Adam Breeden/ZDNET
I've been a Pixel phone devotee since the beginning, and one of my favorite features is the call-screening capability that debuted with the Pixel 3 in 2018. I don't remember the last time I answered an unnecessary call, and I can't imagine switching to a phone without it.
Also: The best Google Pixel phones of 2025: Which one should you buy?
Over the years though, Pixel call screening -- now named Call Assist -- has added several new tricks beyond simply keeping robocalls and other spam phone calls at bay. Here's a look at a few things you might not have known call screening could do.
1. Hold for me
I don't use this feature often, but it's one of the most helpful things my phone can do. Hold for Me (which has expanded to all Google search users) waits on a call for you if someone places you on hold. When a live person picks up, your phone informs them that you'll be picking up shortly and gives you an alert. If you've ever had to deal with being placed on a seemingly endless hold on a customer service phone call, you know how frustrating it can be to wait around.
2. Call notes
This feature is exclusive to the Pixel 9 lineup for now, but I can't wait for it to trickle down. Call Notes does just what the name says. It listens to your calls, extracts the important information, and creates a summary of your call. If you're like me, you're the type of person who thinks, "I'll remember that, I don't need to write it down," only to scramble later to find the appointment time or meeting place. Google says Call Notes understands what's important on a call and only saves what you need. You do need to activate Call Notes for each conversation.
3. Make any call a text
If you absolutely hate talking on the phone (or you don't have the ability to talk), any phone call can become a text with Live Captions. Designed as an accessibility feature, Live Captions turns what a caller is saying into text on your screen. You get your own keyboard, and the caller will hear the words you type.
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