October 25, 2026

One UI 9 cover screen problems on Z Flip: what changed and what CoverScreen OS does

If your Galaxy Z Flip cover screen behaves differently after One UI 9, this page lists what owners notice and what CoverScreen OS does about it. I’m the developer of CoverScreen OS, so I’ll stick to what the app actually does. It works on Samsung One UI 9 and almost fully replaces Samsung’s own cover screen home on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8, with no Samsung screen flashing through.

CoverScreen OS is in open testing on Google Play and supports Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8 on One UI 9.

Get CoverScreen OS on Google Play  |  About CoverScreen OS and supported phones

On this page

One UI 9 cover screen changes at a glance

Samsung’s One UI 9 update changed how the Galaxy Z Flip cover screen works. These are the things Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8 owners ask about most. The right-hand column shows what CoverScreen OS does about each one.

What owners noticeWhat changed on One UI 9CoverScreen OS
Cover screen notifications movedSwipe down from the top left of the cover screen to open themRead, reply (Voice, T9 or QWERTY), open on the cover or main screen, dismiss with a swipe
Now Brief is the homeA Now Brief widget screen is what you land onOn Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8: a home screen like your main one, with an editable grid for apps and resizable widgets
Wallpaper or GIF only on the lock screenMoving wallpapers play on the lock screen onlyCustom clockface with animated objects, photos, GIFs or videos
Clock missing after unlockOwners report the cover screen clock is gone once unlockedClockface layouts with time, date, battery level and signal information
Widgets and apps listOwners ask how to arrange them on the One UI 9 cover screenEditable grid with resizable widgets (Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8); app launcher and third-party widgets
Samsung’s screen flashing throughSeen with some third-party cover screen appsNo Samsung screen flashing through with CoverScreen OS on One UI 9

Features vary by device model, software version, region and OEM limitations. The CoverScreen OS column is based on the app’s Google Play listing and what I’ve built for One UI 9.

Cover screen notifications moved in One UI 9

If your cover screen notifications seem to have vanished after the One UI 9 update, they haven’t. Many owners report that you now swipe down from the top left of the cover screen to open them.

What CoverScreen OS offers: read notifications on the cover screen, reply using Voice, T9 or a full QWERTY keyboard, open notifications on the cover screen or the main screen, use supported notification actions, and dismiss notifications with a swipe. It needs Notification Access to do this and does not save notification content locally or remotely.

Now Brief on the One UI 9 cover screen

On the One UI 9 cover screen, a Now Brief screen is what you land on, and many owners ask whether they can have a different home on the cover screen instead.

What CoverScreen OS offers: on Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8 it brings a home screen like your main one to the cover display, a fully editable home layout where you freely arrange apps and widgets on a real grid, resize widgets, and mix several apps and widgets on one screen. If you like Now Brief, you can try CoverScreen OS and switch back whenever you want using the in-app tutorial.

Wallpaper and GIF on the One UI 9 cover screen

Missing your animated wallpaper? Owners report that on One UI 9, moving wallpapers and GIF-style backgrounds play only on the lock screen, so once you unlock the cover screen they’re gone. It’s one of the most common complaints after the update.

What CoverScreen OS offers: a custom clockface where you set animated objects, photos, GIFs or videos as clockface wallpapers, and choose layouts with time, date, battery level and signal information. Results can differ a little from phone to phone, so if something looks off on yours, email me and I’ll look into it.

Cover screen clock missing after unlock on One UI 9

Owners also say the cover screen clock disappears once the screen is unlocked on One UI 9.

What CoverScreen OS offers: clockface layouts that show time, date, battery level and signal information. You pick the layout, so the time is always where you want it.

Cover screen widgets and apps list on One UI 9

Widgets and the apps list are two more things Z Flip owners ask about after the One UI 9 update.

What CoverScreen OS offers: on Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8, an editable grid where you arrange apps and widgets and resize widgets. It can launch almost any app on the cover screen in portrait or landscape, search apps by alphabet, sort them alphabetically or by recently used, and add almost any third-party home screen widget, aligned and scaled for the cover screen. Widgets support taps, controls and app launch actions.

