Pixel users report Now Playing app is finally working as it should

The Pixel’s “Now Playing” feature was finally turned into a standalone app with the March Pixel Drop. Previously bundled into Android System Intelligence, the new song identification app brought some nice add-ons, like a hub for discovery, the ability to view and manage previous songs, the ability to listen to the songs in your history on your favorite music services, and so on. However, it also brought a few problems for users. Thankfully, it appears Google may have fixed those issues with an update.

Shortly after the rollout of the Now Playing app, users reported that “Tap to see what’s playing” no longer appeared on the lock screen. There were also reports that the March update broke the ability to sync up your Now Playing history. If you were experiencing these problems, they may be gone now.

It appears that users who were experiencing issues are now starting to get notifications that the Now Playing app has been updated. One user claims that the “Tap to see what’s playing” option has returned to their lock screen. However, it looks like the fix hasn’t arrived for everyone just yet, as multiple commenters mention that the feature is still missing for them.

Over on Google’s Now Playing app troubleshooting guide, the company offers the following remedies:

• Not seeing Now Playing features after downloading the app? Now Playing relies on several system services to identify music and add it to your song history. If you have disabled Now Playing services in the past, song history and favorites won’t be available until you enable the feature. To do so, go to Now Playing > Settings > Use Now Playing.
• Why is the app not identifying songs automatically? If songs aren’t being identified automatically, it can take up to 24 hours to download the song fingerprints after setting up the app. Also, double-check that Battery Saver is off and Android System Intelligence has microphone permissions enabled.
• Why did my song history disappear? If your song history doesn’t appear immediately after the update, it may just need up to 24 hours to resolve. If the issue persists after 24 hours, then check to see if the Now Playing app is enabled. If not, enable the app and your song history should appear again. To make sure your favorite songs are saved to your account and accessible across devices, remember to use the heart icon to “Favorite” them regularly.
• How do I export and import songs between Pixel phones? Currently, Now Playing does not support bulk downloads and saves, but there are some workarounds you can use for the time being. To manually export, open Now Playing History > select each song > tap the Share icon to save as a file. To export to your preferred music app, open the song in that music app on the Pixel phone you’re switching from (Example, YouTube Music or Spotify) and then save the song to a playlist of your choice.

In regard to compatibility, Google says these issues are connected to the March software update. If you don’t have the update installed, you may run into messages like “This app is not compatible with your device” and “Check back in a few hours.” Google says that the app also needs 24 hours to get properly set up on your device.