From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Android 16
Samsung A36

To see past notifications that were dismissed, I can go to:

Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history

A very clumsy method. See:

https://www.androidpolice.com/check-android-notification-history-guide/

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history? Or do I have to get
an app to show that information without having to drill into settings.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history?

Maybe pixel specific, but on mine I pull down the notification shade, at
the bottom there's an icon of a clock inside a circular arrow.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Android 16
Samsung A36

To see past notifications that were dismissed, I can go to:

Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history

A very clumsy method. See:

https://www.androidpolice.com/check-android-notification-history-guide/

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history? Or do I have to get
an app to show that information without having to drill into settings.

I agree that a shortcut to notifications is one of the first things I do on
any Android device, simply because it's used every day, all day by me.

My rule, always, on a computer, is everything should be one tap away.

To that end, I wrote a tutorial on this ng for how to create a one-tap
shortcut to any public activity, including to the settings notifications.

I also posted a similar very detailed one-tap shortcut tutorial to XDA Developers for creating any shortcut, including to notifications.

I just tapped two of my notifications shortcuts in my shortcut folder.
1. One goes to the "Notification History" activity
2. The other goes to the "Notification Log" activity

The problem with Android shortcuts is you can't instantly tell, after the
fact, what the unique package name and activity name was, unfortunately.

But I just ran Shortcuts Widgets & Inspector which showed that the
Notification History activity is package name "comp.android.settings" & com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity

Likewise, the inspector showed that the Notification Log activity is com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity

Once you have that information, you just follow my step-by-step tutorials
which I wrote exactly for this purpose - so others can do what I can do
without having to ask how to do it (since I wrote up how to do it already).
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns wrote:

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history?

Maybe pixel specific, but on mine I pull down the notification shade, at
the bottom there's an icon of a clock inside a circular arrow.

On my Galaxy Android 13, when I swipe down from the top, I get recent notifications, and at the bottom of that is "Notification settings".

When I run the shortcut inspector, I see the package name is com.android.setttings and the activity name is com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity

Most people won't understand what I say to add value to what you & I just noted, but on Samsung in particular, there are activities which "appear" to
be in the com.android.settings package, which aren't and which often are
not public activities exposed to the user the way normal settings are.

Ask me how I know this...

Luckily, on my Android 13 Galaxy, there are two (now three!) notifications activities which appear to be public so we can create shortcuts to them.

1. "Notification Log" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity
Shows dismissed notifications from the past 24 hours

2. "Notification History" activity
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity
More detailed than the modern history UI

3. "App Notifications" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity
A full list of apps with notification permissions

They may or may not be exported on other platforms (like Pixel) though.
And, looking up whether there are more, there are. Lots more.

===========================
SAMSUNG NOTIFICATION ACTIVITIES
===========================

# Core Notification Tools
1. Notification History
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity

2. Notification Log (AOSP-style)
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity

3. App Notifications List
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity


===========================
PER-APP & CHANNEL SETTINGS
=========================== com.android.settings.Settings$AppNotificationSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ChannelNotificationSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ChannelGroupNotificationSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ConversationListSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$BubbleNotificationSettingsActivity


===========================
DO NOT DISTURB / ZEN MODE
=========================== com.android.settings.Settings$ZenModeSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ZenModeScheduleSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ZenModeAutomationSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ZenModeEventRuleSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$ZenModeTimeRuleSettingsActivity


===========================
LOCK SCREEN NOTIFICATIONS
=========================== com.android.settings.Settings$LockScreenNotificationSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$LockScreenSettingsActivity


===========================
NOTIFICATION PERMISSIONS
=========================== com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAccessSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAssistantSettingsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationReviewPermissionsActivity com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationSettingsActivity


===========================
SYSTEM UI TUNER (if present)
===========================
com.android.systemui.tuner.TunerActivity
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history?

Maybe pixel specific, but on mine I pull down the notification shade, at
the bottom there's an icon of a clock inside a circular arrow.

Don't see that on my phone. Yours has a shortcut to the history, so I'm wondering if a shortcut could defined to stick onto the screen; i.e.,
one-tap shortcut to access to Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced
settings -> Notification history.

