Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 problems and how to fix them

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a pretty massive upgrade for the company. Not only does it introduce a new cover screen that looks more like a traditional phone display, but there’s also an improved hinge, upgraded silicon, and plenty of new AI features.

Of course, nothing is perfect, and bugs and glitches are bound to happen. Thankfully, there haven’t been many issues reported so far. Still, problems arise, so let’s take a look at some common Galaxy Z Fold 6 problems and how to fix them!

Problem #1: Notification delays

Notification delays are pretty common on newer Samsung phones, and we’ve seen at least a few reports online suggesting some users are facing problems with the Z Fold 6 where notifications are either showing up late or only after the app is opened.

The likely culprit in most cases has to do with battery optimization permissions, though there are a few other issues that could be behind any notification delays.

Potential solutions:

• To see if the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s battery optimization settings are behind the problem you’ll want to go to Settings > Device Care > Battery > Background Usage Limits.
  • You’ll want to check if any affected apps are on the Sleeping or Deep Sleeping lists. If so, you’ll need to select Never Sleeping Apps, tap the plus icon, and add the apps to this list.
• If the problem only affects a specific app, you can go to Settings > Apps > (app name) > Battery and tap Unrestricted.
• Still no dice? Try clearing the app cache, as sometimes that’s all it takes for the problem to go away. To do this you’ll want to go to Settings > Apps > (app name) > Storage and tap Clear Cache.

Problem #2: Battery drain issues

At least a few Galaxy Z Fold 6 issues have complained about issues with battery drain on the Fold 6, just keep in mind this might not be a real issue but a feature. As Samsung Customer Support says in a community thread on the subject, oftentimes newer Samsung devices may consume battery life a little faster than you’d expect as it learns your battery usage pattern, app preferences, and other details it uses to fine-tune battery optimization.

If the problem persists, there are a few possible solutions.

Potential solutions:

• First, check to see if any apps that are causing noticeably high levels of battery consumption. You can do this by going to Settings > Battery. You’ll see a list of apps, as well as what percentage of battery life they are responsible for using.
  • If you find any apps that are causing significant drain, Settings > Apps and find the culprit app in the list. Tap on it. A new window will appear, find Battery and tap it.
  • In the next screen, you can choose to fully restrict the app to stop background usage, or you can delete it if the app seems suspect.
• Still having issues with your battery life? First, check to ensure you’re on the latest software by going to Settings > Software Update. If an update is available, install it by following the onscreen prompts.
• If none of these other steps worked you’ll either want to restart your phone, as sometimes is all it takes for odd problems to go away. If that doesn’t work you can either contact Samsung support or hit up the bottom of the page for instructions on how to perform a factory reset. While it’s a very last-ditch solution, sometimes a factory reset magically fixes the unexplainable when nothing else will, so you could get lucky.

Problem #3: Signal performance issues

We have seen at least a few users complain about Z Fold 6 signal issues, including at least one user that put a Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 6 on the same network side-by-side and saw worse performance with the latter. Particularly there are reports that signals are poorer than other devices, with less impressive speeds as well.

Many things can cause this. Device software issues, conflicting router or modem settings — the list goes on.

Potential solutions:

• As silly as it sounds, you’ll want to restart your device first. Sometimes a simple reset is all it takes.  To restart the Galaxy Z Fold 6, hold the side and volume down buttons all at once. You’ll then want to select Restart from the Power menu that pops up.
• If that didn’t work, go to Settings > Software Update and apply any updates, if available.
• Beyond that, all you can really do for now is contact Samsung customer support and attempt to fix it under warranty.

Problem #4: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection problems

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection problems are common with just about any mobile device from time to time. The Z Fold 6 doesn’t seem to have as many issues with Bluetooth as the Fold 5 but it’s still a possibility that you could run into issues with connecting Bluetooth accessories. You might also find that your device just won’t connect to a network anymore. Thankfully, there are a few possible fixes.

