I discovered Android’s hidden gesture customization and it is surprisingly highly effective


Android customers are not any stranger to gestures. Whereas I am certain there are nonetheless some holdouts utilizing trusty three-button navigation, many people have embraced gesture navigation on our Android telephones with open arms. Multitasking is faster, you’ll be able to swipe from each side of the display screen to return, and extra display screen actual property is left on your content material. Nevertheless, when you’re solely utilizing Android’s fundamental swipe gestures for navigation, you are lacking out in your smartphone’s hidden gestures and the customization instruments accessible for them.

Gestures can are available in a handful of types — swiping on the display screen is one form of gesture, however different gestures include again faucets or telephone actions. The precise set of gestures and their customization choices will rely in your telephone model. Google Pixel telephones have a special gesture customization suite than Samsung Galaxy telephones, and the identical goes for Motorola or OnePlus telephones. That is how I profit from the gestures and shortcuts on my Android telephone, and why just one model will get them proper.

The cover screen preview on the Razr 2026.

Motorola’s Razr 2026 software program lastly matches the {hardware}’s aptitude

Foldables are solely helpful if their software program makes probably the most of their {hardware}. Fortunately, the Motorola Razr 2026 sequence appears to just do that.

Launch apps or silence notifications with gestures

Double-tap the again of your telephone to launch apps or take actions

Gesture customization on the Razr Fold. Credit score: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

There are some gestures accessible on nearly each Android telephone, and that is as a result of they’re significantly helpful. In case you solely begin utilizing one Android gesture, it needs to be again faucet. This gesture successfully provides a hidden button to the again of your gadget. Utilizing sensors in your smartphone, Android can detect when the again of the gadget is tapped, and it will probably change into a robust gesture shortcut.

Google Pixel customers can navigate to Settings → System → Gestures → Fast Faucet and choose an motion that can begin when the again of their telephone is tapped. Motorola customers can do the identical by discovering Settings → Gestures → Fast Launch and choosing one thing to launch when the again of their telephone is tapped. You’ll be able to set the again faucet to open an app, but it surely’s way more versatile than that. The characteristic is customizable, and you’ll set it to take screenshots, report your display screen, play or pause music, swap to your final app, or kick off different actions.

One other fan-favorite Android gesture entails flipping your telephone face-down to activate Do Not Disturb. On Pixel telephones, that is affectionately branded as Flip to Shhh. Motorola telephones name this Flip for DND, and you will discover every characteristic on the Gestures web page for every gadget. You might have seen I have not talked about Galaxy telephones but, and that is as a result of Samsung buries its finest gestures behind Good Lock modules. Customers want to put in the Good Lock app and manually load every required module to match the Pixel and Motorola options.

Samsung phone showing Good Lock app

This app may be the perfect factor about proudly owning a Samsung telephone

Good Lock is the app that unlocks your Galaxy telephone’s hidden performance.

As an illustration, Galaxy house owners have to obtain the RegiStar module from Good Lock to search out the Again-Faucet motion gesture. Recreating the “Flip to Shhh” performance is harder. That requires constructing a gesture fully from scratch utilizing the Modes and Routines web page within the Settings app. Galaxy customers can set up the Routines+ module from Good Lock to activate the face-down routine set off. Then, they’re going to have to construct a customized routine activating DND with the face-down set off in Modes and Routines.

Going via this course of reveals the gesture customization instruments most individuals miss. Utilizing Modes and Routines on a Galaxy telephone or Modes and Guidelines on a Pixel, customers can construct shortcuts and actions that launch following a gesture of their selecting.

Wrist twists or chops are hidden Android gestures

Movement sensors in your telephone can be utilized for actions and instructions

The Quick Capture gesture on the Motorola Razr Fold. Credit score: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

Google Pixel and Motorola telephones have higher gesture help out of the field, though Samsung’s calling card is the way it helps you to create customized Galaxy gestures totally. Motorola has a Fast Seize gesture buried within the Settings app. This one opens the digital camera app after you twist your wrist twice, holding your telephone. Google Pixel telephones supply one thing comparable. With the digital camera app already open, twisting your wrist twice is a gesture that switches between the rear and selfie cameras.

The flashlight gesture on the Motorola Razr Fold. Credit score: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

Motorola actually goes wild with gestures. Quick Flashlight turns the flashlight on or off with two chopping motions, whereas Choose as much as silence turns off the ringer after your gadget is lifted. These are a part of an Android gesture class known as kinetic gestures. Somewhat than swiping or tapping your display screen, this type of gesture is activated by the bodily motion of your gadget.

Motorola’s gesture suite is strong and customizable

Three-finger swipes are the hidden shortcut gesture you are not utilizing

Motorola’s default sensor suite features a trio of three-finger actions: three-finger swipe to separate, three-finger screenshot, and three-finger choice. The latter is especially attention-grabbing — it lets you choose textual content or pictures in your display screen following a three-finger press, and this chosen content material may be shortly dragged to a different app. It is clear that the gestures you will discover proper within the Settings app on a Motorola telephone will outnumber these on a Samsung or Google telephone.

Motorola will get my vote for finest Android telephone model for gestures for that reason, however there is a catch. Samsung gives an impressive Modes and Routines part within the Settings app that successfully helps you to create any gesture or shortcut you’ll be able to consider. In case you’re somebody that does not thoughts having to tinker with gestures or obtain Good Lock modules, a Samsung Galaxy may be the perfect gesture telephone for you.

The Motorola Razr Fold against a transparent background..

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

RAM

16GB

Storage

512GB

Battery

6,000mAh silicon-carbon

Working System

Android 16

Entrance digital camera

32MP exterior, 20MP inner

The Motorola Razr Fold is a formidable challenger to Google and Samsung foldables within the U.S., full with a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery and stylus help on each of its screens. It packs slick Pantone colorways and an 8.1-inch foldable OLED show. Plus, it will probably cost at a whopping 80W over a cable and at 50W wirelessly.