A new update to Google’s Phone app is starting to reach users through a beta release, adding an option designed to highlight urgent calls. The feature was announced earlier this month and is now appearing in testing.
According to a report by a technology publication, the update is available in Google Phone app version 203. The feature works only when both the caller and the receiver are using this beta version. When enabled, the calling screen shows a card that asks, “Mark call as urgent?” above the regular call controls, allowing users to tap “Notify.”
Users can check if the feature is available on their device by going to Phone Settings, then General, and selecting Expressive Calling near the bottom. The main setting, “Enhance calling with visual and haptic feedback,” is turned on by default. Another option, “Urgent call can interrupt Do Not Disturb,” can be enabled manually.
When both users are on the compatible beta version, marking a call as urgent sends an “It’s urgent!” message to the recipient. The alert includes an animated siren emoji to draw attention. If the call is missed, the call log will display an “urgent” label for clearer visibility.
Earlier this month, Google also introduced Expressive Captions for live videos. This feature generates real time captions that include context cues for tone, ambient sounds, and emotions such as joy or sadness. According to the Google, the goal is to give viewers more context when audio is muted, improving the experience for short videos, livestreams, and social stories by showing non verbal signals alongside text.
Several other updates focused on safety and ease of use were also announced. Google Messages now displays clearer alerts and one tap actions for unwanted group chat invitations. The new Circle to Search tool adds AI powered scam checks directly from messages. Chrome for Android allows users to pin important tabs for quicker access, while Gboard’s Emoji Kitchen introduces new sticker combinations to support more expressive conversations.
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