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Is it just me or is this feature absolutely useless? This is supposed to automatically display my notifications when I whip my phone out of my pocket, without pressing any buttons, but it only does so 25% of the time. It’s also supposed to do this when I lift my phone from my desk, but this also happens just as often. How can Google publicly flaunt a feature that works so amazingly poorly? Most of the time I’m forced to put my finger on the “Nexus Imprint” to unlock my phone because Ambient Display is so useless and, when doing this, I still don’t readily see the notifications because unlocking the phone takes me to the home screen!
Fail Google!
especially coming from moto x active display
First thing I did was turn it off and just use the notification LED instead.
Try AcDisplay from the Play Store, it works much better.
It works every time I pick up the phone. It just takes a whole second for it to light up. And while taking it out of the pocket, I usually tap the fingerprint sensor so I'm already unlocked and checking whatever I gotta check.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Mine is pretty hit or miss. It seems like Doze is getting in the way of it working. If I pick up my phone within a short time period of sitting it down, Ambient Display comes up pretty quickly. If I pick it up after it's been sitting for a while it takes it quite a while to figure out to turn on (and usually quite a bit of shaking around). Hopefully Google can fix it with a software update.
Agreed, it rarely comes on from a pocket, never has with a "nudge" for me. Kind of disappointing coming from a Moto X, but not a dealbreaker.
Wish it had a voice-wake feature...
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
I ended up just turning it off and using the LED light instead to conserve battery somewhat. I'm thinking the LED uses less than the LCD.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Ambient display is unreliable and therefore totally useless.
As an aside, I turned on the notification LED and it is huge and very bright.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
:laugh: I found this thread while Googling how to turn Ambient Display off. BTW, it's ridiculously simple: Settings - Display - toggle Ambient Display off.
The ambient display on the Nexus 5X is absolutely pathetic. It very rarely works when it is supposed to and somehow gets triggered to turn the display on when the phone is just sitting untouched, with no incoming notifications. I find it more annoying than useful.
It's sad too because after using a Moto X for a couple of months, I now know how well ambient display can work when it's implemented correctly.
sn0warmy said:
:laugh: I found this thread while Googling how to turn Ambient Display off. BTW, it's ridiculously simple: Settings - Display - toggle Ambient Display off.
The ambient display on the Nexus 5X is absolutely pathetic. It very rarely works when it is supposed to and somehow gets triggered to turn the display on when the phone is just sitting untouched, with no incoming notifications. I find it more annoying than useful.
It's sad too because after using a Moto X for a couple of months, I now know how well ambient display can work when it's implemented correctly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah agreed. Shut off immediately. Only worked when I didn't need it to ha-ha
For those who turned off ambient display, were you using LightFlow to change the color of the LED? I attempted to use LightFlow to change the color, but I only got the white LED. I am stock and unrooted.
Definitely miss the 2013 moto x active display.
It checks the orientation of the phone. It works anytime you pick it up to the upright position (usb port facing the floor). I wish it worked with a tap on the screen.
It could work even better but I've found it to be useful. I also just like how it looks with the black and white lock screen.
It also doesn't seem to use much battery. I'm guessing that was the main consideration on a device using an IPS panel.
Has anyone else noticed, or can confirm this is how it works, that the ambient display only triggers when there is a lock screen? I have found it totally unreliable and even did a reset on my phone trying to fix it. Then as I was trying to get it to work by messaging my wife she asked if it only works when locked like her iPhone. . . .and lo and behold with my testing, it does only work while locked. Explains why after the factory reset it worked until I switched so that the power button doesn't automatically lock. This on target for anyone else? If so this just seems a terrible implementation and so easy to fix.
EDIT: Seems doesn't have to be locked but has to have some form of lock screen . . .i.e. swipe lock screen suffices. Anyone know if Smartlock can set to swipe instead of no lock screen?
