Pixel’s Now Playing quietly gets rid of the Favorites tab

Google’s ambient song recognition on its Pixel phones is all of a sudden less useful than it used to be. After a recent Android System Intelligence update, the Now Playing screen no longer displays an exclusive Favorites tab, and it’s now more difficult to jump to music tracks you have “liked” over time. It’s a small UI change with enormous implications, and many users are hoping it isn’t the last word.

What changed in Now Playing, and why it matters to users

On eligible Pixel devices, Android System Intelligence (ASI) — the on-device AI model supporting features such as Now Playing and Smart Replies — was updated to version B13. After that update, the button that gave you a trimmed-down view of your Now Playing history (which only showed favorites) was removed. The main feature is the same: you can still tap the heart icon from your lock screen or notifications to like a song. But the streamlined one-stop shopping aspect that collected all those picks in one place is gone.

This is more than cosmetic. Now Playing is, for some, also a light discovery log. The Favorites tab was something of a makeshift playlist for “gotta-save” tracks you’d picked up in a café or on the radio. The loss of a one-tap filter introduces friction and devalues the feature as a bridge between serendipitous hearing and purpose-driven listening.

Is this a bug or an intentional change by Google?

The removal was first noticed by 9to5Google, and Google’s public support documentation appears to reassure people the feature isn’t disappearing at all. The lack of a message leaves room for a reversal — especially since ASI and related components are A/B tested and pushed through Play Store updates independent of full Android releases.

It wouldn’t be the first instance of a Pixel feature toggling in and out of existence amid a redesign. Google’s been making a number of changes to the presentation of Now Playing behind the scenes, and it may be that this is either an interim state or an experiment that won’t roll out to all users permanently.

How to find your liked Now Playing songs right now

Until that fix does land, your favorited tracks are still there — they’re just hidden. Open Now Playing history and look for entries with a filled heart icon alongside the title. That’s your on-the-fly “favorites” list for now. It’s boring, but it’s the only native filter you have.

If you use Now Playing for music discovery, try exporting your history to a playlist in a streaming service, if available. Pixels have long provided an export option that can seed a playlist in your default service, giving you a safer long-term home for the songs you’ve enjoyed on the fly.

A bigger Now Playing update appears to be on the way

There are hints in recent builds that it could be a larger redesign. Testers have noticed a fuller lock screen widget with album art and buttons to favorite a track or open it in your default streaming app. There’s also a lock screen shortcut and an in-development Quick Settings tile to put Now Playing to use or launch it yourself.

In this case, the disappeared Favorites tab could just be collateral damage of shifting UI. Should the new widget change its views to focus more on favorites, Google could coalesce these views and avoid maintaining so many different paths. That said, taking away a popular filter before the replacement is ready to go has been an unnecessary stumble.

Why this change matters for everyday Pixel phone users

Now Playing is a defining feature of the Pixel, in large part because it’s private, fast, and locally processed. It recognizes music with a local catalog and does not send ambient audio to the cloud, which Google has highlighted in privacy materials. The Favorites tab was utilitarian, but it didn’t negate that model of privacy — the casual recognition translated into an ordered list of actions.

The user impact isn’t trivial. Google, the owner of Android and maker of Pixel phones, shipped about 10 million Pixel devices in 2023 alone, further broadening the number of people who rely on Now Playing while commuting to work or school, working out at a gym, or during a night out. At this scale, design regressions reverberate rapidly, especially when they brush up against daily convenience.

What to watch next as Google tests and updates Now Playing

Keep Android System Intelligence and related components up to date via the Play Store; a future B-series build could bring back (or replace) the tab or add the new widget. Keep an eye on release notes for Android beta builds, as interface changes tend to show up there before anywhere else. And if the shift eats into your workflow, install the Pixel Feedback app and log it — direct signals can affect what sticks.

For now, the disappearing Favorites tab is a misstep in an otherwise savvy offering. With a more sweeping Now Playing redesign around the corner, let’s hope this is a detour on the path to something better.