Android Guides

How to use quick settings in Android Lollipop?

Using quick settings in Android Lollipop can save you a lot of time!

 

In Android Lollipop 5.0, Google revamped the quick settings, one of the most popular features in Android. This guide will show you how to access and use quick settings on Android Lollipop devices.

Different Android vendors may modify the quick settings. So, the interface and feature of quick settings on different Android Lollipop devices may vary. But the fundamentals are usually very similar.

Update 1: You can customize quick settings panel in Android Marshmallow through system UI tuner.

Update 2: In Android Nougat, you can customize quick settings panel directly as explained in this guide. In addition, there is also a quick settings bar in the top of notification shade as well.

Table of Contents hide
1) What is quick settings in Android Lollipop?
2) How to access quick settings in Android Lollipop?
2.1) Method 1: Swiping down from status bar (top of the screen) with 2 fingers.
2.2) Method 2: Swiping down twice from status bar (top of the screen) with 1 finger.
3) How to use quick settings in Android Lollipop?
4) Update: How to customize quick settings panel?
5) Can you access and use quick settings in Android Lollipop now?

What is quick settings in Android Lollipop?

Android have so many features, so the settings menu usually is very long. If you need change something, you usually have to navigate through several pages.

Therefore Android puts a few most-commonly used settings in the quick settings page so that you can quickly change the settings without fiddling around pages of the settings.

Google made a significant change in quick settings in Android Lollipop.  Prior to Android Lollipop, quick settings simply are shortcuts to specific settings.

But in Android Lollipop, most items in quick settings menu are actionable. In other words, you can enable or disable the features just by tapping top part of it.  It is not necessary to open any settings pages. The lower part of each item may link to corresponding settings page.

This is new for Nexus devices and Motorola devices (e.g., Moto X, Moto G  and Moto E).

If you are a Samsung Galaxy phone user, you have enjoyed this feature for long time thanks for the customization by Samsung. Actually, Samsung put so many items in the quick settings panel that some new users may feel intimidating. For example, you can find Galaxy S5 quick settings panel here.

In short, quick settings in Android Lollipop makes it possible for you to change some frequently used features without navigating to settings app.

How to access quick settings in Android Lollipop?

You have two ways to access  quick settings in Android Lollipop.

Method 1: Swiping down from status bar (top of the screen) with 2 fingers.

From the status bar (the top of your device screen), you can swipe down with two fingers as shown below to get quick settings in Android Lollipop.

This method works on ALL android devices regardless of the brand or manufacture. It also works on Android KitKat, Jelly Bean and Ice Cream Sandwitch.

How_to_use_quick_settings_in_Android_Lollipop_swipe_two_fingers

Method 2:  Swiping down twice from status bar (top of the screen) with 1 finger.

From status bar, if you swipe down with one finger, you will see all notification messages.

In Android Lollipop, you can swipe down again in notification page to access quick settings as shown below.

This method of accessing  quick settings in Android Lollipop is new. In prior versions, you have to tap a button in notification page to access quick settings panel.

How_to_use_quick_settings_in_Android_Lollipop_one_finger How_to_use_quick_settings_in_Android_Lollipop__quick_settings_items

How to use quick settings in Android Lollipop?

Depending on features which you turned on, the items in quick settings can be different.

As shown in the screenshot above, you can find these settings (corresponding to the numbers in the screenshot).

  1. Settings icon.  Tapping this icon will open Settings app.
  2. Users. Tapping the user avatar to use the user control panel, change users, guests, and profiles. You can also setup your own profile here.
  3. Brightness control. Dragging the slider to adjust the brightness of the screen. This can be sued together with Adaptive brightness in Android Lollipop.
  4. WiFi control. Tapping the icon (top part) will turn on/off WiFi instantly.  Tapping the network name (or WiFi if not connected) in the lower part will bring you to WiFi settings page.
  5. Bluetooth control. Similar to WiFi control, the top part is for you to turn on/off Bluetooth. Tapping the name of connected Bluetooth device (or Bluetooth if no connected device) will bring you to the Bluetooth settings page.
  6. Cellular network info. Tapping the icon to open the cellular control panel for quick access to data usage information.
  7. Airplane mode control. Tapping the icon to turn on/off Airplane mode.
  8. Flashlight control. Tapping the icon to turn on/off flashlight.
  9. Location settings. Taping the icon to open location settings page.
  10. Cast screen.  Tapping the icon to cast your phone screen to Chromecast (aka Android screen casting, Android screen mirroring). This icon only works on Nexus devices. In Moto X (including Moto X 2nd Gen), Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen) and Moto E, this icon does NOT work. You need use Chromecast app to cast your screen.

If you tuned on some other features, you may find a few additional other items.

Update: How to customize quick settings panel?

You may wonder whether you can customize quick settings panel.

The answer is yes. But in Android Marshmallow or Android Nougat or later versions only. You cannot customize quick settings panel in Lollipop.

In Android Marshmallow, you can customize quick settings panel through the hidden system UI tuner.

In Android Nougat, you can customize quick settings panel directly as explained in this guide. In addition, there is also a quick settings bar in the top of notification shade as well.

Can you access and use quick settings in Android Lollipop now?

If you have any questions on using or accessing quick settings in Android Lollipop, please let us know them in the comment box below.

If you need to share a screenshot or a picture, please post them in our Facebook page.

For questions on Android Nougat (Android 7.0 and 7.1), please check Android Nougat guides page.

