How to determine device screen size category (small, normal, large, xlarge) using code?

Question

Is there any way to determine the category of screen size of the current device, such as small, normal, large, xlarge?

Not the density, but the screen size.

Gypsie

Answer 1

You can use the Configuration.screenLayout bitmask.

Example:

if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout & 
    Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == 
        Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE) {
    // on a large screen device ...

}

Croissant

To get x-large detection, make sure you use target android-3.0 in your project. Or use the static value 4 for x-large. – Impact

Some devices can have an UNDEFINED size of the screen, so can be useful also check with Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_UNDEFINED. – Watkins

Could you use >= to get screens large or greater? – Nemesis

Answer 2

The code below fleshes out the answer above, displaying the screen size as a Toast.

//Determine screen size
if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Large screen", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Normal sized screen", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Small sized screen", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Screen size is neither large, normal or small", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}

This code below displays the screen density as a Toast.

//Determine density
DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(metrics);
int density = metrics.densityDpi;

if (density == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_HIGH) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_HIGH... Density is " + String.valueOf(density), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else if (density == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_MEDIUM) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_MEDIUM... Density is " + String.valueOf(density), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else if (density == DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_LOW) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_LOW... Density is " + String.valueOf(density), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
else {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Density is neither HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW.  Density is " + String.valueOf(density), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}

Vespine

Answer 3

Jeff Gilfelt's answer as a static helper method:

private static String getSizeName(Context context) {
    int screenLayout = context.getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout;
    screenLayout &= Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK;

    switch (screenLayout) {
    case Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL:
        return "small";
    case Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL:
        return "normal";
    case Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE:
        return "large";
    case 4: // Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE is API >= 9
        return "xlarge";
    default:
        return "undefined";
    }
}

Forcefeed

Answer 4

private String getDeviceDensity() {
    int density = mContext.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().densityDpi;
    switch (density)
    {
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_MEDIUM:
            return "MDPI";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_HIGH:
            return "HDPI";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_LOW:
            return "LDPI";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XHIGH:
            return "XHDPI";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_TV:
            return "TV";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XXHIGH:
            return "XXHDPI";
        case DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XXXHIGH:
            return "XXXHDPI";
        default:
            return "Unknown";
    }
}

Retortion

This gets the density of the screen. The question specifies "Not the density, but the screen size." – Incumbent

Answer 5

Thanks for the answers above, that helped me a lot :-) But for those (like me) forced to still support Android 1.5 we can use java reflection for backward compatible:

Configuration conf = getResources().getConfiguration();
int screenLayout = 1; // application default behavior
try {
    Field field = conf.getClass().getDeclaredField("screenLayout");
    screenLayout = field.getInt(conf);
} catch (Exception e) {
    // NoSuchFieldException or related stuff
}
// Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == 15
int screenType = screenLayout & 15;
// Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL == 1
// Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL == 2
// Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE == 3
// Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE == 4
if (screenType == 1) {
    ...
} else if (screenType == 2) {
    ...
} else if (screenType == 3) {
    ...
} else if (screenType == 4) {
    ...
} else { // undefined
    ...
}

Gunnysack

You can target the latest version of the platform and reference the constants from the Configuration class. These are static final values that will be inlined at compile time (that is, they will be replaced by their actual values), so your code won't break on older versions of the platform. – Eleneeleni

Nice I didn't know that... Are you talking about android:targetSdkVersion ? – Gunnysack

Yes, that how you would target a particular version. Most people (at least that I have seen) set their targetSdkVersion to the latest release. – Eleneeleni

What is the import for Field? That is important in getting this working. – Nemesis

Answer 6

In 2018, if you need Jeff's answer in Kotlin, here it is:

  private fun determineScreenSize(): String {
    // Thanks to https://mcmap.net/q/98810/-how-to-determine-device-screen-size-category-small-normal-large-xlarge-using-code.
    val screenLayout = resources.configuration.screenLayout
    return when {
      screenLayout and Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL -> "Small"
      screenLayout and Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL -> "Normal"
      screenLayout and Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE -> "Large"
      screenLayout and Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE -> "Xlarge"
      screenLayout and Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_UNDEFINED -> "Undefined"
      else -> error("Unknown screenLayout: $screenLayout")
    }
  }

Annelleannemarie

Answer 7

Need to check for xlarge screens & x..high densities? This is the altered code from the chosen answer.