I looked at some of the notification history apps at the Play store.
All are adware. One is "free" for all of a 3-day trial after which the
author expects users to pay $14.99/week. That's right: not an outright
license (which would already be insanely expensive), but highly
expensive subscriptionware. Some wanted to install a recorder process
that always ran in the background to record the notifications instead of
just showing what Android's history already recorded. Some would only
show new notifications after the app got installed, and omitted all the
entries already present in the Android's own history log.

I'm wondering if a shortcut could be added to the Home screen that
quickly accesses the history log already available by Android.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Yours has a shortcut to the history, so I'm
wondering if a shortcut could defined to stick onto the screen; i.e.,
one-tap shortcut to access to Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced
settings -> Notification history.

I looked at some of the notification history apps at the Play store.
All are adware.

Try a generic launcher, I use this one

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher>

or the pro version. If I search for "history" I see "Notification
History" class, within the Settings app

"com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity"

I can launch the same activity that the Pixel icon gives me, there's
also an option to put a shortcut on the home page.


--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Yours has a shortcut to the history, so I'm wondering if a shortcut
could defined to stick onto the screen; i.e., one-tap shortcut to
access to Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings ->
Notification history.

I looked at some of the notification history apps at the Play store.
All are adware.

Try a generic launcher, I use this one

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher>

or the pro version. If I search for "history" I see "Notification
History" class, within the Settings app

"com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity"

I can launch the same activity that the Pixel icon gives me, there's
also an option to put a shortcut on the home page.

When I do a search on "activity launcher" at the Play store, I don't get
a list of search results, but a direct one-match-up on that lone app. I
was hoping to see if the Pro paid version was listed since the app page
for the free version notes "contains ads" which means there is a
non-adware version. I hate ads, especially when app authors indemnify themselves against the content of the ads, especially excusing
themselves from fullscreen ads that obliterate the entire screen making
the phone unusable until the fullscreen ad is dismissed (and the "X"
close button can be scripted to run something untoward, so use the Back
nav button to back out of the fullscreen ad). In my opinion, any app
that permits fullscreen ads is rude and malware.

The app page doesn't give a comparison between the free and paid
versions. For the free version, are the ads ever displayed when the
shortcuts it creates are used? How intrusive are the ads within the app
when using it to define shortcuts? Does it ever display fullscreen ads?

The app page has a link to the author's website at:
https://activitylauncher.net/
where there was a link to the paid version at:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher.pro
which costs $2.49, so it is cheaper than Tasker ($4.49). Are there
functional differences between the free and paid versions? So far, the
only difference noted is the paid version removes the ads. The readme:
https://github.com/butzist/ActivityLauncher
doesn't mention any differences between free and paid. If I pay, I
expect MORE features than just eliminating ads. Their privacy policy:
https://activitylauncher.net/privacy-policy/
notes use of Google's Analytics for the app, and AdMob for the ads.
Maybe AdMob gets disabled when you pay, but Analytics remains. I'm not
keen but not paranoid about the anonymous tracking, just something to
note. It's a FOSS project, so a bit surprised it used Google Analytics.

I had thought about using an app to do the scripted task, like Tasker,
but I really wanted a solution or workaround that didn't involve
installing more software. Obviously not a feature Google put in
Android. I thought someone here noted in the past how to create such shortcuts, but maybe they were also using an app to create and execute
scripted shortcuts.

I did find something of a workaround, but a bit tenuous. Instead of
using the Settings icon in the drop-down panel when you swipe down from
the top of the screen, there is also the Settings app that is bundled on
the phone. The settings gear icon in the swipe-down panel always takes
me to the start of the settings menues, but the Settings app opens to
wherever I last navigated in settings. So, I can navigate to Settings

Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history, and later

use the Settings app to reopen settings to that navpath. However, if I
ever go into settings again, the Settings app will show to wherever I
was previously in settings.

A better solution would be the history (clock) icon in the notifications
panel you mention is available with the Pixel. No need for additional "launcher" apps to create shortcuts. No having to drill into settings.

I won't be needing to get at past notifications very often, only when I
dismiss one, and realize I needed to look at it again. Or when I go to
dismiss one, another arrives, pushes down the one which I intended to
dismiss, and I instead end up dismissing the wrong one.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher>

When I do a search on "activity launcher" at the Play store, I don't get
a list of search results, but a direct one-match-up on that lone app. I
was hoping to see if the Pro paid version was listed since the app page
for the free version notes "contains ads" which means there is a
non-adware version.

