How to Remove the Search Bar From an Android Home Screen

On Android, the search bar can be one of two things:

• a normal removable widget;
• a permanent part of the phone’s launcher.

That difference determines whether you can remove it directly or whether you need a different launcher.

Try Removing It Like a Normal Widget

On many Android phones, the Google search bar behaves like any other home-screen widget.

To remove it:

1. Go to the Home screen.
2. Touch and hold the search bar.
3. Tap Remove if that option appears, or drag the widget to Remove.
4. Release it.

Removing the widget does not uninstall the Google app.

You can still use Google Search through:

• the Google app;
• Chrome;
• another browser;
• voice search.

Samsung Galaxy

On Samsung Galaxy phones, a Google search widget added to the Home screen can normally be removed like other widgets.

Samsung’s current One UI guidance says widgets can be removed by touching and holding the widget, then tapping Remove.

So on a Galaxy phone:

1. Touch and hold the search bar.
2. Tap Remove.

If the bar is part of a different launcher or search feature rather than a normal widget, the available controls may differ.

To add the Google widget back later:

1. Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
2. Tap Widgets.
3. Find Google.
4. Add the Search widget.

Google Pixel

The Google search bar at the bottom of the main Home screen is different on Pixel phones.

When you use the default Pixel Launcher, that search bar is built into the launcher and cannot normally be removed through standard Home screen settings.

Google’s current Pixel documentation still treats the Home screen search box as part of Pixel’s built-in search experience.

If you want a Pixel Home screen without the permanent search bar, the practical option is to use another launcher.

Use a Different Launcher When the Search Bar Is Locked

A launcher controls the Home screen, app grid, widgets, folders, and related layout behavior.

If your phone’s default launcher permanently includes a search bar, switching launchers can give you more control.

Examples include:

• Niagara Launcher;
• Microsoft Launcher;
• Lawnchair;
• Nova Launcher, where supported.

After installing one from Google Play:

1. Open the launcher.
2. Follow its setup process.
3. Set it as the default Home app.
4. Configure the Home screen without a search widget.

You do not need to root the phone just to change the launcher.

How to Tell Whether the Search Bar Is a Widget

Touch and hold the search bar.

If you see options such as:

• Remove;
• Resize;
• Widget settings;

it is probably a normal widget.

If nothing appears that allows removal, and the bar stays fixed in the same position, it may be built into the launcher.

This is common with Pixel Launcher.

Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola, OPPO, vivo, Tecno and Infinix

The exact behavior on these phones depends heavily on:

• Android version;
• manufacturer software version;
• default launcher;
• whether the search bar was added manually.

Start by long-pressing the bar.

If Remove appears, use it.

If not:

1. Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
2. Open Home settings.
3. Look for settings related to Search, Home screen layout, or launcher customization.
4. If no removal option exists, the current launcher may be locking the search feature.

I would avoid assuming that one set of steps applies to every model from the same brand because launcher behavior can change between software versions.

Do Not Disable the Google App Just to Remove the Bar

Disabling the Google app is usually the wrong fix.

It can affect features such as:

• Google Search;
• voice search;
• Discover;
• Google Assistant or Gemini integrations;
• Lens-related features.

And on phones where the search bar is built into the launcher, disabling the Google app may not remove the bar anyway.

Use the launcher or widget controls instead.

Why Does the Search Bar Keep Coming Back?

If a removable search widget returns after you delete it, check whether:

• the launcher reset after an update;
• you switched back to the original launcher;
• a Home screen backup restored the old layout;
• the manufacturer restored default widgets.

Remove it again if it is a normal widget.

If it returns because the default launcher always includes it, use a launcher that allows a blank Home screen.

How to Add the Search Bar Back

On most Android phones:

1. Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
2. Tap Widgets.
3. Find Google.
4. Choose the Search widget.
5. Drag it to the Home screen.

Some launchers also let you resize the widget after placing it.

Does Removing the Search Bar Improve Performance?

Not meaningfully.

Removing a Home screen search widget mainly changes the layout.

It does not normally produce a noticeable improvement in:

• speed;
• battery life;
• storage;
• memory.

If the whole phone is running slowly, use Why Is My Phone Running Slow? instead.

Reset App Preferences Is Not the Right Fix

Resetting app preferences will not normally remove a search bar that is built into the launcher.

That reset is intended for app-level defaults, permissions, notifications, and related preferences.

If you are troubleshooting a broader app-settings problem, see How to Reset App Preferences on Android.

For this issue, first determine whether the search bar is a widget or part of the launcher.

The Simple Rule

Use this:

Long-press shows Remove: remove it like a widget.

Samsung widget: long-press and tap Remove.

Pixel Launcher: the bottom search bar is built in, so use another launcher if you want it gone.

Other Android phones: check the launcher and Home screen settings before installing anything.

The key is the launcher. Android itself does not require every phone to keep a Google search bar on the Home screen, but some launchers choose to make it permanent.