What is the Google Pixel "Take a Message" feature?
Google Pixel's "Take a Message" feature allows you to read a real-time transcript of a voicemail as the caller is recording it. All audio and transcriptions are stored privately on your device in the Recent tab of the Phone app. "Take a Message" works automatically while in Canada but routes calls to your Message Centre Voicemail when roaming or when your device is off or out of network coverage.
Important information about 'Take a Message'
Here are a few critical details regarding how the 'Take a Message' feature interacts with your Bell mobility service:
- The feature is enabled by default on Google Pixel 6 and newer devices.
- International roaming: To prevent unexpected network roaming charges, 'Take a Message' turns off automatically when roaming.
- Voicemail fallback: Incoming calls will automatically route to your traditional Bell Message Centre Voicemail
instead of utilizing 'Take a Message' in the following scenarios:
- Your device is powered off or out of network coverage.
- You decline an incoming call while using a connected Bluetooth headset.
- The device is roaming (unless you manually override this setting).
How to Set Up Custom Greetings for 'Take a Message'
You can record a personalized voicemail greeting that callers will hear when the feature is active:
- Open the Phone app and tap the More menu icon (three vertical dots in the top-right corner).
- Navigate to Settings and select Take a Message.
- Select Manage Greetings, then tap Add new to record your greeting.
How to Disable 'Take a Message'
Because this feature is turned on by default, you can manually disable it if you prefer using your Bell Message Centre Voicemail:
- Open the Phone app and tap the More menu icon (three vertical dots in the top-right corner).
- Navigate to Settings and select Take a Message.
- Toggle the 'Take a Message' switch to the Off position.
For additional setup assistance, see: Handle your missed or declined calls with the Take a Message feature.
