Can't close browser. Replacing home screen.

[Mugsy323]

My step-mothers phone is doing something weird. Firefox is open on her phone and I can't close it.

If I tap the icon on the bottom of the screen to show the "desktop", if I try to swipe right to the home screen (where the time & temp are supposed to be), instead it reopens the browser with no way to close it.

How do I close the app and get back to the Home screen? TIA

 

[belodion]

Which button are you using, Back, Home or Recents?

 

[mustang7757]

'll leave a Link to register so you can communicate here as a guest account you can only post questions but can't reply.https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=409154

 

[Mugsy323]

'll leave a Link to register so you can communicate here as a guest account you can only post questions but can't reply.https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=409154

The system says I'm logged in and even shows my username. I don't know why it added my post as "Guest".

 

[Mugsy323]

Which button are you using, Back, Home or Recents?

Which ever one is the "box" that cascades all open apps. I've closed every app with an "X" but the browser is not among them.

I suspect she "pinned" it somehow.

PS: I've also tried the "Circle" (Home?) which brings up "page 2" of the "desktop".

 

[B. Diddy]

Have you tried unpinning, in case it's pinned? https://support.google.com/android/answer/9455138?hl=en

 

[Mugsy323]

Thanks. That sounds like what's going on. Next time I see her, I'll check it out. If it doesn't work, I'll let you know.

 

[mustang7757]

The system says I'm logged in and even shows my username. I don't know why it added my post as "Guest".

Maybe you were log out for a moment, no problem.

 

[Rukbat]

The system says I'm logged in and even shows my username. I don't know why it added my post as "Guest".

Fixed that for you.

Use the Back button to close apps, unless the app has a Quit or Exit item on the menu. (In Firefox, that could mean many presses, to go bask through all the sites she's been on, so hit the little box with the number at the upper right, close all the open windows, then hit the Back button.) Using the Recents button (the one you're using) keeps the app you were using (in this case, Firefox) still running in the background. (Using the Home button just runs the launcher [the home page UI], also leaving apps running.)

 

[Mugsy323]

Thanks. I got a chance to work on her phone today. Turns out, she has deleted her home screen items (time, temp, Google search) so I didn't recognize it.

But in the process, she somehow managed to delete (or hide?) just about every icon, and I can't seem to find a way to put them back (no "all apps" icon any more and touch/hold the "desktop" to add widgets isn't allowing me to actually add any widgets. I drag/drop and they vanish.)

 

[B. Diddy]

Which phone is this? Does an app drawer come up if you swipe up from the bottom row?

 

[Mugsy323]

Which phone is this? Does an app drawer come up if you swipe up from the bottom row?

Her phone is a Motorola Moto e5 Cruise.

When I swiped up from the bottom, there were no running apps or icons. The only way to get to "Settings" was to swipe down from the top (no icon anywhere else nor could I add it to the "desktop".)

TIA

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you show us a screenshot of what it looks like? http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...ide-how-post-screenshots-android-central.html

 

[Mugsy323]

Unfortunately, I don't have access to her phone and I typically don't get by more than once a week, but just picture a home screen with one icon in the main area ("Google Maps") and just three in the Quick Bar ("Contacts", "Messenger" & something else). No "Phone" icon (important) or the ability to add anything else (like "Settings" or All Apps). I was able to restore Time, Temp & Google Search to the home screen.

"Page 2" has one icon ("Calculator") and the 3rd/final page is blank.

 

[B. Diddy]

If you long-press an empty part of the homescreen, see if you get a Homescreen Option icon. If so, look there to see if there's a way to get the App Drawer button back on.

Also, swipe down the notification panel and tap the system settings gear. Search for "Home," and look to see if there are any other options for the Home launcher besides the stock Moto one.

 

[Mugsy323]

As noted above, the way I attempted to add "widgets" was to press/hold an empty area on the "desktop". This gives me a list of apps. But when I try to drag an app/widget to the desktop or quick bar, nothing is added.

 

[mustang7757]

As noted above, the way I attempted to add "widgets" was to press/hold an empty area on the "desktop". This gives me a list of apps. But when I try to drag an app/widget to the desktop or quick bar, nothing is added.

Make sure the widget you select has enough room on that page

 

[Mugsy323]

Also as noted above, there is only 1 widget on the home page and 3 (out of 4) on the quick bar. Plenty of room.