Double Tap Your Status Bar to Quickly Turn Off the Screen on Any Android — No Root Needed

Several popular custom ROMs and root mods let you double tap the status bar at the top of your screen to put the phone to sleep. It pairs perfectly with the double tap to wake gesture you'll find on pretty much any Android phone. But if you're not rooted, you'll be glad to know you can finally do this by installing a simple app.

This new app is from Tom Bayley, the developer of Bottom Quick Settings. Once it's configured properly, when you touch the status bar two times in quick succession, the screen will turn off. It's not faster than the power button, but it's a virtual touch interaction rather than a mechanical click, so it's more similar to the way you normally interact with the device and there's less wear and tear on your phone.

Step 1: Install Super Status Bar

Super Status Bar is a free app on the Play Store that lets you customize the status bar in ways previously only possible via root and custom ROMs. Use the link below to install the app on your phone.

• Play Store Link: Super Status Bar (free)

Step 2: Enable Permissions

When you first open the app, after going through the initial setup pages, you will reach the main menu with a "Start" button. Hit this button to begin the process of enabling the app.

On the "Permissions" page, select the first toggle, and on the new page, choose "Super Status Bar" and enable the toggle. Do the same thing for the second toggle. Once completed, on the main page of the app, the "Start" button will be replaced with "Stop," indicating the app is currently running.

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Step 3: Try Out the Feature

By default, the app sets this feature on, so go ahead and test it out by double tapping the status bar! The screen should turn off, and you are good to go.

Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks

But as you may have noticed, this is a much more robust app than just a gesture enabler. You can completely theme the status bar and change any icon, you can add a brightness adjustment gesture, and you can even bring back the notification ticker from the Android 4.4 KitKat days.

Cover image by Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks