Google updated the Pixel Launcher in a recent Pixel device update, altering the home screen search bar to open the standard Google Search UI instead of the Pixel Launcher’s unified search experience. Users can restore the prior unified search via ADB commands shared by jspirit and Kieron Quinn.
The update modifies the search bar behavior on Pixel devices running the Pixel Launcher. Previously, tapping the home screen search bar activated the Pixel Launcher’s unified search interface, which integrated various search functions directly within the launcher. Now, it directs users to the standard Google Search UI, a full-screen application interface provided by Google Search.
This standard Google Search UI offers direct access to AI Mode, a feature within Google Search that utilizes artificial intelligence for enhanced query processing and responses. However, the standard UI omits certain features present in the unified search and appears less integrated with the Pixel Launcher’s home screen environment.
To reverse this change, users employ ADB, a command-line tool that facilitates communication between a computer and an Android device. First, individuals must install ADB on their computer and enable USB debugging on the Pixel device.
With ADB configured and the device connected via USB, users execute two specific commands in sequence. The primary command overrides a device configuration flag named “enable_one_search” within the launcher module.
- Override command:
adb shell cmd device_config override launcher enable_one_search true. This setting to ‘true’ instructs the Pixel Launcher to revert to the unified search experience, bypassing the standard Google Search UI. - Restart command:
adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher. This force-stops the Pixel Launcher process, prompting an automatic restart that loads the updated flag configuration.
To return to the standard Google Search UI, users repeat the process but substitute “true” with “false” in the override command, followed by the restart command.
Testing confirms the workaround functions on the Pixel’s December 2025 stable update, which represents the current production release for compatible Pixel devices. It also operates on the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 release, a pre-release version available to beta program participants for testing upcoming features and fixes.