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher.pro>

it's not expensive.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 20/1/26 8:15 am, VanguardLH wrote:

Android 16
Samsung A36

To see past notifications that were dismissed, I can go to:

Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history

A very clumsy method. See:

https://www.androidpolice.com/check-android-notification-history-guide/

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history? Or do I have to get
an app to show that information without having to drill into settings.

Swipe down the notifications panel - you will see the words "No
Notifications" (assuming you already cleared them). Tap the words "No Notifications" and it jumps straight to the Notification History page.

Android 15 on Motorola g84 5G here - but should work on any standard
Android.
--
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, UK
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

I'm wondering if a shortcut could be added to the Home screen that
quickly accesses the history log already available by Android.

There's no value in asking the same question when it's already answered.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher>

When I do a search on "activity launcher" at the Play store, I don't get
a list of search results, but a direct one-match-up on that lone app. I
was hoping to see if the Pro paid version was listed since the app page
for the free version notes "contains ads" which means there is a
non-adware version.

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher.pro>

it's not expensive.

No, not expensive. Just $2.49, but you're paying a ransom that only
eliminates the ads. Nothing more.

Reminds of an old joke:
Terrorists have hijacked a planeload of lawyers. They demand a ransom
of $20 million; else they will release one lawyer every hour.

I read of a trick to show history by tapping on "No notifications" when
the list is empty. No such trick where there is 1, or more, still
showing (and where your "history" clock icon would help). Alas, even
that is not available on this Samsung phone.

Luckily it is rare I have to see a notification that was accidentally dismissed, so digging through settings (4 clicks instead of 1) isn't
that onerous.

Thanks for the hints.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns wrote:

When I do a search on "activity launcher" at the Play store, I don't get
a list of search results, but a direct one-match-up on that lone app. I
was hoping to see if the Pro paid version was listed since the app page
for the free version notes "contains ads" which means there is a
non-adware version.

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher.pro>

it's not expensive.

Hi Andy,

I answered all of Vanguard's questions multiple times so this is for you.

I wrote a few tutorials on launching any public activity, where I tested
every known free app that handles both activities and intents on Android.

I just looked at my setup in Muntashirakon where I have version 1.15.2(41)
of <de.szalkowski.activitylauncher> which doesn't show any ads (AFAIK).

But I checked for ads throughout its history, which showed
Version 1.9.1 from 2019 had 0 trackers and only 1 permission.
Version 2.1.6 from 2025 has 3 trackers and 12 permissions.

Delving deeper to resolve the mystery of when ads first appeared...
Version 2.0.7 from Google Play has 2 trackers 8 permissions
Yet every version before that both Google and F-Droid shows:
0 trackers
So the timeline is:
1. All 1.x versions are clean of ads
2. All 2.0.0 through 2.0.6 F-Droid builds are clean
3. The first Google Play build with trackers is 2.0.7
4. The first Google Play build with more trackers is 2.1.2
5. The worst is 2.1.6 with 3 trackers and 12 permissions
6. F-Droid builds remain clean even in 2.1.4

This means the developer added the tracker code only to the Google Play
flavor of the app not to the F-Droid flavor.

SUMMARY
1. The earliest version with trackers is 2.0.7 from Google Play.
2. All F-Droid builds remain tracker free.
3. The Google Play APK diverged from the F-Droid APK starting at
2.0.7.
4. The ad and analytics code was never added to the F-Droid build chain.
--
Usenet is kind-hearted intelligent people helping each other do things.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Bob Henson <q59qr3wnw@mozmail.com> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Android 16
Samsung A36

To see past notifications that were dismissed, I can go to:

Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history?

Swipe down the notifications panel - you will see the words "No Notifications" (assuming you already cleared them). Tap the words "No Notifications" and it jumps straight to the Notification History page.

Android 15 on Motorola g84 5G here - but should work on any standard Android.

Works on some phones. Unfortunately not on Samsung.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher.pro>

it's not expensive.

No, not expensive. Just $2.49, but you're paying a ransom that only eliminates the ads. Nothing more.

VanguardLH has been told multiple times how to get the app sans ads so
IMHO, he's wasting our time complaining about something that isn't.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Swipe down the notifications panel - you will see the words "No
Notifications" (assuming you already cleared them). Tap the words "No
Notifications" and it jumps straight to the Notification History page.

