System UI tuner expands status bar options with auto-rotate status symbol, clock, battery and more
System UI Tuner debuted in the Android M developer preview, and just under a year later it’s getting some cool new additions in the N version. It’s still enabled the same way: turn down the tint quick settings and hold the “settings” gear icon for a few seconds. After that, the system UI tuner option will appear in the main settings menu. We’ve already looked at the new Color Balance Calibration Tool and the return of Night Mode, as well as the new Quick Settings options, which are now exposed to the user by default. Let’s take a look at the new status bar options, some of which are new and some of which are carried over from Android M:
Auto-rotate screen
This one isn’t exactly straightforward: it shows or hides a spin icon on the right side of the status bar. If you’ve enabled auto-rotate in quick settings or elsewhere, the icon is not it appears, but if you have disabled it, it will show as an icon in portrait mode only on a phone. (Apparently the tablets will show a portrait or landscape lock.) If you leave this System UI Tuner option off, it won’t show up either way.
Helmet
When enabled, a headset icon will appear on the right side of the status bar if you plug in a standalone microphone or a wired mic/headset combo. Curiously, this option doesn’t seem to apply to a standard Bluetooth headset, which is handled by the Bluetooth icon itself.
Work profile
Presumably, this enables or disables an icon that appears when your Work security profile is activated by a geoproximity. Unfortunately, I can’t make it appear or disappear in this first developer preview.
Volume
This option enables or hides the icons that appear when your device is set to Vibrate or Alarms Only mode. If you have volume turned on, it won’t show up in any of the settings.
Drums
Battery Cell has three options: show percentage only when charging (default), always show percentage (my personal favorite), and an option that hides the battery icon entirely. In Android M it was just an on/off toggle.
Time
Again, users have three options here: a standard clock for hours and minutes, an extended version that also displays seconds, and completely hidden. Oddly enough, there’s no option for an AM or PM reading, although it does show up when you pull down the notification bar.
Cast, Hotspot, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Cellular Data, Airplane Mode and Alarm
All of these options simply enable or disable their relevant icons, assuming they are active in the first place. Disable them all and you can get a completely clean status bar…if you want.
Combine these options with the per-app notification settings in the Apps portion of the Settings menu, and Android N will let you make your status bar and notifications look more or less how you want.
Thank you: Tim Bremer
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