The Android Quick Settings panel is one of the most frequently accessed areas of the operating system, allowing you to toggle Wi-Fi, turn on the flashlight, adjust Bluetooth devices, and engage airplane mode in seconds. However, as you install new applications, the Quick Settings drawer can accumulate dozens of redundant tiles while your most essential tools remain buried across multiple pages. Customising your tiles ensures your most critical shortcuts are reachable with a single downward swipe.
Accessing the Quick Settings Editor
Modifying your tile layout on Android takes just a couple of taps from any screen:
- Swipe down once from the top edge of your screen to reveal the notification shade and top quick toggles.
- Swipe down a second time to fully expand the full Quick Settings tray.
- Look for the Edit button (represented by a pencil icon or three vertical dots > Edit tiles depending on your device manufacturer).
- The screen will split into two sections: active tiles currently displayed in your drawer at the top, and available inactive tiles at the bottom.
Rearranging, Adding, and Removing Tiles
Organise your controls by dragging items between the active and inactive sections:
- Moving Tiles: Tap, hold, and drag any active tile to reposition it. The first four tiles (or first six on certain skins) represent your primary row, meaning they are immediately clickable after a single partial swipe.
- Adding New Tiles: Scroll down to the Hold and drag to add tiles section. Press and hold any useful utility—such as Hotspot, Do Not Disturb, QR Code Scanner, or Screen Record—and drag it upward into your active grid.
- Removing Unused Tiles: Press and hold tiles you rarely touch (such as Nearby Share or Bedtime Mode) and drag them down into the inactive tray.
- When finished organising, tap the back arrow in the top-left corner or tap Done.
Third-Party App Quick Settings Integrations
Many popular Android applications automatically provide custom Quick Settings tiles when installed. For example, password managers offer quick-lock toggles, VPN services provide one-tap connect buttons, and note-taking apps allow instant voice memo recording. When in the edit menu, scroll to the bottom of the tile repository to discover custom tools provided by your installed software.
Resetting Quick Settings to Default
If you ever find your rearranged layout inconvenient or wish to restore factory settings:
- Open the Quick Settings edit screen.
- Tap the three vertical dots menu in the top-right corner.
- Select Reset.
- Your tiles will instantly revert to the original out-of-the-box configuration.