One of the novelties of Android 11 It allows manage connected devices from one place and with easy access: The device controls screen is extremely useful. And it can be customized to taste and according to the needs of each user, we will show you how.
With the update to Android 11 Google introduced an accessible screen with hold down the power button where not only the reset buttons appear, also the means of payment and the most important controls for each user. These controls are customizable: they allow you to set from the lighting of a light bulb to the management of the thermostat. To do this, simply follow a series of configurations; In addition to having the mobile updated to Android 11, of course.
Have the most important household controls close at hand
If you are one of those who have several connected devices in your home, surely you usually organize their control to access them comfortably. For example, Google Home is very useful for this since, thanks to Assistant, allows you to manage from speakers connected to bulbs, vacuum cleaners or blinds. The number of brands that offer compatibility with Google Assistant is huge. And the most important accesses can also be placed on the device controls screen.
To access the aforementioned device controls, you must press and hold the power button on a mobile that has already updated to Android 11 (or that starts from series with this system). You should jump to a screen with various centralized functions; Among them the one that interests us, the direct management of the most important devices. By default the system chooses a series of them, but they may not be the ones you need the most. Or you want to change them, that’s what your phone is for.
To configure device control it is recommended that you have added to Google Assistant those you need. For it:
- Download the Google Home app to your mobile. It is the one that will allow you to integrate smart devices with Assistant.
- Open the app, log in with your Google account and all the devices that you have already registered will appear (speakers, thermostats, switchboards …). In the event that you do not have any added, or if you want to incorporate a new device, click on the ‘+’ in the upper left corner.
- Click on ‘Configure device’ and choose what you want: or new (if it is a Google device) or ‘Works with Google’ if you want to incorporate a service compatible with Assistant (Xiaomi Mi Home, Phillips Hue, Netatmo …).
- Find the device or service you want to configure. Once found, you will have to log in (if requested by the service) and follow the registration process. When you perform the steps, you will have configured the device with Assistant (to control it by voice) and it will be incorporated into the Google Home app (to use the touch controls).
The above process is for add smart devices to Google Assistant and to your mobile through the Home app. Now it’s time to customize the Android 11 device controls:
- Hold down the power button until the desired screen pops up. You must have previously unlocked the phone.
- You will see that the screen shows the controls of your connected devices at the bottom: click on the three menu points, just above these controls (there is a second menu for mobile payments, not that one).
- Choose ‘Edit controls‘to change the ones that already exist. In the event that Android 11 has not chosen all the ones you need, you can incorporate others with the option ‘Add controls‘.
- If you want to add new buttons, you will have the option to put more accesses by checking the corresponding box: Android 11 will offer you all the available devices grouped by the room where they were registered.
- Support for apps outside of Google Home becomes available: You can see which ones you have on your mobile from the option ‘See other applications’, in the lower area of the ‘Add controls’ menu.
- In case you want to edit the controls that are already added, you just have to click on the corresponding menu and then drag the cards until they occupy the position you want. If you uncheck a control it will be removed (The device will still be on your account, but the quick button will not appear on the device controls.)
The device controls screen is one of the best new features of Android 11. It is very useful to quickly access mobile payments (especially if you want to pay with a different card than the default one), also to manage a connected device without having to enter to your application. Turn off the light with one push, turn on the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine… Android 11 combines perfectly with the demotic.
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The news
How to customize device controls in Android 11
was originally published in
Xataka Android
by
Ivan Linares
.
