In recent years, gesture-based navigation has become increasingly popular among Android users due to its intuitive and user-friendly interface. With a simple swipe or tap, users can easily navigate through their devices without having to rely on physical buttons. As a result, many developers have created gesture apps for Android that offer a range of customization options and features to enhance the user’s navigation experience. In this article, we will explore some of the best gesture apps for Android that have gained popularity for their efficiency and functionality.
We have compiled a list of 10 Best Gesture Apps For Android (Better Navigation) for your consideration, which have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation by our team of experts.
Table of Contents
1. One Hand Operation +
The app allows for easy use of a device through thumb gestures. When enabled, a thin gesture handle appears on the left/right side of the screen which can be swiped to execute defined functions, with the default function being the back button. Various functions can be set for horizontal/diagonal up/down diagonal gestures, with more features available for long swipe gestures. To optimize gesture recognition, different handle settings are provided depending on the user’s hand size, thumb thickness, and bumper case shape.
The handle receives a user’s touch event on top of the running app, but may interfere with running applications. To remedy this, it is recommended to set the handle as thin as possible for gesture recognition. If touch interference is severe with a running application, App exceptions can be set in Advanced Settings so that the gesture handles will not work when the app is running.
The app currently provides a variety of functions, such as back key, home key, recent key, menu key, apps screen, and more. Additional function upgrades are planned. Users can enjoy the convenience of gestures on their phone and tablet with this app.
2. Edge Gestures
The application features a convenient gesture-based interface that allows users to quickly perform actions by a simple swipe or tap on the screen edge. The app supports many different gesture types, such as tap, double tap, long press, swipe, swipe and hold, pull and slide, and pie controls. The supported actions include launching an application or shortcut, activating soft keys like back, home, recent apps, expanding the status bar to access notifications or quick settings, scrolling to start (for Android 6.0 or higher), accessing the power dialog, adjusting brightness or media volume, enabling fast scroll, toggling split screen, and switching to the previous app.
Users can also customize the edge area according to their preferences, including thickness, length, and position. Additionally, the app only requires minimal permissions to function optimally. However, to implement certain features, such as the gesture-based interface, the app uses an accessibility service.
The Navigation Gestures app is not compatible with Android 11 and later, and will not be receiving any more updates. However, this app allows users to incorporate swipe gesture controls on any Android device, without having to purchase a new phone or wait for the next Android update. Navigation Gestures is also the first gesture control app that can completely hide the stock navigation bar without requiring root.
With Navigation Gestures, users can swipe left, right, up or down, swipe up and hold, tap, double tap, long press, and split the pill in three ways. The gesture bar can be customized, and users can choose from a variety of actions to assign to gestures. These actions include home, back, recent apps, toggle split-screen, open Assistant, hide pill, toggle navigation bar, and many more.
Navigation Gestures offers appearance and behavior customization options to users for free. Appearance options include changing the color, transparency, border color, corner radius, width/height, and X/Y position of the pill. Behavior options include blacklisting pill/show NavBar in selected apps, customizing sensitivity, vibration duration, animation duration, and more.
In the event of troubleshooting, Navigation Gestures provides a link for setting up ADB, as well as ADB commands to resolve issues with the system navigation bar or lock screen icons being cut off. The app’s official XDA forum thread is available for users to leave feedback, and the GitHub page can be used to report any issues. More details on the latest release and frequently asked questions are also available on the app’s webpage.
4. AUG Launcher
AUG Launcher (Android Unique Gesture Launcher) is a feature-rich launcher that includes a package of launcher, app locker, and dialer. The app is unique because of its gesture feature that allows users to search and launch apps, run shortcuts, control phone events, and call existing phone contacts. AUG L provides a secure wall between owner and guest users, with a powerful app locker and the features of the phone’s stock launcher.
The app’s gesture feature is the core of AUG L, allowing users to execute various actions by drawing a gesture on the screen. Users can search and launch apps, run shortcuts, run AUG L services, access existing phone contacts and call, and control phone events such as hotspot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, torch, and mobile data.
AUG Launcher’s main features include gesture, swipe, user modes, app locker, make call, hide apps, dock, folder, app drawer, icon pack, and no ads. The app’s gesture feature allows users to open apps, run shortcuts, run AUG L services, control events, and expand notifications, recent apps, and quick settings. Users can customize unread badges, choose a pure black theme, and select more page animations. The app is free, but users can purchase AUG L Pro to unlock all features.
Users can follow the tutorial or help section to understand how AUG L works. To communicate with the developer, users can send an email or use the contact and support feature. Users can edit the gestures based on their priority, select a feasible sensitivity of gesture on home, and grant device administrator permission for lock screen by using swipe/gesture action. However, due to Android policy updates, it is not possible to retrieve the unread count of SMS and missed calls.
5. Infinity Gestures
The app offers fluid gestures to users, such as “Swipe to Back,” which are available on all phones. Additionally, users can utilize the “Swipe and hold” feature to switch to the last app. All actions within the app are configurable, with the following actions available: Back, Home, Last app, Recent apps, Show notifications, Open Power Dialog, Launch Google Assistant, Launch Other Apps, Media Volume Control, Brightness Control, Toggle Split Screen, Screenshot, Lock Screen, Quick Settings, Auto rotate toggle, Keyboard Selector, and Tasker Task. More actions are expected to be added soon, with updates to the app.
