what you need to know
- In the second developer preview of Android 15, users can choose to pin or hide the taskbar on large-screen Pixel devices.
- This option marks the return of the Android 12L-style taskbar, which has always been at the bottom of the screen.
- Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet users can now use the persistent taskbar for multitasking or the hidden taskbar for extra screen real estate.
Google released the second developer preview of Android 15 last week, which includes a change that will benefit owners of Google Pixel Fold or Pixel tablets.
Now that the company makes some large-screen devices, Google has been rapidly optimizing Android to accommodate larger displays. Part of that effort includes adding a taskbar as a way to quickly launch apps and multitask from anywhere in Android, and starting with Android 15 DP2, users can choose between a pinned or floating taskbar.
The taskbar has changed a lot since its introduction a few years ago. In Android 12L, it’s a permanent fixture on the bottom of large Android devices. When the user opens other applications, it remains on the screen, taking up the total available screen space. That’s why Google reversed course in Android 13, turning the taskbar into a floating oval that can be shown or hidden as needed. However, there was never a way to choose between these taskbar variants.
That is, until now. Mishaal Rahman, Android expert at Android Authority, first noticed the option to choose a taskbar style in Android 15 DP2.After clicking and holding an empty area on the taskbar, a new Always show taskbar A switch will appear. There is a toggle next to it, and clicking the toggle will convert the windowed taskbar to a pinned taskbar.
While the Android 15 DP2 version of the floating taskbar is visually updated with the new Android design language, it’s functionally more or less the same as the older version.
Android 15 DP2 finally adds the Taskbar Pin feature that I first discovered in Android 14 Beta 3! This feature allows Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet users to revert to the old, persistent taskbar style introduced in Android 12L. More details 👇 https://t.co/Upo1d7tQ5zMarch 22, 2024
There are clear benefits to using each version of the taskbar. The pinned taskbar option makes it easier to launch new applications, create multitasking views, and switch between active applications. On the other hand, a floating taskbar gives you more screen space to fill with Android apps. The good thing about the Android 15 DP2 changes is that Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet users can now choose their favorite version of the taskbar.