Hidden Android 11 feature splits notifications from Quick Settings

Android’s notification shade has been getting a lot of attention in the first Android 11 Developer Preview. In addition to some cool new updates like conversation grouping and enhanced long-press options, a hidden feature uncovered by XDA Developers separates quick settings from app notifications into their own distinct menus.

On devices running Android 10 or earlier, users have to swipe down once to access the first row of quick settings and twice to view the full quick settings menu (you can also swipe down once with two fingers). With this hidden feature (currently lacking a user-facing toggle) in Android 11, these panels are accessible via touch gestures positioned on different sides of the display.

In the video, notice that there is now a white vertical line in the status bar. Swiping down from the left side of the line reveals the typical row of app notifications, while pulling down from the right side of the screen accesses the full quick settings menu, no additional swiping necessary.

This is also how iOS manages the notification and quick settings panels. Having Android adopt a similar system would bring even greater parity to both operating systems’ gesture interfaces, though there is no guarantee this feature will make it into the final version of Android 11.

• Source:
• XDA Developers