Help Moto G6 home screen bottom Circle, Square and Delta gone missing

[Rob Henerey]

A few days ago my Moto G6 updated from Android 8 to Android 9, and:
My Home screen bottom controls on the G6, the circle, square and delta, went missing, and I want them back! What happened was - when I wanted to quit out of an app the Square (and then the X) stopped working. The Square would only bring a shrunken image of the app, I think a Moto 'feature', but there was no X to quit the app. So I fooled around with some setting or other

and now I just have a Horizontal line down there where the Circle, Square and Delta used to be. That Line does do some things, but not what I want, and no Quit X. Help!

 

[Steven58]

Sadly it's probably the update. Moto went over google nav symbols? If I'm right, then root is the only way to go, and only if a dev has written something for this. Good luck.

 

[Rob Henerey]

Sadly it's probably the update. Moto went over google nav symbols? If I'm right, then root is the only way to go, and only if a dev has written something for this. Good luck.

Do you mean this horizontal line _________________ swiper thingy is standard on Android 9? Somehow I don't think it's a Moto feature overwriting the home screen. I've looked through all the Settings including the Moto ones and see nothing.

 

[Steven58]

Sadly it's probably the update. Moto went over google nav symbols?

Do you mean this horizontal line _________________ swiper thingy is standard on Android 9? Somehow I don't think it's a Moto feature overwriting the home screen. I've looked through all the Settings including the Moto ones and see nothing.

Sorry, I meant that google overwrote moto, as a possibility.

 

[GameTheory]

Do you mean this horizontal line _________________ swiper thingy is standard on Android 9? Somehow I don't think it's a Moto feature overwriting the home screen. I've looked through all the Settings including the Moto ones and see nothing.

Yes that's the new standard gesture navigation for android 9+. You can disable gesture nav in the settings to get the circle, triangle, and square back.
https://www.androidcentral.com/how-enable-android-p-gesture-navigation-system

 

[MoodyBlues]

My Home screen bottom controls on the G6, the circle, square and delta, went missing, and I want them back!

So would I! I'm still on Oreo, and glad my Moto Z² Force Edition won't be updated to Pie. I've heard a few horror stories--yours isn't the first.

Have you tried restarting your phone? That may shake out any gremlins that may have hung around from the update.

Can you post a screenshot of the horizontal bar? Maybe other people on 9 can confirm whether it should/shouldn't be there. (I don't recall seeing any other mention of it, so my guess is that it's not normal.)

Worst case scenario: make sure you have good backups and then do a factory reset.

Oh, are you using the stock launcher or a different one? I don't think launchers have any control of what we're discussing, but I still wonder if trying a different launcher would help. (My favorite is the paid version of ADW Launcher 2; everyone else will say Nova.)

Just tossing out ideas...

 

[Rob Henerey]

Yes that's the new standard gesture navigation for android 9+. You can disable gesture nav in the settings to get the circle, triangle, and square back.
https://www.androidcentral.com/how-enable-android-p-gesture-navigation-system

Thanks, in theory this should be the Best answer. However, when I go into Settings/System/Gestures all I see there are "Double press power key" and "Prevent ringing" - none of the others.

 

[Rob Henerey]

Have you tried restarting your phone?

Yes, didn't help.

Can you post a screenshot of the horizontal bar?

Here

Worst case scenario: make sure you have good backups and then do a factory reset.

Aarrgg. I see the phone is set for Backups, with various things listed, but don't see anything pertinent to this. Wouldn't a reset at this point just bring back this And 9 with no way out?

Oh, are you using the stock launcher or a different one?

Back when I was trying lots of launchers I settled on the Microsoft one, being a 17-year 'doze user. I tried it to fix this, didn't help. Now I know this new thing is just default Android 9, but as you can see I don't find a way to revert. Gee thanks Google.

 

[Rob Henerey]

just called Moto support 1-800-734-5870, very helpful if not fluent. The FIX is in the Moto app/Features/Actions/One Button Nav turn off. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[Rob Henerey]

Whoops, spoke too soon. Yes I now have the 3 buttons, but going to recents each App is shrunken and bringing it up full provides no X to close the app.

 

[GameTheory]

just called Moto support 1-800-734-5870, very helpful if not fluent. The FIX is in the Moto app/Features/Actions/One Button Nav turn off. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Looks like Motorola moved it to their own app. That's good to know since I just ordered a new Moto phone with android 9. Thanks for sharing.

Whoops, spoke too soon. Yes I now have the 3 buttons, but going to recents each App is shrunken and bringing it up full provides no X to close the app.

I had installed android 9 on one of my phones for about a week and remember closing the app by swiping it up off the screen. It's been a while, but I remember something like that. Just keep in mind that as of android 9, actions are gesture based.

 

[Rob Henerey]

Thanks. I guess you mean that swiping an app UP closes it out of memory, like the old X did, right?

Please excuse my ignorance. Social people could just ask their coffee shop neighbors or co-workers "hey, what's this". But I'm an old loner with no one to ask except like here online. When Google foists a whole-system update on users do they send a link with a tutorial about the changes? I've never gotten a thing from G, despite being on Gmail since around 2004.

 

[GameTheory]

Thanks. I guess you mean that swiping an app UP closes it out of memory, like the old X did, right?

Yep, you got it.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Just keep in mind that as of android 9, actions are gesture based.

Why...WHY? Why must they make a change like that and [apparently] not offer an option to revert back to what you're used to?!

Personally, I'm just not into gestures. If you look in my launcher's gesture options, you'll see that I have -none- set to do anything.

I LIKE the X to close apps, damn it!

 

[GameTheory]

Why...WHY? Why must they make a change like that and [apparently] not offer an option to revert back to what you're used to?!

Personally, I'm just not into gestures. If you look in my launcher's gesture options, you'll see that I have -none- set to do anything.

I LIKE the X to close apps, damn it!

You can revert back most of it with one or two exceptions.

People will be divided on things as always...

I never use the X on pre android 9. I swipe them to the side or hit the clear all. So android 9 is the same experience for me. I prefer 9+ much more than 8-. In about a week I'll be on 9 and then 10 with the update. Can't wait.

 

[GameTheory]

Please excuse my ignorance. Social people could just ask their coffee shop neighbors or co-workers "hey, what's this". But I'm an old loner with no one to ask except like here online. When Google foists a whole-system update on users do they send a link with a tutorial about the changes? I've never gotten a thing from G, despite being on Gmail since around 2004.

Yes, google has their android website where you can learn about and follow each new android version...
https://www.android.com/versions/pie-9-0/

Then there's also websites like AndroidForums with folks that have experience with the different android versions and share their knowledge. This has the added benefit of being part of a community and hanging out with some nice folks of all ages and walks of life. Hope you stick around.

 

[Rob Henerey]

Why...WHY? Why must they make a change like that and [apparently] not offer an option to revert back to what you're used to?!

Personally, I'm just not into gestures. If you look in my launcher's gesture options, you'll see that I have -none- set to do anything.

I LIKE the X to close apps, damn it!

i've got a gesture for them, the one finger salute.

 

[MoodyBlues]

i've got a gesture for them, the one finger salute.

There you go! Sounds good to me.