How to set up the Call Screen feature on your Google Pixel phone to stop those annoying robocalls

Robocalling has to be one of the most annoying blights of having a phone; from fending off scammers and spammers to getting pestered by cold callers who will not take no for an answer. But what if your phone could automatically (or manually) screen your calls and even generate transcripts and recordings so you knew exactly who was calling and why without having to do the dirty work yourself? That would be great, right?

Google certainly thinks so because its Phone app can now do all those lovely things on your Pixel smartphone in multiple regions, and all it takes is a couple of minutes to set up. All you need to do is join us after the break to find out how to set up the Call Screen feature on your Pixel phone.

Set up automatic call screening

Important: Call Screen doesn’t work with third-party call recording and screen recording apps. We recommend you turn off these apps before you use Call Screen.

1. Make sure you have the latest version of the Phone app. If you see Update, tap it.
2. Open the Phone app.
3. Tap More   Settings  Spam and Call Screen.
4. Make sure See caller and spam ID is turned on.
5. Tap Call Screen.
6. Under “Unknown call settings,” tap the types of callers you’d like to screen.
7. To screen automatically, choose Automatically screen. Decline robocalls. Otherwise, choose from:
   • Ring phone
   • Automatically screen. Decline robocalls.
   • Silently decline
8. Optional: To save audio from screened calls, turn on Save Call Screen audio.
   • If you turn on “Save Call Screen audio,” only what the caller says gets recorded. The audio your phone plays to the caller isn’t recorded. If you pick up, your call isn’t recorded.

Screen calls automatically

1. Turn on the Automatically screen. Decline robocalls option.
2. When someone calls and is screened, you’ll get a silent “Screening an unknown call” notification.
   • Optional: To answer or hang up, swipe down on the notification and tap Answer or Decline.
3. Your Google Assistant answers the call and asks who's calling and why.
   • If the Assistant determines the call is a robocall or spam call, your phone hangs up.
   • If the Assistant determines the call isn't a robocall or spam call, your phone rings and shows you how the caller responded.
   • Your phone stops playing media, like videos or music, while it screens the call.

Important: If you use headphones or if your phone is connected to Bluetooth, your phone won’t automatically screen calls.

Screen calls manually

1. When you get a call, tap Screen call.
2. Your Google Assistant screens the call and asks who's calling and why. You'll get a real-time transcript of how the caller responds.
3. Once the caller responds, you can choose a suggested response, pick up the call, or hang up. Here are some responses and what the caller hears:
   • Is it urgent?: “Do you need to get a hold of them urgently?”
   • Report as spam: “Please remove this number from your mailing and contact list. Thanks, and goodbye.”
   • I'll call you back: “They can’t talk right now, but they'll give you a call later. Thanks, and goodbye.”
   • I can't understand: “It's difficult to understand you at the moment. Could you repeat what you just said?”

Get transcripts & recordings for screened calls

All screened calls will save a transcript of the screening on your phone and your Pixel phone will also save recordings.

1. Turn on Save Call Screen audio.
2. Open the Phone app.
3. Tap Recents.
4. Tap the screened call.
5. Tap Transcript or Transcript and audio. If you don't see those options, tap History  See transcript.
6. Optional: To delete the transcript and recording, touch and hold the screened call. Then, tap Delete.

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