What has messed with my phone and how do I sort it out?

[Hah_Dhup]

Problem relates to my Motorola G7 Power running Android 9, which until mid-morning today was behaving itself as usual. Now something weird has happened and my screens are different.

It used to be that I switched the phone on, and I got the screen on which I enter my PIN to unlock the phone (and thereafter use fingerprint recognition). That screen had the weather/clock widget thingy on it, and the background picture was one I had chosen. To get from there to the screen on which I had placed my favourite apps, I swiped left.

Now when I switch on, I still get the PIN screen as before, but as soon as I enter my PIN, it changes to the screen with my favourite apps on! If I then swipe right on that screen, instead of taking me back to the PIN/fingerprint screen, it takes me to a page with the Google logo at the top, below which is a search bar/box with a small icon I've not seen before to the right of it with "Updates" below it, and to the right of that there's a purple circle with my initial in it.

What's happened and how do I change things back to how they were please?

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome !

Let me get @Javier P to help you

 

[Javier P]

Welcome to the forums. It seems you have changed your default home screen and that new screen on the left sounds like Google Discover/Feeds. I'll check on my wife's G8+ later and let you know how to change that option.

In the meantime long press an empty spot on your home screen, select home settings and search for the option to disable Google Feeds/Discover.

 

[Javier P]

This is the option to remove Google Feed.

 

[Hah_Dhup]

Thank you! So now I have just the home screen (at least I think that's what this one is called). Swiping left or right has no effect. I guess the one that's gone missing is called the lock screen?

ETA - I just now tried restarting and noticed that when the lock screen(?) appears, it no longer has the weather/clock widget at the top. In its place is a 24-hr clock and the date.

 

[Javier P]

Thank you! So now I have just the home screen (at least I think that's what this one is called). Swiping left or right has no effect. I guess the one that's gone missing is called the lock screen?

Excellent, one problem down.

Moto devices can have two different screens before you unlock, Moto Display (black background with the clock/weather widget and notification circles that you can interact with) and the lock screen (with the wallpaper that you selected, similar widget and notifications on horizontal banners that can be expanded).

Which one are you missing?

 

[Hah_Dhup]

Ahah! In that case I am missing Moto Display.

Sorry - brainfart. If Moto Display is the one which comes up first on startup i.e. the one on which I enter my PIN, that is there but missing the clock/weather widget. After entering my PIN, it then used to go to the screen which has the five apps across the bottom and the clock/widget at the top. That's the screen on which the "receive boot broadcast" message appeared at the bottom. If I then swiped right from that screen, I landed on the sceen I now can't move from.

I'm really hoping that's clear, but I'm game to try again if it isn't!

 

[Javier P]

Ahah! In that case I am missing Moto Display.

Ok, back to my wife's phone. Open the 'Moto' app from the app drawer, scroll and open Moto Display, make sure that Peek Display is enabled.

 

[Hah_Dhup]

Peek display now enabled as instructed, phone restarted but the only change is that for a second or so when the lock screen appeared, the weather/clock widget was there at the top for a second or so - and with a blue circle round it. AFAIK it's always been white before!

Still stuck on the same screen. To confirm, this has the five app icons across the bottom, Google search box just below centre with rounded ends and microphone icon in it, and the apps I've put on this screen arrayed in the upper half. Small 24-hr clock at top left, wi-fi, phone signal and battery icons top right.

 

[Javier P]

Peek display now enabled as instructed, phone restarted but the only change is that for a second or so when the lock screen appeared, the weather/clock widget was there at the top for a second or so - and with a blue circle round it. AFAIK it's always been white before!

Still stuck on the same screen. To confirm, this has the five app icons across the bottom, Google search box just below centre with rounded ends and microphone icon in it, and the apps I've put on this screen arrayed in the upper half. Small 24-hr clock at top left, wi-fi, phone signal and battery icons top right.

Oh, now I noticed that you edited your previous posts, I was replying to their original version

I think that you have lost a home screen after emptying all the shortcuts on it. Most launchers remove empty home screens. Just drag any icon "crossing" the right edge of your phone to create a new one

 

[Hah_Dhup]

... Just drag any icon "crossing" the right edge of your phone to create a new one

My hero! Oh thank you, thank you kind sir. That was really starting to scramble what's left of my brain.

I guess that if I just move my icons from the "default" screen to this new one, change the wallpaper and add the weather/clock widget, I'm back where I was before I did whatever I did?

 

[Javier P]

My hero! Oh thank you, thank you kind sir. That was really starting to scramble what's left of my brain.

I guess that if I just move my icons from the "default" screen to this new one, change the wallpaper and add the weather/clock widget, I'm back where I was before I did whatever I did?

I think now you only need to add the widget. Long press your home screen, Widgets, scroll down until you find Time & Weather and drag it to that new screen.

 

[Hah_Dhup]

Yes indeed, that's done the trick and I am once again a happy bunny.

Thank you very much indeed for your help.

 

[Javier P]

Yes indeed, that's done the trick and I am once again a happy bunny.

Thank you very much indeed for your help.

Excellent! Glad it helped.