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Pixel Search App Can Be Sideloaded on Older Pixels as Recorder File Access Goes Live

Google's new Pixel Search app can be sideloaded onto older Pixel phones, but it requires Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 or newer. Separately, Google Recorder's "Allow recordings in other apps" toggle is rolling out to Pixel users and is enabled by default, Android Authority reported on September 28, 2026.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-28 23:23

The Pixel Search app was introduced with the Pixel 11 series. It expands the app drawer search bar to surface additional content such as photos and emails. The app is preinstalled on Pixel 11 phones and updated through the Play Store. Google did not announce plans to expand Pixel Search to other phones. Android Authority reported that the app listing was briefly accessible on Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup before Google corrected the listing and clarified that this was unintended.

Older Pixel phones can run Pixel Search through sideloading, Android Authority found, but there is a requirement: the phone must be running Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 or newer for the app to work properly. That means the app is not officially available on older Pixels yet, but users willing to install it manually can try it if their device meets the software version condition.

In the Recorder app, Google has quietly enabled the "Allow recordings in other apps" toggle. Android Authority reported that the toggle is included in Recorder version 4.2.20260823, which was released last week. The toggle appears in the app's settings page and is enabled by default. Users who want to keep recordings out of file manager apps can turn it off.

Existing recordings are automatically saved to a folder named Recordings as soon as the update is live. That folder appears in the file manager app of the user's choice. Before this change, users could access audio files from a preferred file manager app, but it required a multi-step process that started with sharing the file or files first. The new toggle changes that and leaves the choice up to users, Android Authority reported. The publication said the toggle is appearing across multiple Pixel devices, including the Pixel 9 and Pixel 6a.

If a user on the relevant app version does not see the toggle, Android Authority said clearing the cache in storage settings and force-stopping the Recorder app should help. If the update for that app version is not showing on the Play Store, sideloading it from APKMirror should help, according to the report.

Editor's Summary

Google's Pixel Search app, introduced with the Pixel 11, can be sideloaded onto older Pixel phones running Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 or newer, though Google has not announced broader official availability. Google Recorder's "Allow recordings in other apps" toggle is now rolling out and is enabled by default, giving users direct file-manager access to recordings. Android Authority reported both developments on September 28, 2026.