How to use an Android phone with one hand

You're holding a handrail, and the app you're in has put its Back arrow in the top corner, the one spot your thumb can't get to. Android already has several answers to this, and you may not need to install anything.

Here's the order I'd try them in, from least setup to most. Menu names differ between brands and Android versions, so where I give a path, treat it as a starting point. The search box at the top of Settings usually gets you there faster.

Spend one minute moving things first

If you browse in Chrome, move the address bar to the bottom. Touch and hold it, then tap the option to move it. It stays at the top in landscape, but in portrait you've just removed one long stretch from every web search, and nothing about it gets in your way afterwards.

The keyboard is the other quick one. On Samsung Keyboard it's under Settings, General management, Samsung Keyboard settings, Mode, where the one-handed option pushes the keys to one side. On a recent Pixel, Gboard has it under Settings, System, Keyboard, Keyboard apps, Gboard, Preferences. The keys get smaller, so you may make more typos at first.

Try one-handed mode next

This is the one I'd try first for the Back arrow problem, because it's built into recent versions of Android. You find it by searching Settings for "One-handed mode", and it pulls the top half of the screen down to where your thumb is.

Samsung does it differently. Under Settings, Advanced features, One-handed mode, it shrinks the whole display instead, and you can move the smaller window around. Motorola lets you choose whether the swipe pulls the screen down or shows notifications.

It has two annoyances. Each reach becomes a round trip: swipe down near the bottom edge, tap the thing, carry on. And the swipe starts in a narrow strip at the very edge of the glass, which is a fiddly place to aim. Samsung also warns that some features won't work while it's on, and the display goes back to full size when the screen turns off.

Get notifications without the stretch

Notifications are probably the most common reason to reach the top, so check whether your phone has a shortcut. On a Pixel with a fingerprint sensor you can swipe down on the sensor, and Quick Tap can show notifications when you double-tap the back of the phone. Both are Pixel features. On other brands, look in the Gestures section of Settings and see what's there. I wouldn't assume anything from one brand carries over to another.

The Accessibility Menu is for buttons, not for reach

Google's Accessibility Menu is a large on-screen panel for the things you'd otherwise reach for or press: screenshots, lock, volume, brightness, Quick Settings and notifications. Turn it on under Settings, Accessibility, Accessibility Menu.

The catch is that its default shortcut can be a two-finger swipe up, which is a strange thing to ask of someone with one free thumb. Tap Customize and pick a button instead.

It also won't press the Send button at the top of your email. For that you need a cursor or your voice.

If you have a Galaxy, look at Samsung's menu before anything else

Samsung's Assistant menu is the most underrated option here. It's under Settings, Accessibility, Interaction and dexterity. As well as the usual Back, Home and screenshot buttons, it has a circular touchpad for scrolling, and a Cursor option that uses a touchpad to reach any part of the screen. That's a built-in pointer, so a Galaxy owner should try it before installing a cursor app. It lives inside a menu, so expect some extra tapping before you can point at anything.

Samsung's other tool is One Hand Operation +, a free download that adds thin handles to the sides of the screen. You swipe a handle to go Back or Home, open notifications, pull the screen down or launch an app. If what you want is quick access to a few fixed actions, this is hard to beat. Samsung's own listing warns that the handles can interfere with apps, and suggests keeping them thin and excluding apps where they get in the way.

Voice Access, when touch is the problem

Voice Access is a download from Google that controls the whole phone by speech. You can say "Scroll down", "Go back" or "Tap compose", and "Show numbers" labels the screen so you can pick items by number.

It's the only option here that needs no reach at all. It's also the one you're least likely to use on a crowded bus. It covers seven languages for now, and Google's troubleshooting page tells you to check your internet connection if it isn't recognising commands.

Apps, if none of that is enough

Cursor apps put a pointer on screen that you steer from the bottom. Quick Cursor is the established one: you swipe in from the edge to grab a cursor. It's free without ads, with a paid Pro version.

These apps need Android's accessibility permission, and that deserves some thought. Google says an app with it can read your screen and interact with apps on your behalf, and advises allowing restricted settings only if you trust the developer. Read the privacy details before you switch one on.

I make one of these too, Thumb Arc, which puts a small pad with a cursor, two buttons and a scroll ring in the corner. It's still in testing and has only been properly tested on one phone. You can try the pad in your browser, or read about it on its page.