Call Screen is one of the best features of Google’s Pixel phones. It does a great job at automatically blocking spam and robocalls. Plus, you have the option of manually screening a call as well when you want to know why the person is calling. On the Pixel 6 and 7 series, you get automatic call screening, so your phone can screen calls magically and block spam calls, thereby saving you time. To make your experience even better, Google is rolling out a small tweak to the Call Screen settings menu, consolidating the various screening options in a better way.
So far, Google’s Phone app provided granular controls over Call Screen for different types of incoming calls: Spam, Possibly faked numbers, First-time callers, and Private or hidden. Depending on your preference, your Pixel could silently decline the call, automatically screen the call and decline robocalls, or make your phone ring.
Left: Old Call Screen menu with granular options; Right: New Call Screen Protection Level menu
Google has now consolidated all these options under a single Protection Level menu with three options: Maximum, Medium, and Basic. If you only want to decline known spam calls, you need to use the Basic protection level for Call Screen. While Medium and Maxmium options reject spam calls, the former will also screen suspicious calls. When using the Maximum protection level, your Pixel will screen all unknown numbers.
The new Protection Level menu is less granular than before, but this is actually a good change as it makes Call Screen less intimidating for new users. Power users, however, might not be happy with this change.
Android Police News Editor Dallas Thomas got the new Call Screen Protection Level menu in the Phone app v106.0.534575879. The rollout seems to be limited right now, as others from our team are not seeing the option yet with there only being one report on Reddit about this change.
Thanks: Armando
