Android's Quick Settings panel is designed for easy toggling of features, but some are easier to toggle than others. For example, toggling your phone's flashlight requires a single tap, while toggling its Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radio requires two taps. This wasn't always the case, as older Android versions only required a single tap for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Fortunately, according to new findings following an APK breakdown, next year's Android 16 update could turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth into one-click toggles once again.
In Android 12, the Quick Settings panel was redesigned, replacing smaller toggles with larger, rounded, rectangular buttons. While most tiles remained single-click toggles, the old WiFi and mobile data tiles were replaced with an "Internet" tile that opened a panel when tapped. This change made it two taps to toggle either radio.
These changes were positive for some, as the Internet and Bluetooth panels made it easy to switch between networks or Bluetooth devices. However, some users found it cumbersome that Google made it harder to turn off Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth. So much so that, as noted by the source, these complaints prompted Google to defend its decision to introduce the new Internet tile in a blog post.
The "Internet" quick settings panel that was introduced with Android 12. | Image credit — Google
That said, Android 16 may have found a solution that satisfies everyone. In another code breakdown, it was found that Google is further testing a way to overhaul the notifications and Quick Settings panels in Android 16, suggesting a change is coming. In those findings, the background of the Internet and Bluetooth tiles wasn't fully filled in, suggesting that tapping the icon would toggle the respective radio while tapping the rest of the tile would open the panel.
Testing confirmed that the Internet and Bluetooth tiles now worked this way. Tapping the icon for Internet toggled Wi-Fi, while tapping the icon for Bluetooth toggled Bluetooth. Tapping anywhere else on the Internet or Bluetooth tile opened their respective panels.
These changes are a great compromise, providing both a one-click toggle and access to an expanded panel in a single tile. You still have to expand the Internet panel to toggle mobile data, but you can simply tap the airplane mode tile instead if you want to shut down mobile data.
The changes expected in Android 16 seem to offer a good balance between functionality and convenience. I'm interested in seeing how these changes will affect the overall user experience on Android devices and whether I will personally have a preference in how the toggles function.
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Johanna 'Jojo the Techie' is a skilled mobile technology expert with over 15 years of hands-on experience, specializing in the Google ecosystem and Pixel devices. Known for her user-friendly approach, she leverages her vast tech support background to provide accessible and insightful coverage on latest technology trends. As a recognized thought leader and official member of #TeamPixel, Johanna ensures she stays at the forefront of Google services and products, making her a reliable source for all things Pixel and ChromeOS.
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