How to Use 3-Button Navigation With the Pixel 4's Google Assistant

Those of you who own a somewhat-new Pixel 4 Android smartphone might have noticed that Google forces you to use gesture navigation to interact with the newer iteration of Google Assistant. It’s not the end of the world, but it might be annoying if you hate swiping instead of tapping tiny virtual buttons at the bottom of your screen.

The Return of 3-Button Navigation

It appears that Google is now allowing three-button navigation and the Google Assistant to play nicely together on its Pixel 4 smartphones. It’s unclear if this is just a temporary test or a feature Google is planning to launch at some point, but you should be able to try it out now.

Prerequisites and App Requirements

To get started, you’ll need at least version 10.92.10.29 of the Google app. Even then, it’s possible you might not see the change, so I recommend enrolling in the beta as well to see if that helps out at all.

The following data summarizes the necessary requirements for this feature:

Device Compatibility: Pixel 4 smartphones
Minimum Software: Google App version 10.92.10.29
Beta Status: Recommended for early access
Input Method: Virtual center home button

How to Enable the Feature

Once you’ve grabbed the app, you’ll want to make sure you’re using 3-button navigation on your device. To set this up, follow these steps:

Pull up the Settings app on your Pixel 4, and then tap on System.
Tap on Gestures, and then System navigation.
Switch over to 3-button navigation.

Summoning the Assistant

If all goes well, you should now be able to summon Google Assistant by holding down the center home button. Here’s hoping Google sticks with this change, for those who would prefer a more old-school look for their Androids instead of (Apple-like) gesture navigation.