Android 15 on Motorola g84 5G here - but should work on any standard
Android.

Works on some phones. Unfortunately not on Samsung.

VanguardLH has been told multiple times it works fine on my Samsung.
So he's wasting our valuable time by denying what isn't happening.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 2026-01-20 10:19, VanguardLH wrote:

I'm wondering if a shortcut could be added to the Home screen that
quickly accesses the history log already available by Android.

I had that on a phone, long ago, but could not reproduce on the next model.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 2026-01-20 19:46, Bob Henson wrote:

On 20/1/26 8:15 am, VanguardLH wrote:

Android 16
Samsung A36

To see past notifications that were dismissed, I can go to:

   Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced settings -> Notification history >> A very clumsy method.  See:

https://www.androidpolice.com/check-android-notification-history-guide/

Is there a shortcut to get to notification history?  Or do I have to get
an app to show that information without having to drill into settings.

Swipe down the notifications panel - you will see the words "No Notifications" (assuming you already cleared them). Tap the words "No Notifications" and it jumps straight to the Notification History page.

Android 15 on Motorola g84 5G here - but should work on any standard Android.

Tried on my Motorola G52. At the end of the notifications, there is an
entry named "history".

Good to know.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Carlos E.R. wrote:

I'm wondering if a shortcut could be added to the Home screen that
quickly accesses the history log already available by Android.

I had that on a phone, long ago, but could not reproduce on the next model.

Hi Carlos,

A home-screen shortcut just brings up a public activity.
All Androids have public activities. Thousands of them.

As long as the activity is public, it's trivial to write a one-tap shortcut (and I've written the tutorial so there's no sense re-explaining how).

And it's trivial to find out which settings shortcuts are public.
I even gave Vanguard (multiple times) the exact lines for notifications.

1. "Notification Log" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity
Shows dismissed notifications from the past 24 hours

2. "Notification History" activity
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity
More detailed than the modern history UI

3. "App Notifications" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity
A full list of apps with notification permissions

The fact this question is still being asked means something is broken such
that we're wasting our valuable time repeating what everyone already knows.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Carlos E.R. wrote:

Android 15 on Motorola g84 5G here - but should work on any standard
Android.

Tried on my Motorola G52. At the end of the notifications, there is an
entry named "history".

Good to know.

It's trivial to put notification shortcuts on the home screen or shortcuts folder, so what's a bit puzzling is why this question is even being asked.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Maria Sophia wrote:

I wrote a few tutorials on launching any public activity, where I tested every known free app that handles both activities and intents on Android.

I just looked at my setup in Muntashirakon

I did try searching for the relevant activity in muntashirkon, but
couldn't find it, but it's easy to find in activitylauncher ... perhaps knowing the exact app/class name from the latter makes it easier to find
in the former?
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns wrote:

I wrote a few tutorials on launching any public activity, where I tested
every known free app that handles both activities and intents on Android.

I just looked at my setup in Muntashirakon

I did try searching for the relevant activity in muntashirkon, but
couldn't find it, but it's easy to find in activitylauncher ... perhaps knowing the exact app/class name from the latter makes it easier to find
in the former?

Hi Andy,

I have a huge advantage over most people (with respect to "finding" what an activity is named), because I use an old app called "Activity Launcher & Inspector" which is no longer available on the Google Play Store repo.

*What is a replacement app for the freeware com.cemique.shortcutwidgets Shortcut Widgets (+Inspector)*
<http://xdaforums.com/t/what-is-a-replacement-app-for-the-freeware-com-cemique-shortcutwidgets-shortcut-widgets-inspector.4627267/>

If people followed my tutorials, this question would never have been asked.

I have been creating one-tap shortcuts for years, as you're well aware, and I've written many tutorials on the subject, which is why I find Vanguard's question a bit repetitive, since it's trivial to do for public activities.

The only time creating one-tap shortcuts becomes "non-trivial" is when:
a. The activity is not exported
b. The activity requires a specific intent
c. The app uses dynamic activity registration
d. The activity is hidden behind permissions
e. The user doesn't know the package/class name

As you just noted, usually that last requirement is the stickler which is
why I kindly volunteered that exact information to VanguardLH days ago.
1. "Notification Log" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity
Shows dismissed notifications from the past 24 hours

2. "Notification History" activity
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity
More detailed than the modern history UI

3. "App Notifications" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity
A full list of apps with notification permissions

I suspect Vanguard has plonked me, which, unfortunately, means he ends up wasting all our valuable time (if that's true) asking questions over and
over and over and over and over again, that have long been answered.

