Google Enhances Communication Apps with ‘Urgent’ Call Flags and Group Chat Safety Features
Google is introducing significant updates to its Phone and Messages applications, aiming to improve user communication and safety. These enhancements include the ability to mark calls as ‘Urgent’ and new safety measures for group chats involving unknown participants.
‘Urgent’ Call Feature in Google Phone App
The Google Phone app is set to beta test a feature called Call Reason, allowing users to mark calls to saved contacts as ‘Urgent.’ When initiating a call, users will see a prompt asking, Mark call as urgent? with an option to notify the recipient. Once selected, the recipient’s incoming call screen will display It’s urgent! accompanied by an animated siren emoji, ensuring the call’s importance is immediately recognized. This urgency flag will also appear in the call history for future reference. This feature is designed to help users convey the critical nature of their calls, such as in situations where immediate attention is required. ([9to5google.com](https://9to5google.com/2025/11/20/google-phone-urgent-calls/?utm_source=openai))
Enhanced Safety in Google Messages Group Chats
In the Messages app, Google is implementing measures to protect users from unsolicited group chats initiated by unknown numbers. Upon being added to such a group, users will receive a notification stating, Unknown sender added you, along with the sender’s number and the total number of participants in the group. If any known contacts are part of the conversation, Messages will highlight this information. Users are provided with options to Stay in group or Leave group. Choosing to leave allows users to block the number that added them and report the conversation as spam, enhancing user control and safety.
Circle to Search: A Tool Against Scams
To further bolster user security, Google is introducing Circle to Search, a feature that enables users to highlight suspicious messages within any chat application. This tool utilizes AI to analyze the highlighted content and provide an overview, identifying potential scams. For instance, if a message promises guaranteed high returns, the AI will flag this as a major red flag in investing and advise users against providing personal information, investing money, or clicking on associated links. This feature aims to help users screen questionable messages without the need to switch between apps, offering a seamless and secure communication experience.
Conclusion
These updates reflect Google’s commitment to enhancing user communication and safety. By introducing features like ‘Urgent’ call flags, group chat safety alerts, and AI-driven scam detection, Google aims to provide a more secure and efficient communication environment for its users.
