I am setting up a new device with Android 16, Android programmers seem to have reached the sane state as Windows programmers, fiddling round hiding things because they are bored.
Can anybody help with:
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can turn it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I just can't see how to get rid of it.
Changing the order of home screens, I used to be able to give a long press on a home screen and then change the order, I can't see how to do that now.
Stop odd app icons appearing at the bottom of the home screen, I used to
be able to turn that off but can't find that option now.
Is there any way to bring the old navigation marker back? I can get to places by wiping upwards on the screen but I can's see what apps are running.
Any help much appreciated :-)
Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
I am setting up a new device with Android 16, Android programmers seem to >>have reached the sane state as Windows programmers, fiddling round hiding >>things because they are bored.
Can anybody help with:
First tell us which brand and model you have, then we might be able to
help.
What you're asking is probably brand/model dependent, because most
(all?) what you're asking is no problem on my Samsung Galaxy A56 (also
with Android 16).
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can turn >>it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I >>just can't see how to get rid of it.
Which "Google' box? The search one (wide ellips form box) or the
news one (which has 'news' items you can doomscroll) or yet another? >Remember, 'Google' is many different things.
Changing the order of home screens, I used to be able to give a long press >>on a home screen and then change the order, I can't see how to do that >>now.
Stop odd app icons appearing at the bottom of the home screen, I used to
be able to turn that off but can't find that option now.
Is there any way to bring the old navigation marker back? I can get to >>places by wiping upwards on the screen but I can's see what apps are >>running.
Jeff Gaines wrote:
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can >>turn it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in >>16 I just can't see how to get rid of it.
You'll probably need to install a 3rd party launcher
Changing the order of home screens, I used to be able to give a long >>press on a home screen and then change the order, I can't see how to do >>that now.
I never remember being able to do that, again find a launcher that allows
it
Stop odd app icons appearing at the bottom of the home screen, I used to >>be able to turn that off but can't find that option now.
Normally they appear after installing apps, there's a setting "add new
apps to home screen" search for that within settings
Is there any way to bring the old navigation marker back? I can get to >>places by wiping upwards on the screen but I can's see what apps are >>running.
turn off gesture navigation, again search in settings for for gesture or >navigation
Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:[...]
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can turn it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I just can't see how to get rid of it.
*Which* "Google' box? The *search* one (wide ellips form box) or the
*news* one (which has 'news' items you can doomscroll) or yet another? Remember, 'Google' is many different things.
On 11/09/2026 in message <1181k4b.848.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net>[...]
Frank Slootweg wrote:
First tell us which brand and model you have, then we might be able to
help.
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM + 16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
What you're asking is probably brand/model dependent, because most
(all?) what you're asking is no problem on my Samsung Galaxy A56 (also
with Android 16).
It is supposed to be vanilla Android without anything like MUI sitting on top of it.
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can turn >>it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I >>just can't see how to get rid of it.
Which "Google' box? The search one (wide ellips form box) or the
news one (which has 'news' items you can doomscroll) or yet another? >Remember, 'Google' is many different things.
It's the search box, no idea why it has pride of place
Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
On 11/09/2026 in message <1181k4b.848.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net>[...]
Frank Slootweg wrote:
First tell us which brand and model you have, then we might be able to
help.
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM + >> 16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
OK. Can't help with that one. A bit out of the ordinary. Perhaps
someone else can help.
What you're asking is probably brand/model dependent, because most
(all?) what you're asking is no problem on my Samsung Galaxy A56 (also
with Android 16).
It is supposed to be vanilla Android without anything like MUI sitting on >> top of it.
As far as the 'launcher' ('MUI' in your case?) and (general)
'Settings' are concerned, there is no such thing as "vanilla
Android".
Samsung phones are different from Motorola phones which are different
from (Google) Pixel phones, etc., ad infinitum.
So for all configuration/settings/UI/etc. questions, you always need
to mention the brand and model (and Android version, which you did
mention).
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can turn >> >>it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I
just can't see how to get rid of it.
Which "Google' box? The search one (wide ellips form box) or the
news one (which has 'news' items you can doomscroll) or yet another?
Remember, 'Google' is many different things.
It's the search box, no idea why it has pride of place
On my phone, I can just long-press the icon and then get (amongst
others) 'Remove'.
[...]
On 2026-09-11, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
On 11/09/2026 in message <1181k4b.848.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net> >>>Frank Slootweg wrote:[...]
First tell us which brand and model you have, then we might be able to >>>>help.
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM >>>+
16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
OK. Can't help with that one. A bit out of the ordinary. Perhaps
someone else can help.
What you're asking is probably brand/model dependent, because most >>>>(all?) what you're asking is no problem on my Samsung Galaxy A56 (also >>>>with Android 16).
It is supposed to be vanilla Android without anything like MUI sitting on >>>top of it.
As far as the 'launcher' ('MUI' in your case?) and (general)
'Settings' are concerned, there is no such thing as "vanilla
Android".
I suppose Jeff may have meant MIUI, one of the few systems referred to
with a different name (not sure how different from AOSP it is),
although, yes, it's quite common for manufacturers to have modified
builds, sometimes more heavily modified, and this is not just about
bundled apps, but parts of the system interface itself, like settings >(although that technically is likely a bundled app too...)
Samsung phones are different from Motorola phones which are different >>from (Google) Pixel phones, etc., ad infinitum.
So for all configuration/settings/UI/etc. questions, you always need
to mention the brand and model (and Android version, which you did >>mention).
Getting rid of the "Google" box on the home screen, sometimes you can >>>>>turn
it off in settings, sometimes you can drag it to a delete icon, in 16 I >>>>>just can't see how to get rid of it.
Which "Google' box? The search one (wide ellips form box) or the
news one (which has 'news' items you can doomscroll) or yet another? >>>>Remember, 'Google' is many different things.
It's the search box, no idea why it has pride of place
On my phone, I can just long-press the icon and then get (amongst >>others) 'Remove'.
[...]
Yeah, but this is indeed launcher-dependent, so you'd need to at least
find out which launcher it is to look up how to configure it.
I suppose some may also have an option to prevent changing the home
screens accidentally.
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM + >16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
On 11/09/2026 in message <xn0pung9d3o00ty006@news.individual.net> JeffWhy don't you post back here in a year or so and let us know. ;-)
Gaines wrote:
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM + >> 16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
Return started, if they can't get the memory right there s no knowing what else might be wrong. It's an Evri collection (free), wonder if that's as
good as their deliveries...
On 12/09/2026 10:18, Jeff Gaines wrote:
On 11/09/2026 in message <xn0pung9d3o00ty006@news.individual.net> Jeff >>Gaines wrote:Why don't you post back here in a year or so and let us know. ;-)
Sorry, TABWEE T60 12 Inch Android 16 with LTE. Supposed to have 8 GB RAM >>>+
16 GB virtual but only seems to have 6 GB so thinking about that :-(
Return started, if they can't get the memory right there s no knowing what >>else might be wrong. It's an Evri collection (free), wonder if that's as >>good as their deliveries...
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