Split notifications on Android: A frustrating UI trend taking away user choice

10/17/2025 Mobile

I've always appreciated Android's flexibility, letting me tweak things to my liking. However, lately, I've been running into a UI change that's been driving me up the wall: split notifications. For those unfamiliar, instead of a single swipe-down for everything, some Android versions now separate notifications and quick settings into two distinct panels.

When I first encountered this on a Samsung device with One UI, I could choose between the combined or separate panels, which was fine. But since then, I've noticed it popping up across more brands, including Honor and Xiaomi, sometimes without an option to revert. My current daily driver, an Honor device, forces this split on me, and it's been a consistent source of frustration.

As a right-handed person, I naturally swipe down from the right side of the screen. However, because of the split, accessing my notifications on the left requires a thumb-stretching maneuver. While I’ve gotten used to swiping back and forth, it still feels like an unnecessary extra step for what used to be a simple task. It's especially annoying when I just want to quickly check the time, since the clock is only visible in the notification panel.

I can see the argument some make that split notifications are better for productivity, because they let you tweak a setting without getting distracted by your inbox. But, personally, I haven't experienced any benefits. Instead, I find myself wasting time swiping between panels, often forgetting what I originally wanted to do. Given my ADHD and other chronic conditions, this setup becomes incredibly counterproductive.

I get that some people might prefer split notifications, and that's totally fine. What bothers me is when brands remove the choice altogether. Android's strength has always been its customization. I should be able to pick my hardware, choose my companion devices, and, yes, even decide how I want my notification panel to work.

While I can deal with UI changes that only affect aesthetics, when essential features that impact how I use my phone are altered, it's a different story. Design trends shouldn't come at the expense of user experience and accessibility. Forcing this feature on people for whom it doesn’t work can create a lot of frustration, and I'm hoping this doesn't signal a shift toward less customizable versions of Android in the future.