How to get 3-button navigation on Android 10

Android 10

Over the last couple of years, we have seen Google slowly pushing users towards adapting full-screen navigational gestures. The six Android 10 beta updates gave users an idea of what to expect, and we are seeing the same in the final, stable release.

As part of the new gesture navigation system, the entire left and right sides of the screen are now dedicated to taking you back to the previous page. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go to your Home screen, while swiping up and holding takes you to the app switcher page.

If the new set of gestures seems too cumbersome, you can always go back to the super friendly three-button navigation system.

When will Android 10 release for Motorola phones

How to get Home, Back and Recents key on Android 10

When you switch back to the good old 3-button navigation system on Android 10, you will get back your ever-available Back, Home, and Recents keys.

Here’s a GIF showing how you can get the 3-button navigation system back, but for the step-by-step guide, look below the GIF.

Get 3-button navigation on Android 10

Step-by-step guide to get the 3-button navigation back:

Step 1: Go to Settings. Scroll down and tap System.

Step 2: Tap Gestures.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap System Navigation.

Step 4: Tap 3-button navigation at the bottom.

That’s it!

You can also opt for the 2-button navigation option that was introduced by Google on Android 9 Pie. Here, you get the back key and Home key, but not the Recents key. You get to Recents overview by swiping up on the Home key.

Despite Google switch to 2-button navigation about a year ago, OEMs like Samsung didn’t make it their choice of navigation system. Likewise, Samsung may avoid the Gestures system by default on One UI 2.0 Android 10 update too, in which case, you will have the 3 buttons already available, unchanged.


What are your thoughts on Android 10 update?

RELATED

Posted by
Sushan

A mediocre engineer hoping to do something extraordinary with his pen (well, keyboard). Loves Pink Floyd, lives football, and is always up for a cup of Americano.

4 Comments

  1. I don’t like the updates on my norda10 . I’m not liking lot of the changes on the 5g phones it not ready for me(being) from older generation I’m not computer r literite anyways. Simple works for me. Lol for

  2. Learning about features on my first smartphone. In setting up some gestures, it said it would have to turn off the three-finger feature. I said yes, not realizing what it meant. After struggling and stumbling around I searched on my laptop and found this post. I am eternally grateful for your clear, accurate instructions on what to do. With gratiturde, Karl.

  3. I agree with Cathy and Karl. 3 buttons have worked very well.
    Why would brilliant engineers want to trick us into choosing Gestures without explaining what we would be losing: control over our phones!
    A “Fanfare for the common man” is in order for you, Sushan!
    Give me a well functioning “mediocre” engineer instead of a ‘brilliant’ one who breaks things on purpose.

  4. I was trying to adapt to this, but I like to read books on my phone. I kept closing the app when I was just trying to turn the page. The three button system works fine

Comments are closed.