Pixel's home screen search just got worse for everyday use

What you need to know

• Google is replacing the Pixel Launcher's native search with a full-screen Google Search interface powered by the Google app.
• The new search UI removes quick access to contacts and device settings, making the experience feel like a downgrade.
• Google says the change is meant to surface AI Mode faster as part of the November 2025 Pixel Feature Drop.

After keeping it the same for years, Google is changing how the search bar on your Google Pixel's home screen works and, as you guessed it, it's related to AI.

For years, Pixel Launcher has offered a quick search tool on the home screen that lets you search through your phone's contents like contacts, apps, device settings, and web results.

The experience felt like a native part of Pixel Launcher. It did not take over the full screen and instead showed your wallpaper in a translucent view, with a pull-down swipe gesture at the top to quickly close the search screen.

However, as spotted by 9to5Google, Google has started replacing this with what it calls an "upgraded home screen search bar." This new search bar is actually the older Google Search UI powered by the Google app.

Now, when you tap the search bar on your Pixel's home screen, you're greeted with a new search interface that takes up the full screen and looks identical to the Google app's search UI. It's essentially the same experience you get on other Android smartphones when you tap the Google Search bar on the home screen.

Pixel's home screen search now opens the Google app instead

You still get access to app shortcuts, but you can no longer search for contacts or quickly access device settings like toggling Wi-Fi or Bluetooth from this screen. Because of this, it feels like a downgraded experience.

Google says this new search experience is part of the November 2025 Feature Drop that rolled out recently for Pixel devices. The reason behind this change, as many would've guessed, is faster access to AI.

Google says the new search makes it easier to jump into AI Mode. According to the company, it "lets you quickly start and resume AI Mode journeys, so you can dig deeper on the web. You'll also see more suggested apps in the top row, making it seamless to continue exploring on your device."

We're not sure how this qualifies as an upgraded experience, especially when it removes basic features like searching your phone's settings and contacts. But with Google pushing AI features with almost every update, we're not saying we didn't see this coming.