Can I use Google Assistant to make phone calls?

Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant developed by Google that is available on mobile and smart home devices. It can understand natural voice commands and complete tasks such as setting reminders, answering questions, and controlling smart home devices (Wikipedia). One useful capability of Google Assistant is the ability to make and receive phone calls on compatible devices.

This article will provide an overview of how to activate Google Assistant, link your phone number, make outgoing calls, receive incoming calls, review call history, make conference calls, and place international calls. The safety and privacy implications of using this feature will also be discussed. By the end, you will have a good understanding of how Google Assistant can be used to make calls and what to keep in mind when enabling this capability.

Activating Google Assistant

To start using Google Assistant on your Android or iOS device, you first need to activate it. There are a couple ways to do this:

On Android devices, you can activate Google Assistant by holding down on the home button or saying “Hey Google.” If Google Assistant is not enabled, you’ll be prompted to turn it on. You can also open the Google Assistant app and turn on the service if it is disabled (source).

For iPhones and iPads, go to the Settings app and tap on Siri & Search. Scroll down and tap on Google Assistant, then enable it. You can also just say “Hey Google” to any Google Assistant-enabled device to begin using it (source).

So in summary, Google Assistant can be activated via voice commands, by pressing and holding the home button, or by toggling it on in your device’s settings. Both Android and iOS platforms support multiple activation methods.

Linking Your Phone Number

It is important to link your phone number to your Google Account in order to make and receive calls using Google Assistant. This connects your mobile device to your Google profile, allowing Google Assistant to utilize your actual phone number when placing calls through your device’s speakers or microphone.

To link your phone number to your Google Account:

Open the Google Assistant app on your Android or iOS device.

Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
Select Settings.
Tap Voice & Video.

Tap Mobile calling.
Enter your mobile phone number.
Google will send a verification code to confirm it is your number.

Enter the verification code.
Tap Confirm.

Once linked, your phone number will be connected to your Google profile. You can now use Google Assistant to make and receive calls on your mobile device by saying “Ok Google” followed by a voice command.

Making Outgoing Calls

One of the most useful features of Google Assistant is the ability to make outgoing phone calls completely hands-free, just using your voice. You can initiate a call by saying a command like “Ok Google, call John” or “Hey Google, call 555-1234.”

When specifying who to call, you can use a contact name saved in your phone, a phone number, or even a business name. Google Assistant will search your contacts and places to try to determine who you want to call. For example, you could say “OK Google, call the nearest pizza place” and it would call a nearby pizza restaurant’s number.

According to this Google support article, when you make an outgoing call with Google Assistant, the call will use your linked phone number to show up to the recipient. Your Google Assistant device essentially functions as a speakerphone to place the call.

If you have multiple user profiles configured, you can also specify which profile to make the call from. Say “OK Google, call Mom from my phone” to clarify you want to call as yourself and not another family member.

Receiving Incoming Calls

Google Assistant can announce incoming calls on supported devices like Google Nest smart speakers and displays. When you receive a phone call, Google Assistant will say “Incoming call from [caller name].” You have several options for managing the call:

To answer the call, you can say “Hey Google, answer.” Google Assistant will answer the call and you can speak through the device’s speaker and microphone.

To reject the call, say “Hey Google, deny.” This will send the caller straight to voicemail.

You can also silence the ringer by saying “Hey Google, silence.” The call will still come through but Google Assistant will not announce it out loud. The call will go to voicemail if you don’t answer.

If you have Call Screen enabled on your Android phone, Google Assistant can also screen calls from unknown numbers and prompt callers to state their name and reason for calling. You can then choose to accept, reject, or have Google Assistant ask more questions on your behalf (source).

Reviewing Call History

You can easily find and review your full Google Assistant call history using the Google Assistant app. Just tap on the Explore icon in the bottom right corner, then go to the Your data page. Here you can browse your complete call history made through the Assistant, including details like date, time, and length of calls.

If you want to delete any call history items, tap the overflow menu icon next to the call, then choose Delete call. You can delete individual calls or bulk delete by date range. However, keep in mind that these actions only delete the call from your Google Assistant history – your mobile carrier may still retain call records. For more details, check Google’s support article on managing audio recordings in your Web & App Activity.

Conference Calls

You can start conference calls using Google Assistant on a Nest Hub Max device (source). Simply say “Hey Google, make a group call” and then specify the contacts you want to call. Google Assistant will call each person and merge the calls together.

To join an existing conference call, say “Hey Google, join a meeting” and then enter the meeting code when prompted. You can ask Assistant to dial the phone number and enter pin codes automatically to connect you into conference calls (source).

International Calls

Google Assistant has the capability to place international calls, allowing you to call phone numbers around the world directly from your connected devices. To do so, you will need to link Assistant with your Google Voice account and have international calling credits enabled on your account.

According to Google’s support documentation, Google Voice offers competitive international calling rates. Once credits are enabled, you simply need to say a command like “Okay Google, call [international phone number]” and the Assistant will connect the call.

It’s important to track your international calling credits balance and add more credits when running low. You can review your credit balance and calling rates through your Google Voice account. Refer to Google’s international calling rates overview to estimate costs for specific destinations.

Safety and Privacy

When using Google Assistant to make and receive calls, Google employs several privacy protections. Google Assistant uses voice match technology to verify your identity when making calls (https://safety.google/assistant/). This ensures your calls and conversations remain private and secure. Google also allows you to delete your voice history at any time for added privacy (https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/11091714?hl=en).

Voice match works by creating a unique voice profile for each user. When you make a call with Google Assistant, it compares your voice to the stored profile to confirm it’s really you. This prevents others from impersonating you or accessing your information. You can delete your voice history and data at any time under Voice & Audio Activity in your Google Account settings.

Google states that it does not share users’ personal information like names, recordings, or location data with third parties. All data is encrypted when transferred and stored by Google. Only you can direct Google Assistant to make calls or access information on your behalf after securely verifying your identity.

Conclusion

Google Assistant provides several useful features for making phone calls hands-free, including placing outgoing calls, screening incoming calls, accessing call history, setting up conference calls, and making international calls.

The main advantages of using Google Assistant for phone calls include:

Hands-free calling so you can multi-task while staying connected on calls
Built-in call screening to better understand who is calling before answering
Easy access to your recent calls through your call history in the Assistant

Conference calling capabilities to connect with multiple people at once
Ability to call internationally with just your voice

With Google Assistant’s voice-activated system for phone calls and advanced call features, staying connected is smooth, efficient, and convenient.