Google released Android 12L in early March. The update brought a few minor improvements for regular smartphones. But all the power is intended for devices with large displays – tablets and clamshells. Hence the letter L (Large) in the name of the release.
One of the features is the taskbar, which is designed to speed up multitasking. The panel contains up to five icons of selected applications. They can be dragged to the main area of the screen to activate the split-window mode. It is also convenient to swipe across the panel to quickly switch between “neighboring” applications and return to the desktop – just like with the usual gesture strip at the bottom.
Although the taskbar is designed for tablets and foldable devices, it can be activated on a standard smartphone. Android understands that it is running on a tablet based on the Density-independent Pixels (DP) value — the relative dimension of the display width. To pretend to be a tablet, it is enough to set the minimum screen width to 600dp.
How to Enable Taskbar in Android 12L
In the settings for Android developers there is a parameter for replacing DP with any desired one. We tested the method on Google Pixel smartphones, but we do not exclude that problems may arise on devices from other manufacturers.
- Open “Settings” and go to “About phone”.
- Find the “Build number” item and tap it seven times – the developer mode will be unlocked on the device. The smartphone may ask you to enter a PIN code.
- Go to Settings → System → Developer Options.
- Find the “Minimum Width” option and select it.
- Remember the number in the window that appears. Then erase it and enter the number 600 (or more, but this is not recommended).
The reduction in pixel density will result in Android’s layout being optimized for tablet use. All interface elements will become significantly smaller, and some will simply look different. For example, the quick settings in the shade will occupy three columns instead of two, and in Chrome, tabs will look like they do on a computer.
Some taskbar features:
- If you hold your finger on one of the icons and then drag it up, you will open the dual-window mode.
- If you hold your finger on a free space of the panel, it will turn into a thin strip. You can also return the panel with a long touch.
- Swipes right, left, and up work the same as for the gesture strip.
- On the desktop, the panel turns into a regular line with favorite applications. And in the menu of recently launched programs, it turns into a gesture strip.
How to Revert to Android’s Default Layout
- Go to Settings → System → Developer Options.
- Find the “Minimum Width” option and select it.
- Erase the number shown in the window and enter the original number or one of the following:
- Google Pixel 6/6 Pro — 411
- Google Pixel 5a — 411
- Google Pixel 5 — 392
- Google Pixel 4 XL/4a 5G – 411
- Google Pixel 4/4a — 392
- Google Pixel 3a — 392
- Google Pixel 3a XL — 411
There is a chance that Google will one day allow the taskbar to be enabled on smartphones without changing the pixel density. At least, it is technically possible, as Danny Lin demonstrated .
