Home > Pixel Series

Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working [Fixed]

In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search not working. While there is a slew of third-party launchers available as of now, yet for Pixel users, their default launcher is more than enough as it checkmarks most of their prerequisites with ease. Though third-party launchers have their own share of issues with Android 12+ (such as gesture navigation not working), but even if we keep that reasoning aside, not many Pixel users are not willing to make a jump to the third-party domain.

Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working

Of the most nifty features of the Pixel Launcher is its universal search. As is evident from its name, you could search for contacts, shortcuts, settings, apps, and online results. However, as of now, it seems that the contact search isn’t working along the expected lines. Various users have voiced their concern that whoever they search for a contact, it straightaway takes them to the Google search results rather than showing it in the Contacts.

Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working

In this regard, users have double-checked that the contacts are synced with their Google account and that their device is logged in via the same account. But in spite of that, the launcher isn’t able to access those saved contacts. If you are also in the same boat, then this guide shall make you aware of a couple of methods that will help you fix the Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search not working. Follow along.

Fix Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working

Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working

Do note that there’s no universal fix as such. You will have to try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and see which one works best in your favor. So with that in mind, let’s get started.

FIX 1: Toggle Contacts Permission for Pixel Launcher

First and foremost, you should consider disabling and then re-enabling the contact’s permission for this app. Doing so will refresh its underlying settings and would give it a fresh instance to work upon. So let’s put this fix to the test and check out the results.

  1. Long press in an empty region on the home screen and select Home Settings.
  2. Then go to the Search your phone section.
    Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working
  3. Disable and then re-enable the toggle next to People.
  4. Check if it fixes the Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search not working.

FIX 2: Update Pixel Launcher to Android 13

next up, you should consider updating the Pixel launcher to the Android 13 Tiramisu build. Since Android 13 is still in the developer preview phase at the time of writing, correspondingly this launcher would be in the beta phase. This usually translates to a less stable build of the app, though in my testing I haven’t witnessed any hiccups yet.

Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working

So head over to APK Mirror (or any other site of your choice) and download the Pixel Launcher Android 13 version. Then install the APK onto your device (and enable Unknown Sources, if required) and check if it fixes the Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search not working.

FIX 3: Uninstall Updates to Pixel Launcher

In some instances, the developer might roll out a buggy update, which could end up breaking the app’s entire functionality. Though they are usually quick to release a subsequent patch, but that rollout could still take around 3-4 days to arrive. And this is quite a long time frame.

So it’s better to downgrade the app to the earlier table version and reman on that build until the issue has been resolved. Likewise, you should also disable the auto-update feature of that app. Otherwise, Play Store will update the app back to the latest build which would end up nullifying the fix. So refer to the below instructions and implement this fix right away.

  1. Launch Play Store, search Pixel Launcher and select it from the search results.
  2. Then tap on the overflow icon situated at the top right and uncheck Enable Auto-Update.
    Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search Not Working
  3. Once that is done, head over to APK Mirror or any other site of your choice and download its older version.
  4. Then open the APK file (enable Unknown Sources, if asked) and install it. This should resolve the underlying issue.

So with this, we round off the guide on how you could fix the Google Pixel Launcher Universal Search not working. As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, the developers are yet to acknowledge this issue, let alone give out any ETA for the rollout of a fix. As and when any of these two things happen, we will update this guide accordingly. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds are your best bet.


Share: