How to switch from the default ConstraintLayout to RelativeLayout in Android Studio

Question

I have the latest android Studio (2.3 beta 3) and it seems ConstraintLayout is the default when creating a project. How can I make Android Studio use the RelativeLayout as the default layout element for new projects ?

score 46 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 06 '17 at 02:35

46

Well, I saw the answer above and it worked for me too. But, I gave it a shot, and succeded converting my current project to Relative Layout. Do as follows:

At activity_main.xml tab, change it to text. At the top of it, you'll find the following:

<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

Just change all before xmlns to RelativeLayout. Doing so will also change the very bottom line where you would find:

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

to

</RelativeLayout>

Problem solved! Be happy :P

answered Mar 06 '17 at 02:35

Luiz HCG

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This answer doesn't address the question, which is asking how to change the default layout when creating a project. – angryITguy Jul 27 '18 at 02:22
4

This answer changes the layout for "current" project the question is for changing the default layout , if you rarely use a constraint layout then it is waste of time to change the layout on each project you create and therefor you should change the default file template to the code you like to start with. – sh.e.salh Oct 04 '18 at 01:56
what relate between this answer and question? – Ali Khaki Jun 22 '19 at 07:30

Hargun Singh · Answer 2 · 2018-05-02T10:18:59.390

I am answering this for android studio 2.3.1. One of the easiest ways to set RelativeLayout as default layout is going to text mode and editing the XML file as follows:

Change this line:

<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

To

<android.widget.RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

And do check your ending tag changes to this:

</android.widget.RelativeLayout>

Also (optionally) go ahead and delete this line if it's being shown in grey:

xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

Edit:

This is an optional change to make in project, I came across this tip while going through Udacity's Android Developer Course

If the constraint layout is not needed in the project remove the following dependency from build.gradle by deleting this line and then doing gradle sync:

    compile 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.0.0-beta4'

score 14 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 25 '18 at 03:01

Android studio 3.0

step0:

Close android studio

step1:

Goto C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\plugins\android\lib\templates\activities\common\root\res\layout\

step2:

Backup simple.xml.ftl

step3:

Change simple.xml.ftl to code below and save :

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}">


<TextView
    android:id="@+id/textView2"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
    android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
    android:layout_marginStart="12dp"
    android:layout_marginTop="21dp"
    android:text="don't forget to click useful if this helps. this is my first post at stackoverflow!"
    android:textSize="20sp"
    />

</RelativeLayout>

This worked for me. This is the only answer that actually changes the default; all the other answers only change it for the current project and it goes back to constraintLayout the next time I start a new Android Studio project. — David Cary, Mar 25 '18 at 03:08
Mac users: See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23537065/where-is-the-plugin-folder-for-android-studio-on-mac for the location of the plugin folder on the mac. — David Cary, Mar 25 '18 at 03:09

score 10 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 13 '19 at 09:21

for android studio 3.1

If you want your default android studio change, just follow bellow steps:

first

go to C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\plugins\android\lib\templates\activities\common\root\res\layout

i.e. the file directory where you have installed android studio.

then

copy simple.xml from another place just for backup

after that

open simple.xml file and replace it's code as bellow

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}">



</RelativeLayout>

but if you just want to change this project layout, just go to activity_main.xml and then go to text and post upper code to there

This is the only answer that says how to change from the _default_ layout. — Chad Bingham, Apr 19 '18 at 18:21

score 7 · Answer 5 · edited Oct 01 '18 at 09:54

7

Right click on ConstraintLayout.
Select convertview.
select RelativeLayout

For more clarity refer below image

edited Oct 01 '18 at 09:54

Aniruddh Parihar

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answered Oct 01 '18 at 09:24

Ayman Mohammed

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score 6 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 03 '18 at 17:29

