Google is returning the Phone by Google app to a previous design, restoring the Contacts icon to the bottom navigation bar where Pixel users can reach it more quickly.
When Google changed the Phone by Google app in July 2025, the Contacts icon was removed from the bottom navigation bar. In its place, the Contacts list was made accessible only through a sidebar menu, prompting complaints from some Pixel users.
How the change works
Under the July 2025 layout, reaching the Contacts list required opening the Phone app by tapping the icon showing a phone receiver, then tapping the three-line hamburger icon to open a menu, and finally selecting Contacts to view the list. While other methods to access contacts existed, this approach was among the most widely known, despite being longer and more cumbersome.
With the reverted design, users open the Phone app and simply tap the Contacts icon at the bottom of the screen to view their list. The updated interface is available in the beta version of the Phone by Google app, specifically v40.0.986973448. On a Pixel 6 Pro running this beta, the Contacts icon has returned to the navigation bar at the bottom of the Phone app, a layout many users may find easier to navigate.
How to join the beta programme
To become a beta tester for Google apps on Android, open the Google Play Store and go to the listing for each Google app whose beta you wish to join. Scroll down to the section that reads “Join the beta” and tap on it. This step must be completed separately for each app.
If there is no option to join the beta on a particular listing, the beta may be full, closed, or unavailable. Leaving a beta is equally straightforward: return to an app’s Play Store listing, scroll down and tap “Leave”.
After leaving a beta, the app must be uninstalled and then reinstalled. Unlike a typical operating system beta, there is no penalty for exiting the programme, as users are not locked in.
The adjustment reflects a routine practice for Google, which regularly updates the interface of its apps to make them easier for users to navigate. The change restores the Contacts icon to the bottom navigation bar of the Phone by Google app in the v40.0.986973448 beta.
Source
Image: phonearena.com