For example, if hhe plonks me (which I don't know if he does), he will have absolutely no idea that he's dead wrong about his very strongly stated
opinion that Activity Launcher costs money or has ads, but my reply now to
you is that I agree Activity Launcher tends to show everything it can see, including exported and sometimes even non-exported activities (though the latter won't launch so it does us no good to see non-exported activities).

If Activity Launcher freeware works for you, I'm not deprecating that
solution as you can see that I had myself often used Activity Launcher for years until I found Muntashirakon which I happen to like using better.

Regarding your use of Muntashirakon, I have an excellent memory (all intelligent people do, I suspect, since you must have a vast backup of technological detail when you follow Occam's Razor to solve very difficult problems), so I am well aware you are using Muntashirakon App Manager.

I'm even aware that you tried for a couple of releases to get Muntashirakon
to work, and that you don't want to update so that it won't break again.

I don't remember what version you're on though, but I'm sure it likely has
the ability to create a shortcut simply by tapping a button describing it.

I'm on Muntashirakon version 4.0.4(444) on Android 13, Galaxy A32-5G.

I run a search for <com.android.settings> which is version 13(33).
I'm pressing the "Activities" tab. I'm searching for "notification".

Bearing in mind that "notification" is a broad search keyword, that brings
up 25 hits, 24 of which are one-tap launchable to create a shortcut to.

If I search for "notificationh" (for history), I get only one of them.
<com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity>
By tapping the "Create shortcut" button, the home screen is populated.

But I could just as well have tapped the two dozen hits "Launch" button to
test out what each does (where, I admit, the keyword "notification" is so
broad that it brings up an unusually high number of unrelated hits).

For me, that's my preferred method, but I don't deprecate anyone using
Activity Launcher since I used it myself for years; but I do try to clarify that Activity Launcher is free and fully functional sans ads (AFAIK).

In summary, this thread never needed to be asked since it's trivial to
create one-tap desktop shortcuts if people just read my tutorials.

That's WHY they're written. :)

Even if they don't read my tutorials, if Vanguard just responded to my
answers, he wouldn't need to waste everyone's time asking questions that
have already been answered in this thread, and he wouldn't make comments
that are dead wrong about the applications that you & I are using.

Sigh... I care so much to help people that when people can't be helped,
it's very frustrating to a person who cares so much about being helpful to
then see people asking questions that have been answered a billion times.
--
Usenet is a group of old men who discuss topics of technical import.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 1/20/2026 12:29 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Works on some phones. Unfortunately not on Samsung.

For Samsung phones, I recommend installing the free GoodLock NotiStar
module.

I created a shortcut on my home screen to open NotiStar. It even has an option to link it to the lock screen.

-David
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

David Oseas <doseas{nospam}@usa.net> wrote:

NotiStar

I installed Good Lock, and then it's Notistar app (which can be
installed separately of Good Lock). It offers saving a shortcut to notifications, except:

- The shortcut is on the lock screen. I don't want anyone to looking at
my notifications when the phone is supposed to be locked.
- No shortcut on the home screen which is where and when I need to view
the notifications history.
- Notistar must be started to record notifications thereafter. It will
not list the notifications already sitting in notifications history.
It records new notifications, not show old+new ones.
- I have my phone use Extend Unlock (by location at my home, and
Bluetooth connect to my desktop PC), so my phone doesn't lock while
I'm home. Notistar's shortcut is on the lock screen which I won't get
at home.

Didn't help with what I wanted: shortcut on home screen to Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced -> Notifications history.

Decided to use Activity Launcher mentioned by Andy. It let my create a shortcut on the home screen (not lock screen) that used the Settings
activity event to show the notifications history. Wish it created
smaller icons, but then 1x1 is the smallest size. Knowing which app to
pick (Settings) and which activity to choose were the difficult tasks.
it lets me pick a different icon, but the list showing available icons
is so tiny that I had to use a magnifying glass to view, and a stylus to
pick the wanted icon. Still, it worked to give me a shortcut where I
wanted that went to where I wanted without using some app that had its
own record mode for tracking notifications.

