Lacking Circle to Search in your work telephone? Here is why

Circle to Search is likely one of the greatest Android options that Google has made in years as a result of it makes looking out a lot simpler. All it’s important to do is press and maintain the house button or navigation deal with, then faucet, scribble, or circle the a part of the display you need to Google search. It’s a easy but extremely nifty software that’s solely getting increasingly more helpful with every replace, however it’s sadly not out there but on all units. Though it’s increasing to increasingly more, Circle to Search will quickly be blocked on some Android telephones, as Google has given IT admins the choice to disable the characteristic.

Google debuted Circle to Search on the Samsung Galaxy S24 launch occasion earlier this 12 months. Though it’s at the moment unique to pick units from Google and Samsung, it makes use of commonplace APIs which can be out there to all digital assistant apps on Android. The best way it really works is easy: If you invoke Circle to Search, the Google App makes use of Android’s Help API to take a screenshot. It then scans the screenshot for textual content and pictures and makes these objects selectable so you may copy, share, or search them up on Google.

A demo of Circle to Search. Credit: Google.

As a result of Circle to Search makes use of Android’s commonplace Help API to take screenshots, it’s already unable to deal with safe home windows, like login screens in lots of apps. Nevertheless, the mere incontrovertible fact that it takes a screenshot within the first place is sufficient to spook some IT admins, who might need to block workers from taking screenshots totally to mitigate the danger of them unintentionally (or purposely) leaking delicate knowledge. That’s why Google has determined to supply a approach for IT admins to dam Circle to Search from with the ability to take a screenshot, successfully disabling the characteristic totally.

Google just lately up to date the Android Administration API — which is utilized by many enterprise mobility administration (EMM) software program options to regulate utilization insurance policies on work telephones — so as to add a brand new AssistContentPolicy. AssistContentPolicy “controls whether or not AssistContent is allowed to be despatched to a privileged app resembling an assistant app.” AssistContent notably “consists of screenshots and details about an app, resembling a package deal title.” By default, help content material is allowed to be despatched to a privileged app, however IT admins can replace the coverage to disallow this.

As a result of AssistContentPolicy is barely out there on units working Android 15 or above, most work telephones that at the moment assist Circle to Search can’t be blocked from utilizing it. Nevertheless, as soon as Google and Samsung begin pushing updates to Android 15, IT admins will be capable of block work telephones from utilizing the characteristic. If Circle to Search abruptly stops functioning in your work telephone after updating to Android 15, now you understand why.