Rare bug found in Google pixel phones' 'take a message' feature

Washington (Web Desk): A rare bug has been discovered in Google Pixel phones' 'Take a Message' feature, causing ambient sounds around the phone to be transmitted to the caller during a call.

Reports suggest that this feature was introduced to automatically handle missed or rejected calls, prompting the caller to leave a message while showing real-time transcriptions of the caller's response on the user's phone.

However, in at least six reported cases, the feature started recording ambient sounds instead of the caller's voice, making it seem as if the call had been answered.

The first report of this issue surfaced on Reddit in September 2025, and since then, users of Pixel 5, Pixel 10, and Pixel 4a have also reported similar complaints. Most of the affected models no longer receive software updates.

Experts recommend temporarily disabling the feature. To do so, users can go to the Pixel Phone app, select the menu > Call Assist > 'Take a Message', and toggle it off.

A Google spokesperson confirmed that the company is aware of the issue and is actively investigating it.

This feature is available on Pixel 4 and later models in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and Australia, and includes spam call protection.