Some Galaxy Z Fold 4 users have reported that the foldable does not open completely, and some have even reported that the screen broke while trying to open it.

The story seems to have originated from one user on Reddit named ahmed1smael, whose Galaxy Z Fold 4 would not fully open. They managed to open the phone after spending 4 hours cleaning the hinge mechanism.

According to the submission, the blockage appeared to consist of the same bristles and tape as the brushes that line the hinge.

These brushes have been part of the hinge design since the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Their purpose is to remove dirt and debris from the hinge when opening and closing it. However, reports indicate that the adhesive that holds these brushes in place is beginning to wear away. There is no official word on what is causing this, but the cause appears to be heat.

One Redditor, who reported waiting for the hinge to be replaced for the fourth time, found that after playing games for several minutes at full brightness, the phone would not open. Another user posted on X that his phone's hinge suddenly failed after leaving it next to a hot tub.

Reddit users are not the only ones reporting this problem. Evan Bless, a well-known tipster, also reported the same problem with his Z Fold 4. Evan asserts that it has nothing to do with user error, as he is paying attention to his device, and that it is instead a design flaw.

Disturbingly, Samsung seems to be unaware of this defect or refuses to consider it a manufacturing problem. Several users have stated that Samsung Experience refuses to repair them under warranty and uses minor scratches on the charging port or bezel as a reason to deny warranty repairs.

Thankfully, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a new hinge design, so the same problem is unlikely to occur. While it is concerning that this defect seems to be relatively widespread, there are a few measures that users can take to avoid the problem.

The main things are to avoid placing the phone near excessive heat sources and to remove as much of the hinge as possible. Do not attempt to remove them manually if a malfunction occurs.