{
  "id": 17824701,
  "title": "When larger text puts a button out of reach on Android",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/when-larger-text-puts-a-button-out-of-reach-on-android",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-02T16:48:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/kordelis/when-larger-text-puts-a-button-out-of-reach-on-android-1o3c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A demonstration video shows how larger text on an Android device can make buttons disappear outside the screen's view, making them unreachable. The issue arises when the layout doesn't have enough space to accommodate the larger text, and the button is cut off or cannot scroll to be reached. The sample app deliberately constrains the layout, which helps illustrate the problem.\n\nThe broken custom action in the sample uses a fixed height for its contents, causing the text to be clipped when the font size is increased. Additionally, the content area doesn't scroll, leaving the action below the visible area and unreachable. This is a separate problem from the text being too large for the button.\n\nIn the corrected version, the action is placed within a vertically scrollable container, allowing the button to be reached by scrolling. The action also has a minimum height, which provides more room for the text to wrap as needed. The relevant shape of the corrected custom action is a Column with a fillMaxSize modifier and verticalScroll, padding, and clickable content.\n\nTo test for this issue, Android 16 / API 36 emulator in portrait was used with a compact configuration of approximately 309 × 686 dp. At a 2.0 font scale, the broken layout left the action outside the visible content area, while at a 1.6 font scale, the broken custom action clipped part of its label. The issue is not consistent across all devices and can change based on factors such as screen size, density, language, content, and font settings. It is recommended to test the app's functionality at various text sizes and screen configurations to ensure accessibility and usability for all users.",
  "summary": "Someone opens a library app to collect a book. They make the text on their phone larger, read the collection details and try to confirm. The label is cut off. On a compact screen, the confirmation button has disappeared below the visible area—and an upward swipe doesn't bring it back. This is an illustrative example, built to make a layout problem visible. The app screens in our video are real…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Tom's Guide",
        "title": "So-called 'SMS of Death' can crash Android phones with just a text: what you need to know",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/so-called-sms-of-death-can-crash-android-phones-with-just-a-text-what",
        "published": "2026-11-02T19:12:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}