You told us: You only use a downward swipe on the home screen for one thing

One of the more underappreciated gestures is the ability to swipe downwards anywhere on the home screen, allowing you to either access your notification shade, device search menu, or app drawer. This differs from the downward swipe from the very top of the screen, which only activates the notification shade.

We wondered what you used this gesture for on your phone though, posting a poll earlier this week as a result. Here’s how you’ve answered this one.

What do you use a single swipe down the home screen for?

Results

We posted the poll on Tuesday, accruing over 1,200 votes at the time of writing. And it turns out that the vast majority of respondents (84.6%) say that they use the single downward swipe on the home screen for activating the notification shade.

This isn’t surprising at all, as many modern smartphones are rather tall, making it difficult to activate the notification shade from the very top. Reader comments note that this is also a handy solution for getting to quick settings in no time flat.

Almost 6% of polled readers say they don’t use the downward swipe down the home screen at all. This was followed closely by those who say they use the gesture to activate device search functionality, accounting for just over 5% of respondents.

Finally, just over 4% of polled readers say they use the gesture to activate something else. For what it’s worth, some Samsung phones use this gesture to activate the app drawer.

Comments

• Taaun: Default Samsung setting on Galaxy S10: application menu.
• RichSPK: It brings up device search on my tablet, but I didn’t know that until I read this poll. I don’t expect to use it, even now that I know.
• alex z: I have a Xiaomi MI 9, and I use left side swipe down which opens the notification shade and the right side swipe down which opens quick toggles (or however it’s called) the same as Iphones have.
• thomas: I also use it to expand “quick settings” , bluetooth etc… one down swipe instead of two.
• KBalaz: On my pixel I use it to get to settings quickly, bluetooth, wifi, flashlight, airplane mode, do not disturb.
• Albin: No surprise in the answer stats. Apart from notifications, I have six visible icons (Data, Wi-fi, DNDisturb, GPS, Bluetooth, and Moto Mod battery) along with the deeper toggles. My launcher permits swipe up opening a tabbed and labeled App Drawer (keeping the home screen clean for personal photos.)