Automatically Displaying the Caller on My Pixel 7

[Skeezix]

I keep my Pixel 7's screen whenever I'm not using the device. When I receive a phone call, the screen always remains black and I have to tap the screen to get the Home screen, then swipe up, down, and all around before I can get the Accept/Deny buttons. Usually by the time I see those buttons, the call goes to my voicemail.
When my screen is black, I would like my Pixel 7 to automatically light up and display who is calling without my having to fiddle around with it first. If the caller is one of my contacts, I would like the image that I have selected for that contact to be displayed. How can I accomplish these two things?

 

[B. Diddy]

The screen should definitely be waking with the incoming call UI, even if the phone is asleep. Are these conventional cell calls, or are these VoIP calls (like via WhatsApp or some other service)?

 

[mustang7757]

I would test this in safe mode

 

[Skeezix]

The screen does not "waking up" upon receiving an incoming call. It remains black. My problem is with conventional cell calls as I don't use WhatsApp.

What should I check on my phone that would enable/disable an incoming call from automatically appearing on my sleeping phone?

@mustang7757
I can test it as you describe, but how do I enter the Safe mode??

 

[mustang7757]

The screen does not "waking up" upon receiving an incoming call. It remains black. My problem is with conventional cell calls as I don't use WhatsApp.

What should I check on my phone that would enable/disable an incoming call from automatically appearing on my sleeping phone?

@mustang7757
I can test it as you describe, but how do I enter the Safe mode??

So usually long press the power button then when the screen shows power off you long press power off on the screen then tap safe mode, to exit out just reboot

 

[B. Diddy]

Here are the steps for Safe Mode: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2852139?hl=en

 

[Skeezix]

Here are the steps for Safe Mode: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2852139?hl=en

Thank you for those steps.
I found that all I had to do was to restart the phone, hold the Volume Down button when the animation started, and keep it down until the green G appeared in the center of the screen.

The problem is still there.
I entered the Safe mode and then called my cellphone from a landline while the screen was black. The phone rang and directed the caller to my voicemail. The screen did not automatically wake up--it remained black. I had to tap it to wake it up, and then swipe down twice from the Home screen until the Answer button appeared.

I would like my phone to operate such that when a call comes in, the answering buttons appear regardless if the screen is active or the phone is asleep. How can I do this?

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you confirm that Do Not Disturb is turned off? Also make sure that Do Not Disturb is not scheduled to turn on for any condition.

 

[Skeezix]

Yes. I just rechecked and the Do Not Disturb mode is turned off.

 

[B. Diddy]

Do you have a case on? If so, try taking it off.

 

[Skeezix]

What possible effect could a case have on the problem?

 

[Bkdodger1]

Do you have AOD on? If so I would try to turn it off. Reboot, then recheck incoming calls?

 

[B. Diddy]

What possible effect could a case have on the problem?

If the case has a strong magnet anywhere, it might affect the smartcover sensor of the phone. This might make the phone think you have a smartcover lid closed, and therefore keep the screen asleep, even when the phone is ringing.

 

[Skeezix]

@Bkdodger1... AOD has always been, and still is, turned off.

@B.Diddy... I took the case off (a MOUS Limited 5.0) but it did not make any difference.

BTW, I don't know if this makes any difference, but my phone is never locked.

 

[B. Diddy]

Ok, here's another possibility -- if there's anything blocking the proximity sensor (right near the front facing camera), that might cause the screen to go black during a call. (This is intended to prevent unintentional screen touches by your face when you have the phone up to the ear during a call.) Can you confirm that the area around the front-facing camera is completely clean, and free of any obstruction (e.g., some people put some sort of physical cover over the front-facing camera for privacy, which could potentially also affect the proximity sensor).

 

[andee1517]

Not sure if these options were already mentioned so apologies if so. Have you tried to clear cache from your phone app? Is your phone app your default to answer calls? As mentioned above, check to make sure it is clean by proximity sensor.

 

[Skeezix]

The screen goes black while I'm talking on the phone. I think that's because I have the device set to black out the screen after one minute. Also, I don't have anything around the front-facing camera.

No need to apologize! I just cleared the phone's cache but the problem remains. My phone app is the default to answer calls.

When the screen is on, I do get the Decline/Answer buttons. Don't know if it has anything to do with the problem, but it seems that I have to restart the phone to clear the Missed Call icon at the top left of the screen. If I don't, it remains there.

Anything else I could check?

 

[B. Diddy]

The screen goes black while I'm talking on the phone. I think that's because I have the device set to black out the screen after one minute. Also, I don't have anything around the front-facing camera.

No need to apologize! I just cleared the phone's cache but the problem remains. My phone app is the default to answer calls.

When the screen is on, I do get the Decline/Answer buttons. Don't know if it has anything to do with the problem, but it seems that I have to restart the phone to clear the Missed Call icon at the top left of the screen. If I don't, it remains there. View attachment 374785

Anything else I could check?

This is certainly an odd issue, and shouldn't be happening. Just to confirm that the proximity sensor is functioning correctly, can you tell us that during a call, if you take the phone away from your ear, does the screen come on? If it doesn't, that may suggest that the proximity sensor is in fact faulty.

 

[andee1517]

The screen goes black while I'm talking on the phone. I think that's because I have the device set to black out the screen after one minute. Also, I don't have anything around the front-facing camera.

No need to apologize! I just cleared the phone's cache but the problem remains. My phone app is the default to answer calls.

When the screen is on, I do get the Decline/Answer buttons. Don't know if it has anything to do with the problem, but it seems that I have to restart the phone to clear the Missed Call icon at the top left of the screen. If I don't, it remains there. View attachment 374785

Anything else I could check?

Hmmn, I think I totally misunderstood your issue. Did you by chance install your own screen protector and maybe it is a little askew, causing an issue with the sensor?

Agreed, very odd issue!!!

 

[Skeezix]

When I'm on a call, the screen goes dark after one minute. I'll have to wait until I call somebody to check this further.
I installed a screen protector exactly as its instructions told me. It's a plastic one rather than a glass protector. I was very careful during the installation.
When I look at it today it lies flat and covers the screen completely, and the edges are not bunched up, folded under, or crooked.