Learn to Navigate the New Settings Menu in Android Nougat

Finally, Android 7.0 Nougat is here to stay. It may not have the same dramatic visual overhaul we were first treated to in Android Lollipop two versions ago, but Nougat provides a lot of major improvements and refinements over Marshmallow, along with quite a few nice new usability changes.

A quick overview and description of this new Android OS, you can say that it’s Android putting its roots down. The general feel of Android has become increasingly stable since Lollipop, with less feature flip flopping, fewer performance issues, and a greater focus on polish. Nougat is all about extending functionality, improving pre-existing features and further expanding what’s possible in stock Android.

When your smartphone gets a major update like Android Nougat, at first you may not think to take a peek and check the Settings section. However, don't underestimate the value in some of the changes to this vital control panel. Android's Settings menu has undergone a few tweaks, making it much easier to navigate and find what you need.

Getting There

Similar to Marshmallow, launching the Settings did not change. Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen and then touch the gear icon at the upper-right corner. Alternatively, you can swipe once and then touch the arrow, then the gear.

However, when you get there, you'll find a few main categories with other capabilities grouped underneath them. Often times the fastest method is to use the search bar at the top, right of the screen. Just type in what you want to find, touch the result, and you’ll be taken right there.

As you can see on the sample screenshots, not only does the search function find different settings, but it’ll locate Wi-Fi networks you’ve connected to in the past and specific functions within different features.

A useful addition to Nougat is a slide-out menu from the left. This allows you to navigate to another piece of the settings more quickly than working your way in and out of the maze of different options.

There are four major groupings: Wireless & networks, Device, Personal, and System. It’s worth noting the System UI Tuner has been moved here. This allows you to tweak a number of different elements. To get this with Nougat, long press on the Settings gear for five seconds. You’ll then see a pop-up notification that you’ve enabled the System UI Tuner. Then, feel free to experiment away.