Why can't I answer incoming phone calls on my Pixel?

[AC Question]

Whenever I get a phone call on my Pixel, my phone will ring but I can't answer the call. My phone acts normal when I'm getting a phone call, by normal I mean the way it would act as if I wasn't getting a call. Then my phone will tell me I had a missed call. The only thing I've noticed on my screen that is different is that I have a phone icon on the top right hand side of my screen next to my wifi icon. I'm not sure what the icon means or why it is there.

 

[anon(9733642)]

Make sure you go in the Google Play Store and update all apps available to update. Could be that.

When your phone is on stand by and a call comes through u should get Blue Screen with caller ID and thumb print at the bottom. Flick up to answer or down to send to voicemail.

If you are in app like I'm typing right now, if a call comes in, across the top left there is an answer and decline split.

 

[Beach Plum]

I have the same problem. Whether my new Pixel is locked or not, I can't answer incoming calls. I can hear the phone ringing, but there is NOTHING to see but my home screen. If I touch the top of the screen, sometimes I see a drop down which gives me a choice to answer or decline, but when I move my finger over to answer, the drop down disappears. The phone icon does not show an incoming call until it is gone.

I have looked all over the Pixel, tried rebooting, updating all apps (very few), force stop, clearing cache. This is a problem.
Any ideas?

 

[Beach Plum]

Well I finally figured it out. When I touch the top of the screen I get a drop down telling me I have an incoming call, which disappears when I try to answer it.
Answer? Touch the top of the screen and swipe down. The drop down stays down and I can answer the call.

 

[anon(865993)]

have the same issue - this is been the same with Nexus line and now with my Pixel 2. wish Google would fix it. when a phone rings, it should ALWAYS be available to answer in a simple way, not drag from the top tricks. also, the drag (up instead of right in the case of Pixel 2, Android 8.1), it does not always work as well. you have to try several times until you manage to answer. really annoying on otherwise great phone and OS

 

[logical Octopus]

Make sure you go in the Google Play Store and update all apps available to update. Could be that.

When your phone is on stand by and a call comes through u should get Blue Screen with caller ID and thumb print at the bottom. Flick up to answer or down to send to voicemail.

If you are in app like I'm typing right now, if a call comes in, across the top left there is an answer and decline split.

Yes there is a pair of buttons Answer / Decline. Yet when I push the Answer button it fails to pick up. So then I go into the phone app and it presents buttons to let me call out. Here I am holding my phone while it is ringing and I can't even answer it This is $1200 worth of garbage! This has happened to me a number of times.

 

[emiliodo]

I had this same problem. Check to make sure you have notifications turned on for your phone. Go to Settings --> Apps & notifications, find the Phone app, and see if notifications are turned on for it.

 

[Kelley Foster]

I am having this same issue. I have checked for updates and I am all good there. The call comes up normal on locked screen and unlocked but when I hit answer and it goes to the call screen, I can't hear anything and the other person can't here me. I also can't place a call either. when I restart my phone I maybe can get 1 call in before this repeats. I have also tried clearing the cache and that hasn't helped. This just started last night. Any thoughts or other suggestions?

 

[Rukbat]

Kelly, what phone? If it's also a Pixel, you can reflash the firmware (but you'll have to back everything up first) by going to Google | Factory Images for Nexus and Pixel Devices.

 

[GP2_user]

I have a similar problem with my Google Pixel 2 phone running Android 8.1.0.

Someone called this morning for a teleconference while I had Google Chrome open. The usual "Decline / Answer" buttons came up. I hit "Answer" but the phone kept ringing, and the buttons disappeared. I minimised Google Chrome to try seeing the buttons, opened the phone app, but nothing worked. The call eventually rang out.

They left a message, I tapped the landline number they left and was speaking with their colleague when they called back from the conference phone and I got the "answer and terminate current call" button (not the exact wording) - tapping that worked and I was able to join the teleconference.

So now everyone on that teleconference call knows about the problems I am having answering calls on this phone ... I wonder how many will be interested in buying a Google Pixel phone?

 

[skylarmb]

Notifications being disabled was my issue! I installed a 3rd party call blocker app that must have disabled this, but when I uninstalled it this setting persisted.

Settings --> Apps & notifications --> Phone --> Notifications = ON

 

[Julian Reeves]

I have had this problem with the Pixel 1, 2, and 3. I bought the 2 and 3 hoping to no longer have the problem. last night I pulled my SIM card out for a couple of minutes and reinserted it based on a recommendation I saw here. So far, that seems to have solved the problem.

Thanks to whoever it was who recommended that as a solution!

Jules:

 

[Robert Young13]

If your phone is in the Do Not Disturb mode, that might be your issue. Disable the DND option and you should be able to answer your phone. The green answer icon will appear when the phone rings.

 

[ChecMark]

On my new Google Pixel 6 every once in a while when a call is coming in I get buttons at the top show show "decline", "Answer". No matter what I do with the answer button I can't answer the call.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks.

 

[mustang7757]

On my new Google Pixel 6 every once in a while when a call is coming in I get buttons at the top show show "decline", "Answer". No matter what I do with the answer button I can't answer the call.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks.

Welcome to AC !
I would report this to Google

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[J Dubbs]

On my new Google Pixel 6 every once in a while when a call is coming in I get buttons at the top show show "decline", "Answer". No matter what I do with the answer button I can't answer the call.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks.

On newer pixels, if you have automatic call screening turned on the phone will decide for you if it thinks a call is legitimate, or it's spam... if it thinks it's spam it will skip the call automatically. Go into your phone app>3 button menu top right>settings>call screening and make sure the automatic call screening is turned off.

 

[ChecMark]

Thanks for the quick response! Yes, with all obtrusive marketing to cell phones my phone does often show possible SPAM, which is good. The issue is that pressing the "answer" green button does nothing.

 

[mustang7757]

Since it happens once in awhile try clearing the phone app data then force stop it and reboot the device

 

[B. Diddy]

If you have a screen protector on, consider testing it with the protector off.