Android 11 had brought a refreshing new way to control the media app straight from the notification drop-down panel (quick settings). Although the unified interface was updated continually, getting the added ability to swipe away these controls when you’re done listening, there was no way to choose which apps had access to the quick settings panel.
The Android 12 Developer Preview 1 gives us a peek at how Google has attempted to address that shortcoming. Here’s a quick look at how you can choose which media apps have access to the quick settings panel in Android 12.
Related: How To Hide Selfie Camera on Android 12 on Pixel 4a and 5
Configure media app access to Quick Setting
Previously, any app that could play music or video ended up in the Quick Settings panel. Though seemingly convenient at first, the unnecessary media apps in the quick settings could easily crowd out the apps that you really wanted to have controls to.
If you had multiple apps that were turned on for media playback, all of them ended up being in the quick settings panel (the slide dots highlighting exactly how many there are).
Thankfully, Android 12 is going to give you additional options that will let you choose exactly which apps can end up in the quick settings panel.
Here’s how you can access it if you already have Developer Preview 1 (and what you can expect in the stable version later in the year).
Go to the Settings app and tap on Sound and Vibration.
Tap on Media.
Here, under “Allowed Apps”, you will see all the apps on your device that can have access to the Quick Settings panel. All of them are turned on by default.
Toggle off the ones that you don’t want showing up in Quick Settings.
Now, no unnecessary media apps will turn up in the Quick Settings panel.
You can also completely disable the media player in Quick Settings by toggling the switch on or off.
Of the many changes and improvements that have been dangled in front of us by Android 12 Developer Preview 1, this is one of the crucial ones that will clear the clutter in the Quick Settings panel. Stay tuned for more Android 12 updates as we dig through Developer Preview 1.
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