How to Use Call Screen to Block Spammers on Your Pixel or Galaxy Phone

How to Use Call Screen on Pixel and Galaxy Phones

What is Android's Call Screen?

Android’s Call Screen, introduced by Google during the Google Assistant era, acts as an intermediary between you and your incoming calls from unknown numbers. This feature uses AI to determine the purpose of a call before you answer it. It can ask pre-determined questions based on what the caller says, such as confirming details about an appointment if the caller mentions setting one up.

How to Screen Calls on Pixel Phones

1. Open the Phone App: Start by opening the Phone app on your Pixel device.
2. Navigate to Call Screen Settings:
   • Tap on 'Call Screen' in the menu.
   • Enable 'Automatically screen calls'.
3. Choose a Protection Level:
   • Maximum Protection: Screens all unknown numbers and automatically declines known spam.
   • Medium Protection: Screens only suspected spam and automatically declines known spam.
   • Basic Protection: Only declines known spam.

How to Screen Calls on Galaxy Phones

Galaxy devices have a feature called 'Bixby Text Call' which transcribes what the caller is saying. While it’s not as robust as Pixel’s Call Screen, it still offers a similar experience:

1. During an Incoming Call:
   • Tap the 'Bixby Text Call' button when it appears on your screen.
   • The assistant will handle the call and provide live responses for you to read.

Recommendations

• At minimum, enable 'Basic Protection' on Pixel phones to decline known spam calls.
• For Galaxy users, use the 'Bixby Text Call' feature to manually screen calls from unknown numbers.