Feature summary
While using the Wikipedia App, editors (especially logged-in users) often need to switch to the browser view : to see redlinks, create pages, upload media, use VE, see many templates, sort tables, &c.
Please make this easy, accessible from the top of a page with minimal fuss. (E.g., a footer that is always visible, or accessible through a menu, or a link in the header)
Active users of mobile who edit have to do this on a regular basis. Currently that requires scrolling to the bottom of the page and finding the link in the footer. This can be onerous for long pages. It should be possible to quickly switch to desktop from anywhere on a page, particularly from the top.
Use case(s) (list the steps that you performed to discover that problem, and describe the actual underlying problem which you want to solve. Do not describe only a solution):
Currently, on Android:
- I browse to a page, say [[General relativity]].
- I realize I want to see the relativity navbox, which is hidden in the app. I want to get to the desktop view.
2a. ( At this point, the fastest solution is "vertical ellipsis --> share --> copy --> leave WP app --> open browser --> paste". Not knowing this, I'm looking for a direct link that opens in the browser. )
- Browse the menus. I find "customize toolbar", but it doesn't let me make one of the toolbar icons "view in browser"
- Try to return to the home page. Spend a minute not finding a way to do this
- Look for my preferences. Spend a minute not finding a way to access this.
- Search for preferences. No luck.
- Search for the Main Page, return to it.
7a. get stuck in endless reload loop while displaying Main Page. (T353614)
- Exit app, reopen. Now on Main Page w/o the load loop. Still no prefs. Click back icon once, now on home page with "more" menu.
- Open Settings from menu, no setting for turning on "desktop view" link
- About to search the web for solution, then remember to scroll down for additional footer. Scroll 10 screens down. There it is! "View article in browser"
- In browser, search for [[General relativity]] again. The navbox is right on the first screen, easy to find.
- Locate and follow desired link (here, [[Tests of general relativity]]).
- Now I want to open this in the mobile view... scroll all the way down again. There it is, with confusingly different wording: "Mobile view".
- Nicely rendered on mobile.
I believe the basic problem (link to browser-view not accessible from the top of articles) is the same on iOS.
Benefits (why should this be implemented?):
Sanity saver. Every heavy app user I know (who is an editor) deals with this. Having to scroll 10 times and successfully hit a tiny link to do a common task is not fun. Pressure release valve for feature requests that are hotly desired by some but hard to implement on mobile; just make it fast to switch back and forth for those edge cases.