Google's name for it is Call Screen. On a Pixel in the US, it can pick up calls from unknown and suspicious numbers before your phone rings, find out who's calling and why, and only then let the call through. It runs on the phone itself and doesn't use Wi-Fi or mobile data to do it.
What a screened call looks like
- An unknown or suspicious number calls. Instead of ringing, the phone shows a silent notification: "Screening unknown number" or "Screening suspicious call."
- Call Assist answers and asks who's calling and why. Tap the notification if you want to read the caller's answer as it comes in.
- If Call Assist decides it's a spam call, the phone hangs up.
- If it isn't spam, your phone rings and shows you how the caller responded.
If music or a video is playing, the phone may stop it while the call is screened.
Turn on automatic screening
- Make sure the Phone app is up to date, then open it.
- Tap More, then Settings, then Spam and Call Screen. On some phones the entry is just Call Screen.
- Tap Call Screen.
- Pick a protection level: Maximum, Medium or Basic.
On a Pixel 7 or newer, the Protection level screen has an Automatically screen calls switch, with spam, possibly faked numbers and first-time callers listed under it. On a Pixel 6 or older, the setting is called Unknown call settings, and you tap it to choose the types of callers to screen. Automatic screening is offered on Pixel phones in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Screen one call by hand
You can also screen calls one at a time. When a call comes in, tap Screen call. Call Assist asks who's calling and why, and the answer shows up as a live transcript. Then you pick up, hang up, or tap a reply for Call Assist to say for you:
- Is it urgent? asks whether they need to reach you urgently.
- Report as spam asks them to take your number off their list and says goodbye.
- I'll call you back tells them you can't talk now and will call later.
- I can't understand asks them to say it again.
Manual screening covers more ground than automatic. Google offers it on Pixel phones in more countries, and on selected other Android phones in the US and Canada.
Transcripts and recordings
Every screened call leaves a transcript on the phone. If you want the audio as well, turn on Save Call Screen audio. Google says the screened call information isn't saved to your Google Account.
Google's fine print
- Call Screen uses the contacts stored on your phone to decide whether to screen. Save a number as a contact and it won't be screened.
- If you use call forwarding, don't use automatic call screening, because screened calls won't be forwarded.
- Not every spam call or robocall is detected, and Call Screen won't always understand or transcribe a caller correctly.
- With headphones or a Bluetooth connection, some models won't screen automatically, and there's no automatic screening while roaming.
- Third-party call recording and screen recording apps don't work with it, so Google suggests turning them off.
Where it stops for a business
Read the forwarding line twice. If your calls forward anywhere (a second phone, an answering service, or a screening service like ours), Google's advice is to leave automatic screening off.
The other limits come from where Call Screen lives. It works on one phone, and it sorts callers by that phone's contacts, so every first-time customer gets screened like a stranger. Spam is judged on the device, and Google is upfront that some gets through. For a personal Pixel that's a fair trade, and we'd keep it on.
VettedCalls covers the same ground from the other side of the forwarding code:
- Screening before any phone rings. It happens on our side of the forwarding code, and the Cloud Softphone app rings only for callers who get through. With Team answering on Pro, your phone and your teammates' phones ring together.
- A spam registry shared by every customer. A number that collects 10 counted flags is blocked for every VettedCalls account. Entries expire after 30 days, and each call from a blocked number restarts the clock.
- Priority words. Priority Passthrough lets customers who say one of your selected priority words ring straight through to you, regardless of the time of day. The call rings for up to 40 seconds.
- Someone to take the call. The Receptionist plan hands a missed call to an AI receptionist, which gets the caller's name and reason, asks what days work, and tells them someone will reach out to set a time. Missed priority calls and saved contacts are the exception; they get voicemail.
Setup is Cloud Softphone from Google Play, one tap on Activate VettedCalls in the welcome email, a few permissions, and one forwarding code from the dialer. Screen-by-screen steps are on the Android setup page. Call screening explains the full flow, features lists what's included, and pricing has the plans.
Not on a Pixel?
The Android call screening guide covers other brands, and Samsung call screening has the Galaxy steps. For Apple phones, see iPhone call screening, and for a Voice number, Google Voice call screening.