GoKawiilGoogle restores multi-user support to Pixel's Now Playing app, notifications next
Google has pushed a new update to the standalone Now Playing app on Pixel devices, tweaking its interface and reintroducing support for secondary user accounts on a device, a feature that had gone missing after the app was split out from Pixel's system settings in March. Android Authority also found early code evidence that Google is working on restoring song-recognition notifications and a history-sync feature, both of which were casualties of that earlier redesign.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
When Google turned Now Playing into its own app earlier this year, it broke functionality users relied on, including syncing detected songs to services like Last.fm, sparking frustration among Pixel owners. Bringing back multi-user support and notifications signals Google is walking back some of that regression, though full parity with the original feature set still isn't confirmed.
- Now Playing app update adds subtle UI changes, including a new bottom sheet menu for track options.
- Secondary user account support has been spotted working again on Pixel devices.
- Notifications and history-sync features, removed earlier this year, appear to be in active development but not yet live.
Google Pixel 9 — Now Playing is a Pixel exclusive, so the only way to get that always-on song identification on your lock screen is with a Pixel phone. The Pixel 9 pairs that ambient music recognition with Google's latest Tensor-powered features and years of software updates, meaning you'll get these Now Playing improvements as they roll out.
See Google Pixel 9 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: androidauthority.com, 2026-08-31
Published there as: “Pixel’s Now Playing is about to get its lost feature back, and we saw the proof”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.