What you need to know
- Google removed the manual search button in March, frustrating users when automatic detection failed.
- The latest update to the Now Playing app restores the “Tap to see what’s playing” option.
- The button triggers a cloud search, allowing broader and more accurate song recognition.
If you have a Google Pixel, you probably agree that Now Playing is one of those features that makes it tough to switch to another phone. It’s just cool to look at your lock screen and instantly see the name of that obscure indie song playing in a coffee shop, all without doing anything.
But recently, Google made a change to the interface that confused many users. When the standalone Now Playing app launched in March, the manual search button was removed, taking away the one tool you need when automatic recognition doesn’t work.
The good news is that Google listened. A new update is rolling out now that brings back the “Tap to see what’s playing” prompt on the lock screen, as a Reddit user noticed (via 9to5Google).
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Offline recognition is great — until it isn’t
For the uninitiated, Now Playing uses a database on your phone to identify songs, which helps protect your privacy and saves battery. However, since this database only includes a limited selection of popular tracks, it often misses less common songs. The manual search button helps with this by starting a cloud-based search that can identify almost any song.
The newest version of the Now Playing app puts the manual search tool back on the lock screen right after your phone can’t automatically recognize a song.
Other than that, 9to5 didn’t notice any major changes after the update. This probably means the release is mostly about background fixes instead of new features.
You can expect this update to reach all compatible Pixel devices in the next few days. It’s a small step back in the right direction, but for people who love discovering music, it’s the best update this month.
Android Central’s Take
Honestly, I’m glad Google finally fixed this, but we shouldn’t have to make a fuss just to keep a basic feature from being removed. It’s frustrating to be expected to celebrate the return of a button that should never have been taken away. It feels a bit like being asked to thank someone for giving back your wallet with half the money gone.
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