Green settings icon during launch animation

Ejd186

type: logcat
osVersion: google/shiba/shiba:16/BP2A.250805.005/2025081400:user/release-keys
package: com.android.settings:36, targetSdk 36
sharedUid: android.uid.system
buffers: main,system,crash,events,kernel
level: verbose

I just noticed when opening the Settings app that the launch animation briefly displayed as a green 'suggestions' icon. After force closing and reopening it, the same thing did not reoccur. It only happened once (that I noticed). So I thought I would attempt to have an amateur look into why.

I have two instances of protonvpn running (default profile/private space), and the settings log seems to offer clues that might explain the green animation (but I am not a dev and I don't actually have any idea).

 1) Is it normal for a protonvpn notification to generate at the moment Settings is launched?

--------- beginning of events

09-02 16:11:03.107 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:03.964 1328 1900 I input_interaction: Interaction with: ffde2ce app.grapheneos.apps/app.grapheneos.apps.ui.MainActivity, [Gesture Monitor] swipe-up, [Gesture Monitor] edge-swipe, PointerEventDispatcher0,

09-02 16:11:04.027 1328 8377 I input_cancel: [window=ffde2ce app.grapheneos.apps/app.grapheneos.apps.ui.MainActivity,reason=reason=input channel stole pointer stream]

09-02 16:11:04.027 1328 8377 I input_cancel: [window=[Gesture Monitor] swipe-up,reason=reason=input channel stole pointer stream]

09-02 16:11:04.028 1328 1900 I input_interaction: Interaction with: [Gesture Monitor] edge-swipe, PointerEventDispatcher0,

09-02 16:11:04.104 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=10182,pid=4265,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=0,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE|FOREGROUND_SERVICE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:04.118 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:04.696 1328 4994 I battery_level: [level=48%,voltage=3810,temperature=360]

 2) Is it normal for the following broadcast receiver to be triggered by a plain Settings launch?

09-02 16:11:04.758 1328 1422 I am_proc_start: [User=10,PID=21718,UID=1001000,Process Name=com.android.settings,Type=broadcast,Component={com.android.settings/com.android.settings.fuelgauge.batteryusage.BatteryUsageBroadcastReceiver}]

 3) Does the following indicate the OS is still processing touch gestures in the background for the launcher (swipe-up, edge=swipe) while the Settings app is open? Is that normal?

09-02 16:11:05.311 1328 1900 I input_interaction: Interaction with: ffde2ce app.grapheneos.apps/app.grapheneos.apps.ui.MainActivity, [Gesture Monitor] swipe-up, [Gesture Monitor] edge-swipe, PointerEventDispatcher0,

 4) Why does protonvpn post three noficiation_enqueue entries here when I open Settings [default/private space, one rapid re-enqueue, multiple times within ~2seconds]? Would it not check NotificationManager? Is it normal for the vpn to start a foreground service in (and on repeat in the default profile) at the same time as the settings UI is opened (is it a basic keep-alive thing?)

 **09-02 16:11:03.107**  1328  1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:05.112 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=10182,pid=4265,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=0,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE|FOREGROUND_SERVICE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:06.152 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:07.157 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=10182,pid=4265,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=0,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE|FOREGROUND_SERVICE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:07.164 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:08.183 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=10182,pid=4265,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=0,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE|FOREGROUND_SERVICE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

09-02 16:11:08.195 1328 1328 I notification_enqueue: [uid=1010182,pid=11990,pkg=ch.protonvpn.android,id=6,tag=NULL,userid=10,notification=Notification(channel=com.protonvpn.android shortcut=null contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0 flags=ONGOING_EVENT|ONLY_ALERT_ONCE color=0x00000000 category=service actions=1 vis=PRIVATE),status=1,app_provided=1]

If the culprit for the green animation were another app, why does it cause the green?

Thanks for any input (Sorry if these are stupid questions - I am just taking wild stabs at this).

other8026

Ejd186 why does it cause the green?

Ejd186 the launch animation briefly displayed as a green 'suggestions' icon.

To be honest, I'm not really following what is going on here. What exactly is green, how do you trigger it, and can you reproduce it? If you can reproduce it, how? It would be much more helpful if someone else can reproduce this issue to figure out the cause.

