You don’t have to use Google Assistant or Gemini anymore to enjoy Circle to Search
Circle to Search can finally be used even when the Google app isn’t set as the default assistant
JoriPress
- You can now use Circle to Search even when the Google app isn’t set as Android’s default digital assistant app.
- Previously, you had to set the Google app as the default assistant app in order to use Circle to Search, which means you couldn’t use a third-party assistant.
- It’s unclear when this changed or how Circle to Search is still able to function, but we observed it on both Samsung and Google devices.
The Circle to Search feature on Samsung and Google devices is an incredibly nifty search tool that cuts down on the number of steps it takes for you to search the screen. Instead of taking a first screenshot and then opening Google Lens, you just press and hold on the home button or navigation handle to bring up Circle to Search, then tap, scribble, or draw over the words or image you want to look up. It’s a great feature that I and many others use pretty much every day, but some users aren’t a fan of it because it locks you into using Google’s digital assistant. Thankfully, that’s not true anymore.
Shortly after Google rolled out Circle to Search, we reported that the feature won’t work if Google isn’t your default assistant. If you picked another app as the default assistant under Settings > Apps > Default apps > Digital assistant app and then tried to use Circle to Search, a toast message would appear that read, “To use Circle to Search, set Google as your digital assistant.”
