This Pixel Phone feature may leak your calls: Report

A rare bug in Google’s Pixel Phone app has been reported where the “Take a Message” feature may inadvertently send users’ background audio to callers. The feature, introduced last year, is designed to handle missed or declined calls automatically by prompting the caller to leave a message.

Upon activating the feature, the user receives a Taking a message notification in the phone app, which results in a real-time transcription of the response from the caller. There have been at least six cases, though, when this feature recorded ambient sounds emanating from the device of the user, allowing the caller to hear it as if the call had been answered.

The initial report came through in September 2025, via a Pixel 5 owner on Reddit, with subsequent reports of similar occurrences on Pixel 10 and 4a Pixels that followed. Most of the affected models are earlier Pixels, which no longer receive software updates. Disabling 'Turn off Take a Message' helps solve the issue.

Notably, a company spokesperson said, "Our team is aware of these reports and is actively investigating.” The feature is available on Pixel 4 or later phones in the US, UK, Ireland, and Australia and also includes spam call protection.

How to disable the Take a Message feature?

1. Open the Pixel Phone app and tap the hamburger icon in the top-left corner.
2. Select Take a Message at the bottom of the Call Assist section.
3. Toggle the switch off to disable the feature.