But then how do you get it back? What about using split-screen apps? I’ll show you how to do all of that and more below. 

What is the taskbar on the Galaxy Z Fold 4?

After you get the Z Fold 4 set up and start tapping and swiping your way between apps, you’ll surely notice the new taskbar at the bottom of the screen. It looks very much like the taskbar in Windows 11 or the dock in MacOS, with several apps on permanent display on the left side, and if you choose, recent apps on display on the right side of the bar. 

The taskbar works just like you’d think — tap on an app icon to open that app or app pair — and switch between those apps on the fly. 

Which apps show up in the taskbar?

Again, there are two sections of apps in the taskbar: The left side is full of apps you want always available, while the right side rotates between your recently used apps. 

To adjust which apps show up on the left side, you’ll need to edit the apps that are located in your Z Fold 4’s inner display’s dock. Those apps are then mirrored on your taskbar in the same order. Go to the Z Fold 4’s main screen then drag and drop app icons into the bottom dock. You can add up to eight apps to the bottom row. 

How to get rid of recent apps in the taskbar

If you don’t want to have your most recent apps cycling through on the right side of the taskbar, you can get rid of it by opening the Settings app on your Z Fold 4 and going to Display > Taskbar and and sliding the switch next to Show recent apps to the Off position.

How to open apps from the taskbar in split view

When you’re in an app and want to switch to another app that’s in your taskbar, you can do so just by tapping on the app’s icon. The result is an app that opens in fullscreen. But what if you want to use two, or even three, apps at the same time? 

Easy. Drag and drop the app’s icon onto the Z Fold 4’s display. As you do, you’ll see a box that highlights the area the app will take up. You can use two apps in split-screen view, or drag a third app onto the display to use three apps at the same time. 

Even with the Fold 4’s large display, three apps on the screen do get a bit cramped. But, hey, at least it’s possible. 

How to quickly hide and unhide the taskbar

If you want to temporarily reclaim some of the screen space by hiding the taskbar, you can do that with a quick gesture. Simply long-press on a blank area of the taskbar until it slides down and off the screen to hide itself.

To bring it back, repeat the gesture by long-pressing on an area near the bottom of the screen where it’d normally be present. It may take a few tries to get this second gesture right, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. 

How to completely disable the taskbar

Not a fan of the taskbar and want to get rid of it for good? You can. Open the Settings app on your phone and then go to Display > Taskbar and slide the On switch to the Off position.