Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 is one of the most interesting phones you can buy in 2024, but it has a major limitation.

By default, the cover screen can only be used to display a handful of Samsung’s own widgets, including Calendar, Reminders and Weather.

You can run some apps by heading to Settings > Advanced features > Labs and turning on the option for ‘Apps allowed on cover screen’. But at the time of writing, there are just five available: Google Maps, Google Messages, WhatsApp, Netflix and YouTube.

That’s a pretty poor selection, especially when Motorola’s Razr 50 Ultra/Razr+ (2024) can run any app you download from the Google Play Store.

However, the good news is that you can also run app on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover screen. Here’s the workaround method.

How to run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover screen

Samsung might not recommend it, but it does offer a way to access any app without opening your phone. However, it’s a little complicated:

1. Open the Galaxy Store app – it’s listed simply as ‘Store’ on the home screen and within the app drawer – and sign into your Samsung account if not already
2. Search for and install the ‘Good Lock’ app by tapping the down arrow icon next to it
3. Open the app, then tap the ‘Life up’ tab from the bottom of the screen
4. Scroll down until you see ‘MultiStar’, then tap the down arrow icon followed by blue ‘Install’ button
5. Once installed, head back to the ‘Life up’ tab, where ‘MultiStar’ should now be at the top. Tap to open it
6. Select ‘I ♡ Galaxy Foldable’
7. Select ‘Launcher Widget’

8. Tap any app you want to add to the cover screen from the list
9. Tap ‘Enable Launcher Widget’
10. Tap ‘MultiStar’, then tap the ‘Good Lock Launcher’ to add it to the cover screen

11. That’s it! Close your device and unlock it, then swipe left until you find the ‘Launcher’ page. The icons for all the apps you chose to add will be shown here – tap to open any one

However, it’s worth noting that none of these apps have been optimised to run on the Z Flip 6’s cover display. As a result, there may be bugs or issues displaying some content, while the tiny on-screen keyboard can make typing difficult.

Even so, it makes the Flip 6 a far more capable device, and one that’s able to properly compete with the Razr 50 Ultra/Razr+ (2024).