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?

  1. no need to stretch your finger to the top of the phone (with bigger phones this is more difficult)
  2. you can toggle Wi-Fi/Data from ANY app, no need to leave the app to do this
  3. direct access to actual toggles with just one tap
XbSuper,

How often are you toggling your internet connection? This seems like a major overreaction to such a minor inconvenience.

user224,
@user224@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

I do it twice each day. Turn on in morning, turn off at night.

mfat,

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.

Runel0rd,
@Runel0rd@kbin.social avatar

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.

TwinTurbo,

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.

kuneho,
@kuneho@lemmy.world avatar

you are saying this like OnePlus phones weren’t phoning home to china

visor841,

Samsung phones don’t have this issue. Turning off WiFi and data are incredibly easy.

Llewellyn, (edited )
@Llewellyn@lemmy.ml avatar

I have OnePlus. It also has bloatware.

HidingCat,

Samsung phones still have dedicated Wifi and Data buttons, I didn't even know this issue until I read this post.

ChristianWS,

Alright, a few things:

  1. 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.
  2. 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?

A_Random_Squid,
@A_Random_Squid@sh.itjust.works avatar

Since iPhone X, all iPhones with no home button has the Control Center on the top right side and notification on the top left side.

ChristianWS,

So it isn’t on the bottom? Why the hell some posts mentions the control center being on the bottom?

mfat, (edited )

In my case it’s because I used an iPhone SE until a couple of weeks ago. It’s still a thing on their older phones and I think it makes more sense than the newer implementation. Notifications on top and toggles on bottom is the most sensible way to do it.

ChristianWS,

Issue with that is that you need to stretch your finger to the top to show the screen in the first place. If you had to readjust your grip to reach the top, then you are likely already “in range” to reach the QS Tiles on top.

If they moved the Quick Settings to the bottom, then you’d need to readjust your grip after triggering the Notifications/Quick Settings shade.

It only makes sense to move the Tiles to the bottom if you also redesign how you trigger the shade

Carighan,
@Carighan@lemmy.world avatar

Ah, cool to hear they went the sensible way.

TwinTurbo,

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.

ChristianWS, (edited )

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.

jcarax,

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.

SillyBanana,

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.

suzyq,
@suzyq@lemmy.world avatar

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.

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