What You Need Before You Start
Motion assist gestures let you control your Android phone or tablet using physical movements like lifting, tilting, waving, or flipping the device. These features are built into the operating system or added by manufacturers, but the exact names, availability, and settings differ from one device to another. Before you begin, confirm that your device supports the gestures you want to use. Common components include accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensor – almost all modern phones have these.
You will need access to the Settings app. No additional apps or accounts are required to use the built-in motion gestures. However, some gestures may be disabled by default or hidden under manufacturer-specific menus. The steps below cover the most widely available motion assist gestures found across recent Android versions (Android 10 and later) and common manufacturer skins such as Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI, Oppo ColorOS, OnePlus OxygenOS, and stock Google Pixel.
How to Enable and Use Common Motion Assist Gestures
Motion assist gestures generally fall into a few categories: waking the screen, controlling calls and alarms, silencing sounds, and navigating the interface. Below are the steps for each major gesture, along with notes on where to find the settings on different devices.
Lift to Wake
This gesture turns on the screen when you pick up the phone. It is useful for quickly checking notifications or the time without pressing the power button.
- Open Settings.
- Look for a section called Display, Gestures, Motion, or Motion assist. The exact name varies.
- Find the option named Lift to wake or Pick up to wake and turn it on.
On Samsung devices, go to Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures → Lift to wake. On Xiaomi with MIUI, the path is Settings → Lock screen → Lift to wake or Settings → Additional settings → Gesture shortcuts → Lift to wake. On Google Pixel, it is under Settings → Display → Lift to check phone. Once enabled, simply lifting the phone horizontally from a flat surface will turn on the lock screen.
Flip to Mute / Flip to Silence
Turning the phone face-down on a surface will mute an incoming call or alarm. This gesture is especially handy during meetings or when you want to stop a ringing phone without looking at it.
- Open Settings.
- Search for Flip to mute, Flip to silence, or Turn over to mute.
- Enable the toggle.
On Samsung, it is under Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures → Turn over to mute. On Xiaomi, look in Settings → Sound & vibration → Flip to mute. On OnePlus, it may be Settings → Gestures → Flip to mute. When a call comes in, simply place the phone screen-down on a table. The ringing stops and the call continues to voicemail (or you can still pick it up if you turn it back).
Wave to Silence
Some devices let you wave your hand over the proximity sensor (usually near the top of the phone) to silence a call or snooze an alarm. This is different from flip to mute because you do not need to turn the phone over.
- Open Settings.
- Look for Gestures or Motions.
- Find Wave to silence or Wave to mute and enable it.
This gesture is less common on stock Android but appears on devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei. The setting may also be combined with other proximity-based actions. Once active, moving your hand across the top part of the screen during an incoming call will mute the ringer.
Auto-Rotate with Face Detection
Standard auto-rotate uses the accelerometer, but some devices add a motion assist gesture that detects your face orientation to decide which way the screen should face. This prevents rotation when you are lying on your side.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Display.
- Enable Auto-rotate screen.
- Look for a sub-option like Rotate based on face orientation or Smart rotation (found on Samsung) and turn it on.
When this gesture is enabled, the system uses the front camera to see if your face is sideways. If it detects you are lying down, it will not rotate the screen even when you tilt the phone. You can still manually rotate using the on-screen button that appears in the navigation bar.
Double Tap to Wake / Sleep
Tapping twice on the lock screen can wake the phone or put it to sleep, reducing the need for the power button.
- Open Settings.
- Navigate to Display or Gestures.
- Find Double tap to wake and Double tap to sleep (or Lift to wake and Double-tap to sleep are usually separate).
- Enable both options as desired.
On Samsung, go to Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures → Double tap to turn on screen and Double tap to turn off screen (the latter may be on the home screen). On Xiaomi, it is under Settings → Lock screen → Double tap to wake. On Pixel, Settings → Display → Double tap to check phone (which wakes to show notifications, not unlock). Double-tap to sleep is often available on the launcher, such as Nova Launcher, but some phones include it natively.
Shake to Open Camera
Some manufacturers offer a gesture that opens the camera when you shake the phone twice. This is less common but useful for quick photo opportunities.
- Open Settings.
- Search for Shake or Gesture shortcut.
- Look for Shake to open camera or Double shake to open camera.
- Enable it.
If this option is missing, you may find it under Settings → Additional settings → Gesture shortcuts on some phones. Once active, a quick shake of the phone will launch the camera app, even from the lock screen on many devices.
