How to Screen Calls with Your Cell Phone

Tired of pesky robocalls interrupting your day? Google is trying to help end annoying spam calls with Google Call Screen. Discover how to screen calls on your Android with Trademore.

Google Call Screen is a fairly new way to screen calls with your cell phone and it certainly comes in handy. The feature debuted on Google’s Pixel phone line but it’s also available on some Motorola and Nokia devices. Let’s dive into how you can use it.

How to Screen Calls: About Google Call Screen

When your Pixel rings, the standard incoming call interface will pop up, but with a new Screen call button. Tap on the button to answer the call and Google Assistant will begin speaking to the caller using an automatic script.

Google Assistant will tell the caller that you’re using a screening service, which will provide you with a transcript of the call, and asks the person to state the reason for the call. When the caller speaks, a real-time transcript of the response will show up on your phone’s screen as a text message conversation. Pre-filled options will appear on the screen and you can choose to ask the caller for more information or inform them that you’re unable to take the call.

To listen to the call, just hold the phone to your ear or press the volume button on the side of your device.

If the call is a robot or spam, you will have the opportunity to directly report it and Google Assistant will end the call. If it’s someone you’d like to speak to, just press the green answer button.

How to Screen Calls: Enable Google Call Screen

Google slowly rolled out this feature to Pixel phones, so you may have to enable it. Here’s how to turn this feature on so that you can screen calls with your cell phone:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner.
3. Go to Settings > Spam and Call Screen > Call Screen.
4. Look at each option in the Unknown Call Settings, telling the device which callers to let through and which to have Google Assistant automatically screen.
5. Lastly, decide if you’d like Google Call Screen to save the audio recording of a screened call. If you choose to enable this feature, your phone will keep only the audio from the person who called, not your audio or audio from Google Assistant.

If you’re curious about privacy, it’s important to know that though Assistant transcribes your incoming calls, at no time is this information sent to Google’s servers. Everything stays on your phone.

Robocalls are annoying and knowing how to screen calls using Google Screen Call will save you from those midday interruptions. For more tips, tricks and how-to guides like this, be sure to check out the Trademore blog.

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