Hidden Galaxy Z Fold 8 setting fixes awkward aspect ratios in some apps

The Galaxy Z Fold 8's 4:3 inner display is great for many applications, but it is an unusual aspect ratio that isn't used all that much across the Android landscape. As a result, odd things can happen with certain apps, including those that support multiple aspect ratios.

For example, an app coded to support both phones and tablets with different screen sizes might default to an aspect ratio that doesn't fit the Galaxy Z Fold 8's screen perfectly.

The good news is that you can select a different aspect ratio for each app individually. You can do it from a small pop-up button when the app starts.

If you want more control over these options, you can access them through Settings. The trick is to access these settings via the main screen, as One UI hides them on the cover screen.

First, unfold your Galaxy Z Fold and use the big screen to access Settings > Apps. Then select the desired app, tap App aspect ratios, and select the one you prefer.

Feel free to experiment with these settings, as interesting things can happen with certain apps.

For example, the digital collectible card game Hearthstone will default to the 16:9 aspect ratio when you first run the app, and this forces the game to run in its phone UI mode even on the big screen.

Once you switch from 16:9 to the Full Screen option, the game will switch to its built-in tablet/desktop UI, which feels a lot better on a device like the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Of course, not all apps behave the same, and some apps will choose the full-screen aspect ratio by default. However, if you run into scaling issues, these “hidden” screen settings can help.

If you want to tweak other facets of the UI to fit the Fold 8's unusual shape, you should check out our other article explaining UI zoom levels and what could go wrong with the Fold 8's UI if you're transferring from an older Galaxy model using Smart Switch.