How to turn off Google Now on Tap and go back to the old Google Now

By Andrew Martonik
last updated

So you're using Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and now the novelty of Google Now on Tap has worn off. Maybe it doesn't find that much useful information for you, or you just don't trigger it that often. You'd rather just have a long-press of your home button send you to the old Google Now interface instead.

Well thankfully, you can do just that — here's how you get it done.

Now before you get to the point of turning off Google Now on Tap completely, remember you can still quickly reach Google Now with a swipe to the right from the home screen when using the Google Now Launcher. You can also tap the big "G" at the bottom of the Google Now on Tap interface to launch into the classic Google Now interface as well. But each of those processes slows you down, and if you want to just get right into Google Now like you did back in Lollipop, you can turn off Google Now on Tap entirely.

  1. Long-press your home button to launch Google Now on Tap
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the cards (if necessary) and tap the menu button in the bottom-right corner, then tap Settings
  3. Tap the toggle next to Now on Tap
  4. The next time you long-press your home button, your phone will launch directly into the old Google Now.

If you decide to give Google Now on Tap another shot at some point down the road (and get back the new all-software screenshot method), you can turn it back on through the Google Now interface.

  1. Long-press your home button to open Google Now
  2. Swipe in from the left edge, and tap Settings
  3. Tap Now cards, tap the toggle for Now on Tap and tap Turn on when prompted

The next time you long-press your home button, you'll launch Google Now on Tap instead, just like the phone did before you changed anything.

Andrew Martonik
Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.

30 Comments
  • Y would u want too? Posted via the Android Central App
  • "So you're using Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and now the novelty of Google Now on Tap has worn off. Maybe it doesn't find that much useful information for you, or you just don't trigger it that often. You'd rather just have a long-press of your home button send you to the old Google Now interface instead."
  • Gotcha. But I'm a heavy google now user so this was a welcome addition I've already used it a ton to schedule appointments and look up music and movies. In my head it like if ur a heavy google now user this will fit in great but otherwise I c ur point. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I'm a super heavy Google Now user too ... and Google Now on Tap still hasn't proven to be useful for me. I just go to the "regular" Now interface.
  • I do a lot of market research studies and they send me emails it's nice to jus hit now on tap and everything is in my calendar. Or get movie tickets from an text. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Is it possible to bring back the old Google Now swipe while still having On Tap active as a long press? Really silly of them to disable it by default, just to force us to use On Tap. I have a swipe gesture with Nova Launcher, but that only works from the home screen.
  • It's not, but it's how it's should have been. Still, NoT is good and regular Now is only an extra tap away.
  • The fact that it's an extra Tap is the problem. It's not that it's a lot of work, but Google Now and On Tap are entirely two different usage apps. Having the open one to get to the other is bad design, especially given how smooth Google Now worked, and globally throughout the OS. Posted via Android Central App
  • Agree, I want the old swipe and it's API back. I used that for Google now, but sometimes for other things too. So much more useful than tap and hold. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I use LMT Launcher to swipe up from Home to launch the Google app when I want to skip On Tap. Posted from my Nexus 4 via the Android Central App
  • Is your phone rooted?
  • I actually like it and find it useful so it stays on for me Posted via the Android Central App
  • I'll decide if I like it or not sometime next year when I get 6.0. 64gig Gold Note5/AC App
  • Same here
  • Now on tap needs work Imo. I just don't find myself using it very often. I still haven't gotten use to long pressing home and then tapping the Google icon to get to the Google app. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Never used "Now", not until Google decide to sort all its battery drainage issues.
  • If you've never used it, how do you know it has battery drain issues? Never been the case for me.
  • Now on tap is incredibly useful and helpful. Works liked a charm for me. I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to get rid of it. Dam It Feels Good To Be A Google Gangster
  • Same Posted via the Android Central App
  • Nexus 6P user and I still haven't used now on tap at all... Posted via the Android Central App
  • Weird that ever since I received Marshmallow on my G4, I've been using Now on Tap nonstop. Soft and sweet Marshmallow
  • It stays for me. I like it Posted via the Android Central App
  • Can only use from the home screen but I've got regular Google Now assigned to a double tap on the home button gesture and a swipe right gesture on Smart Launcher 3 Pro. I like the idea of NoT but it is clunky and getting rid of the swipe gesture is very bad design.
  • Disabled now on tap on my regular sleeve wipe, I use now a lot and now on tap doesn't really do much for me at present, apart from the screenshot s/c. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Swipe > Tap & Hold Posted via Android Central App
  • Phone geeks will complain just about anything...
  • ..as you just did. Thank you for proving your point.
  • This is useless if you don't have Marshmallow.
  • This is the most useless, annoying app I have ever encountered!!!!!!!!!
  • Agree! I just want to listen to my music. Not get told about all the wonderful things I can do EXCEPT the one thing I want to do.