# Action strip

<br />

Action strips put secondary or tertiary actions a tap away.

**Includes**:

- Action [buttons](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/button) (up to 2, except for [templates with maps](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/action-strip#map-templates), which allow up to 4)

Only 1 label button (with label and optional icon) is allowed per template.
Button order is specified by the app.
![Android Auto action strip example](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-1.png) ![AAOS action strip example](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-2.png) Android Auto example

AAOS example

<br />

## Template support

All templates support the action strip. Sometimes the action strip can reside in
the [header](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/header).

## Guidance

Use action strips for secondary or tertiary actions, rather than primary actions
-- except on the [Navigation template](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/templates/navigation-template).
For details about when the action strip is displayed on the Navigation template
and when it's hidden, refer to [Visibility of action strips](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/action-strip#visibility).

Do not include both an action strip and a
[floating action button](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/fab)
at the same time.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** Templates for navigation apps can also have a [map action strip](https://developers.google.com/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/map-action-strip) with map interactivity buttons.

## Action strip on template with maps

On templates with maps, the action strip can include up to 4 buttons, as shown
in these examples.
![Android Auto Navigation template with 3 action strip buttons](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-3.png) Android Auto example ![Android Auto Map template with 4 action strip buttons](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-4.png) Android Auto example ![AAOS button example with 3 action strip buttons](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-5.png) Android Auto example

<br />

## Pan mode

In pan mode, only the full-screen map and map action strip buttons are
visible. Pan mode is used for rotary and touchpad inputs.

For the pan button, apps can provide 2 icons: one for entering pan mode,
and one for exiting. The icon for exiting pan mode should clearly indicate
that it provides a way to exit. For example, this button can show an
\*\*X\*\*.
![Mock-up of pan mode](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-6.png)

<br />

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** Apps must include a pan button in the map action strip in order to enable user panning on all screen types, even though the pan button does not display on touch screens. Including the pan button causes touch gestures for map interactivity to be forwarded to the app.

## Visibility of action strips

The app library generally takes care of showing and hiding the action strip and
map action strip in the map-based templates based on user interactions, as shown
below.
![Mock-up of pan mode](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-7.png) When a map-based template opens, the action strip and map action strip are visible. If 10 seconds go by with no user interaction, and if the action strip and map action strip do not have user focus for rotary input, they disappear. (Exceptions are noted below.) ![Mock-up of pan mode](https://developers.google.com/static/cars/design/create-apps/apps-for-drivers/components/images/action-strip-fig-8.png) When the action strip and map action strip are hidden, any user interaction with the screen will cause them to reappear.

<br />

<br />

### Exceptions

1. Apps can flag actions in either action strip as persistent to keep them from disappearing.
2. The app library may hide the action strip on small screens after 10 seconds even when there is rotary focus, to minimize clutter.