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What do you do when you know how to Use Google’s Android Call Screening Feature? What do you say? Don’t care? Call the voice mail? There is another choice if you have a Pixel phone: Android call screening. Are you sick of getting spam calls, telemarketers, scammers, robocalls, and other calls you don’t want? It can be hard to tell the difference between legitimate calls and unwanted ones. This is why Google has a feature that lets you screen calls before you pick them up. If you turn on Call Screen, Google Assistant will be able to answer your calls and ask who is calling and why.
After hearing the answers, users can choose if they want to pick up or not. One of the best things about some of the best Android phones is that they have Google Assistant. Call Screening is one of the coolest and most useful features that only the Google Pixel phones have. The Google Assistant and automated prompts let you ask unknown callers why they’re calling without having to pick up the phone. You get a real-time transcript of the conversation instead, and you can choose from a list of follow-up questions to ask the caller to learn more before you answer or hang up. Luckily, it’s very easy steps how to Use Google’s Android Call Screening Feature.
What is Google Call Screening?
The Call Screen feature allows you to see who is calling and the reason for the call before you even pick up the phone to answer it. And all of this is made possible by Google’s artificial intelligence, known as Google Assistant. According to Google, the Call Screen process takes place on your device and does not utilize either Wi-Fi or your mobile data plan. It actually makes use of the technology present on the device so that it can function quickly even when offline. This ensures that the conversation between you and the person who is calling remains private between the two of you.
Additionally, the caller will be informed right away that you are using a screening service that is transcribing the call for you from the moment the call is answered. Imagine you’re out to dinner when suddenly your phone rings. What do you do? It could be an important call, or it could be a spam call from someone or something offering you a “free trip to Spain.” Either way, you should not ignore the call. In either case, you should press the Screen Call button as soon as you see that call pop up on your phone. After that, Google Assistant will pick up the phone for you, inquire as to who is calling and the reason for the call, and transcribe the conversation as it happens in real time.
How to Use Google’s Android Call Screening Feature

- Update the Google Phone app before activating the Call Screen feature on your device.
- Launch the Phone app once the update is complete.
- Proceed to the next step by going to More > Settings > Spam and Call Screen.
- You will be presented with the choice to View caller and spam ID. If it isn’t already, you should turn it on now.
- The Call Screen option will also be displayed on the same screen that you are currently on.
- Simply tapping it will allow you to configure and turn on call screening for Android on your Pixel phone.
How to access Call Screen settings
- Start up the application for Google Phone.
- Tap the three dots that are located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Tap the Settings menu.
- Navigate to the option Enable located under Spam and Call Screen. Please refer to the caller and spam ID.
- Launch the Call Screen to access the configuration options.
Benefits of using Call Screening
- Protection from Unwanted or Fraudulent Calls: Call screening helps filter out and identify spam calls, which ensures that you do not waste your time on calls that are unwanted or fraudulent.
- Enhanced Privacy: You have the ability to screen incoming calls and verify the identity of the caller before deciding whether or not to answer the call. This allows you to avoid answering calls from unknown or unwanted callers, which helps protect your privacy.
- Call screening software: typically gives you the ability to set specific rules for various callers or types of calls. This gives you the ability to implement customized call handling. This gives you the ability to handle calls from contacts, work, or family in a different manner, allowing you to avoid missing important phone calls.
- Reduction in Unwanted Interruptions: If you screen your calls, you can avoid interruptions from telemarketers, robocalls, and other unwanted callers. This enables you to keep your focus on important tasks and reduces the number of unwelcome interruptions you experience.
- Information Regarding the Caller Call screening: may provide information regarding the caller, such as the caller’s name or the organization they are calling from, which can assist you in deciding whether or not to take the call.
- Call Recording: Some of the call screening features offer options for call recording, which can be helpful for purposes such as legal or documentation purposes.
Privacy and Security Considerations
Consideration | Description |
---|---|
Privacy of Call Data | Call Screening may involve the analysis of incoming calls, potentially revealing caller information. Ensure this data is handled and stored securely. |
Caller ID Spoofing | Be aware that some malicious callers can spoof their caller IDs, potentially tricking Call Screening systems. |
Data Sharing | Understand how the data collected during Call Screening is shared, and ensure it complies with privacy regulations such as GDPR or CCPA. |
Recording Calls | If call recordings are used as part of Call Screening, be mindful of legal restrictions and inform callers that their calls may be recorded. |
False Positives/Negatives | Call Screening algorithms may produce false positives (blocking legitimate calls) or false negatives (allowing spam calls). Continuously improve accuracy. |
Security of Call Logs | Securely store call logs and metadata to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information like call history and numbers. |
Phishing Protection | Ensure Call Screening systems can detect and block phishing attempts, protecting users from potential scams. |
Questions and Answers
However, the Call Screen feature is only available in a select few markets, including the United States of America, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Users of Google’s Pixel smartphone, for example, cannot access it.
If you updated the phone app, the “call screening” feature will no longer function properly. Delete everything from the app’s cache and storage, then close it forcibly. Perform a hard reset on the device, and then wait at least a minute and a half before opening the phone app again. After that, select settings, and you should see that it is active once more.
As a direct consequence of this, one of the most recent additions to the feature set, known as automatic call screening, is currently exclusive to the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. Therefore, in this article, separate instructions on how to use Google’s call screening feature for a Pixel 6 or 6 Plus and for other phones that might currently be using Android 12 are provided.
Because of this, it is very easy to use for potential users who have an iPhone or an Android device. Users who want to use Google Voice to send SMS messages or forward calls to their phone numbers that are not associated with Google Voice will also find this feature convenient.