Google has been quietly giving its apps visual upgrades, and the Phone app is the latest to get a revamp. Users on Reddit and other social media platforms have reported seeing refreshed call and dialer screens on their phones without having to manually update the app. The update appears to be part of Google’s Material 3 Expressive redesign, offering a new interface and simplified navigation. However, the unexpected launch prompted mixed reactions from users. While some users appreciate the new design, others find it distracting and don’t think the change is needed.
As part of the new visual overhaul, the Google Phone app has received a major visual overhaul for several users. this Favorites and recent content Tabs have been merged into a new one Home Tabs where call logs and popular contacts now share space in a scrollable carousel. The keyboard has been moved to its own tab, with larger, rounder buttons.
Contacts can now be accessed through the side navigation drawer linked to the search bar. Incoming calls on Android now default to an iOS-style horizontal swipe. During a call, interface buttons now appear in the shape of a pill, with a prominent red “End Call” button placed for quick access.
Many users complained that the redesigned app felt unfamiliar or confusing. Many people said they didn’t approve any of the changes, but received a heavily changed dialer as part of an automatic update.
How to restore the old Google phone design
Since Google Phone apps are system apps, they cannot be completely removed, but users can uninstall their updates. This rolls the app back to the original version that shipped with the phone, which usually has the old UI.
The new swipe to answer feature can be disabled by going to set up > Incoming call gesture and switch back to click style. However, if you want to completely revert to the old interface itself, there’s a quick but temporary fix.
If you miss the old Google Phone app layout, here’s an easier way to get it back.
- Open the Play Store app.
- Search for “Google Phone.”
- tap uninstall Remove updates (if your phone came with the Google Phone app, you shouldn’t uninstall the app).
- Restart your phone and you should now see the old design.
To prevent it from updating automatically:
- Visit the Phone by Google listing in the Play Store.
- Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.
- Uncheck Enable automatic updates.
This helps prevent the new UI from automatically returning. Manually uninstalling updates to restore the old UI sometimes breaks functionality and is not guaranteed to last. This may be overwritten by a future system update, and you may also miss out on other useful features that improve privacy and security. This method may stop working if Google forces an update or discontinues an older version, so it’s more of a temporary fix.