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Freedom251 › Blog › accessibility

How to Customize Android Quick Settings and Reorder Tiles

By Freedom251 Team · · 7 min read

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Swipe down twice from the top of your Android screen, tap Edit (or the edit icon), then add, remove, and drag tiles into the order you want. The exact editor and gestures vary by Android version and phone maker.

The quickest way to change Quick Settings

  1. Swipe down from the top of the screen twice. The second swipe opens the complete Quick Settings panel rather than the compact row.
  2. Tap Edit. Some phones show an edit pencil or another edit icon instead of the word.
  3. Use the editor’s add control to place an available setting in the panel, or the remove control to take out a tile you do not need.
  4. Drag tiles into a new position. Put the settings you reach for most often in the earliest, easiest-to-reach positions.

Google documents this general flow in Android Help’s “Change settings quickly on your Android phone” guide. Some of those instructions apply only to Android 13 and newer, and manufacturers can change the button labels, layout, and gesture behavior.

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Open the full panel before editing

Quick Settings normally starts as a compact strip. A single downward swipe may show only that strip, so the editor can appear to be missing if you stop there. Swipe down a second time to reveal all currently enabled tiles and the controls associated with the full panel.

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Once the full panel is visible, look for Edit. Depending on the phone, it can be a text button, a pencil, or another icon. The control may be placed near the bottom or top of the panel, so scan the entire expanded view rather than assuming it is beside a particular tile.

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Add or remove tiles

Adding a setting

In the editor, find the list of settings that are available but not currently displayed. Tap the add control for the setting you want. On Pixel phones, Google describes this area as Hold and drag to add tiles: touch and hold the tile, then drag it into the active-tile area. The exact wording on another manufacturer’s phone may differ.

Removing a setting

Select the remove control on a tile you no longer want in the panel. Pixel’s documented editor labels the destination Drag here to remove; touch and hold the tile and drag it there. Removing a tile from Quick Settings does not necessarily uninstall the related feature or app. Google also notes that some app-provided tiles can be added again later through the editor.

Choose a useful set, not every available tile

Quick Settings is most useful when it contains the actions you actually perform. Remove rarely used entries, keep frequently needed settings near the beginning, and leave specialized options available in the editor so they can be restored when needed. This is an organization choice rather than a different Android mode: the editor changes which shortcuts are shown, not the underlying settings themselves.

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Reorder tiles precisely

Drag a tile to the position where you want it to appear. Moving a tile earlier in the arrangement makes it reachable sooner in the expanded panel; moving a rarely used tile later keeps it available without giving it prime space.

If a drag does not start immediately, press and hold the tile before moving your finger. This is the explicit gesture in Google’s Pixel instructions, and it is also a useful first attempt on other touch interfaces. Release the tile only after the insertion position or removal area is highlighted.

Pixel’s documented drag areas

Pixel Phone Help shows two distinct destinations in its editor: drag available tiles upward from Hold and drag to add tiles, and drag unwanted active tiles downward to Drag here to remove. The complete Pixel procedure is documented in Google’s “Change settings quickly” Pixel guide.

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Resize tiles and reveal hidden icons

Google’s general Android instructions describe a size adjustment for some tiles. In the editor, drag the right side of a tile to the left to show only its icon, or to the right to show the setting name. Whether a particular tile supports this adjustment depends on the phone and tile implementation.

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A crowded panel can hide some enabled icons to save screen space. If you see a dot at the top of the screen, use it as a cue that additional enabled settings are not currently visible in the compact arrangement. Open the full panel and editor when you need to inspect the complete set rather than assuming a hidden tile was removed.

Set up accessibility shortcuts on Android 15 and newer

Android 15 and later add a documented route for certain accessibility features to appear as Quick Settings tiles. Go to Settings > Accessibility, select an eligible feature, and turn on Quick settings shortcut if that option is offered.

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Google lists examples including Color correction, Extra dim, Live Transcribe, Sound Amplifier, and Live Caption. The option is feature-specific: if Quick settings shortcut is not present for the feature you opened, that route does not make it a tile. After adding the shortcut, use the normal editor to position or remove it. See Google Accessibility Help’s “Find accessibility services in Quick Settings” for the documented path.

What changes with Android versions and phone makers?

Situation Documented behavior Practical implication
Android 13 and newer Some general Quick Settings editing instructions are documented for these versions. If a control is absent on an older release, the same steps may not apply.
Pixel phones The editor uses touch-and-hold dragging, with areas labeled “Hold and drag to add tiles” and “Drag here to remove.” Follow the Pixel-specific drag flow when the generic edit instructions do not match your screen.
Android 15 and newer accessibility features Eligible features can expose a “Quick settings shortcut” under Settings > Accessibility. Only features that offer that control can be added through this accessibility route.
Other Android phones Manufacturers can change the edit button, tile list, layout, and drag behavior. Use the phone maker’s instructions if the documented controls or labels are missing.

There is no single Quick Settings editor that looks identical on every Android phone. Android version, manufacturer software, and the tile itself can all affect what you see. Treat the steps above as the common path, then follow the labels on your device.

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Troubleshoot a missing or unresponsive editor

You cannot find Edit

  • Swipe down twice, not once, so the complete panel is open.
  • Look for an edit pencil or similar icon instead of the word Edit.
  • Check whether the phone is running an Android version for which the general instructions apply; Google identifies Android 13 and newer for some of these steps.
  • Consult the manufacturer’s instructions if the expanded panel has no edit control. The control’s location and design are not universal.

A tile is missing after you removed it

Open the editor and inspect the available-settings area. Use the add control to return the tile. On Pixel, touch and hold the tile in the add area and drag it upward into the active list.

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Dragging does nothing

  • Touch and hold before moving the tile; a quick tap normally opens or toggles a setting rather than starting a reorder.
  • Start the drag from the tile itself, not from an empty part of the panel.
  • On Pixel, move the tile toward the labeled add or remove area and release only when that destination is indicated.
  • If the phone uses a different editor, follow its on-screen labels because the drag zones may not match Pixel’s.

You see fewer icons than expected

Look for the dot at the top of the panel. Google says enabled settings can be hidden when available screen space is limited. Open the full panel or edit the tile size where supported instead of removing and re-adding settings unnecessarily.

An accessibility feature has no shortcut option

Open the feature under Settings > Accessibility and check for Quick settings shortcut. Google’s Android 15 documentation lists this option only for eligible features, so its absence means that feature cannot be converted through that route.

A practical layout for everyday use

Start with your actual routine

Write down the settings you reach for during a normal day, then place those tiles first. For example, a person who frequently changes a connection, adjusts visibility, or activates an accessibility aid should put those actions ahead of settings used only during occasional troubleshooting. The best order is personal; Android does not require a particular arrangement.

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Keep related actions together

Group settings that you tend to use in the same situation. A compact first group can handle routine changes, while less frequent controls can remain later in the list. This reduces scrolling without deleting useful options.

Use icon-only sizing selectively

Where a tile supports resizing, icon-only mode can fit more controls into the same space, while a labeled tile is easier to identify at a glance. Choose the format that reduces mistakes for the people using the phone; there is no need to make every tile the same size.

Final checklist

  • Open the complete panel with two downward swipes.
  • Find Edit or the device’s edit icon.
  • Add missing settings from the available list.
  • Remove tiles that are not useful in daily use.
  • Touch and hold before dragging, especially on Pixel.
  • Place the most-used tiles where they are easiest to reach.
  • Check for hidden icons if a dot appears at the top.
  • On Android 15 or newer, look under Settings > Accessibility for an eligible feature’s Quick settings shortcut.

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