Tip: Easier toggling of Wi-Fi/cellular data on Android 12
Tip: Easier toggling of Wi-Fi/cellular data on Android 12
Turning Wi-Fi, data on/off on Android 12 is more difficult compared to previous versions. You have to stretch your fingers to the top of the screen to access quick settings, tap the new internet tile (no actual quick toggles) and that will open a menu for toggling wifi and data.
I don't know why Google has done this but it obviously turns such a simple task into a headache.
The simple workround i came up with today might be useful to others who find this dumb and unintuitive.
This requires some sort of app that can run android "activities". I tried this with Tasker and Macrodroid.
You need to launch the following activity using a floating button, a widget or a gesture:
android.settings.panel.action.INTERNET_CONNECTIVITY
This will open the internet connectivity menu from bottom of the screen for easy toggling of wifi/data and switching wifi networks. The behaviour is similar to iPhone's control center.
Here is the Macrodroid widget I've created for this that is activated by tapping a floating button.
If you're too lazy to create your own shortcut you can use this widget.
What are the advantages of this workaround?
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no need to stretch your finger to the top of the phone (with bigger phones this is more difficult)
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you can toggle Wi-Fi/Data from ANY app, no need to leave the app to do this
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direct access to actual toggles with just one tap
This is one of the rare instances when I'm glad I have Samsung with their custom UI. I have to sometimes use a Pixel phone, and those new Android 12 settings tiles overall are just mind-boggling. It feels like a change just for the sake of change, ordered by marketing department or something.
Same here. I read the post and got so confused because I have my quick bar set up with WiFi as the first toggle option.
Alright, a few things:
- Removing a direct QS tile for Wifi and Mobile Data was a dumb idea from Google's part, and there is no defense for that. I'm on LineageOS and I have the option to add those two back, but I think this isn't something that came from AOSP.
- The Internet QS Tile is actually a pretty good idea for the average user. Most of the time when you want to disable Mobile Data you want to enable WiFi, and vice versa. This adds one more step, but removes one QS Tile and condense Internet options into a single thing. I'm fairly sure this wouldn't be a slight controversial decision if not for the removal of the direct QS Tiles.
This is the second post this week that mentions the iOS control center and I'm confused by it. On Android, the bottom area uses a upward gesture to go home and/or Recents, that's why the Quick Settings and Notification are on the top.
How does the user go to the homescreen on iOS since the bottom area opens the control center?
But why would you need to disable mobile data when you enable WiFi? WiFi is automatically preferred, so having the mobile data toggle on or off doesn't matter while connected to WiFi.
Spotty internet on both sides of the equation. It is common enough to happen.
If your WiFi is weird at the moment due to ISP side maintenance, or if you are on the edge of the signal, you might want to disable wifi and enable mobile data.
On the other hand, you could simply not have enough data left in your plan, so you want to keep your phone from using Mobile Data, even if you might get out of range from your router.
It's the kind of thing they should allow us to enable in dev tools, if they want to hide it from the average user.
How often are you toggling your internet connection? This seems like a major overreaction to such a minor inconvenience.
Unfortunately I have to switch between data and two different wifi networks. The key point here is that quick settings in general should be easier to reach, since modern phones have bigger displays.
I do it twice each day. Turn on in morning, turn off at night.
Imagine buying a Google or Samsung phone, literaly the pinnacles of bloatware, lack of privacy, and features being taken away.
I have been using OnePlus for years and can only say good thing about them.
you are saying this like OnePlus phones weren't phoning home to china
I used to follow the OnePlus magazine on the old site. I can't remember the last time I read something good a OnePlus user said about their phone.
I have OnePlus. It also has bloatware.
Samsung phones still have dedicated Wifi and Data buttons, I didn't even know this issue until I read this post.
Samsung phones don't have this issue. Turning off WiFi and data are incredibly easy.