//Determine screen size
if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout &      Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE) {     
    Toast.makeText(this, "Large screen",Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout &      Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL) {     
    Toast.makeText(this, "Normal sized screen" , Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout &      Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL) {     
    Toast.makeText(this, "Small sized screen" , Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if ((getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout &      Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) == Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE) {     
    Toast.makeText(this, "XLarge sized screen" , Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Screen size is neither large, normal or small" , Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}

//Determine density
DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(metrics);
int density = metrics.densityDpi;

if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_HIGH) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_HIGH... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_MEDIUM) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_MEDIUM... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_LOW) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_LOW... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XHIGH) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_XHIGH... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XXHIGH) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_XXHIGH... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else if (density==DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_XXXHIGH) {
    Toast.makeText(this, "DENSITY_XXXHIGH... Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
} else {
    Toast.makeText(this, "Density is neither HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW.  Density is " + String.valueOf(density),  Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}

Accentuate

[Density] In this case you need be in activity. If you are outside use getWindowManager() this code WindowManager windowManager = (WindowManager) context .getSystemService(Context.WINDOW_SERVICE); – Supersonic

Answer 8

Here is a Xamarin.Android version of Tom McFarlin's answer

        //Determine screen size
        if ((Application.Context.Resources.Configuration.ScreenLayout & ScreenLayout.SizeMask) == ScreenLayout.SizeLarge) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "Large screen", ToastLength.Short).Show ();
        } else if ((Application.Context.Resources.Configuration.ScreenLayout & ScreenLayout.SizeMask) == ScreenLayout.SizeNormal) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "Normal screen", ToastLength.Short).Show ();
        } else if ((Application.Context.Resources.Configuration.ScreenLayout & ScreenLayout.SizeMask) == ScreenLayout.SizeSmall) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "Small screen", ToastLength.Short).Show ();
        } else if ((Application.Context.Resources.Configuration.ScreenLayout & ScreenLayout.SizeMask) == ScreenLayout.SizeXlarge) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "XLarge screen", ToastLength.Short).Show ();
        } else {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "Screen size is neither large, normal or small", ToastLength.Short).Show ();
        }
        //Determine density
        DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
        WindowManager.DefaultDisplay.GetMetrics (metrics);
        var density = metrics.DensityDpi;
        if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.High) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_HIGH... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.Medium) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_MEDIUM... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.Low) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_LOW... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.Xhigh) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_XHIGH... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.Xxhigh) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_XXHIGH... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else if (density == DisplayMetricsDensity.Xxxhigh) {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "DENSITY_XXXHIGH... Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        } else {
            Toast.MakeText (this, "Density is neither HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW.  Density is " + density, ToastLength.Long).Show ();
        }

Eagre

Answer 9

Try this function isLayoutSizeAtLeast(int screenSize)

To check small screen, atleast 320x426 dp and above getResources().getConfiguration().isLayoutSizeAtLeast(Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_SMALL);

To check normal screen, atleast 320x470 dp and above getResources().getConfiguration().isLayoutSizeAtLeast(Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_NORMAL);

To check large screen, atleast 480x640 dp and above getResources().getConfiguration().isLayoutSizeAtLeast(Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_LARGE);

To check extra large screen, atleast 720x960 dp and above getResources().getConfiguration().isLayoutSizeAtLeast(Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE);

Benzofuran

Nice! That method is available as early as API level 11 as well! – Externalize

Answer 10

Couldn't you do this using a string resource and enums? You can define a string resource that had the name of the screen size, such as SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE. Then you could use the value of the string resource to create an instance of the enum.

1. Define an Enum in your code for the different screen sizes you care about.

   public Enum ScreenSize {
       SMALL,
       MEDIUM,
       LARGE,;
   }
   

2. Define a string resource, say screensize, whose value will be either SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE.

   <string name="screensize">MEDIUM</string>
   

3. Put a copy of screensize in a string resource in each dimension you care about.
   For example, <string name="screensize">MEDIUM</string> would go in values-sw600dp/strings.xml and values-medium/strings.xml and <string name="screensize">LARGE</string> would go in sw720dp/strings.xml and values-large/strings.xml.
4. In code, write
   ScreenSize size = ScreenSize.valueOf(getReources().getString(R.string.screensize);

Dignify

This was promizing... However I've tested with 3 devices and the tablet is still returning SMALL when I'm expecting LARGE. My string.xml files are defined inside values-h1024dp, values-h700dp and values-h200dp with corresponding <string name="screensize">xxxxxx</string> – Gunnysack