Ejd186

other8026 opening the settings app from the dock on the home screen (just clicking the app icon visible on docker) - during launch, instead of the black settings icon usually visible for a brief moment (during animation launch when app is opening, maybe I'm using wrong terminology) before launch is complete and the app becomes full screen, a green version of the icon was visible during launching, this green version looks like the icon typical for an Android system app called 'settings suggestions' (I have a screenshot of this somewhere for reference)

I can't reproduce it, and I don't know why it happened. I thought maybe another app is running problematically and interfering with the resources the settings app needs when launching, maybe. The only way to record it tho would be screen recording and hoping it happens again. I dunno what the cause is but I was hoping the settings app log would provide a clue; alas I am not a dev and can't interpret them well

Ejd186

other8026 ![

other8026 it launched as thus icon

https://imgur.com/a/FxxESqc

Green, during transition between clicking to open and actually being opened full screen

There was a transition where a visible transition occurred and I could see the app 'launching' from the docker to a full screen opened app, and the animation that happened (for a microsecond) displayed the green icon I described.

It's not happening anymore, there is no such transition and the app is opening seamlessly from click to full screen (no microsecond long transition as described in the post).

I figured this was unusual behaviour and was hoping the settings app log would provide a clue

Ejd186

other8026 I also noticed today during the same time frame that when I unlocked the phone, the top left corner of the phone screen displayed GrapheneOS for a couple of seconds instead of the time and tiny black white icons of recently opened apps. I clicked on it and notification history popped up. First and only time I've seen that.

I'm not sure where to start to try and figure out what caused that (or if it's normal behaviour and ive somehow missed it until now)

Ejd186

other8026

https://imgur.com/a/2ED37AQ

this is what i meant visually - the icon here was green and displayed exactly like the settings suggestion system app. it happened a few times but stopped after force closing the app.

Ejd186

Ejd186 not *usually visible for a moment, but it was visible today and I noticed it. Now the app opens seamlessly with no 'launching transition' if that makes senss

Ejd186

Ejd186 I asked an llm for clarity on what I'm trying to describe and to correct misused terminology (Im not a dev or work in a related field).

Maybe this might make it more comprehensible:

Description
When launching the Settings app, an unexpected visual artifact appeared today, several times in a row before force closing the app:

After tapping the Settings icon, the system shows a very brief (≈ 1 frame) launch animation.
Instead of the normal black splash that GrapheneOS shows while the activity starts, a green square‑shaped icon is displayed.
The icon looks identical to the “Settings suggestions” system app (the green‑colored Settings shorcut edit: idk if it's a shortcut, but it's the system app I linked to in other comment).

The artifact lasts only a single frame; the Settings UI then opens normally.
After force‑closing Settings and retrying, the problem does not reappear. Subsequent launches behave correctly (black splash → Settings UI, no green icon).
The behavior is intermittent; it occurred once on a clean launch, then never again during the same session.

Expected behavior
Launching Settings should display the standard black splash screen (or the default launch animation) and then render the Settings UI. No other app icons or placeholders should appear.

Actual behavior
A green “Settings suggestions” icon flashes for a single frame before the Settings UI appears. This only happens on the first launch after a reboot (or after a force‑close) and does not repeat consistently edit: only happened during normal use of the phone, stopped happening after a force close

NetRunner88

I was able to reproduce once ! And I believe I have found how, because I used a functionality I never use.

Ill try to explain.

A user here asked me how to enable charge only for USB-C.

So I took Settings shortcut on home screen.
Searched USB in the search bar.
I didn't clicked it because..
I had a notification from a random chat app I clicked,
so the Settings activity goes in background.
As I used the phone for something else I believe the setting activity was unloaded from RAM.
This point is important to reproduce the behaviour. Then I again went in Settings to look for something and Booom for the first time I had the holy green Gear icon on activity launch ! I am pretty sure it is related to the search bar, because the USB search was still there.
I have used the search bar today and never used it before (or I can't remember when).

So if someone has time to waste to reproduce it could be great to try this.

And I am not even sure of those are the good steps to reproduce but I fairly believe so.

Ejd186

NetRunner88 that makes sense to me :)
i think its a resources related thing, in my case it seems to be related to the protonvpn client for some reason, but its not clear exactly why. i opened an issue on github about it that got sent upstream.

Byku

I think I know the answer to this which I've stumbled upon by accident. The green settings icon belongs to a process called Settings Suggestions. That's probably what @NetRunner88 noticed when searching the settings. I guess the name is self-explanatory of what it does.