Chrome for Android tests new “+” button in search bar for uploads

Google Chrome for Android is testing a new “+” button in the search bar on the New Tab Page in its Canary build. The button is located on the left side of the field and lets users start searches from the camera, gallery, files, or AI Mode without leaving the page.

Screenshots show both the interface and the process. When you tap the “+,” a bottom sheet opens with these options, letting you take a photo, create an image, or choose a file. This same panel also includes AI Mode.

The menu opens as a bottom sheet and keeps you on the same screen while you choose an option. This keeps the interaction within the search bar instead of moving to a separate page.

Currently, the search bar supports text, voice, and Lens. Before this, you could not upload files and images directly from the field; this test adds those options to the search experience.

Google Lens already lets you search using images, but it works as a separate tool within the search bar. The new “+” button brings image and file input into the search experience itself, so you can start directly with a file or photo without switching to another option.

The change is limited to Chrome Canary on Android and is not available in the stable version at this time.

This is visible on the New Tab Page, where the search bar is the main entry point for most queries on Chrome Android. Placing the button here puts upload and AI options closer to where searches begin.

Chrome already provides AI Mode and Incognito as shortcuts below the search bar. The new button gives another way to access these features directly within the field.

The update consolidates more input options in one place. You can start a search using text, voice, or a file from the same bar, which makes it easier to upload an image or document. It also shows Google bringing more input types directly into the search bar on Android.

There is no information yet on when this will be available for everyone.