6

I think u want to change the default settings of android studio. Whenever a layout or Activity in created u want to create "RelativeLayout" by default. In that case, flow the step below

click any folder u used to create layout or Activity
then "New>> Edit File Templates
then go to "Other" tab
select "LayoutResourceFile.xml" and "LayoutResourceFile_vertical.xml"
change "${ROOT_TAG}" to "RelativeLayout"
click "Ok"

you are done

answered Jan 03 '18 at 17:29

Shahadat Hossain Shaki

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7
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this did not work for me . ! i changed the the root_tag to relative layout as suggested in both the files, but in vain ! – Faisal Mar 18 '19 at 11:51
can you provide a screenshot ? – Shahadat Hossain Shaki Mar 18 '19 at 12:11
No, but this is not the right way because if we do that, then if we create new layout, then in the new layout dialog, whatever root layout we specify, RelativeLayout will be put there. So the value of variable ROOT_TAG needs to be changed. – Mohit Atray May 23 '21 at 11:46

Suhaib · Answer 7 · 2017-07-11T00:23:58.230

5

inefficient solution:

Create a new Layout

Go to /res/layout folder in Android Studio
Right click -> New -> Layout Resource files
give it a name and add .xml at the end
Erase the Root Element field and type 'RelativeLayout'

edited Jul 11 '17 at 00:23

answered Feb 15 '17 at 23:09

Suhaib

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score 3 · Answer 8 · answered May 27 '17 at 22:56

The easiest method is to go to your .xml file in text mode, and replace the top line:

<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

And then proceed to replace it with:

<android.widget.RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

If you then go back into design mode, you can see that you now have a relative layout. This also automatically changes the end tag, so no issues there.

score 3 · Answer 9 · edited Feb 21 '19 at 19:18

3

Just right click on the ConstrainLayout and select the "convert view" and then "RelativeLayout":

edited Feb 21 '19 at 19:18

double-beep

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answered Feb 21 '19 at 18:49

Piyal Ahmed

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score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 07 '18 at 08:31

1

A very short way to do it is just right click on the activity_main.xml design background and select convert view then select Relativealayout. Your code in Xml Text will auto. Change. Goodluck

answered Apr 07 '18 at 08:31

Rohit Rawat

19
2

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Mar 11 '19 at 00:11

1

None of these solutions worked for me...seemingly until I stumbled across this setting, see image. File > Settings > Editor > Layout Editor > Check "Prefer XML Editor"

https://i.stack.imgur.com/9CHe7.png

answered Mar 11 '19 at 00:11

themethod01

11
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score 1 · Answer 12 · edited Nov 10 '20 at 12:23

1

Try this. It's helped me to change from ConstraintLayout to RelativeLayout.

Try this... That helped me to change from ConstraintLayout to RelativeLayout

edited Nov 10 '20 at 12:23

4b0

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answered Nov 10 '20 at 12:20

Shist

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Ruwanthi Perera · Answer 13 · 2022-03-14T08:49:41.067

1

Delete androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout Delete

Start to type android. then you will get suggestions Suggestions

Scroll down and search for RelativeLayout Find RelativeLayout

Select RelativeLayout RelativeLayout

Double click on RelativeLayout Double click

Type /RelativeLayout at the end.

/RelativeLayout

edited Mar 14 '22 at 08:49

answered Mar 10 '22 at 08:48

Ruwanthi Perera

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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Dec 05 '17 at 18:20

0

The easiest way would be to select Relativelayout from the Pallete, and then use it.

answered Dec 05 '17 at 18:20

Anshu Kumar Gupta

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This forces the width and height to static numbers. If this approach is needed, then it would be better to right click on ConstraintLayout and do inferConstraints so as to make width and height as Match_parent – Samir Baid Dec 25 '17 at 18:27

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered Jan 13 '18 at 20:57

0

Android 3.0

In activity_main.xml

Replace in this tag i.e <android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout

with

RelativeLayout

answered Jan 13 '18 at 20:57

Dhaval Jardosh

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score -1 · Answer 16 · answered Jul 20 '18 at 05:11

-1

just do it: in component tree right click on ConstraintLayout and select relativelayout on convert view...

answered Jul 20 '18 at 05:11

farhad tabrizi

1

score -3 · Answer 17 · answered Feb 24 '18 at 16:11

TO CHANGE ConstraintLayout to RelativeLayout: This will work in Android studio 3.0.1

Change->

<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

into

<android.widget.RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

and->

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

nto

</android.widget.RelativeLayout>

How to switch from the default ConstraintLayout to RelativeLayout in Android Studio

17 Answers17

Create a new Layout

Linked