Screen your calls before you answer them

You can use Call Screen to find out who’s calling and why before you pick up a call. Call Screen works on your device and doesn't use Wi-Fi or mobile data. Calls answered by Call Assist are treated the same as regular incoming calls. Learn how Call Screen works with your data.

Where Call Screen is available

You can screen calls automatically on all Pixel phones in the US.

You can screen calls manually on Pixel phones in these countries:

• Australia
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Spain
• UK
• US

Tip: Manual Call Screen is also available in the US and Canada on selected Android devices.

Tip: Manual Call Screen only works with a SIM card from the countries where Call Screen is available.

Set up automatic call screening on your phone

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.
• Make sure you have the latest version of the Phone app. If you find Update, tap it.

To set up automatic call screening:

1. Open the Phone app .
2. Tap More   Settings  Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen.
3. Tap Call Screen.
4. Select your protection level:
   • For Pixel 6 and below:
     • Unknown call settings: Tap to select the types of callers you’d like to screen.
   • For Pixel 7 and above:
     • Protection level: Toggle Automatically screen calls on or off.
       • Spam
       • Possibly faked numbers
       • First-time callers

Set up automatic call screening on your Pixel Watch

Important:

• Call Screen is available only in the US for Pixel Watches and requires a Pixel 6 or newer Pixel phone
• You’ll need:
  • Phone by Google app (version 116 or later)
  • Phone by Google app on Watch (version 50 or later)

You can update the Watch and Phone apps from Google Play.

To use automatic Call Screen on Watch:

• Your Pixel watch must be connected to your Pixel phone over Bluetooth.

• Automatic Call Screen must be toggled on from the Phone’s Phone by Google app settings menu.

Screen calls automatically

Important: Your phone may stop playing media, like videos or music, while it screens the call.

1. Turn on Automatic screening.
   • When someone calls and is screened, you get a silent “Screening unknown number” or “Screening suspicious call” notification.
2. To view a transcript of the conversation in real-time between the caller and Call Assist live, tap the Screening unknown number or Screening suspicious call.
3. Your Call Assist answers the call and asks who's calling and why. If the Call Assist determines the call is:
   • A spam call, your phone hangs up.
   • Not a spam call, your phone rings and shows you how the caller responded.

Tip: If you use headphones or if your phone is connected to Bluetooth, depending on device model, your phone might not automatically screen calls. Call Screen won’t screen calls automatically during roaming.

Screen calls manually

1. When you get a call, tap Screen call.
   • Your Call Assist screens the call and asks who's calling and why.
   • You'll get a real-time transcript of how the caller responds.
2. 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 may hear:
   • 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?”

You can also use AI replies. AI-powered suggested replies are generated on device based on the caller’s Call Screen responses. They’re more flexible and suit more occasions than the preset suggested replies. Here’s how you can turn them on:

• Option 1: When you get a call from callers:
  • Outside of your Contacts list: Tap Screen call Enable AI replies.
  • In your Contacts list: Tap Urgent? Enable AI replies.
• Option 2:
  1. Open the Phone app .
  2. Tap More Settings Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen.
  3. Turn on Respond with AI replies.

AI replies are generated on device based on information from the screening phase of the call. Replies may be inaccurate and don’t represent Google’s views. By using AI replies, you agree to the Google Terms of Service.

Can't find option to screen calls manually

If you can't manually screen calls, you may need to follow extra steps to turn on Call Screen.

1. Open the Phone app .
2. Tap More   Settings  Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
   • If there are no on-screen instructions or if there are no “Call Screen” settings at all, your device doesn't work with Call Screen.

Get transcripts & recordings for screened calls

All screened calls will save a transcript of the screening on your phone. You can have your Pixel phone 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 .

How Call Screen works

• Call Screen uses contacts stored on your phone to determine whether to screen a call. If you don’t want a number to be screened, save the number as a contact.
• Not all spam calls and robocalls can be detected.
• The screened call information won’t be saved to your Google Account, your Call Assist Activity page, or to Web and App Activity.
• If you use call forwarding, don’t use automatic call screening. Screened calls won’t be forwarded.
• Call Screen won't always fully understand and transcribe what a caller said.
• Learn more about how Call Screen works.

Related resources

• Use Hold for Me
• Use caller ID & spam protection