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How to Make Any Android Device Easier to Use with One Hand

Apr 21, 2015 05:33 PM

Apr 21, 2015 05:37 PM

Person using a smartphone to browse a website.

Our hands aren't necessarily getting any bigger, but smartphones still seem to be getting larger and larger. With average cell phone display sizes nearly doubling since 2007 (leading to new terminology like "phablet"), reaching all corners of a screen can become nearly impossible with one hand.

Average smartphone screen size (in inches) from 2007 to 2014.

Granted, most larger devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4 come with a one-handed option to make navigating easier, but other popular devices like the Nexus 6 don't. While it may seem like you're out of luck if your device doesn't include this feature, today I'll show you how to make any Android device ready for one-handed usage.

Get the Prerequisites Out of the Way

In order for this process to work, be sure to root your device and install the Xposed Framework.

Install One-Handed Mode

Using the Xposed Installer application, download and install the mod named One-Handed Mode for all devices from developer Hamzah Malik. Once installed, make sure to properly activate the module.

How to Make Any Android Device Easier to Use with One Hand

Adjust Your Margins

Open the module's interface, accessible through your app drawer under "OneHand Mode." Through the settings, you can select to adjust the margins for apps and for the notification tray.

OneHand Mode interface options on a mobile device.

Settings interface for adjusting the layout of an application, including options for height and width.

I suggest by starting small, as entering a larger value can ruin the display and make it difficult to revert back to normal.

Abstract smartphone home screen with colorful circular patterns and app icons.

Add the Widget

By applying the OneHand Mode widget to your home screen, you can seamlessly toggle the mod on or off—either the apps, the notification tray, or both.

Smartphone home screen displaying app icons and a colorful design.

Additional Options

Selecting the "Settings" of the app will also provide you with additional options, like adjusting the notification toggle or selecting a color for the border of your adjusted margins.

Settings menu with options for toggling notifications and displaying app activities.

Google Play Store interface displaying updated games and apps.

Not only will this mod make one-hand mode possible for any Android device, it can be adjusted any way you like, in case the existing one-handed mode you have isn't the way you want it.

Make sure to follow Android Hacks over on Facebook and Twitter, or Gadget Hacks over on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, for more Android tips.

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.