Samsung’s screen flashing on the cover screen

Some owners notice Samsung’s own cover screen flashing on screen when they swipe home or move around with a third-party cover screen app on One UI 9.

What CoverScreen OS does: on One UI 9 it takes over the cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8, and Samsung’s own screen does not flash through when you move around. If you do see a flash, email dev+csos@ijp.app with your phone model and One UI version.

CoverScreen OS: a new home for the One UI 9 cover screen

On One UI 9, CoverScreen OS takes over your cover screen. It does not just sit on top of Samsung’s own cover screen home: it almost fully replaces it on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8.

  • No Samsung screen flashing through. The Samsung’s own cover screen home does not flash through when you move around.
  • Works on One UI 9. Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8.
  • Works alongside Samsung’s own features. Use the in-app tutorial to switch between CoverScreen OS and the OEM cover screen experience.
  • In open testing. Available to try on Google Play now, and still being shaped.

More of what the app does on the cover screen (media controls, quick toggles, VoIP caller ID, edge lighting and more) is on the CoverScreen OS page.

Which Z Flip models work with CoverScreen OS on One UI 9

  • Galaxy Z Flip 5
  • Galaxy Z Flip 6
  • Galaxy Z Flip 7
  • Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
  • Galaxy Z Flip 8

CoverScreen OS also supports the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Flip 4 (which do not get One UI 9 and stay on the classic launcher and widgets screen), Motorola RAZR, OPPO Find N2/N3 Flip and Vivo X Flip. See the full list of supported phones.

How to check your One UI version

Open Settings, tap About phone, then Software information. The One UI version is listed there. If it starts with 9, this page applies to your phone.

One UI 9 cover screen FAQ

Why did my Z Flip cover screen change after One UI 9?

Samsung changed how the cover screen works in One UI 9. Owners report that notifications moved, that a Now Brief screen is now the home, and that moving wallpapers play only on the lock screen. The sections above go through each change.

Does CoverScreen OS work on One UI 9?

Yes. CoverScreen OS works on Samsung One UI 9 and almost fully replaces Samsung’s own cover screen home on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, 6, 7, 7 FE and 8. It is in open testing on Google Play.

Which Galaxy Z Flip models does CoverScreen OS support on One UI 9?

The Galaxy Z Flip 5, Z Flip 6, Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 FE and Z Flip 8. CoverScreen OS also supports other phones, listed on the CoverScreen OS page.

Can I replace Samsung’s cover screen home on One UI 9?

CoverScreen OS is built to. On One UI 9 it almost fully replaces Samsung’s own cover screen home instead of sitting on top of it.

Why does Samsung’s screen flash when I swipe home with a third-party cover screen app?

I can only speak for my own app: with CoverScreen OS, Samsung’s own cover screen home does not flash through when you move around. If you do see a flash, email dev+csos@ijp.app with your phone model and One UI version.

Where are my cover screen notifications on One UI 9?

On One UI 9 you swipe down from the top left of the cover screen to open notifications. With CoverScreen OS you can read your cover screen notifications, reply to with Voice, T9 or QWERTY, open on the cover screen or main screen, and dismiss with a swipe. Features vary by device model and software version.

Can I use a GIF, video or photo as my cover screen wallpaper or clock?

CoverScreen OS has a custom clockface that accepts animated objects, photos, GIFs or videos as clockface wallpapers, with layouts for time, date, battery level and signal information. Results can differ a little from phone to phone, so if something looks off on yours, email me and I’ll look into it.

Is CoverScreen OS finished, and how do I report a problem?

Not yet: it is in open testing on Google Play, so it can change between updates. To report a problem or ask for a feature, email dev+csos@ijp.app with your phone model, your One UI version and what happened.

Try it and tell me what breaks

CoverScreen OS is in open testing, so it is available to try and still being shaped. Every report helps: email dev+csos@ijp.app with your phone model, your One UI version and what happened. Get CoverScreen OS on Google Play or read more on the CoverScreen OS page.