Maybe it’s habit, maybe it’s control — but I always change these 7 Google Phone app settings

Google Phone now ships as the default phone app on almost all Android phones.

As with most Android settings I customize on every new device, I also tweak a few Google Phone options to improve the overall experience.

These changes might seem minor, but they make everyday calling more efficient, less distracting, and a lot more personal.

Flip to silence

A quick flip to restore peace

Flip to silence is a simple gesture that lets you mute incoming calls by placing your phone face down on a desk. Despite its usefulness, the feature is turned off by default.

I get plenty of calls throughout the day — not all of them need my immediate attention. That’s why I rely on this gesture so often.

So, every time I switch Android phones, Flip to silence is among the first features I enable by diving into the Google Phone app settings.

You can find the toggle to enable the gesture under Settings > Advanced > Flip to silence.

Customize quick responses

Skipping the generic replies

I’m not always in a position to pick up every incoming call. Sometimes, it’s important to let the other party know that I will get back to them later or that I am busy in a meeting.

Quick responses in the Google Phone app come in handy when I can’t answer a call. With just a tap, I can send a text explaining why I’m not picking up.

The default templates usually get the job done, but I’ve also customized a few templates as per my requirements.

Some of these texts are contact-specific. For example, I have a preset quick response template for my wife when I decline her call.

Every time I switch Android phones, I make sure to set up my Quick Response templates again.

Some of them have stayed the same over the years, but others have evolved. And moving to a new phone is the perfect excuse to refresh them.

Announce Caller ID

But only when connected to a Bluetooth headset

Before Android phones became mainstream, I remember using Motorola phones that could announce the caller’s name. It was a big deal back in the day.

Ironically, while Caller ID announcement is now built into every Android phone, it’s a feature most people tend to ignore.

I use it in the Google Phone app. But only when I have earphones plugged in, so it doesn’t announce calls out loud.

This way, when I’m out for a run or in public with my earphones on, I can discreetly find out who’s calling without having to check my phone or smartwatch.

For this specific use case, I find the caller ID announcement feature handy and enable it in the Google Phone app every time I switch phones.

You can find the option in the Google Phone app settings > Call ID announcement > Announce Caller ID. From here, make sure to select the Only when using a headset option.

Vibration alert for outgoing calls

Knowing exactly when the call connects

If you make a lot of calls throughout the day like I do, you probably don’t always hold the phone to your ear right after dialing. Most of the time, you wait for the other person to pick up before doing that.

To make this easier, I enable the vibrate on call connect option in the Google Phone app. It’s a small tweak, but it saves me from awkwardly waiting in silence and instantly lets me know when the call connects.

On non-Pixel phones, I can customize and set the call waiting tone to a continuous sound or vibration.

While it’s a small feature, it lets me keep doing what I’m doing and only bring the phone to my ear once the other person actually answers.

Call recording

Skip the note-taking

It took Google a while, but Pixel users can finally record calls through the default Phone app. This feature has long been available on many non-Pixel devices for years outside the US.

Since I handle several important calls every day, I make sure to enable automatic call recording for unknown numbers and a few selected contacts.

I also replaced the loud, repetitive call recording announcement with a subtle audio tone. It’s less distracting and still maintains transparency.

Depending on where you live and your device, you’ll find the call recording option in the Google Phone app settings.

Recording calls gives me the flexibility to revisit them later and extract important details. For longer calls, I share the audio with ChatGPT or Gemini and ask it to give me a transcript and summary of the call for a quick overview.

Spam protection

Keeping my peace of mind

You can never have enough protection against spam calls. Even though carriers have stepped up their filtering systems, plenty of unwanted calls still manage to slip through.

That’s why spam ID and filtering are among the first settings I enable in the Google Phone app whenever I switch to a new device.

When enabled, the app automatically flags suspicious numbers and highlights them with a big red exclamation mark on the incoming call screen. This makes it obvious when I’m about to get spammed.

I usually take it a step further by turning on the option to silently block suspected spam calls altogether. This helps cut down unwanted calls, keeping my focus intact, especially during work hours.

There’s also Call Screen, which can automatically screen calls to know why a person is calling you. While part of the Google Phone app, this feature is exclusive to Pixel phones and only available in selected countries.

Giving my favorite people their own sound

Google Phone makes it easy to give each contact their own ringtone. I rely on this feature heavily, setting unique tones for the people I talk to most often. That way, I can instantly tell who’s calling without looking at my phone.

The problem is that Google Phone does not sync the custom ringtones across devices. So, every time I switch phones, I must set up custom tones for my wife, friends, and family.

It’s annoying to set custom contact tones each time I switch phones, but for something I rely on daily, this is a small trade-off.

While not mentioned above, I also love Google Phone’s Calling Cards feature. It lets you add a custom photo to the incoming or outgoing call screen for a contact, which you can customize as per your liking.

Calling Cards sync across devices, so I don’t need to set them up again every time I switch phones.

A smarter calling experience, one tweak at a time

The Google Phone app has come a long way from its inception. It’s no longer just a dialer — it packs several advanced features to make the calling experience better.

From being able to automatically filter spam calls to recording important calls, these small settings help save me time and cut unwanted distractions.