For questions on Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0), please check Android Marshmallow guide page.

For question on Android Lollipop (Android 5.0 and 5.1), please check Android Lollipop guide page.

For other Android questions or problems, please check Android 101 page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. David Cuppy says

    S finder and quick connect are missing on my notification panel Galaxy S6….do they toggle on and off?

    Reply

  4. emily says

    I recently updated to Android 5.0 on AT&T Galaxy S5 but my notification panel is different than the one you showed in this article. I can access quick settings by pulling down the notification panel, then clicking on settings. If I use two fingers to swipe down the toggles pop up like yours but swiping down then swiping down again does nothing…. is it my phone??

    Reply

  7. Vixo says

    How can I change the order of the items in the quick settings? Because the celullar network item was on the centre and now is on the left 🙁

    My phone is Moto X 2014

    Reply

  8. Michelle says

    How to silence my device for a text message when it is locked? Before, my phone updated to lollipop, I could just pull the quick setting bar down and it would silence it. Now, I have to unlock my device and pull it down to silence a text message. I have a samsung s4. If this feature was taken out then please put it back in.

    Reply

  9. Ankhi Sena Mun says

    on moto e I cant find the flashlight in my drop down quick settings (just upgraded yesterday). Please help.
    Also do not have the cast screen thing but I do not need that.
    is it due to the two sim thing?

    Reply

  10. Paal says

    I hawe elephone p 7000 and my quick setting meny does not work any more no drop down works with one or two fingers, please help

    Reply

  12. Paal says

    I did a reboot and tryed the Google now launcher, not working.
    The only time it is working is when i get a notification on the lock screen, then i can drag it down.

    Reply

  13. Gaussi says

    I’m using moto g2.. Does it have a data on/off switch in the notification tab? Mine doesn’t show one.. Need it desperately.

    Reply

  14. Bala says

    I have moto g3, in that not able to find “Users” option at all and to enable the mobile data i need to change many screens, but i am using Yureka also, in that i felt every thing easy, i can able to customize my drop down as my wish, but in moto g3, i could find the same. Could u pls help me on this.

    Reply

  15. mansi gupta says

    i hve a moto g 3 and the torch has disappeared from the quick settings. how to get it back??? and where is the torch in the phone other than quick settings

    Reply

  17. MOHD KAMRAN says

    It’s really embarrassing to enter in deep settings just to on and off mobile data.. What is the method to add it in quick settings?

    Reply

  18. Avalon says

    I have a Moto G 1st Gen (2013) with Lollipop 5.1, the Cast screen icon dissapeared from Quick settings, I read that a quick settings icon dissapears when its function is not used for some time (like 30 days), is there a way (without the need to root your phone.) to re-enable it, so it shows again in quick settings?. I know that in the Moto G this icon does NOT work, I just want to know if make it appear again is possible somehow.

    Reply

  20. Avantika Tyagi says

    I have a Moto G3 device. Recently it got updated to 5.1.1 and now, I can’t locate the flashlight in my notification bar. Also, the double karate chop doesn’t seem to work. How can I fix this?

    Reply

  21. dhaval says

    I used moto x play but not found data connection toggle switch on quick setting? How I get toggle switch on quick setting?

    Reply

  24. karthi says

    Hello Simon I am using lenovo A6000 model phone now I am upgrade Android 5.0 , I have facing problem when connect headset to my phone microphone is not working pls give me a solution….

    Reply

  25. Pooja says

    I had recently updated my motog3 (lollipop 5.1.1), but after few days I am not able to see the toggles in quick access settings. Can I resolve them as previous please reply me.

    Reply

  26. Pooja says

    Nothing is happening when I swiped down with two fingers .
    Recently I had used Nova and Hola launchers but I uninstalled them both , currently I am using the device’s default Google launcher.

    Reply

  27. Maya Feldman says

    sorry i think i have problem with this menu, it’s shows always when i touch somenthing it just didnt stop showing without touching it …

    Reply

  28. Bhanu Kumar says

    I forgot my android 5.1.1 pattern. I saw many guides on the web but but a single one did not help me. I did not have a gmail id on the phone or any internet access. It’s a moto g3 16 gb variant. I tried Hard reseting it. Everything went fine untill the Android in distress logo. It showed ‘NO COMMAND’. As directed in the guide, I pressed the volume up key for 10-15 seconds and while holding it, pressed and released the power button. Nothing happened and i started freaking out. After a little time the M logo came and it booted. Now what do I do?

    Reply

  32. Michael Banville says

    i just bought tracfone, model LG Treasure. I want to create a second user for my daughter (her first phone) so I can let her be the GUEST while I control the setup and master login. In my 5.1 version of android, NO USER icon appears. does this mean this phone is not allowing the second user?

    Reply

  34. GunjiOtaku says

    How Do I get rid of Sfinder, and Geo news.. this crap keeps wasting my battery and the geonews pop up refuses to go away. I can’t uninstall them and if i force stop them they simply come back in a minutes time regardless.

    Reply

  36. Les Nash says

    I have a IROPRO 10inch tablet running Lollipop 5.1 on Allwinner.
    I cannot get my screen to pinch enlarging or reducing my music pages on MobileSheetsPro.
    Is there a remedy?
    Thank you.

    Reply

  37. Heidi Hager says

    My Motorola phone is stuck in a pinned page (not sure how I even pinned this page). Keep getting a message that says to unpin hold the back and overveiw at the same time. I do this and nothing seems to happen.

    Reply

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