Taskbar for Samsung tablets and foldables comes with limitation

If you use a Samsung tablet or foldable phone with the new Android 12L software, you will inevitably encounter a problem when you install another launcher, such as Nova Launcher or Lawnchair. The taskbar is not compatible.

Android 12L and launchers

Remember the problems with Android’s new gesture navigation not working with third-party launchers? History repeats itself when it comes to the Android 12L update. 9To5Google notes that the taskbar — a new feature that improves multitasking — won’t show up on Samsung phones if you’re using a different launcher.

The taskbar on foldable smartphones and tablets makes it easy to open your frequently used apps and use them side by side in split-screen. Still, if you’re used to using an app like Nova Launcher, Niagara Launcher, or Action Launcher, you’ll have to do without this feature.

In addition, there is a way to force the taskbar always on the screen, which works via: Settings -> Display -> Navigation bar -> Looking for something else? You will only quickly notice that the taskbar is covering parts of the screen in Recent apps and there are many other software errors that sometimes cause the taskbar to stop working.

Active by default

An important question is how the launcher works on the bare version of Android, so without the intervention of Samsung’s One UI shell. By default, the taskbar is active in third-party launchers, but it doesn’t work properly. For example, your dock’s apps don’t sync with what’s shown in the taskbar.

It is therefore logical that Samsung hides the taskbar in such situations. Hopefully Google will come up with a solution to the problem, because the lack of support for launcher apps is a clear limitation for users of tablets and foldables.

Android 12L was first available on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and later the update was rolled out on the Galaxy Tab S8, then on older foldables, then on the Tab S7 series and finally on the S22 series.