Google restores Pixel Now Playing notifications after earlier removal

The return follows evidence Android Authority first spotted in August that Google was preparing to restore the feature. Code inside Android System Intelligence referenced a toggle for music-recognition notifications, although the option was not functional at the time. A subsequent APK teardown provided working proof: Android Authority activated the notification and its favorite and history buttons before Google made them publicly available. The same teardown also revealed work on secondary-user support and a history synchronization function.

Google removed Now Playing notifications when it shifted the feature into a standalone app with the March Pixel Drop. Songs continued to appear on the lock screen, but the loss of notifications disrupted third-party tools that relied on them to send listening data to services such as Last.fm.

Pixel owners should ensure both Now Playing and Android System Intelligence are updated and that notifications for the latter are enabled. Google’s own support documentation says Now Playing notifications can appear whether a phone is locked or unlocked, further signaling that the feature is officially on its way back.

For now, reports remain limited, suggesting Google may be rolling out the restored notifications gradually or through a server-side switch.