How to use one-handed mode on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › System › Gestures

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open One-handed mode

   Open Settings, tap System, then Gestures. One-handed mode is in the list; ours said Off. Google says you can also search Settings for One-handed mode.

   Done

2. 

   Turn on Use one-handed mode

   The page says it pulls down the top half of your screen so that it's easier to reach with one hand. Turn on Use one-handed mode.

   Done

3. 

   Choose what the swipe does

   Under Swipe down to, pick Pull screen into reach (the top of the screen moves into reach of your thumb) or Show notifications (notifications and settings appear). We kept Pull screen into reach.

   Done

4. 

   Swipe down on the bottom edge

   Make a short swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen. On ours the whole screen moved down and the top said Using one-handed mode. To get out of it, the screen says to swipe up from the bottom of the screen or tap anywhere above the app.

   Done

5. 

   Turn it off again

   To stop it, go back to the One-handed mode page and turn off Use one-handed mode. We did. With the switch off, the Swipe down to choices are greyed out.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Not under Gestures? Google's steps don't name a menu: open Settings, search for One-handed mode and turn on Use one-handed mode. Source: Use one-handed mode
• Looking under Accessibility? Google lists one-handed mode in its Android Accessibility help and says you can add it to Quick Settings as an accessibility shortcut. On our Redmi with HyperOS 3, it is under Accessibility, General. Source: Use one-handed mode

If this does not work

• The swipe doesn't work? Check that Use one-handed mode is on, and swipe down on the very bottom edge, not in the middle of the screen.
• Notifications came down instead? Swipe down to is set to Show notifications. Pick Pull screen into reach on the One-handed mode page.
• Text still too small to reach comfortably? Make everything bigger: how to change text and display size on a Google Pixel.

About this guide

On a big phone the top of the screen is hard to reach with your thumb. One-handed mode brings it down.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. We turned it on, tried it and turned it off again.

Good to know

Under Options at the bottom of the page, One-handed mode shortcut was Off on ours. We didn't open it.

Prefer buttons at the bottom? See how to switch to 3-button navigation.

Other gestures on the same list: Quick Tap and other gestures.

In short: Settings, System, Gestures, One-handed mode: Use one-handed mode on, then swipe down on the bottom edge.