The Google app has taken over the search bar on Pixel Launchers, reverting back to a design that’s been seen before. The update compounds this change by removing the Expressive search bar from homescreens.
Last year, the search bar was updated with a Material 3 Expressive design, which featured a ‘G’ logo and microphone in a container. However, as of Android 16 QPR3, the old design has returned.
The new design is cluttered, placing three icons side-by-side, whereas the previous redesign separated them nicely. The loss of this separation is noticeable.
However, there’s one functional benefit to this change: long-pressing on the search bar allows for AI Mode customization options, which were previously limited. Users can now customize the shortcut with various options, including Live, Translate, Song Search, and more.
This design regression suggests that the Google app has taken over the Pixel Launcher search bar, matching its homescreen widget from other Android phones. The update first appeared in Beta 1 but was later reverted; however, it’s now live on Android 16 QPR3.
Source: https://9to5google.com/2026/03/06/android-16-qpr3-pixel-launcher-search