How To: Launch apps from the notification tray on Android

Android offers plenty of options to launch your favorite apps and this is just a small part of the available customizations. There are several apps available in the Play Store that allow you to launch apps directly from the notification tray.

This is a very convenient way to keep the apps you use most often on hand and we’re going to use a free app called Diesel in today’s guide.

It bundles a few themes so you can choose the one that matches your phone’s interface, plus you can set it to automatically pin the apps you use the most to the notification tray. This way, you’ll be able to quickly access them from any screen.

To install Diesel you can search for it in the Play Store, or go to its page by visiting the link below:

Download Diesel (Play Store)

Diesel needs to have its Accessibility plugin enabled otherwise it won’t be able to launch apps. As a result, after the app finishes installing, go to Android’s Settings->Accesibility->Diesel and toggle on the option.

Now you can finally open the app, and at first run, you’ll be taken through a setup guide, although you can skip it if you want to. On the main screen, tap on the Home option to start adding apps to the notification tray.

Then, you can use Diesel in two different ways: allow the app to automatically show the most used apps in the notification tray using the related option or add apps manually. For the latter option, simply long-press on any icon shown at the top of the screen and then you’ll be able to select the apps from a list.

Once you’ve customized your notification tray with your favorite apps, feel free to explore the settings available on the same screen as above. From there, you can set custom backgrounds for the app icons which are displayed in the notification tray and even change the icons themselves with icon packs.

The Settings screen accessible via Diesel’s main menu also offers plenty of customization options.  For example, you can add an extra row of app icons and choose if the shortcuts should be hidden or displayed on the lock screen. Moreover, in the ‘Theme’ section you can select a different theme for the notification tray app launched’s background.

After you customize Diesel to your liking, you’ll be able to quickly access the app shortcuts you set into the app by swiping down from the top of the screen.

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