To utilize the app successfully, users must enable the following settings: Accessibility settings, which are needed to perform back action programmatically; Display over other apps, which is necessary to display the MIUI 10 style handle; and Battery Optimizations, which are optional but recommended to ensure the app runs flawlessly.
6. Full Screen Gestures
The application offers a variety of features that can be accessed by swiping the edges of the device. This feature is especially convenient for devices that lack hard key buttons or have infinity displays.
The application provides several gestures that can be customized according to user preference. Users can swipe the left, right, and bottom edges of the device to perform actions. Additionally, the application can distinguish between two modes – near and far – when users perform a swipe gesture. Users can also customize the display, size and sensitivity of each gesture.
The swipe gestures can be used to perform a range of actions such as navigating to the home screen, navigating back, navigating recent actions, increasing or decreasing volume, switching between applications, opening the power menu, locking the screen, opening notifications, opening quick settings, capturing a screen, and accessing Google Now and Google Assistant.
If users encounter any issues while using the application, they are encouraged to provide feedback. The development team will review the feedback and update the application as soon as possible.
Users can contact the development team by sending an email to vnovamobile@gmail.com.
Overall, the application offers a range of customizable swipe gestures that can be used to perform various actions on the device. Users can provide feedback to the development team and contact them via email if needed.
The Android app “Navigation Gestures” helps users eliminate their navigation bar and utilize gesture-based navigation. This provides a more natural way to control smartphones. The app is beneficial to tech enthusiasts seeking the latest features, individuals with small hands or large smartphones, and those with broken hardware buttons or issues touching normal soft keys. The app has customizable sensor areas to accommodate different hand sizes.
The app allows for various gestures such as swipe up/left/right, short swipe up, double tap, and long tap. These gestures can be used to perform actions such as going back, accessing home screen, recent apps, notifications, quick settings, power dialog, multiwindow, Google assistant, and executing Tasker tasks. The app also has partially pro features including volume actions, brightness control, media control, and launching other apps.
The application uses accessibility services features to provide its functions, but it does not send any personal data to the developer or third parties. The app also uses the Device Administrator permission for the “Lock screen” function, which is optional. The developer encourages users to check out the donation/pro version if they like the free app.
The app has received positive reviews, and translations are available in Chinese, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Users can contact the developer for further questions or to help translate the app into other languages.
The Fluid N.G app is a navigation gestures app that requires ADB, root, or a supported device to run. The app is no longer being maintained but can give a fresh new look to a phone. The app is inspired by Breccia’s concept and allows two main gestures, Quick swipe and Swipe & Hold, which can be triggered from the bottom or side edges of the screen. The app has several actions that can be performed, such as Back, Home, Recent apps, Toggle split screen, Open notifications, Open power dialog, Open quick settings, Launch Google search overlay, Open keyboard selector, Voice Search, Launch assistant, Launch app, and Launch shortcut.
To set up the app, there is a built-in option to hide the software navigation keys, but it requires root access or a PC to grant the app permission. There are instructions available for setting up Android ADB on a PC, enabling Developer Mode in the Android settings, enabling USB Debugging, and running an adb command to grant permission. To restore the navigation keys, the FNG needs to be disabled or an ADB command needs to be run. There is also an open-source tool, called FluidNGPermissionGranter, available to easily grant the necessary permissions on Windows.
For those who want to translate the app to a native language, there is an option available on the app’s website. The app’s developers also encourage feedback through Twitter, Telegram Group, and Telegram Channel.
9. Gesture Magic
Gesture Magic is a mobile application that provides quick access to different device functions by drawing gestures on the app. It allows users to launch apps, make calls, send SMS, open websites, change system settings, and lock the screen.
To ensure user privacy, Gesture Magic does not collect any user information to share with third parties. As part of its permissions, the app uses the Device Administrator permission to request admin device permission to support lock screen. It also uses WRITE_SETTINGS to reduce screen timeout and show digital clock and support unlock by fingerprint after screen lock.
In case the Gesture Drawer does not appear, users are advised to clean the data of the Gesture Magic app or turn off and on the Gesture service. The app offers a Pro version without ads, which can be found at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gesture.action.paid.
10. X Home Bar – Free
This app is designed to give users the look and feel of an iPhone X home button, and can be used to replace a broken home button. The app adds a home button at the bottom of the screen, which can be activated by swiping up, left, or right. The available actions include Home, Recent apps, Back, and Pull down notification panel.
It is important to note that if the device has a navigation bar on the screen, the button will be above the navigation bar. The app uses the Device Administrator permission, with the only administrator policy used being “force-lock,” which is used to lock the device when the user has completed a selected action.
In terms of permissions, the app requires the Read Phone State permission to load applications list due to certain manufacturer limitations, and the Write Internal Storage permission to save screenshots in the device. Additionally, the app uses Accessibility services to start several actions, such as pulling down the notification panel, opening the power menu, and simulating back. These actions are intended to assist individuals who need to use their phone with one hand.