Android is a powerful mobile operating system that provide a lot more customization options than its competitors ( namely theiPhone ) . Although the ins and outs of a handset can vary between phone makers , these Android crosscut should operate no matter what model of phone you ’re using . Here are 12 gestures you may use on Android that you might not know about .

1) Two-finger swipe down

you may get to the ready to hand Quick configurations pane in Android by dragging down from the top of the screen to show your notice , and then draw down again . But if you use a two - finger swipe from the top of the screen , then the panel appears immediately , give you instant access to switches for wi - fi , Bluetooth , aeroplane mode and the like .

2) Press and hold on notifications

Google has gradually improved the way Android handles notifications in late versions , and now everything work pretty smoothly when it comes to warning signal . you may swipe to dismiss notifications , and inNougat , you may bid and bear to arrange preferences for that app . you may do it inMarshmallowtoo , but the mise en scene are n’t shown inline .

3) Press and hold to select

select text in Android is a breeze . In most Google apps , public press and hold ( or sometimes double - water faucet ) somewhere on the covert to select a word , then drag out the handle on either side to spotlight additional words . Third - political party apps will from time to time acquit other than . InTwitterfor Android the same action transcript text directly to the clipboard .

4) Swipe down from the Chrome address bar

Do you have a lot of tabs open in the Chrome web browser for Android ? require to switch between them quickly ? you may tapdance on the tab key issue icon , but you may also swipe down from Chrome ’s address bar to see your capable tab instead . or else , swipe entrust or right on the speech bar to jump from chit to tab without have got to chew the fat the overview screen in between .

5) Press and hold Power Off

If you ’re running into dour problem with your Android French telephone then there ’s a built - in Safe Mode you could use to disable ( and troubleshoot ) third - political party apps . closet and prevail the power clit to bestow up the Power Off pop - up , then exhort and reserve the soda water - up to find the Safe Mode option . To get out of Safe Mode , just bring up your telephone again .

6) Tap and hold the spacebar

Google Keyboard has all kinds of corking tricks up its arm , and one that we often regain useful is for proceed the cursor . Rather than stabbing at the filmdom to essay and put it , just tap and agree the spacebar and then move your finger left and right . It should work in most apps as long as you ’re in text edition editing way ( the cursor is already in another tidings ) .

7) Triple-tap to zoom in

you’re able to triple - tap to zoom in on websites , images , and anything else in Android , but you demand to activate the motion shortcut in the O configurations first . From preferences , choose Accessibility , then tap Magnification motion and become the toggle switch at the top to on . Underneath the setting itself you get a helpful account of how to use the feature .

8) Tap and hold on menus

It ’s not all that much of a time rescuer , but we ’re going to take it anyway . In a lot of Google apps for Android ( includingGmailand Chrome ) , you do n’t have to tap to open up a menu and then tap again . Just tap and hold on the menu button ( unremarkably three perpendicular dots ) , then drag down to the option you desire , then turn your finger or quarter round to make the choice .

9) Tap and hold for one-handed mode

Here ’s another handy shortcut for the Google Keyboard . dab and hold on the comma key , then slide up to the icon on the right to activate the keyboard ’s new one - handed mode . If you do n’t have both of your hands free then it makes school text input much easier . take down that it only works if you ’re in portrayal manner .

10) Long-press on an app icon

If you head to the Overview screen ( tapdance the square nav button ) , then longsighted - insistency on the icon for an app , you get a shortcut link directly to said app ’s diagnostics CRT screen ( where you’re able to close or uninstall it ) . You may have to enable developer options for this one to run , which you could do by exploit seven time on Build phone number in About speech sound in options .

11) Double-tap and hold to zoom

An older trick , but one that heap of people still have n’t come across , and it often turn up utile on the move . If you ’re using your phone with one bridge player , you could double - tap and then concur and drag out in the Google Maps app to soar up in and out ( drag down to zoom in and up to zoom out ) . The same caper also works inGoogle Mapsfor iOS , by the path .

12) Configure your own gestures

This being Android , you may install a few third - party apps to configure some gesture of your own if you ’re not to the full slaked with the ones that come build into the type O . Draw an S on the CRT screen to launch configurations , and so on . There are a few apps to choose from for the Book of Job , includingAll In One gesture , Gesture ShortcutsandFinger Gesture Launcher .

AndroidgesturesGoogleSmartphones

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