Thanks for the Notistar mention, but not really what I wanted. I did
use Good Lock's Home Up app to add a string to my home screen: "This
phone: <mycellphone>" to remind me the number for my mobile service. I
rarely call my own cell phone, and dole out my Google Voice number to
everyone that wants or needs my phone number. GV calls all my phones.
However, there are some sites that won't accept VOIP numbers, so I have
to dole out my mobile number, but I don't remember it. Digging into
Settings -> About phone is clumsy and laggy. On my old LG V20 phone, it
had a 2nd screen with multiple panels where I used the Signature panel
to show my mobile number making it quick and easy to lookup. With Home
Up, I added a note to the home screen noting my mobile number. Easy to
find, no having to tap through to anywhere else. I've had that mobile
number for a decade, yet I still have problems remembering it from rare
need to dole it out. I usually get the area code wrong.

So, I found some good use for Good Lock with the Home Up app it loads,
but the Notistar wasn't of use to me, and Activity Launcher was the
better solution.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Decided to use Activity Launcher mentioned by Andy. It let my create a shortcut on the home screen (not lock screen) that used the Settings
activity event to show the notifications history. Wish it created
smaller icons, but then 1x1 is the smallest size. Knowing which app to
pick (Settings) and which activity to choose were the difficult tasks.
it lets me pick a different icon, but the list showing available icons
is so tiny that I had to use a magnifying glass to view, and a stylus to
pick the wanted icon. Still, it worked to give me a shortcut where I
wanted that went to where I wanted without using some app that had its
own record mode for tracking notifications.

It's trivial to create shortcuts to notification histories & logs.
1. "Notification Log" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity
Shows dismissed notifications from the past 24 hours

2. "Notification History" activity
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity
More detailed than the modern history UI

3. "App Notifications" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity
A full list of apps with notification permissions

While every one of Vanguard's issues have been deeply covered in their own separate tutorials posted many times to this very newsgroup, I will kindly repeat that it's trivial to set the icon to any icon you wish on Android.

While all my tutorials for Android are posted here first, sometimes, when I want to leverage them to the larger community, I also post them to forums. <http://xdaforums.com/t/photo-tutorial-how-to-change-the-app-icon-name-image-on-android.4455759/>

As for icon sizing, that was also covered many times in this newsgroup,
where icon sizing is controlled by the launcher. I don't know, offhand,
which launcher the OP is using, but I've tested all of them in the past and settled on Nova Launcher (last known good version) which does icon sizing.
Nova Settings > Look & feel > Icon style > Icon size
--
There are people who teach & those who learn, & some who won't do either.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 1/24/2026 10:41 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

- The shortcut is on the lock screen. I don't want anyone to looking at
my notifications when the phone is supposed to be locked.
- No shortcut on the home screen which is where and when I need to view
the notifications history.

1. Go to apps drawer & drag Notistar icon to your home screen to create
the shortcut
2. Go into Notistar settings and disable "Use on Lock Screen"

- Notistar must be started to record notifications thereafter. It will
not list the notifications already sitting in notifications history.
It records new notifications, not show old+new ones.

Yes, that is a shortcoming.

-David
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

The app page doesn't give a comparison between the free and paid
versions. For the free version, are the ads ever displayed when the shortcuts it creates are used? How intrusive are the ads within the app
when using it to define shortcuts? Does it ever display fullscreen ads?

It's trivial to set one-tap shortcuts to notifications, and it's trivial to create custom icons (if desired) but it's less trivial to set icon size.

We wrote entire tutorials using the free full no-ad version of Activity Launcher so I'm not sure why the OP appears to be confused about ads.

As described in many tutorials posted to this newsgroup, it's trivial to
find an activity (such as notification history) as long as it's public.

Then it's trivial to create the one-tap shortcut to that exported activity. It's trivial to change to a custom or stock icon in your shortcut folder.

The only thing not trivial is changing the size of that icon, where I've
tested every known free Android launcher in the past & settled on the last known good version of Nova Launcher by the Klinker Brothers for that task.

Nova Launcher allows much more control over icon sizing than stock Android.

You can shrink icons using the Icon Size slider, reduce label size or turn labels off, increase the desktop grid to fit more icons per page, enable subgrid positioning to reduce padding, and use icon packs with smaller
artwork. Nova also lets you scale adaptive icons so they do not appear oversized. These options together give much finer control over icon size
than Activity Launcher or the default launcher.