Farlicimo said:
Has anyone else noticed, or can confirm this is how it works, that the ambient display only triggers when there is a lock screen? I have found it totally unreliable and even did a reset on my phone trying to fix it. Then as I was trying to get it to work by messaging my wife she asked if it only works when locked like her iPhone. . . .and lo and behold with my testing, it does only work while locked. Explains why after the factory reset it worked until I switched so that the power button doesn't automatically lock. This on target for anyone else? If so this just seems a terrible implementation and so easy to fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Makes sense as it's only a black and white version of the notifications on the lockscreen.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Although not having a nexus 5x myself. I have seen from several reviewers that the ambient display does not trigger every time the phone is taken out. Unlike moto display it barely works. Also as the nexus 5x has an LCD panel ambient display is not battery efficient since it has to light up the black pixels unlike an AMOLED panel (nexus 6p,moto x pure). If this is the case when I do get this phone I would rather turn it off and just use LED light plus fingerprint sensor is incredibly fast and works 100% (from what I have heard) so not a big deal that ambient display doesn't work properly. It's really more disappointing on the nexus 6p were it can benefit from ambient display due to the AMOLED panel
Mikecosta64 said:
Although not having a nexus 5x myself. I have seen from several reviewers that the ambient display does not trigger every time the phone is taken out. Unlike moto display it barely works. Also as the nexus 5x has an LCD panel ambient display is not battery efficient since it has to light up the black pixels unlike an AMOLED panel (nexus 6p,moto x pure). If this is the case when I do get this phone I would rather turn it off and just use LED light plus fingerprint sensor is incredibly fast and works 100% (from what I have heard) so not a big deal that ambient display doesn't work properly. It's really more disappointing on the nexus 6p were it can benefit from ambient display due to the AMOLED panel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah only moto has a good ambient display. Nexus fails at that
I don't know if it is a bug but if I disable the moto display, the screen will not turn on when a notification comes in. Is there a way to enable the default Ambient Display?
jluna1 said:
I don't know if it is a bug but if I disable the moto display, the screen will not turn on when a notification comes in. Is there a way to enable the default Ambient Display?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems I overlooked this post, I was wondering the same thing!
Was anyone ever able to get stock ambient display (not Moto Active Display) working?
I ave tried all configs and disable all moto app with no success, when i disable the moto display app the ambient display setting appears but the phone doesn't wake when a notification comes in... ¿Maybe it needs a root thing, xposed or something else?
I was also hoping for a solution to this, I would love to use ambient display.
Has anyone noticed any issues while using Lightflow? I have been having issues where my phone won't turn on for about 20-30 seconds sometimes and I have turned everything off and Lightflow was the last that I turned off and so far I have not had this issue again yet. I'm just wondering if anyone else had seen this as well.
I had an issue where I would charge my phone at night. I would wake up in the morning and try to turn the screen on but it would stay off. I would have to reboot it to get it to work. The second time I unplugged the phone and could tell it was unlocking with the finger print reader but the screen would not come on. I forced the reboot and when it came back up I had a notification that lightflow was using more battery than it should. Uninstalled it and haven't had the problem since.
Yeah that app got wayyyy to complicated years ago.
I use Lightmanager now. Much simpler havent had any issues
Light Flow seems to be working well on my 2XL.
As far as Light Flow being complicated, it does have a lot of options but that's a good thing IMO, not a negative.
The devs are attempting to make a program that works well with all brands of phones and Samsung, HTC and LG seem to have different methods for controlling the LED.
Light Flow can bypass the OS to control the LED.
I would suggest you email the developer before you give up or move to another program.
I think Light Flow used to have their own forum here on XDA and maybe they still do.
Seems Navigation Bar Hider can have that same effect. Just installed it last night, and had my first experience with that effect. It's a lot less scary now that I know it's not just my phone, or just one app doing it. I wonder if it's the phone, the OS, or the Apps implementation on the OS. I personally think it's more software based though.
Update: Just looked at Light Flow (never used it personally). It looks like it has an effect with the lock screen. It's a theory, and I don't actually plan to test it if I don't have to, but I THINK both it and Nav Bar Hider having an effect with lock screens (with how I had it set up to be active with everything) is what causes it to not come on when you unlock after extended time. Since i have tuned hider to specific apps instead of generically on by default for everything, the symptom has not come back.
Are you on 8.1? A lot of users have been having a similar issue on the beta.
I've had better luck on Pixels with Light Flow Legacy: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rageconsulting.android.lightflowlegacy
no issues for me with lightflow on 8.0 or 8.1 so far...
Working fine on mine with 8.0.
uicnren said:
no issues for me with lightflow on 8.0 or 8.1 so far...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have anything enabled under Device Settings and Root, or LED control? Been hit or miss for me on 2 XL, have root enabled.
bigknowz said:
Do you have anything enabled under Device Settings and Root, or LED control? Been hit or miss for me on 2 XL, have root enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not, not rooted.
only thing checked there is the nexus 5 setting, it must have been enabled by default, I don't remember ticking it.
