One-handed mode is no longer an essential Android feature

One-handed mode is a common feature on large screen devices, and it’s set to become a core feature in Android 12, too. It’s essential for those with a smaller reach especially as smartphone screens have ballooned to just under seven inches. But how many of our readers bother using the mode?

It’s a question we posed in a recent poll. Read on for the results!

Do you use one-handed mode on your phone?

Results

We saw over 4,000 votes cast on this poll since it was published on August 31. Just under 78% of respondents don’t use their phone’s one-handed mode. However, just over 21% of voters claim to use the mode.

The tally is a little more one-sided than we thought it would be, but it’s understandable. Gestures, voice assistants, and UI design makes it easier to switch between tasks, apps, and menus. It’s likely that toggling between one-handed mode and using the full display is more tedious than either using two hands or, well, using the full screen. Of course, those using smaller devices probably don’t need a one-handed mode at all.

Not every phone brand has a one-handed mode, either. Current Google and OnePlus devices don’t include it, so this likely accounts for a portion of the vote, too.

Either way, our readers explain their rationale below.

Your results

• Varusal: Most UIs these days have gestures like pulling down the status bar by swiping down, etc. If you need to use the one-handed mode, then you should probably look for a smaller device.
• Ganindu: I’m using it when I wanted to do some with smartphone while I’m eating and hanging in train and bus. It’s a cool feature.
• Scott: I never understood the practicality point of “one-handed mode.” We’ve got quick switching between apps why would I want to have one app be tiny so a few moments while I type a quick reply?
• Cyco: No. I want the empty space at the top of apps to go away, not more of it.
• Stephan Richardson: My hands are large enough that I don’t need one-handed mode, so no.
• Konstantin Zolotov: Nope, it doesn’t actually help. These huge smartphones are uncomfortable to handle, it doesn’t matter if the picture is big or small.
• klok wert: No, because if I’m using navigation gestures, there isn’t any way to activate it
• Techngro: No I don’t. And, considering my phone has a 6.7″ screen, that’s a surprise even for me.
• Brian Fowler: No to the point where I literally don’t know if it’s an option on my phone (LG V60).

That’s it for this poll. Thanks for your votes and comments. If you have any additional thoughts on one-handed mode or the results of the poll, be sure to drop a comment down below.