Back gesture/navigation behaviour

[SimBun]

Would it be possible to either:

• prevent the back gesture from putting the app in the background (an optional toggle under Control?)
• have the back gesture return to the previous tab e.g. from Now Playing to Library when 'Play displays Now Playing' is active

I don't know if this behaviour has changed over the years - or if it's because I'm travelling more so getting used to another app - but I find it's catching me out quite regularly.

This issue has been mentioned a few times on the WiiM forum so I thought I'd raise it.

Thanks for your consideration.

[Bubblesoft]

Hi,

On Sunday, July 13, 2025 at 3:12:12 PM UTC+2 SimBun wrote:

Would it be possible to either:

• prevent the back gesture from putting the app in the background (an optional toggle under Control?)

Maybe, although there are waaay to many settings already. When you use the back gesture it destroys the UI with the app still running in the background.

Putting the UI into the background so you find it exactly how it was when you get back to it is done with the Home gesture.

 

• have the back gesture return to the previous tab e.g. from Now Playing to Library when 'Play displays Now Playing' is active

I don't know if this behaviour has changed over the years - or if it's because I'm travelling more so getting used to another app - but I find it's catching me out quite regularly.

This behavior has always been like this an is by design: when you are in any tab other than the Library tab you are the top of the app and back button/gesture 

destroys the UI going back to the Android home screen (Exception: the Library tab where back goes back to previous folder and disabled at the top to prevent mistakes).

Other apps (such as YouTube) chose to implement a back history (pretty much like a web browse) going to the previous screen instead

but this is not the design choice made by BubbleUPnP because everything is already accessible easily directly at the top level with tabs. 

[SimBun]

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner but I've been away.

Would it be possible to either:

• prevent the back gesture from putting the app in the background (an optional toggle under Control?)

Maybe, although there are waaay to many settings already. When you use the back gesture it destroys the UI with the app still running in the background.

Putting the UI into the background so you find it exactly how it was when you get back to it is done with the Home gesture.

There are only too many settings if they're not used ;-) 

The distinction between back and home is very subtle; I don't know how many people would know that especially those with 'Startup screen' set to 'Last Displayed'.

Other apps (such as YouTube) chose to implement a back history (pretty much like a web browse) going to the previous screen instead

but this is not the design choice made by BubbleUPnP because everything is already accessible easily directly at the top level with tabs. 

I understand that you have everything available from the tabs - which isn't possible with most apps - but muscle memory doesn't work that way, it wants to operate the way every other app does so it's really difficult to switch.

Anyway, thanks again for a fantastic app. 

[Bubblesoft]

On Monday, July 21, 2025 at 10:15:08 AM UTC+2 SimBun wrote:

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner but I've been away.

Would it be possible to either:

• prevent the back gesture from putting the app in the background (an optional toggle under Control?)

Maybe, although there are waaay to many settings already. When you use the back gesture it destroys the UI with the app still running in the background.

Putting the UI into the background so you find it exactly how it was when you get back to it is done with the Home gesture.

There are only too many settings if they're not used ;-) 

The distinction between back and home is very subtle; I don't know how many people would know that especially those with 'Startup screen' set to 'Last Displayed'.

This distinction between Home and Back exists since Android exists. When an Activity is displayed (not a dialog or bottom sheet), Back = destroying current Activity (UI) and going back to previous screen. 

What is "previous screen" depends on app. By default, it is the previous Activity. Some apps (Youtube notably, but also web browsers) override this maintaining their own back stack.

BubbleUPnP will never do this. Most apps do not do this and when you are at the top Activity, using Back destroys it and displays the app launcher (since it started that Activity).

In BubbleUPnP, except when in the Library tab maintaining its own back stack for obvious reasons, you are always at the top Activity.

 Home = putting the app in the background without destroying its UI (it is just paused) so when you get back to it (assuming Android did not kill the app process in between), it will display exactly the same screen.

Other apps (such as YouTube) chose to implement a back history (pretty much like a web browse) going to the previous screen instead

but this is not the design choice made by BubbleUPnP because everything is already accessible easily directly at the top level with tabs. 

I understand that you have everything available from the tabs - which isn't possible with most apps - but muscle memory doesn't work that way, it wants to operate the way every other app does so it's really difficult to switch.

For most apps, if you cold them and hit back and it will go back the app launcher. That's default Android behavior unless an app overrides it.

[Bubblesoft]

For most apps, if you cold them and hit back and it will go back the app launcher. That's default Android behavior unless an app overrides it.

EDIT: if you cold start them