How to Screen Calls on the Pixel 3
Google isn’t just using artificial intelligence to make the Pixel 3’s camera more capable in difficult shooting conditions. The company added a Google Assistant feature that will prevent scammers from wasting your time ever again.
Call Screen, which is now rolling out to older Pixel devices, recognizes likely spam calls and deals with them on your behalf. Here’s how it works.—Caitlin McGarry
1. When a call from a number not saved in your contact list pops up, tap Screen Call.
2. Google Assistant will answer for you with a default greeting prompting the caller to record a message stating the purpose for the call.
3. The assistant will show you what the caller is saying on-display in real-time so you can decide if it’s worth answering. If it is, tap Tell Me More. If it’s not, select Report As Spam.
4. If you report the call as spam, Google will tell the caller you aren’t available.
If a caller you categorized as spam tries to call you again in the future and you turn on Filter spam calls in the dialer settings, you’ll never see another call from that number again.
Here’s how to filter spam calls:
1. Tap the phone icon to open the dialer.
2. Tap the hamburger menu next to the contact search bar, then select Settings.
3. Pick Caller ID & Spam.
4. Toggle on Filter spam calls to ensure that numbers you file as spam are never able to call you again.
This is a feature we hope comes to every smartphone on the market — it’s really that game-changing.
