Google is testing a new “+” button in the search bar on its mobile homepage, replacing the magnifying-glass icon that normally appears on the left.
It changes what the familiar Google search box can do before a user even types a query. Tapping the “+” opens a menu with options including Gallery, Camera, Files, AI Mode, and Create images. The menu also appears for users who are not signed in to a Google account, at least in this test.
The menu closely resembles the “+” menu Google added to Chrome on mobile. Chrome’s mobile “+” menu provides access to Camera, Gallery and Files, along with AI features.
Google first added a “+” button to the Search homepage in December 2025. That version replaced the magnifying glass on desktop and provided options to upload an image or file, which then opened AI Mode. At the time, the feature was reported as being available on desktop web, not mobile.
The same interaction has since appeared on other mobile surfaces. In April 2026, the Google app and Android Search bar tested a “+” menu with options including Gallery, Camera, AI Mode and image creation.
Bringing the menu to the mobile homepage puts those options one tap away from where many users start a search. Users can start an AI Mode session or provide an image or file without first opening a separate search mode.
It isn’t clear how widely the mobile homepage test has rolled out. Google has not announced the change, so it could remain an experiment or reach more users as part of a gradual rollout.
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