Since old Google Pixel devices are not supported for software updates by Google anymore. So, if some issues show up, one has to find a solution themselves. Today, we will talk about one such issue in your Google Pixel 2 or other Pixel devices, reportedly Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL. In the app gallery, when you enter some letters to look for an app, the app shows up, but you can’t select it. So, one has to go back to App Gallery and manually select the app. In this guide, we will present you a solution for that if you are unable to open apps via search bar on Pixel device.
The Google Pixel phone users who have experienced issues opening apps via the search bar. This article is intended to be your go-to troubleshooting manual, offering step-by-step instructions to overcome this obstacle and restore smooth performance so you can reclaim the speed and convenience of app access. In the article below, multiple options are explored to allow users to open apps via the search bar on Pixel. From cache clearing to permissions management, a range of strategies have been examined to ensure that each tap on the search bar leads to the prompt launch of your desired applications.
Guide to open apps via search bar on Pixel.
If you suspect that the issue with opening apps from the search bar is related to the latest update of the Google app, you can try uninstalling the updates to revert the app to its previous version. Here’s how you can do it:
- Removing the latest update of the Google app
- Open Play Store.
- Tap your profile image in the upper right.
- Tap ‘Manage apps & device’.
- Tap the ‘Manage’ tab at the top.
- Find the Google app.
- Tap to check the box next to Google.
- Tap the trash can icon in the upper right.
- Acknowledge the message that this trashes the update, not the app.
- Disable automatic update
To prevent the Google app from updating automatically and potentially causing the issue again, you can disable automatic updates for the app:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner.
- Go to Settings > Auto-update apps.
- Choose ‘Don’t auto-update apps’.
- Restart Your Phone
After uninstalling the updates, restart your phone to ensure the changes take effect.
Additional solutions
If the problem persists even after uninstalling updates, you might want to consider exploring other solutions provided below;
- Clear Cache and Data
Start by clearing the cache and data of the Google App, which powers the search functionality on your phone. To do this:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps.
- Find and select the ‘Google.’
- Tap on ‘Storage & cache’.
- Tap ‘Clear cache’ and ‘Clear storage’.
- Check Permissions
Ensure that the Google app has the necessary permissions to access your apps:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps.
- Find and select the ‘Google.’
- Tap ‘Permissions’ and make sure relevant permissions like Storage, Contacts, etc., are granted.
In conclusion, the article has provided simple guidelines on using the convenient search bar on your Google Pixel to access apps. If the issue still exists after trying these solutions, it can be a more complicated problem requiring expert assistance. For more help, you can contact Google Support. Please don’t hesitate to inquire in the comments if you have any questions or concerns about the abovementioned techniques. If the advice was helpful to you, you’re welcome to share your results; we value your input.
