Google Phone App Gets ‘Call Reason’: Mark Calls as Urgent to Ensure a Pick-Up

Google is currently testing a new feature in its Phone by Google app: when placing a call, users can mark it as urgent, allowing the recipient to see an emergency badge on their screen and decide whether the call warrants immediate attention.

The feature is aimed particularly at those who habitually divert calls to voicemail or simply dislike answering the phone. Seeing an urgent indicator signals that the call may concern something important, enabling the recipient to decide quickly whether to pick up — without resorting to text messages or other communication apps for clarification.

For now, the urgent-call feature is limited to Android devices and available only to users who have installed the Google Phone app. It works by sending the urgency flag over the network, but to prevent abuse, the option appears only when both parties are saved in each other’s contacts.

The feature’s official name is Call Reason. At present, users cannot add emojis or detailed explanations for their call; however, the ability to include a short description in the future could make the feature even more useful, allowing recipients to make more informed decisions about whether to answer.

Call Reason is rolling out in beta, and availability depends on the Android OEM. If supported, users can enable it by updating the Phone by Google app via the Play Store — Profile icon → Manage apps & device → Check for updates — and then setting it as the default dialer under Android Settings → Apps → Default apps.

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