Hows the battery usage with lightflow anymore? I abandoned it when I got my Nexus 6P as the device would never sleep with lightflow.
91ludesit said:
Hows the battery usage with lightflow anymore? I abandoned it when I got my Nexus 6P as the device would never sleep with lightflow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive never had an issue with it, using it since Nexus 5.
No issues here with my 6p or pixel2 other then it seems to go to sleep if my phone is motionless. Once I wake the screen the led comes on. No battery drain either.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Hello everyone,
I seem to be only able to get Light Flow(Paid version) to work but only while the screen is off and not while the screen is on. I am rooted and I tried setting the options for both root on and root off and I have the option set for the LED to be always on while the screen is on, but again I can only get the LED to show with the app while the screen is off. I'm hoping that someone here can help me out by sharing their settings that they are using that enable them to have the LED on while the screen is either on or off. Maybe they could even share their own settings backup file if they have the app working while the screen is on?
I don't use light flow but I do use immersive mode for the navigation bar and I too have the same issue with the screen not coming in once I plug the charger in. I have to hard reboot the phone. I thought it was the Root causing the issue but it's not. I think it happens when hide the navigation bar
mackentosh said:
I don't use light flow but I do use immersive mode for the navigation bar and I too have the same issue with the screen not coming in once I plug the charger in. I have to hard reboot the phone. I thought it was the Root causing the issue but it's not. I think it happens when hide the navigation bar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a hiding the nav bar issue. The dev behind "Custom Navigation Bar" has supposedly figured out the problem and said that it doesn't happen when using that app for immersive mode.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using XDA Labs
sharkie405 said:
It is a hiding the nav bar issue. The dev behind "Custom Navigation Bar" has supposedly figured out the problem and said that it doesn't happen when using that app for immersive mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you sir I'm now using the custom navigation bar app and I have not had any issues so far.
Hello everyone,
I asked a question last week but I think it may have been missed or overlooked, so I am bumping it in hopes of getting an answer.
is anyone here able to get the paid version of this app to show/change the notification LED while the screen is on? I am able to change the color of the LED and it shows for all the notifications that I have set while the screen is off, but no matter what I do, I'm unable to get the LED to light up with my notifications while the screen is turned on, even though I have the setting enabled to do so.
So I would like to know what settings ppl are using to enable the LED to light up while the screen is either off or on? because ppl have mentioned in this thread that they have the app working for both screen off and on, so if someone that has this working could please share how they have the app configured, or what they did to get this feature working, then it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot guys...
I tried NoLED but the immersive mode only last half a minute or so (tried tasker setting immersive mode to hide both when display is on ) and im afraid of battery drain and burn in.
tried glimpse notifications and ambi tuner with little luck (was trying to get pulsing ambient display when having a notification, otherwise off), but pulsing didnt work
what i have settled for so far is using secure settings and tasker to turn on always on display when i have a notification and turn off always on display when i remove a notification. its called doze_always_on in tasker>plugins.>secure settings>device setting (paywall)>system table>secure list>doze_always_on. where 0 is off and 1 is on. I had to set the wake screen up for notifications setting on for this to work.
here is a video jon2jay made of another method of using tasker without need of secure settings (watch in silent): https://ufile.io/fv287
if someone has a better idea that woudl be great. i was thinking about using the notches as notification leds, when you can switch between colors for different app notifications, and even use different "ears" of the notch. the dev of ambi tuner says hes working on pixel 3 xl compatibility.
looks like samsung pie has colored notificaitons on their ambient display. would love that, if it was only on when notifications were there.
Lack of Led alternative
Coming from the original Pixel, I too can't get used to not having an led. I have been using LED Blinker pro with acceptable success. Many customization options. Test mode does not seem to work, but the app works flawlessly.
With all the supposed focus on digital well-being, eliminating the notification LED was a really poor choice. Now we're forced to pick up the damn phone to see what a notification is. I'm going to have to try out some of the options you guys mentioned.
An app that makes a color near the notch would be great, you know something similar to the battery color around the notch. This on AOD would kinda replace the need for the LED...
