Power Controls: Add Quick Toggles to Your Android Notification Bar

Why it was needed

Most manufacturers added quick toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS to their notification bars. Plain Android did not have this at the time. The writer had just moved to a Nexus and missed it. The power control widget existed, but the writer wanted the toggles available all the time in the notification bar.

The notification bar

The first feature switched on was a power control bar in the notification area. It behaves like a notification that cannot be dismissed, similar to a voicemail alert, and holds up to 8 toggles or shortcuts.

The writer had two small complaints. The GPS toggle opens the GPS settings and does not turn it on or off directly. The writer also wanted to add two bars, one for toggles and one for shortcuts.

A second use: a cleaner home screen

The writer kept the home screen tidy and relied on folders. A few apps still needed instant access, so a toggle bar of favourite apps gave 8 shortcuts in a 4 by 1 grid. That meant less clutter, and wrong taps were rare despite the small icons.

Verdict

The app is free, so there is no harm trying it if you want notification toggles or a decluttered home screen.