Google working on predictive back gestures to improve Android

Many Android users have had an issue with the platform's back gesture. It often takes them back a page, back through menus, or back to the home screen when all they wanted to do is swipe left or right. Google has worked on this for some time and it might finally have a solution that developers can employ to make this gesture less of a problem for users of their apps.

At Google I/O 2022, which kicks off Wednesday, May 11th and ends the next day, one of the events is called "Back to the basics of System Back," and will be held Thursday, May 12th, at 9 am PT/12 noon ET. With the listing of the event Google wrote, "Discover how the future of Android will help you create predictive back navigation along with satisfying animations."

In other words, Google appears to be working on "predictive back navigation" which sounds like some feature that would jive perfectly with Google's work on AI and Machine Learning. Perhaps over time, Android will learn what your intent is when you use the back gesture based on previous use of the navigation. This sounds quite promising and we are certain to learn more about it at the I/O developer conference.

This writer has accidentally set off the back gesture several times when the intent was just to swipe to the left and if this has happened to you, you know how aggravating it can be. There is often a thin line between having the back gesture work like it should or using the gesture and going back a page by accident. When full gesture navigation debuted on Android 10, some users were so frustrated with the back gesture that they decided to use the three-button navigation instead.

Users can still return to three-button navigation by going to Settings > System > Gestures > System Navigation. You'll be given two options, Gesture navigation or 3-button navigation. If you are having problems now with the back gesture and are so frustrated that you can't wait for Google to announce an improvement, you can adjust the sensitivity of the back navigation in order for it to work like it should.

This can be done by going to Settings > System > Gestures > System Navigation. Tap on the Settings gear icon that is under the System navigation heading and you'll see a sliding scale that will make the sensitivity of the gesture lower or higher for both the left and right edge (by default it is set exactly in the middle).

You can play around with the sliding scale to see if you can find a placement that will accommodate you. Keep in mind that if you have the back gesture less sensitive. If you are accidentally setting off the back gesture too many times when all you wanted to do was swipe left or right, drag the slider toward low. On the Pixel models you will see separate sliders for left and right edges so you can control the sensitivity of slide out menus that are om the left edge or the right edge.

Most Android users would never dream of returning to the three-button navigation once they have left it for the gestures. To even consider such a thing, you would have to have had an extremely frustrating time using the back gesture.

You can watch Google I/O streaming live on YouTube, but it can also be viewed on Phone Arena by tapping on the link in this sentence.