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs
dipstik said:
I tried NoLED but the immersive mode only last half a minute or so (tried tasker setting immersive mode to hide both when display is on ) and im afraid of battery drain and burn in.
tried glimpse notifications and ambi tuner with little luck (was trying to get pulsing ambient display when having a notification, otherwise off), but pulsing didnt work
what i have settled for so far is using secure settings and tasker to turn on always on display when i have a notification and turn off always on display when i remove a notification. its called doze_always_on in tasker>plugins.>secure settings>device setting (paywall)>system table>secure list>doze_always_on. where 0 is off and 1 is on. I had to set the wake screen up for notifications setting on for this to work.
if someone has a better idea that woudl be great. i was thinking about using the notches as notification leds, when you can switch between colors for different app notifications, and even use different "ears" of the notch. the dev of ambi tuner says hes working on pixel 3 xl compatibility.
looks like samsung pie has colored notificaitons on their ambient display. would love that, if it was only on when notifications were there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish google could read this. No one should have to bend over backwards and jump through hoops to enable something as simple as a stupid blinking light! Google failed us so hard by removing the LED.
Now, I can't even tell if my phone is charging without waking the screen. Worse, I have no clue if the battery is low and need to charge without also waking the screen. No clue if I missed a call, or a calendar event... NOTHING! unless I turn on the screen. I shouldn't have to actively interact with my phone to get passive information. If I wanted that, I would have purchased an iPhone.
Doesn't bother me, I've had phones with and without LED. My life hasn't changed
Time to fix that LED
PuffDaddy_d said:
I wish google could read this. No one should have to bend over backwards and jump through hoops to enable something as simple as a stupid blinking light! Google failed us so hard by removing the LED.
Now, I can't even tell if my phone is charging without waking the screen. Worse, I have no clue if the battery is low and need to charge without also waking the screen. No clue if I missed a call, or a calendar event... NOTHING! unless I turn on the screen. I shouldn't have to actively interact with my phone to get passive information. If I wanted that, I would have purchased an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey. I love to develop and will make this my mission. Since the display is an OLED wich make it possible to turn on and off idividual pixels this should not be that hard. Keep you updated.
I hate not having an LED. Turning the display on to simply check for notifications is becoming aggravating.
Someone please come up with something.
deepsurge said:
Hey. I love to develop and will make this my mission. Since the display is an OLED wich make it possible to turn on and off idividual pixels this should not be that hard. Keep you updated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there are some apps that already do this; however, they all struggle to play nicely with the default lock screen. If you can get around this limitation, I would gladly make a financial contribution.
Haven't missed it one bit. I use the AOD though. If I didn't, I would definitely want the LED.
PuffDaddy_d said:
So there are some apps that already do this; however, they all struggle to play nicely with the default lock screen. If you can get around this limitation, I would gladly make a financial contribution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will look in to this, as an old embedded engineer i will try to solve this, i love a challange.
deepsurge said:
I will look in to this, as an old embedded engineer i will try to solve this, i love a challange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PM me if you need a beta tester
Or some app that would show the Notification Icon on the top of the screen. Just the icon blinking on the all black OLED screen.
I think Samsung's implementation is cool. It takes the colors from the app and uses that as the icon on the screen. Being able to customize that even further would be awesome. Like make all unimportant white and urgent ones red.
kauemelhado said:
Or some app that would show the Notification Icon on the top of the screen. Just the icon blinking on the all black OLED screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those apps exist. They just don't play nicely with the lock screen.
killakarl said:
I think Samsung's implementation is cool. It takes the colors from the app and uses that as the icon on the screen. Being able to customize that even further would be awesome. Like make all unimportant white and urgent ones red.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I initially receive a notification with the AOD on, the icon is colored like that. For Textra it colors the icon the color of the conversation, which is neat. I can tell at a glance who messaged me. For Facebook the icon is blue, Gmail is red, etc.
When the notification goes away and the AOD has the normal display of clock and the icons, it's all that muted shade of gray/white
Hooray!
