Gestures

Gestures allow users to interact with your app by manipulating the screen objects you provide. The following table shows the core gesture set that is supported in Android.

Touch

Triggers the default functionality for a given item.

  • Action

    Press, lift

Long press

Enters data selection mode. Allows you to select one or more items in a view and act upon the data using a contextual action bar. Avoid using long press for showing contextual menus.

  • Action

    Press, wait, lift

Swipe

Scrolls overflowing content, or navigates between views in the same hierarchy.

  • Action

    Press, move, lift

Drag

Rearranges data within a view, or moves data into a container (e.g. folders on Home Screen).

  • Action

    Long press, move, lift

Double touch

Zooms into content. Also used as a secondary gesture for text selection.

  • Action

    Two touches in quick succession

Pinch open

Zooms into content.

  • Action

    2-finger press, move outwards, lift

Pinch close

Zooms out of content.

  • Action

    2-finger press, move inwards, lift