Potential solutions:

• Did you use Smart Switch to set up your device? Sometimes glitches can happen in this process, which could lead to a Bluetooth configuration issue. Resetting your network settings could be enough to solve the problem. You’ll want to go to Settings > General Management > Reset and select Reset network settings. This will reset your Wi-Fi and all Bluetooth connections, and you’ll have to reconnect your device like new.
• Didn’t fix the issue? If you’re having problems with a smartwatch, uninstall and reinstall the Wear OS and Watch Manager apps. You pay also need to reset the Watch directly and set it up as new, as opposed to restoring existing data.
• If none of these fixes solve your problem, you might want to try restarting your device or even perform a full factory reset if nothing else works. If you still have problems after that, it’s time to contact Samsung.

Problem #5: App freezing

While we haven’t seen any specific issues reported in relation to app freezing, it’s a common issue that is bound to affect every Android user at some point. Often the solutions are fairly simple, though your mileage may vary.

Potential solutions:

• If it’s only one app causing the problem you might want to start with the most obvious fix: Try wiping your app cache and data. You’ll want to go to Apps > [App name] > Storage. Finally, tap Clear Cache. Still, no go? Try installing and reinstalling the app.
• If multiple apps are causing the problem your first step is to boot into Safe Mode to see if the problem remains. To do this you’ll want to touch and hold the Power Off button until the Safe Mode pop-up appears. If your phone is unresponsive you’ll first want to press and hold the power and volume down key until it restarts. If the problem goes away in Safe Mode, you could be looking at a larger issue and you might want to consider a full factory reset. If it didn’t, try to narrow down the problem apps and clear cache (and/or reinstall) the affected apps.
• None of these options work? You’ll need to contact Samsung.

Problem #6: Android Auto problems

As much as I love it, Android Auto has its fair share of software problems and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is no exception here. While the aforementioned link discusses some of the fixes, we’ll walk through some of these solutions in brief.

Potential solutions:

• Just like in a few other fixes above, sometimes it is Smart Switch that caused your problem during setup. Even if you didn’t use Smart Switch, we recommend going to Settings > Apps > Android Auto and tap Force Stop. Go to Storage and tap Clear cache and Clear data. If you still have a problem you’ll want to reinstall the app via the Play Store.
• If the problem has to do with Android Auto Wireless, we recommend clearing your settings and setting up a wired connection first. Then go in and setup wireless. I ran into this myself when we were renting a newer vehicle with wireless Android Auto for about a month earlier in the summer of 2024 and for whatever reason, this actually solved my problem with my Galaxy S24 at least.

Z Fold 6 guides: How to factory reset, boot into Safe Mode, and wipe cache partition 

In some of the fixes we mentioned above, we recommended actions like factory resetting your device, booting into safe mode, or wiping the cache partition on your Fold 6. Here’s a closer look at how to perform all these actions. Just be aware you may need to have your phone plugged in and charging to enter the recovery menu.

Factory reset Galaxy Z Fold 6

• To factory reset the Galaxy Z Fold 6, first turn the phone off.
• Press and hold the volume up and power buttons simultaneously. Wait until the device vibrates or the Android logo appears.
• Use the volume down button to navigate this menu. Move down to Wipe data/factory reset.
• Press the power button to select the highlighted option. Finally, use the volume button to choose Yes – delete all user data. Use the power button again to confirm your selection.
• Tap the power button to select Reboot system now.

Boot Galaxy Z Fold 6 into Safe Mode

• Power off the phone.
  Press and hold the power button until the phone’s model name and number are displayed on the screen.
• When the Samsung logo appears, release the power button and immediately press and hold the volume down button. Keep holding the volume down button until the phone fully restarts.
• Safe Mode will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen.

Wipe cache partition on Galaxy Z Fold 6

• Turn off the Z Fold 6.
• Press and hold the volume up and power buttons, releasing them when the Android logo appears.
  Use the volume down button to navigate to the Wipe cache partition option, then press the power button to select it.
• Scroll to Yes using the volume buttons and press the power button to confirm. Once you see Reboot system now, restart the device.

What Galaxy Z Fold 6 problems have you encountered? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. We’ll do our best to help.