GoKawiilMishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR An Android Authority teardown has revealed that Google could let Pixel owners remove the Google search bar from their home screen.
This would be a long-overdue move as some Pixel phone users have requested this feature for several years now.
This is handy if you use an alternative search engine or if you’re simply annoyed by the search bar in general.
One of the most persistent requests from some Pixel owners over the years is the ability to remove the Google search bar from the home screen. This is an understandable request, as the search bar might be great for most people, but it’s useless for those who use alternative search engines. Fortunately, we’ve uncovered evidence that Google will finally let users do just that.
We sifted through the Android 17 QPR1 beta 2 release and found new Pixel Launcher strings related to the search bar. More specifically, these strings hint at the ability to show or hide the Google search bar on your home screen. Check them out below.
Code Copy Text <string name="search_bar_customize">Customize search bar</string> <string name="search_bar_settings">Search bar settings</string> <string name="title_show_search_bar">Show search bar</string> <string name="subtitle_show_search_bar">At the bottom of your home screen</string>
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We also generated a UI mockup in Gemini using these new strings to give you a better idea of what this toggle could look like. You can view the mockup image below.
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