Connect a switch
Switchify sees an external switch as a key press. Anything that sends a key when you press it will work: a USB or Bluetooth switch interface, a Bluetooth button, or a key on an external keyboard. A camera switch is a facial gesture recognised by the front camera, and needs no hardware at all. You can mix the two.
Switches live under Settings → General → Switches.
Add an external switch
Section titled “Add an external switch”- Connect the switch. A USB switch needs to be plugged in and turned on; a Bluetooth switch needs to be paired with the device in Android’s Bluetooth settings.
- In Switchify, open Settings → Switches → External Switches and add a new switch.
- Press the switch you want to use. Switchify learns the key it sends.
- Choose a press action (see below). Switchify names the switch for you; rename it if you like.
- Save. Long press actions can be set once the switch is saved.
Each key can belong to only one switch.
Add a camera switch
Section titled “Add a camera switch”- Open Settings → Switches → Camera Switches and add a new switch. Switchify asks for camera permission the first time.
- Choose a facial gesture: Smile, Left Wink, Right Wink, Blink, Pucker, Head Turn Left, Head Turn Right, Head Turn Up or Head Turn Down. Each gesture can be used by one switch.
- Choose a press action and save.
Camera switches need good lighting. Under Settings → Camera Settings you can test gestures live and set how long each expression must be held before it counts. Head turns trigger as soon as they are seen and have no hold time or sensitivity setting:
| Gesture | Hold time |
|---|---|
| Smile | 0.1 to 5 seconds |
| Left wink, right wink | 0.1 to 3 seconds |
| Blink | 0.1 to 2 seconds |
| Pucker | 0.1 to 3 seconds |
If another app takes the camera, Switchify shows a message and the gestures resume when the camera is free again.
Choose what a press does
Section titled “Choose what a press does”| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Select | Select the highlighted item, or start auto scanning if it is not running. Auto scanning needs one switch set to Select. |
| Move to Next Item, Move to Previous Item | Step the highlight. Manual scanning needs Select, Next and Previous. |
| Stop Scanning | Stop the scan. |
| Change Scanning Direction | Reverse the scan. Auto scanning only. |
| Home, Back, Recent Apps, Quick Settings, Notifications, Lock Screen | The matching Android action. |
| Play/Pause Media or Answer/End Call | Acts like a headset button. |
| Pause Switchify | Pause scanning so you can use the switches with another app. See Settings. |
| Toggle Gesture Lock, Toggle Gesture Lock Re-arm, Toggle Gesture Repeat | See Gestures and actions. |
| Launch app | Open an app you choose. |
| Open PC Mouse, Open PC Switch Forwarding, Start PC Switch Forwarding | Open PC control on that surface. See PC control. |
| None | Do nothing. |
Which actions are offered depends on the scan mode. The action picker shows Recommended chips for any required action you have not assigned yet, and the home screen warns if the active profile does not have the actions the scan mode needs.
Long press actions
Section titled “Long press actions”A switch can also run different actions depending on how long you hold it. Turn on Enable Switch Hold under Settings → Switch Hold and set the Switch Hold Time (0.1 to 10 seconds). Then edit a saved switch and add Long Press Actions. Actions execute in sequence based on hold duration: while you hold, Switchify shows on screen which action will run when you let go.
Switch stability
Section titled “Switch stability”Under Settings → Switch Stability, Ignore Repeat ignores repeated presses of the same switch for a delay you set (0.1 to 10 seconds). This helps when movement is involuntary.
Switch profiles
Section titled “Switch profiles”Settings → Switches → Switch Profiles saves different external-switch and camera-gesture mappings as named profiles, for example one for a tray-mounted switch and one for camera gestures. Only the active profile controls Switchify, and you can edit another profile without changing your current controls.
Before a profile becomes active, Switchify asks you to use its Select action within 60 seconds, so you are never left without a working switch. You can also change profile from the Switch profile item in the menu. Profiles can be created, duplicated, renamed and deleted.