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How to Turn Your Phone's Screen On Just by Waving

Jun 19, 2015 08:33 PM
Aug 25, 2015 05:21 PM
A hand hovering over a smartphone on a wooden surface.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 includes a pretty nifty feature known as "Gesture wake up," which lets users wave their hand over their locked display to wake it, making those periodic notification checks from the lock screen a lot more simple than having to press the power or home key every time.

The only real bummer about this feature is the fact that non-Galaxy devices don't have it. But in true Android fashion, developers like Team Fluxion are making third-party apps that give us these native, device-specific features on any Android. So without any further delay, let's show you how to make your device's display turn on and off just by waving your hand.

Install Wake on Gesture

First, grab the app by Team Fluxion, appropriately titled Wake On Gesture. It's free, and works with most Android phones and OS versions.

Wake On Gesture app listing with installation option.

Activate Device Administrator

As soon as you launch Wake On Gesture, you'll be prompted to "Activate device administrator" in order to allow it to control when the screen locks. After activation, you will then be able to access its Settings.

"Prompt to activate device administrator for Wake-On Gesture application."
Settings menu for wake on gesture feature on a mobile device.
"Prompt to activate device administrator for Wake-On Gesture application."
Settings menu for wake on gesture feature on a mobile device.

Set Up Your Preferences

Within the Settings, you'll want to enable the app, then decide whether you want an ongoing notification for it, which will let you quickly toggle the service on and off.

There are also other features, such as "Pocket" (detects when the device is in your pocket) and "Flip Cover" (allows for third-party flip cover detection) that offer additional screen activation options, but only one can be applied to the device at a time.

Select "Multi Wave" to mimic the S6's Gesture Wake Up, then adjust the preferences to your liking. You can specify the number of waves needed and the delay between them. In my opinion, using one wave works the best, but to each their own.

Settings for Multi Wave gesture control on a device.

Once you've enabled the service and specified your preferences, try it out. The app will allow you to turn the screen on and off with a simple wave. You may have noticed that root feature labeled "Do just what my power button does," but after enabling and disabling it, I've noticed no difference in the app's behavior or the ability to turn the screen on and off.

How to Uninstall the Application

Because this app was activated as a Device administrator, you won't initially be able to uninstall it like any other app. To deactivate it, enter your system Settings and search for the Security preferences where you'll find "Device administrators." Toggle off Wake On Gesture and you'll be able to uninstall it like you normally would.

Device administrators settings screen with options for "Wake On Gesture" and "Android Device Manager."
Device administrator settings screen with an option to enable "Wake On Gesture" feature.
Device administrators settings screen with options for "Wake On Gesture" and "Android Device Manager."
Device administrator settings screen with an option to enable "Wake On Gesture" feature.

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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.

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