Google launches urgent calling and safety features for Phone, Messages apps
Google is rolling out new safety updates for its Phone and Messages apps alongside Android 16 QPR2.
Soon, you'll be able to mark your calls as "urgent" (a feature currently in beta), and you'll get alerts when unknown numbers add you to group chats—making things a bit safer and less spammy.
What's new in the Phone app?
With the new "Call Reason" feature (currently in beta), you can tap "Notify" before calling to let someone know it's urgent.
The person on the other end sees an "It's urgent!" alert with a siren emoji—plus, it sticks around in their call history so they don't miss it later.
Smarter, safer group chats in Messages
Messages now warns you if an unknown number adds you to a group chat.
You'll see who's in the group, get quick safety tips, and have one-tap options to leave, block, or report the chat if things look sketchy.
Extra tools for peace of mind
The updated Messages app also brings AI-powered scam detection using Circle to Search—so if someone promises "guaranteed high returns," you'll get a heads-up.