diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/allapps/AllAppsTransitionController.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/allapps/AllAppsTransitionController.java
index a4e1f27..dc58c99 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/allapps/AllAppsTransitionController.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/allapps/AllAppsTransitionController.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import android.animation.Animator;
 import android.animation.AnimatorListenerAdapter;
 import android.animation.ObjectAnimator;
+import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.util.FloatProperty;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.animation.Interpolator;
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@
  * closer to top or closer to the page indicator.
  */
 public class AllAppsTransitionController implements StateHandler<LauncherState>,
-        OnDeviceProfileChangeListener {
+        OnDeviceProfileChangeListener, SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener {
 
     public static final FloatProperty<AllAppsTransitionController> ALL_APPS_PROGRESS =
             new FloatProperty<AllAppsTransitionController>("allAppsProgress") {
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@
             };
 
     private static final int APPS_VIEW_ALPHA_CHANNEL_INDEX = 0;
+    private static final String PREF_KEY_SHOW_SEARCH_IME = "pref_search_show_ime";
 
     private AllAppsContainerView mAppsView;
     private ScrimView mScrimView;
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@
 
     private float mScrollRangeDelta = 0;
     private AllAppsInsetTransitionController mInsetController;
+    private boolean mSearchImeEnabled;
 
     public AllAppsTransitionController(Launcher l) {
         mLauncher = l;
@@ -106,6 +109,9 @@
 
         mIsVerticalLayout = mLauncher.getDeviceProfile().isVerticalBarLayout();
         mLauncher.addOnDeviceProfileChangeListener(this);
+
+        onSharedPreferenceChanged(mLauncher.getSharedPrefs(), PREF_KEY_SHOW_SEARCH_IME);
+        mLauncher.getSharedPrefs().registerOnSharedPreferenceChangeListener(this);
     }
 
     public float getShiftRange() {
@@ -142,8 +148,7 @@
         float shiftCurrent = progress * mShiftRange;
 
         mAppsView.setTranslationY(shiftCurrent);
-        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get()
-                && !FeatureFlags.DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS.get()) {
+        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get() && mSearchImeEnabled) {
             mInsetController.setProgress(progress);
         }
     }
@@ -234,9 +239,7 @@
     public void setupViews(AllAppsContainerView appsView, ScrimView scrimView) {
         mAppsView = appsView;
         mScrimView = scrimView;
-        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get()
-                && !FeatureFlags.DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS.get()
-                && BuildCompat.isAtLeastR()) {
+        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get() && BuildCompat.isAtLeastR()) {
             mInsetController = new AllAppsInsetTransitionController(mShiftRange, mAppsView);
             mLauncher.getSystemUiController().updateUiState(UI_STATE_ALLAPPS,
                     View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LAYOUT_FULLSCREEN
@@ -264,8 +267,8 @@
         if (Float.compare(mProgress, 1f) == 0) {
             mAppsView.reset(false /* animate */);
         }
-        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get()
-                && !FeatureFlags.DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS.get() && BuildCompat.isAtLeastR()) {
+        if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get() && mSearchImeEnabled
+                && BuildCompat.isAtLeastR()) {
             mInsetController.onAnimationEnd(mProgress);
             if (Float.compare(mProgress, 0f) == 0) {
                 EditText editText = mAppsView.getSearchUiManager().getEditText();
@@ -276,4 +279,11 @@
             // TODO: should make the controller hide synchronously
         }
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onSharedPreferenceChanged(SharedPreferences sharedPreferences, String s) {
+        if (s.equals(PREF_KEY_SHOW_SEARCH_IME)) {
+            mSearchImeEnabled = sharedPreferences.getBoolean(s, true);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
index 556aff6..ef7bdf4 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/config/FeatureFlags.java
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@
     public static final BooleanFlag ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH = new DeviceFlag(
             "ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH", false, "Allows on device search in all apps");
 
-    public static final BooleanFlag DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS = getDebugFlag(
-            "DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS", false, "Disable default IME state in all apps");
-
     public static final BooleanFlag FOLDER_NAME_SUGGEST = new DeviceFlag(
             "FOLDER_NAME_SUGGEST", true,
             "Suggests folder names instead of blank text.");
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/touch/AbstractStateChangeTouchController.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/touch/AbstractStateChangeTouchController.java
index 25ecea5..64a3b5e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/touch/AbstractStateChangeTouchController.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/touch/AbstractStateChangeTouchController.java
@@ -262,7 +262,6 @@
         mFlingBlockCheck.unblockFling();
         // Must be called after all the animation controllers have been paused
         if (FeatureFlags.ENABLE_DEVICE_SEARCH.get()
-                && !FeatureFlags.DISABLE_INITIAL_IME_IN_ALLAPPS.get()
                 && BuildCompat.isAtLeastR()
                 && (mToState == ALL_APPS || mToState == NORMAL)) {
             mLauncher.getAllAppsController().getInsetController().onDragStart(