When Samsung announced the Galaxy S24 series, it also unveiled a number of new features in its Galaxy AI suite.
Enabling Circle to Search
Before you can use Circle to Search, you need to make sure that the feature is enabled. When setting up your Galaxy S24, for example, a dialog box will appear when you make a long press on the home button or navigation bar (depending on whether you use button or gesture navigation) with two options: Google Assistant or Circle to Search. Make sure Circle to Search has been selected during that dialog to make it the default option.
If you have set Google Assistant as a shortcut for long press on button or bar, don’t worry, you can manually change the setting.
Step 1: Open your phone’s Settings.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Display.
Step 3: Scroll down and select Navigation bar.
Step 4: Select the switch for Circle to Search and make sure it is in the ON position.
If you have a Google Pixel 8, Circle to Search should be enabled by default. If it is not, make sure you have the latest version of the software.
How to use Circle to Search
Since Circle to Search works virtually anywhere, you do not need to be in your favorite browser to use it. You can also use it on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, a news app, or any other app; Circle to Search can be accessed anywhere.
Step 1: Make sure the item you want to search for is on your phone’s screen.
Step 2: Long press the home button or navigation bar to activate Circle to Search.
Step 3: A transparent overlay with a blue gradient and a Google search bar at the bottom will appear on the screen.
Step 4: Tap, draw, or circle what you wish to search for.
Step 5: Relevant search results, both text and image-based, will appear at the bottom.
Step 6: Not satisfied? Repeat your selection or search for something else.
Adding to search results
You can add more context and request more specific details about what you have selected in Circle to Search. This is very useful if you want to go deeper into what you are looking for, such as ticket prices for an event or something else.
Step 1: When you have selected an item in Circle to Search and have gotten results, select the input field Add to your search.
Step 2: Type in or dictate the context you wish to add.
How to exit Circle to Search
Once you have finished your search, you will want to exit the Circle to Search overlay. It is easy to do this.
Step 1: If you use button navigation, simply select the Back button to return to your app.
Step 2: If you use gesture navigation, swipe inward from either side of the screen to return to your app.
Phones on which Circle to Search is available
As mentioned earlier, Circle to Search is currently available on Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8 phones. Here is the full list:
- Samsung Galaxy S24
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Google Pixel 8
- Google Pixel 8 Pro
We expect Circle to Search to come to other Android phones in the future, but Google has not yet officially announced which ones will be next. We will update this list as soon as we have more information.