How do you use Android app shortcuts

Our smartphones may have gotten smarter and powerful, but they can also be cumbersome to use at times. In order to make navigation easier, Android offers shortcuts which appear when you long-press an app icon on your smartphone. If you have ever wondered how long-pressing an app icon on Android reveals a hidden menu, it is nothing but a powerful way to navigate your phone, and it is also a gateway to the world of Android app shortcuts.

Android app shortcuts: What you need to know

So, what are Android app shortcuts? Google first introduced app shortcuts with the release of Android 7.1, and the search giant has only improved the feature over the years. Android app shortcuts are designed to help Android smartphone users jump straight to specific actions within an app without opening it. I think they are nothing but mini-menus within a suite of menu items.

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Google perceived Android app shortcuts as clickable links to specific features or actions within an app. For example, when you long-press the camera app icon, you will get options such as Take a selfie or Record video. Whenever you need to take a selfie, instead of opening the camera app and then flicking on the switch to select the front camera, you can simply long-press the camera app and click on ‘Take a selfie’ for easier and faster access.

These quick actions are baked into the system, allowing app developers to take advantage of the feature and create custom actions. When you long-press WhatsApp, you will see quick links to New chat or one of your recent contacts, while Google Maps will show you options such as Home, Work, or Search nearby.

How to use Android app shortcuts

Now that you know about Android app shortcuts and how some apps already take advantage of the feature, here is how to use Android app shortcuts on your smartphone:

Step 1: Long-press an app icon by tapping and holding an app icon on your home screen or app drawer.

Step 2: A menu will pop up showing all the available shortcuts supported by the app.

Step 3: Once the menu appears, select the shortcut to launch it.

Step 4: If you see one of your frequently used shortcuts, you can pin it directly to your home screen. To do this, tap and hold the shortcut in the menu and drag it to your homescreen like you would with a regular app icon.

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Interestingly, these shortcuts don’t work only with your native Android system, but they also work with third-party apps and launchers. For example, Nova Launcher offers an option to customise shortcuts and gestures, while Activity Launcher offers an option to create shortcuts for deeper system settings.