Navigation Swipe Gesture not working on Android 14: How to Fix

Sadique Hassan•Updated Oct 16, 2023

In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14. The fourteenth iteration of the OS has brought quite a few new features to the fore. Some of the noteworthy ones include the likes of new photo pickers, lock screen customizations, Notification Flash, Auto-Confirm Lock Screen [finally!], and Predictive Back Gesture.

Talking about the latter now, you now have the option to get. sneak peek of the app that is running in the background leaving the app in the foreground. However, it seems that while implementing this feature, Google might have broken the normal swipe functionality. According to numerous users, the navigation swipe gestures are not working along the expected lines on their Android 14 devices.

For instance, if they perform a swipe up to go back to the home screen, the app initially gets to the act of being minimized but ultimately maximizes and comes to the fore instead of actually being minimized. This is just one of the many examples, users have also reported buggy behavior with gestures related to app switching and app preview windows as well. If you are also facing these issues, then this guide will help you out. Follow along for the fixes.

Table of Contents

Fix Navigation Swipe Gesture not working on Android 14

If you are using a Pixel device, then Pixel Launcher might be the only one installed on your device. If that is the case, then, for the time being, we would suggest you install an additional launcher (such as Nova or any other of your choice). This is because when we would disable or force-stop Pixel Launcher, then your device will have the option to fall back to the second launcher. So refer to the below instructions to change the default launcher, as and when the need arises:

Head over to the Settings menu on your device
Then go to Apps > Default App > Home App.
Then select any other launcher app from the list.

FIX 1: Force Stop App

First and foremost, you should force stop and then manually restart the app. Doing so will refresh all its underlying processes and it will give it a fresh instance to work on. And this in turn might rectify the underlying issue as well. So refer to the below steps to try it out:

To begin with, temporarily change your default launcher.
Then head over to the Settings menu on your device.
Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Pixel Launcher from the list.
Now tap on Force Stop followed by OK in the confirmation dialog box.
After that, switch back to Pixel Launcher as your default launcher app.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 2: Delete App Cache

Next up, consider deleting the app’s temporary data as well. If a lot of these cache files get accumulated over the due course of time, then it might conflict with the app’s proper functioning and could also slow down its usability. Therefore, let’s put these files in the bin right away and then check out the results.

To begin with, head over to the Settings menu on your device.
Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Pixel Launcher from the list.
After that, go to the Storage section and tap on Clear Cache.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working issue on Android 14.

FIX 3: Remove Battery Restrictions

If you have put any battery restrictive measures in place, then the games and apps might have a tough time working in this restrictive environment. Therefore, you should consider removing all these roadblocks and then check out the results. Here’s how it could be done:

First off, head over to the Settings > Battery section.
Then go to Battery Saver and disable it, if it is enabled.
After that, go to Apps > All Apps and select Pixel Launcher from the list.
Then go to its Battery section and select either Optimized or Unrestricted.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 4: Disable Predictive Back Gesture

In some instances, the newly introduced Predictive Back Gesture might also conflict with the traditional navigation gestures. Therefore, you should consider temporarily disabling it and then check if it rectifies the underlying issue:

Head over to Settings > System > Developer Options.
Then disable the toggle next to Predictive Back Animation.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 5: Toggle Default Launcher

Next up, you should consider temporarily switching over to another launcher for the time being before switching back to the Pixel Launcher. Toggling this functionality will refresh the home launcher settings which in turn could rectify the underlying issue as well. So let’s put this fix to the test and check out the results [make sure you have a temporary secondary launcher installed as well].

Head over to the Settings menu on your device.
Then go to Apps > Default Apps and select Home App.
Now temporarily switch over to another launcher app.
Wait for a few seconds then switch back to Pixel Launcher.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 6: Disable and Re-Enable App [Via Settings and ADB]

Disabling and then re-enabling the app will refresh its underlying settings and will start off with a new instance. And this in turn might end up rectifying the underlying issue as well. So let’s put it to the test and check out the results. Non-Pixel devices might easily do so from the Settings menu itself, whereas Pixel devices need to take the help of ADB Commands. Follow along for the instructions:

For Non-Pixel Devices

To begin with, temporarily change your default launcher app.
Then go to Settings > Apps > See All Apps and select Pixel Launcher from the list.
After that, tap on Disable followed by OK in the confirmation dialog box.
Then wait for a few seconds and hit Re-Enable. After that, make Pixel Launcher the default launcher on your device.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

For Pixel Devices

For a detailed explanation, check out our guide on Disable/Uninstall Apps from Android via ADB. The shorter instructions are given below:

Download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
Enable USB Debugging on your device and connect it to the PC via USB cable.
Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter.
This will launch the Command Prompt. Type in the below command to open the shell environment:
```
adb shell
```
Now execute the following command to disable Pixel Launcher:
```
pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher
```
After that, execute the below command to re-enable it:
```
pm enable -–user 0 com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher
```
Then hit Enable and check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 7: Delete App Data

If the app’s data gets corrupted, then its negative consequences will be felt across the app as a whole. In such cases, you have no choice but to delete that app’s data and then let it repopulate the same from scratch. Here’s how it could be done:

Head over to the Settings menu on your device.
Then go to Apps > See All Apps and Pixel Launcher from the list.
After that, go to the Storage section and tap on Clear Data.
Then tap OK in the confirmation dialog box that appears. Now launch the app and set it up.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 8: Reinstall App [Via Settings and ADB]

If the app’s configuration and settings file get corrupted, then simply deleting the app’s data and cache might not be enough. In such cases, you will have to uninstall the app from your device and reinstall its fresh build. However, if you have a Pixel device, then you wouldn’t be able to uninstall it the normal way and you would instead have to take the help of the ADB Commands. Whereas non-Pixel devices could easily take the normal approach via the Settings menu. All this has been explained below, follow along.

For Non-Pixel Devices

To begin with, temporarily change your default launcher app.
Then go to Settings > Apps > See All Apps and select Pixel Launcher from the list.
After that, tap on Uninstall followed by OK in the confirmation dialog box.
Now download and install its latest version from Play Store or a third-party site.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

For Pixel Devices

For a detailed explanation, check out our guide on Remove/Uninstall Apps from Android via ADB. The shorter instructions are given below:

Download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
Enable USB Debugging on your device and connect it to the PC via USB cable.
Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter.
This will launch the Command Prompt. Type in the below command to open the shell environment:
```
adb shell
```
Now execute the following command to uninstall Pixel Launcher:
```
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher
```
Then execute the below command to reinstall Pixel Launcher:
```
cmd package install-existing com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher
```
Or download and install its latest version from Play Store or a third-party site.
Check if it fixes the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14.

FIX 9: Downgrade App to Earlier Version

In some instances, the developer might roll out a buggy update, which could end up breaking the app’s entire functionality. Though they are usually quick to release a subsequent patch, but that rollout could still take around 3-4 days to arrive. And this is quite a long time frame. So it’s better to downgrade the app to the earlier table version and remain on that build until the issue has been resolved. Here’s how it could be done:

Head over to Play Store and search Pixel Launcher.
Then tap on the overflow icon situated at the top right and uncheck Enable Auto-updates.
Once that is done, go back to Apps > See All Apps and select Pixel Launcher.
Now scroll to the end and note out its version number somewhere..
Now head over to a trusted third-party site and download its older version.
Install that APK file (enable Installation from Unknown Sources, if asked).

That’s it. These were the various methods to fix the navigation swipe gestures not working on Android 14. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.

Tags: