By Abner Li
Publication Date: 2025-12-17 00:21:00
In the past few days, tapping the Pixel Launcher search bar opens a different screen powered by the Google app. This is not a bug and an intentional change.
Previously, the bar at bottom of your homescreen would open Pixel Launcher search. This translucent sheet with your wallpaper remaining visible at the top prompts you to “Search web and more.” There’s a row of app suggestions with previous queries housed in Material 3 Expressive containers.
Pixel Launcher vs. Google app
Now, you get a fullscreen experience powered by the Google app that is several years old, and the experience you get on every other Android device when you tap the Google Search bar homescreen widget. It’s also what you get when opening the full Google app to start a search.
You can still launch apps this way, but you lose app search and shortcuts for Clock, Contacts, Pixel Tips, Play Store,…
