Pixel ‘Enhance Now Playing’ update rolling out with album artwork, default music player

As announced with the December 2024 Feature Drop, Google is rolling out an “Enhance Now Playing” setting for Pixel devices.

“Enhance Now Playing” replaces the existing “Show search button on lock screen” setting. Enabling will “Use Google Search to identify songs not recognized by your device and provide album artwork.”

However, as of this morning, we’re not seeing album artwork appear for existing and new song recognitions.

You’re prompted about this new option in both Now Playing history and Settings > Sound & vibration > Now Playing. The latter also reveals a new “Default music player” option, with YouTube listed as one of the apps in addition to YouTube Music, Apple Music, “None,” etc. 

Tapping an identified song in the history list will expand it to show a large “Play on [service]” button with an overflow button opening the previous bottom sheet with all your listening options. 

Enhance Now Playing is rolling out as a server-side update on the Pixel 6 and newer. (We’re seeing it consistently on Android 15 QPR1 stable devices.) Make sure you’ve installed the latest version — V15 — of Android System Intelligence. You might have to visit the Play Store listing directly to update.

V13 of ASI last month renamed the homescreen shortcut form “Now Playing history” to just “Now Playing,” thus moving the “…” for a cleaner look.