Nova Settings > Look & feel > Icon style > Icon size
Nova Settings > Look & feel > Icon style > Label size
Nova Settings > Home screen > Desktop grid
Nova Settings > Home screen > Subgrid positioning
Nova Settings > Look & feel > Adaptive icons

In addition, Nova supports icon packs, where many packs include icons that
are smaller and padded differently. Please see my tutorial on icon packs.
--
On Usenet, we volunteer what we know so others can move forward faster.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

David Oseas wrote:

- Notistar must be started to record notifications thereafter. It will
not list the notifications already sitting in notifications history.
It records new notifications, not show old+new ones.

Yes, that is a shortcoming.

Hi David Oseas,

Thanks for the information for us Android newsgroup lurkers about NotiStar.

This is a good offshoot tangent since I create shortcuts using the trivial methods that Android allows, so I was unaware of "NotiStar" until now.

Even though I have a Samsung Galaxy, apparently I don't have NotiStar as NotiStar is a Samsung-only notification-logging tool that is part of the
Good Lock customization suite. It is not included by default on Samsung
phones so it normally requires installation through the Galaxy Store.

Since I have no accounts on my Android phone, I can't access that store.
So I won't be able to test out NotiStar for the team as I usually do.

NotiStar provides its own notification history separate from Android's
built-in "Notification History" feature. After it is enabled, it records
new notifications and lets the user search, filter, and review them. It
cannot display notifications that occurred before it was activated.

NotiStar can show its log on the lock screen or through its own app icon.

It does not create a shortcut to the system's notification history. It is simply an alternative notification logger designed for Samsung devices.

Because it depends on Good Lock and the Galaxy Store, NotiStar generally requires a Samsung account. Users who avoid Samsung or Google accounts may
not be able to install it or may need to sideload it with limited results.

Given it's trivial to create shortcuts to Android notification activities
1. "Notification Log" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationStationActivity
Shows dismissed notifications from the past 24 hours

2. "Notification History" activity
com.android.settings.notification.history.NotificationHistoryActivity
More detailed than the modern history UI

3. "App Notifications" activity
com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationAppListActivity
A full list of apps with notification permissions

And given that, apparently, NotiStar's internal notification-viewer
activity is not exported, we cannot create a launcher shortcut to it using Activity Launcher, Muntashirakon AM, or any other activity-based shortcut
tool.

adb dumpsys package com.samsung.android.notistar

a. Only the main launcher activity is exported
b. All internal activities are non-exported

After careful consideration, I think NotiStar didn't solve the OP's issues
1. Because NotiStar is a separate Samsung-only notification logger.
It maintains its own database and only records notifications after it
is enabled. It cannot display the system's existing notification
history.

2. AFAICT, VanguardLH wanted a shortcut on the home screen that opened
the system path to Samsung's
Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced -> Notification history\
That screen is part of the Android Settings app, not part of Good Lock
or NotiStar.

3. The Android Settings app exposes several notification-related
activities as exported. Because they are exported, tools like Activity
Launcher or Muntashirakon AM can create shortcuts to them. These
include the aforementioned Notification Log, the Notification
History screen, and the App Notifications list activities.

4. NotiStar's internal viewer activities are not exported. Samsung marks
them as non-exported or protects them with Samsung-only permissions.
Because of this, third-party tools cannot create shortcuts to NotiStar's
internal log viewer (AFAICT).

5. NotiStar also defaults to placing its shortcut on the lock screen
which VanguardLH noticed, but as you confirmed, the shortcut can be
moved to the home screen, but it still opens NotiStar's own log
rather than the system's notification history. I think that is mainly
what may have made it unsuitable for VanguardLH's stated goal.

6. Activity Launcher solved the problem because it can call the exported
Settings activity that displays the system's notification history. This
provided the exact shortcut VanguardLH wanted without relying on Good
Lock or a Samsung account. Muntashirakon AM would have done as well.

7. In short, NotiStar is a separate logger with its own data and
non-exported activities, while the Android Settings app exposes the
system's notification history through exported activities that can be
launched directly.

Both can be useful so I, for one, appreciate you brought up NotiStar given
I, myself, had never heard of NotiStar notifications until your posts here.

Thank you for helping us all understand Android just a little bit better.
--
Occam's Razor guides my assessments more than marketing hype ever will.
--- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2