In Android 11, Google has added a new functionality to its recent apps view or multitasking panel – that handy thumbnail stream that lets you see all your active apps and choose which one you want to use.
Starting with Android 10, you’ve been able to choose between three different ways, not just to access your multitasking panel, but to navigate your home screen. These three methods are named, appropriately, based on the types of buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen: gesture navigation, two-button navigation, and three-button navigation. In this article, I’ll explain how Android 11 added a couple of cool features to two of the three methods. But first, this is how you switch from one to the other.
- Pull down from the top of the screen to access your app drawer and tap on the settings icon (the gear in the lower right corner)
- If you have Android 10, select “System”> “Gestures”> “System navigation”
- If you have Android 11, select “Accessibility”> “System Navigation”
- Select “Gesture Navigation”, “2 Button Navigation” or “3 Button Navigation”
It is understood? Now, here is the difference between the three methods, including what was added for Android 11.
Gesture navigation
This is the “swipe” method introduced in Android 10, and the one Google seems to be most eager for people to use. In Android 10, you will see the search field and five icons at the bottom of the screen. In Android 11, all you’ll see at the bottom of the screen is a single flat line. Swipe up and hold and you will get the multitasking panel with all your applications open. Then you can slide your finger from side to side to access them.
In both versions, if you tap the icon at the top of the application page, you will get a drop-down menu that allows you to access the application information page or allows you to open the application in a split screen format. Depending on the application, you may also be able to access other functions; for example, if you are running a video, you can also pause it from here.
In Android 11, two links have been added below the multitasking panel: Screenshot and Select. Tap Screenshot and you will get a screenshot of the application page you are currently viewing. Touch Select and all the text on the app page will be selected for you to copy, share, or search.
2 button navigation
This gives you two icons at the bottom of the screen: a short, thick line representing the Home button, and a back button on the left. Swipe up on the home button and you can access the same multitasking panel with drop-down menus accessible at the top of each app.
However, in Android 11, the “Screenshot” / “Select” buttons do not appear below the panels. Instead, as in Android 10, a Google search field appears at the bottom of the screen along with icons for five apps.
3 button navigation
This is the old way of navigating, with the Back, Home and Switch app buttons at the bottom of the screen. Use the “switch applications” icon on the right to open the multitasking panel. You still have the drop-down menus available about each app, and in Android 11, you have the Screenshot and Select links below.
