How do I turn on call screening on Android?

On a Pixel: Phone app, three-dot menu, Settings, Spam and Call Screen, Call Screen, then choose how unknown callers are handled. On Samsung and most other Android phones there's no ask-the-caller screening; turn on caller ID and spam protection in the Phone app and install your carrier's spam-filtering app instead.

Does Samsung have call screening?

Samsung doesn't use Google's Call Screen. Some recent Galaxy models on newer One UI versions include Samsung's own screening or call-assist feature in the Phone app settings. Every Galaxy has caller ID and spam protection and the option to block unknown numbers, which silence rather than screen.

What does Google Call Screen say to callers?

The Google Assistant answers and says the person you're calling is using a screening service, then asks for your name and the reason for the call. The person you called sees a live transcript and can answer, decline, or send a canned reply.

Why don't I see Call Screen on my Android phone?

Automatic Call Screen is a Pixel feature and is only available in certain countries. On other phones the Google Phone app offers spam filtering but not screening. If you have a Pixel and still don't see it, update the Phone app from the Play Store and check that your region is supported.

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How to turn on call screening on Android

Pixels have the real thing, built into the Phone app. Other Android phones get most of the way there with spam protection and a carrier app.

Google's Call Screen has been on Pixel phones since 2018 and is the feature everyone else copied: the phone answers an unknown caller, asks who they are and why they're calling, and shows you a live transcript before you decide. On non-Pixel Android phones the picture is patchier, because the feature belongs to Google's Phone app on Pixel rather than to Android itself. This page covers the Pixel setup, the manual screen-one-call button, and what to turn on instead on Samsung and other phones.

On a Google Pixel: turn on Call Screen

Open the Phone app.
Tap the three-dot menu at the top right, then Settings.
Tap Spam and Call Screen.
Tap Call Screen.
Under Unknown call settings, pick a protection level. Depending on your Pixel model and region you'll see options that automatically screen suspected spam and unknown numbers, or that screen everything not in your contacts.

Once it's on, an unknown caller hears Google's assistant ask for their name and the reason for the call. You see the transcript as they speak. Tap to answer, or use the reply buttons ("I'll call you back", "Report as spam") without ever picking up.

Automatic screening is available on Pixels in the US and a growing list of other countries; if the option isn't there, the manual button below still is.

Screen a single call by hand

On any Pixel, when a call comes in you'll see a Screen call button next to Answer and Decline. Tap it and the assistant asks the caller who they are while you watch the transcript. This works even with automatic screening turned off, and it's the right tool when you're not sure about a specific number.

On Samsung Galaxy

Samsung's Phone app doesn't use Google's Call Screen. Recent Galaxy models on newer One UI versions have added their own screening and call-assist features; look in the Phone app under Settings for anything named call screening or call assist. If your model doesn't have it, the practical equivalent is:

Caller ID and spam protection: Phone app, Settings, Caller ID and spam protection, turn it on. Samsung labels suspected spam and can block it.
Block unknown callers: Phone app, Settings, Block numbers, and switch on the option to block calls from unknown or private numbers. This is silencing rather than screening; nothing is asked of the caller.
Your carrier's app (below).

On any other Android phone

If the Phone app is Google's (many Motorola, OnePlus and Nokia phones ship it), open Settings, Caller ID and spam, and turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter spam calls. Filtered calls go silently to voicemail. There's no ask-the-caller screening on non-Pixel phones through the Google app.

Then add the carrier layer:

Carrier	App	What it does
Verizon	Call Filter	Labels and blocks spam at the network
AT&T	ActiveArmor	Same, plus a block list
T-Mobile	Scam Shield	Labels "Scam Likely", can block it outright

These don't ask the caller anything, but they stop most robocalls before your phone rings, which is the outcome most people want from screening anyway. See how to block spam calls.

Turn call screening off

Pixel: Phone app, Settings, Spam and Call Screen, Call Screen, and set unknown callers to ring through. Samsung and others: turn off the spam-filtering toggle you enabled above, and remove any block-unknown-callers rule.

If unknown calls still don't ring, the cause is usually Do Not Disturb, a Focus rule, or a carrier app doing its own blocking. The calls going straight to voicemail checklist works through every layer.

On a business phone

Screening asks every new customer to state their business to a robot before you'll talk to them. Some will; many won't, and you won't know, because a caller who hangs up at the prompt looks exactly like a robocall in the log.

A business line wants the reverse: pick up every call, help the real ones, and let the robocalls run into a dead end. That's what an AI receptionist does, and it sends you a summary of each call instead of a transcript of a caller reciting their name. The what is call screening guide compares the two.

FAQ

How do I turn on call screening on Android?: On a Pixel: Phone app, three-dot menu, Settings, Spam and Call Screen, Call Screen, then choose how unknown callers are handled. On Samsung and most other Android phones there's no ask-the-caller screening; turn on caller ID and spam protection in the Phone app and install your carrier's spam-filtering app instead.
Does Samsung have call screening?: Samsung doesn't use Google's Call Screen. Some recent Galaxy models on newer One UI versions include Samsung's own screening or call-assist feature in the Phone app settings. Every Galaxy has caller ID and spam protection and the option to block unknown numbers, which silence rather than screen.
What does Google Call Screen say to callers?: The Google Assistant answers and says the person you're calling is using a screening service, then asks for your name and the reason for the call. The person you called sees a live transcript and can answer, decline, or send a canned reply.
Can I screen just one call instead of all unknown calls?: Yes, on Pixel. When a call comes in, tap Screen call instead of Answer. The assistant asks the caller who they are while you watch the transcript, even if automatic screening is turned off.
Why don't I see Call Screen on my Android phone?: Automatic Call Screen is a Pixel feature and is only available in certain countries. On other phones the Google Phone app offers spam filtering but not screening. If you have a Pixel and still don't see it, update the Phone app from the Play Store and check that your region is supported.

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