TapOpenWhat is an activity?
When you open the Clock app and switch to the timer, or open Settings and tap Wi-Fi, you are moving between activities. Some of these can be opened from outside the app. Android calls those exported activities, and those are the ones a shortcut can open.
How to make an activity shortcut
- Open TapOpen and tap Activities.
- Pick an app. TapOpen lists the activities that app makes available.
- Tap one to try it. If it opens the screen you want, keep it.
- Name the shortcut and add it to the home screen.
Activity names come from the app's code, so they can look technical, for example SettingsActivity or AlarmClockActivity. Trying a few is the fastest way to find the right one.
Popular examples
- The timer or stopwatch screen in your clock app.
- A specific settings screen in a system app that is not in the main Settings list.
- The compose screen in an email or notes app.
- Phone maker extras, such as hidden testing or info screens on some devices.
Why some activities do not open
- The activity is not exported, so Android blocks other apps from opening it.
- It needs extra data from inside the app, so it closes right away when opened on its own.
- The app was updated and the activity was renamed or removed.
None of these harm your phone. Delete the shortcut and try a different activity.