Anyone noticed the task-switcher disappears (in 3-button nav mode) ?

[d4005]

I run my P6P in 3-button navigation mode which has the 3rd button being the task switcher. In the 2 months I've had the phone, I've noticed that the 3rd button has twice stopped responding - I've wanted to switch apps and it did nothing. One time the 2nd and 3rd buttons completely disappeared - only the first back button arrow was there.

Naturally a restart of the device fixes it and it's back to normal and it's only once every 4 weeks so it's not like it's causing me great stress and hardship but I figured I'd post about it anyway.

 

[d4005]

Here are the screenshots:

 

[mustang7757]

I changed you to post owner
Moved to pixel 6 forums

 

[B. Diddy]

Which 3rd party launcher are you using? I wonder if it could be due to that. See if the problem happens if you use the Pixel Launcher for a while.

 

[d4005]

Which 3rd party launcher are you using? I wonder if it could be due to that. See if the problem happens if you use the Pixel Launcher for a while.

I'm using Nova. Thanks, but I don't think I could go back to the Pixel launcher. I think I'd rather not have a phone than have to use that for a month

 

[TraderGary]

I'm using Nova. Thanks, but I don't think I could go back to the Pixel launcher. I think I'd rather not have a phone than have to use that

I use Nova Prime on my Pixel 6 Pro. Are you sure your Nova is up to date? Have you tried Nova Prime?

 

[B. Diddy]

See this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/qdyley/recent_apps_button_not_working_since_android_12/

Back up your Nova setup, then clear the app cache/data for Nova in the system settings. Then restore your backup and see if the problem comes back.

 

[Davidoo]

I have Nova prime and this has happened to me a couple of times since I got the P6P in October. Hasn't happened for a long time though, so I assumed an update fixed it.

 

[d4005]

I use Nova Prime on my Pixel 6 Pro. Are you sure your Nova is up to date? Have you tried Nova Prime?

I'm using regular Nova but in the thread below from B. Diddy there are people there with Nova Prime reporting they're seeing it also

See this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/qdyley/recent_apps_button_not_working_since_android_12/

Back up your Nova setup, then clear the app cache/data for Nova in the system settings. Then restore your backup and see if the problem comes back.

I read to the end of that Reddit thread and people have identified why it happens and knowing that, I can guess that it's what I did also. I'm going to be mindful of that being the reason and stop myself doing it.

The issue is caused when you press the switch/recent-apps button multiple times rapidly. I often do a quick double-press to toggle between current app and previous app and that's fine. But if you do it 3 or more times rapidly, it can cause that issue.

I'm going to monitor it now that I know that and see if I can avoid it. If I can't, I know that either force-quitting the launcher or clearing cache/user-data will resolve it. I think I'd rather reboot it than risk losing some interesting user-data (like how I have it configured or something).

 

[TraderGary]

Interesting. You could also consider moving to gestures. I had to see why people liked gestures, so I tried it and couldn't go back to 3 button mode now.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yeah, gesture navigation works well on Pixels using Nova (which is not always the case on other phones, from what I understand).

 

[d4005]

Interesting. You could also consider moving to gestures. I had to see why people liked gestures, so I tried it and couldn't go back to 3 button mode now.

I used the gestures for the first week or two of P6 ownership and I got used to it but didn't prefer it. Once I discovered I could go back to 3-Button Nav the temptation was too strong.

As a Windows 11 user, I'd still choose the XP interface option if that was available. I think that's when it peaked.

I also don't want to ever have to switch to my car screens being all-touch with no physical buttons. It's dangerous having to navigate in and out of menus taking your eyes off the road just because you want to redirect where the air is going or change the temperature.

Don't get me started on electric cars too.

Sounds like I don't like new tech. I'd disagree. I just don't like interfaces that go backwards in functionality.

 

[TraderGary]

What I don't like most about 3-Button Nav is the space it takes up. My most used app is IBKR, my Interactive Brokers Mobile Trader Workstation, and I hate losing that much screen at the bottom.

 

[d4005]

What I don't like most about 3-Button Nav is the space it takes up. My most used app is IBKR, my Interactive Brokers Mobile Trader Workstation, and I hate losing that much screen at the bottom.

I can understand that. I hadn't really given it much thought. I can see why with a trading app you'd want all the screen real estate you can get to monitor as much as possible at once.

I think that Android must report the screen size as two values to apps because I've noticed that some apps respect that the 3-Nav buttons want their own dedicated space and only use the truncated screen size, but some apps full-screen it and the nav buttons go away. To get them back you need to do a mini swipe up gesture. I'd be fine with having to always do that to see them.