Google Redesigning The Search Bar Widget On Android

Google is rolling out a redesign of the Search bar homescreen widget on Android that better emphasizes the optional shortcut.

The previous design was a pill with the Google ‘G’ logo at the left. Next up is a custom shortcut, voice input microphone, and Google Lens shortcut.

This new design takes after Circle to Search revamp earlier this year with an overarching pill-shaped container. It’s slightly taller than before, which aligns with Material 3’s preference for thicker search fields. At the left is a large Search bar that’s unchanged. What’s new is how Google moved the optional shortcut to a standalone circle at the right. This results in the custom button standing out much more, and is easier to tap.

Old vs. new

Your available options are: None, AI Mode, Translate (text), Song Search, Weather, Translate (camera), Sports, Dictionary, Homework, Finance, Saved, and News.

The minimum width to have everything appear is 4×1, instead of 3×1, which might disrupt some layouts. When you adjust the transparency slider, the outer container is what changes the most.

We’re seeing this Search bar redesign with Google app 16.17 (latest beta). If you don’t have this change yet, highlight the widget on your homescreen and tap the pencil icon.