I am glad this was pointed out, I always found the notification LED on my old Samsung to be mildly annoying but not worth the effort to completely disable. I am glad this phone doesn't have one, easy enough to tap the screen to see what apps the notifications are from and expand if needed. The blinking light was irritating when sleeping or in a dark room. Thanks for pointing this out, one more reason I love my new Pixel 3 XL :laugh:
dipstik said:
I tried NoLED but the immersive mode only last half a minute or so (tried tasker setting immersive mode to hide both when display is on ) and im afraid of battery drain and burn in.
tried glimpse notifications and ambi tuner with little luck (was trying to get pulsing ambient display when having a notification, otherwise off), but pulsing didnt work
what i have settled for so far is using secure settings and tasker to turn on always on display when i have a notification and turn off always on display when i remove a notification. its called doze_always_on in tasker>plugins.>secure settings>device setting (paywall)>system table>secure list>doze_always_on. where 0 is off and 1 is on. I had to set the wake screen up for notifications setting on for this to work.
if someone has a better idea that woudl be great. i was thinking about using the notches as notification leds, when you can switch between colors for different app notifications, and even use different "ears" of the notch. the dev of ambi tuner says hes working on pixel 3 xl compatibility.
looks like samsung pie has colored notificaitons on their ambient display. would love that, if it was only on when notifications were there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey could you please share your tasker profiles? I think that you are having 2 different profiles right? I'm trying to do the same but can't seem to find the doze always on in secure settings :S
This would do until someone manages to customize the ambient or make an app that makes something blink or i dunno what
I've just created an app called Pixel Pulse. I could use some testers if anyone is willing to give it a try. You can select the apps you want to have the app pulse your Ambient Display. There's paid customization for icons and colors but the core functionality of the app is free.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compass.pixelpulse
If you had previously purchased Ambi-Turner, it has been updated for the new permissions, but because it was written for 8.0 and when Google's ambient display worked differently I decided to leave it as it is. You may however transfer your purchase status of Ambient Display to Pixel Pulse using both apps.
grokus said:
I've just created an app called Pixel Pulse. I could use some testers if anyone is willing to give it a try. You can select the apps you want to have the app pulse your Ambient Display. There's paid customization for icons and colors but the core functionality of the app is free.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compass.pixelpulse
If you had previously purchased Ambi-Turner, it has been updated for the new permissions, but because it was written for 8.0 and when Google's ambient display worked differently I decided to leave it as it is. You may however transfer your purchase status of Ambient Display to Pixel Pulse using both apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. If I understand correctly, Pixel Pulse works alongside Ambient Display? It appears that PP adds the pulse customization that AD does not have?
Hey all, I've had a pixel for the last 5 or 6 years and switched to the s22. One thing that I miss is the Pixel would wake the AOD, show only the new notification, then sleep the AOD. I liked it because it's a way to see breaking news, or important notifications without having the AOD always on.
The S22 doesn't seem to have this, and there's plenty of apps on the app store that can wake the screen. But those apps don't show the newest notification only, they just wake the screen. I tried aodNotify but it's not quite there since it doesn't sleep the AOD after showing the notification.
Maybe a tasker profile? I've found tasker profiles that can wake the AOD - similar to the Glimpse Notifications app - but none that focus on the new notification itself.
Does anyone know of a way to try and emulate this?
drsprite said:
Hey all, I've had a pixel for the last 5 or 6 years and switched to the s22. One thing that I miss is the Pixel would wake the AOD, show only the new notification, then sleep the AOD. I liked it because it's a way to see breaking news, or important notifications without having the AOD always on.
The S22 doesn't seem to have this, and there's plenty of apps on the app store that can wake the screen. But those apps don't show the newest notification only, they just wake the screen. I tried aodNotify but it's not quite there since it doesn't sleep the AOD after showing the notification.
Maybe a tasker profile? I've found tasker profiles that can wake the AOD - similar to the Glimpse Notifications app - but none that focus on the new notification itself.
Does anyone know of a way to try and emulate this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think what you're referring to is called ambient display. I think Samsung pretty much disabled it on their phones in favor of their own implementation of AOD. The only way I can think of adding it back is via a custom ROM (based on AOSP) but it would come with its own problems of course. I remember being able to bring it back with root but as of Android 9 it didn't work for me anymore. I don't think something like tasker would bring it back either, unfortunately.
I think you're right about the ambient display, that sounds familiar. Bummer Samsung disabled it. Maybe the aodNotify app is my best bet then
There is a function in the AOD settings. "Show for new notifications". I use that, it has the screen off until a notification comes up, then turns on the AOD screen. Once you look at the notification or hit the power button, it shuts off AOD until the next notification.
I don't remember if it shows the popup for reading texts or email, would have to play with that.
I believe aodNotify will solve your problem. It's perfect, has a ton of customizability options, and doesn't drain as much battery,