Android OS has always been about the open-source ecosystem that allows us to carry out a plethora of tweaks on our devices. Right from the basics icon pack and font style to the technicalities of gaining administrative access by rooting the device via magisk to even flashing a customized firmware, the possibilities stand endless. However, there is just one feature that it simply refuses to acknowledge- the Advanced Power menu!
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What’s the need for the Advanced Reboot option in the Power menu?
For the unaware, the Advanced Power Menu allows you to directly boot to Recovery Mode, Fastboot [Bootloader] Mode, or FastbootD Mode right from the menu itself. There is no need to take the help of PC and ADB commands to get this job done. However, ever since the first iteration of OS up to the latest one, we are yet to witness this functionality being added.
Wouldn’t it complicate the matter for general users
But why is there a need to add this technical feature in the first place? Wouldn’t it lead to even more confusion for the general user who is simply looking to restart or power off their device?
Well, that’s an excellent question and indeed, it will result in more harm than good, at least for the general audiences. But here, we aren’t talking about the everyday users but rather the tech enthusiasts who wish to tweak their devices in a way that suits their requirements. While that is an extremely niche segment to cater to, but so are the plethora of other features hidden deep inside the Developer Options.
Well, many users might not even be aware that such a section exists [you could enable it by tapping on the build number 7 times] and that is completely understandable. A general user doesn’t even need to interact with most of these features, but we, the geeky ones out there, have to deal with those options every other day.
Well, Google has even added the option to unlock the bootloader in that section-something that is the first step in custom development. So it’s not that the Silicon Valley giant doesn’t cater to this niche segment [Pixle devices are currently the most active players in custom development], it’s just baffling to note that they don’t give a dime about this functionality.
What is Google’s Take on This?
Upon digging the Google’s Issue Tracker page, we found a couple of identical reports wherein the request to add the Advanced Reboot option in the Power menu was raised- all the way back in 2015! So what was the end result? Well, the request was straightaway declined and the current status since that day has been set to Won’t Fix (Infeasible).
While “Won’t Fix” is understandable, the “Infeasible” part is hard to digest, because the said option does exist across numerous Android devices, such as OnePlus with the OxygenOS skin [you could activate it from, well no guesses here, the Developer Options!]. Apart from that, custom ROMs like Pixel Experience and LineageOS also boast of this feature.
So when they with a limited resource are having this feature for ages, it shouldn’t be “Infeasible” for one of the largest tech behemoths in the world. But since they have already listed it as “Won’t Fix” [Here’s Why], you shouldn’t expect any change in their decision. All in all, if you are a part of the AOSP ecosystem, then you will have to bid adieu to the Advanced Reboot menu for good.
Advanced Reboot Menu: An Overhyped Requirement or a Power Tool for the Enthusiasts?
What are your views on this? Is it something that doesn’t bother you much as you would anyways have to use the PC to carry out the subsequent flashing or do you believe that the addition of this functionality would have really done our job easier? Do share your valuable opinions with us in the comments section below. Pro Tip: If you are on a rooted Pixel, then you could use the Advanced Reboot option from the Magisk app itself!
UPDATE 1: You could now Add Advanced Reboot in Power Menu
While Google hasn’t taken any step in this direction, but a developer definitely has. He has created a module using which you could easily add all the Advanced Reboot options in the Power menu [Reboot to Recovery, Bootloader, FastbootD, Download Mode, and Restart System UI]. All this has been explained in the below guide [with video], so do check it out.
How to Add Advanced Reboot option on any Android [Stock ROM!]