Where to Find All Motion Assist Gestures on Different Devices
The names and groupings of motion gestures vary significantly. Below is a quick reference for the most common manufacturers.
- Samsung (One UI): Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures. Includes Lift to wake, Double tap to wake, Turn over to mute, Smart rotation, and more.
- Xiaomi (MIUI): Settings → Lock screen (for wake gestures) and Settings → Additional settings → Gesture shortcuts (for motions like shake, flip, wave). Also under Settings → Sound & vibration → Flip to mute.
- Google Pixel (stock Android): Settings → Display → Lift to check phone, Double tap to check phone, and Settings → System → Gestures → Flip to Shhh (mutes do not disturb but not calls).
- OnePlus (OxygenOS): Settings → Gestures → Flip to mute, Lift to wake, and Double tap to wake.
- Oppo / Realme (ColorOS): Settings → Convenience tools → Gestures → Smart side toolbar, Double tap to wake, Lift to wake, Flip to mute.
If you cannot find a particular gesture, try searching in Settings using keywords like “motion,” “gesture,” “lift,” “shake,” “flip,” or “wave.” Some gestures may be missing because your device lacks the necessary hardware (e.g., a reliable proximity sensor for wave gestures).
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Gesture Not Responding
The most common issue is that a motion gesture does not trigger as expected. Start by checking whether the sensor is blocked by a case, screen protector, or dirt. The proximity sensor is often located near the earpiece; if it is covered, wave gestures will not work. Remove the case and test again.
If the gesture still does nothing, verify that the feature is enabled in Settings. Some gestures require the screen to be off or the phone to be in a specific orientation. For example, Flip to mute only works during an incoming call, not after you have already answered. Try the gesture in the correct scenario.
Restarting the phone can resolve temporary sensor calibration issues. If the problem persists, check for a system update under Settings → System → System update (or About phone → Software update).
Lift to Wake Turns On Too Often
If your phone wakes every time you move it slightly, the sensitivity may be too high. There is no user-adjustable sensitivity for Lift to wake on most devices, but you can disable the feature if it becomes annoying. Alternatively, some phones (like Pixel) combine Lift to wake with “Do not disturb” schedules so it only works during certain hours.
Flip to Mute Not Working for Alarms
On some phones, Flip to mute silences an incoming call but does not snooze an alarm. Read your phone’s help text before relying on this gesture for alarms. If you need to snooze an alarm by flipping, look for a separate “Flip to snooze” option. On many Samsung devices, turning the phone over during an alarm will snooze it.
Wave Gesture Interferes with Calls
If the wave gesture is too sensitive, your cheek may accidentally silence a call while talking. In that case, disable the wave gesture specifically for calls or disable it entirely. You can usually find a separate toggle for “Wave to mute calls” and “Wave to snooze alarms.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Android phones have motion assist gestures?
No. Stock Android includes only Lift to check phone and Double tap to check phone on Pixel devices. Most extra gestures like Flip to mute, Shake to open camera, and Wave to silence are added by manufacturers. Devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, and Realme offer the widest variety. If your phone runs a near-stock version (like on some Motorola or Nokia models), you may have only basic gestures.
Can I add motion gestures to a phone that does not have them?
Third-party apps can simulate some gestures, but they cannot access the low-level sensor wake actions that built-in gestures use. For example, you can use an app like “Gravity Screen” to turn on the screen when you pick up the phone, but it may drain more battery than the built-in implementation. Manufacturer-specific gestures are generally more reliable and efficient.
Will using motion gestures drain the battery faster?
These gestures use the phone’s low-power sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) that consume very little energy. The impact on battery life is minimal – usually less than 1–2% additional drain over a full day. The convenience often outweighs the negligible power cost.
Why can’t I find “Motion assist” in my Settings?
The term “Motion assist” is primarily used by Xiaomi in MIUI. If you have a different brand, look for “Motions and gestures” (Samsung), “Gestures” (OnePlus, Google), or “Convenience tools” (Oppo). If you cannot find any gesture settings at all, your device may not include them.
Conclusion
Motion assist gestures are optional but very handy shortcuts that let you interact with your Android device using natural movements. The exact steps to enable them depend heavily on the manufacturer and Android version, but the core options – Lift to wake, Flip to mute, Wave to silence, Double tap to wake, and Auto-rotate with face detection – cover the most useful scenarios. Start by checking your device’s gesture settings menu, then enable the ones that fit your habits. If a gesture is not available, consider whether a third-party app could work, but remember that built-in gestures are more reliable and battery-friendly. Once set up, these gestures can save you time and reduce wear on physical buttons.
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