Default home screen and power button shortcuts

Help Fairphone 2
#1

I’ve downloaded Anroid 6.0 and I’ve lost a few functionalities. Is this part of the update or am I missing something?

First is that my default home screen has changed. It used to be the screen in the middle (or left of middle if even number), but now it seems to always be the far left screen. Is there a way to set it back to the middle screen.

Second, the short cuts I used to get from holding the power button down have disappeared. The only option now is the power off.

Thanks.

#2

The changes are part of the update, see What is new with Android 6.0 Marshmallow?.

1 Like
#3

I also miss the shortcuts when pressing the Power Button.
This is for me the fastest way to switch to silent or vibration mode. I don’t know why this disappeared because other phones with android 6 still have this option. I use the shortcuts since my first smartphone and really miss them.

2 Likes
#4

I no longer can use the quick access to Google search using upward swipe from the middle bottom of the screen. Is this intentional?

#5

I agree with you. They were very fast and even worked when the phone was locked. Now to change, you have to unlock your phone and swipe down twice. It’s a lot more fiddly. Also, the restart and airplane mode. I hope FP consider bringing this back!

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#6

Also when the phone is locked you can swipe down once and activate silent or flight mode. The restart function indeed is gone, now you have to shut down and restart separately.

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#7

Thanks for the swipe tip - that helps a lot!

#8

+1 for being bugged by the downgrade to shut-down-only. I used the power button frequently to switch to airplane mode, location off (this one is now buried only in the settings, I suppose), switch to vibrate, turn wifi on/off, restart … Basically everything on that screen was well thought out and useful.

#9

“Whats New with Android 6.0…” doesn’t mention the start homescreen moving to the far left.
I don’t understand why they changed it and why it cannot be customized.

#10

Didn’t use the menu you mention, but you can find all those shortcuts, airplane etc, in the dropdown.
Did you try “quick reboot” app ? It does what you say, enhanced shutdown menu

#11

Hi Peter,
indeed that’s the consequence of removing the “Edge Swipe” homescreen. Now the original Android 6 homescreen offers the “hotseat area” for your favorite apps by tapping the lower centered icon. You can still customize your homescreen by adding icons from the apps list to the current or an additional homescreen page.

#12

but I have written a feature request for that. Feel free to add the other missing functions there.

#13

Hi tofra,
thinking about how often I used the restart function the last year (3-4 times perhaps) there is no need for that from my point of view. There seem to exist apps for this purpose so these apps are my suggestion for those who need a restart function more often.

#14

I agree. I’m still bugged by it - guess I’ll get used to it in time. The swipe does work, but it’s more fiddly than the power button was!

#15

Thank you for information. But other smartphones with Android 6 still allow to define to wich screen the home button points. I use 7 screens and so it would be much more comfortable to start from the middle screen.Other launchers have a house symbol to define the start screen

#16

Every smartphone supplier can choose which launcher they pre-install and if you don’t like it or miss a function you can:

  • get a different smartphone (please don’t! ;))
  • install one of the countless alternative #launchers
  • *in case you simply want the old FP launcher back you can also follow this community effort.
  • *file a feature request (enhancement) in the #bugtracker (though I don’t think this will be very high up on FP’s todo list).

*these two options are probably only possible with Fairphone and almost no other supplier.

#17

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