Google Pixel Take a Message now supports custom voice greetings

Google has spent years enhancing Pixel phone features with AI tools like Call Screen and Hold for Me. Last year, it introduced Take a Message, a modern, on-device voicemail with real-time transcription.

Since the Pixel 10 last launched, the experience has been missing a fundamental personal touch: the ability to record your voice. Instead, callers are greeted by a sterile, automated Google Assistant. That’s finally changing.

On one of our devices running Google Phone version 217.0.895016164-publicbeta-pixel, we’re now seeing custom greetings finally roll out to pick up a message. When we first tracked this new Take a Message feature it wasn’t working yet, but now it’s finally starting to become functional in the latest beta. A new banner at the top of the Phone app’s “Home” tab reads: “A personal touch on your missed calls. You can now set a custom greeting for calls controlled by Take a Message.”

Beta users can find the new controls below Settings > Receive messages > Manage greetings. The interface offers several features:

• Contents 3 Recording: A sleek new recorder allows clips up to 60 seconds long.
• Multiple wishes: You can record and save a library of messages instead of being limited to just one.
• Management Tools: The three-dot overflow menu lets you rename, delete, or “set as default” any of your recordings. An asterisk clearly indicates which greeting is currently active.

This update is important because it brings the entire voicemail experience under Google’s roof while simplifying setup. Users no longer need to use cluttered, outdated carrier setups; They can now manage wishes directly in the app, improving convenience and immediacy.

While the current beta implementation allows you to set a single default greeting for all calls, code snippets we’ve previously seen suggest that Google may eventually allow users to assign specific greetings to specific contacts. For now, anyone who hasn’t been assigned a custom message (once launched) will only hear the standard Google default.

The feature is currently rolling out to users on phones via Google Beta on Pixel 6 and newer devices. Given that the UI is fully functional and Google is actively promoting it with in-app banners, a rollout to the stable channel isn’t too far off.

To try it out now, you can enroll for phone app beta Online. Just be aware that space is limited, and like any beta, you may experience some unwanted glitches.