10 Android Gestures You Shouldnt Miss

Did you know that Android lets you control many functions with gestures? The best Android gestures make navigating your device easier than ever, including doing everything with just one hand.

Table of Contents

• 1. One-handed mode
• 2. Control the cursor with the space bar
• 3. Screen capture gesture
• 4. Access Quick Settings faster
• 5. Open or close recently used applications
• 6. Remove navigation button
• 7. Circle to Search
• 8. Quick access to Google Assistant or Gemini
• 9. Quick application shortcuts
• 10. Swipe to search

1. One-handed mode

Somehow, phones have gone from being small, lightweight devices to mini tablets, so it's not always easy to control everything with one hand. One of the Android gestures that people use a lot is One-Handed Mode.

By default, this mode is not enabled on most devices. Go to Settings -> System -> Gestures . Depending on your device, this mode may also be under Settings -> Advanced Features -> One-handed mode .

Turn it on and make sure it's in Gesture mode. Swipe down on the home button to shrink the screen. Drag and drop to whatever position feels most comfortable. Double-tap an empty area to restore the screen to its normal size.

2. Control the cursor with the space bar

It seems impossible to move the cursor on your phone. By far one of the best and most loved Android gestures is moving the cursor with the space bar. You can easily fix typos by holding and sliding your finger across the space bar on your phone keyboard.

3. Screen capture gesture

If you take screenshots often, try using the gesture method instead of the side buttons or swipe down and select "Take a screenshot" from the Quick Settings panel.

Swipe the edge of your palm across the screen to take a screenshot. It may take a few tries before you get the timing right, but once you do, it'll be a game changer.

If that doesn't work, go to Settings -> Advanced Features -> Motions and gestures and make sure Palm swipe to capture is enabled. Depending on your device, it may also be under Settings -> System -> Gestures .

4. Access Quick Settings faster

Tired of swiping down from the top twice to access the Quick Settings menu? Use two fingers instead of one to swipe down from the top. Just swipe once and you'll have instant access to your favorite shortcuts.

When you're in Quick Settings, hold an option instead of tapping it to go to additional settings and options for that particular option. For example, if you hold Location , you'll be taken to the Android settings for Location services . Note that this doesn't work for every Quick Settings option.

5. Open or close recently used applications

On some Android devices, swiping left or right at the bottom of the screen will quickly switch between recently opened apps. If that doesn't work, tap the small square in the bottom right corner or the three-line menu (depending on your device) to see a list of recently opened apps.

From here, swipe up on an app to remove it from the list, essentially closing it. Or, if you want to reopen the app, swipe down.

6. Remove navigation button

Don't like having navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen? One of the best Android gestures replaces those buttons with swipes.

Go to Settings -> System -> Gestures and select Gesture Navigation . Full instructions are listed after you enable this feature.

For Samsung devices, go to Settings -> Display -> Navigation bar . Turn on Swipe gestures .

Swiping from side to side lets you switch between previous apps. Swiping up from the bottom opens the home screen, swiping up and holding opens the multitasking view.

7. Circle to Search

Previously, you had to take a screenshot or image and then share it to your favorite search engine to find more information. One of the best Android gestures is Circle to Search. This feature was added in 2024 and allows you to hold down the home button (or a navigation controller) and then circle whatever you want to search for. Sadly, this feature isn’t available on all devices yet.

The biggest advantage is that you can add more details to refine your search. The downside is that it's not as effective at finding people's names, like actors or musicians whose names you don't remember.

You can also search for music by tapping the music note icon that appears. Or just use the search box as normal if you don't have anything to circle.

8. Quick access to Google Assistant or Gemini

Depending on whether you're using Google Assistant or Gemini , swiping up from the left or right corner will give you instant access. This is a great alternative to using the physical button, which can then be mapped to do something else.

The best part is that this feature works with any default assistant. If you like Alexa or Samsung Bixby, set it as your default and the gesture will work the same way.

9. Quick application shortcuts

Skip steps when using your favorite apps by pressing and holding the app icon. This is one of the best Android gestures for productivity. If you need to create a new document in Google Docs, press and hold and select New Doc . No need to open the app and then create a new document. If your Google Drive is full, learn how to delete files quickly.

Many Android apps provide app shortcuts, but some don't. For example, the Microsoft Word app doesn't provide any functionality other than selecting and uninstalling apps.

10. Swipe to search

Swiping up on any home screen will open the multitasking view. At the top is the search bar. Use this to search for settings on your device, files, and anything else you want online. This is the easiest way to search using a swipe.

Want to do more with your phone now that you've mastered the best Android gestures? Learn how to add a Chrome webpage directly to your home screen or add the Settings app to your home screen.