Here’s how to run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a big step up from previous Galaxy Z Flip models. Not only is the device much more durable than its predecessors, but it also comes with a significantly better SoC, a 120Hz high refresh rate display, and a bigger cover display. To make better use of the outer display, Samsung has also packed a couple of additional software features on the device that let you do various things without even opening the phone.

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However, while the outer display on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is leagues better than the one on older models, it still has some limitations. For instance, Samsung only offers a small selection of widgets for the cover display that let you control music playback, access Samsung Health data, check weather info, read notifications, and use it as a viewfinder. The company doesn’t let you access all installed apps on the cover screen, which is definitely a bummer. Thankfully, developers on our Galaxy Z Flip 3 forums have already come up with workarounds.

How to run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen

XDA Member CarudiBu has discovered a useful exploit that lets you load a custom widget on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen. The exploit essentially lets you open a GeckoView-based browser on the cover screen that lets you browse the web, and it also lets you add custom widgets. The best part about this exploit is that it doesn’t require root access. XDA Recognized Developer twistedumbrella has released a WIP launcher based on this exploit that lets you run any installed app on the cover screen.

You can try the GeckoView-based browser on your Galaxy Z Flip 3 by following the instructions given on this GitHub page. Do note that you’ll need to uninstall Samsung Health before you can start with the installation process. It’s also worth noting that since it is just a proof of concept at the moment, you might encounter some issues. CarudiBu’s post notes that while you can use the custom widget and browse the web on the cover screen using the exploit, you can’t access the on-screen keyboard or save the current session at the moment.

As for the custom cover screen launch, you can download its APK from this GitHub page and install it on your device. Since it, too, is an early release, it has some limitations. The cover screen launcher in its current state requires you to set the Screen Lock type to none. It also doesn’t offer on-screen keyboard support. Furthermore, switching apps on the cover screen requires you to tap the power button to close the widget and then relaunch it with a different app. But you can close the app list with a swipe gesture.

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