Pixel Phone app bug could leak your audio to callers
What's the story
A rare but concerning bug has been discovered in the "Take a Message" feature of the Pixel Phone app. The issue causes the feature to send background audio to callers when a call is missed or declined. The problem was first reported in September 2025 by a Reddit user who owned a Pixel 5 smartphone.
Feature explanation
"Take a Message" feature: How it works
The "Take a Message" feature was introduced last year to automatically handle missed or declined calls. When you decline or miss a call, the feature asks the caller what they want with an automated message. Meanwhile, the Phone by Google app displays a notification saying "Taking a message." Tapping on this notification opens real-time transcription of their response, with audio available afterward. You can answer at any time during this process.
User experiences
Reports of audio leakage
In the last few months, at least six users have reported that "Take a Message" has been sending background audio to callers. This means that the person calling can hear everything happening around your phone while leaving a message. The first corroboration of this problem was in mid-November from a Pixel 10 owner, with another report coming the next day. Later that month, another case from a Pixel 4a came in.
Company reaction
Google's response and investigation
Google is aware of these reports and is actively investigating the matter. A spokesperson from the company said, "Our team is aware of these reports and is actively investigating." As a temporary workaround, users can disable the "Take a Message" feature by going to Phone app settings. From there, they can select "Take a Message" under Call Assist grouping and press the on/off switch to turn it off.