- The Google Phone app, previously only available on Pixel phones, is now available as a beta for most Android phones.
- You’ll need to enroll in the beta to give it a shot. The instructions are in the article below.
- Unfortunately, the app doesn’t have a lot of the Pixel-centric features, such as Call Screen.
The Google Phone app is what powers the dialer of Pixel smartphones. Its simple design and powerful features make it a favorite of Pixel users. Now, though, anyone can give a bare-bones version of the app a shot, even if you don’t own a Pixel.
We don’t know specifically which phones are able to give the app a try, but according to our own testing, pretty much any Android-powered smartphone seems to be compatible. Chromebooks, tablets, and Wear OS-powered watches, obviously, won’t work.
Keep in mind that the Google Phone app is only in beta for non-Pixel phones. Therefore, it will be missing quite a few features that make it truly powerful, such as Call Screen. In other words, you should try this out now if you like the look and feel of the app, as its feature set is limited.
How to get the Google Phone app beta on your device
- First, you need to enroll in the beta program. Using a device on which you are logged in with your Google account, click here.
- On the page you land on, you should see the Google Phone app icon. Tap the blue “Become a Tester” button.
- Once you’re a confirmed tester (which should be instantaneous), click here to visit the Phone app listing on the Play Store.
- You should be able to install the app on your phone now. If you can’t, just wait an hour or two for your beta access to start.
Once you have the app successfully installed, launch it. You’ll need to set it as your default dialer app for it to work correctly, so go ahead and do that when prompted. Hopefully, some of the Pixel-exclusive features will eventually make their way to this “universal” version of the app. Stay tuned!
