Google’s Circle to Search feature now rolling out for some Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro users

Published On: March 5, 2024

Highlights

The Circle to Search feature is likely now expanding to older Pixel devices.
The feature aims to enhance how users interact with their devices.
This feature was initially rolled out to the Galaxy S24 series and the Pixel 8 series.

After the March Feature Drop announcement, Google’s Circle to Search feature is beginning to roll out to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones. As per reports, some devices are already seeing it through a server-side update, with availability for all users expected “over the following weeks”. It is worth noting that this feature was initially introduced for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 series.

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Google’s Circle to Search coming to Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

A Reddit user claimed they got the Circle to Search feature on their Pixel 7 Pro, which was later verified by Android Police. They were also able to activate Circle to Search, even though the Reddit user was using the latest Android beta build.
Their Google Pixel 7 was operating on stable Android 14 with security patches from February 5th, along with the January 2024 Google Play System Update.
They found that updating the Google app was crucial in activating Circle to Search.
Initially, they saw the feature after updating to the latest beta build of the Google app (15.9.47.29), similar to the Reddit user’s experience. Later, they also managed to enable the feature with the latest stable build of the Google app (15.7.52.28).

While it’s possible that installing the beta initially triggered the feature’s availability, even after switching back to the stable version, it’s also possible that it’s controlled by a server-side flag, and the timing of their updates could have been coincidental.

Circle to Search features

The feature lets users perform searches on their Android devices using simple screen gestures.
Users can initiate searches by circling, highlighting, or tapping on images, text, or videos without having to switch between apps.
Search results conveniently appear in a pop-up from the bottom of the screen, providing the answer to the user’s query.