To help buy time to answer a call, you can use Ask to Hold. It can answer your call and ask the caller to hold.
You can access Ask to Hold through your Pixel Watch during incoming calls. Make sure your Pixel Watch is paired and connected by Bluetooth to your Pixel phone.
You can answer or decline the call just as an incoming call through Ask to Hold. To locate your phone, you can activate Find My Phone. This will help you ring your phone while the call is on hold.
Set up your Pixel devices
Which devices are required for Ask to Hold?Important: This feature is currently only available in the US.
To use Ask to Hold, users are required to have a Pixel Watch 3 series paired to a Pixel 6+ or Pixel 9 series phone. Additionally, Ask to Hold will also launch the Pixel Watch 2 series paired to Pixel 6+ phones later this year.
You can set up your Pixel devices through the normal process, follow the instruction guide on your device screen. Learn how to set up Google Pixel Watch.
Update your Pixel devices
Which app is needed for Ask to Hold?Important: To use Ask to Hold, you’ll need the Phone by Google app. Make sure that the app is updated to the latest version available.
To update the app:
- Phone:
- Open the Google Play Store app
.
- Search for
Phone by Google. - If any updates are available, tap Update.
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Watch:
- Open Google Play Store app
- Search for
Phone by Google. - If any updates are available, tap Update.
- Open Google Play Store app
After you set up the phone and watch devices, Ask to Hold might take a few days to a week to be ready. Make sure your devices have been charging and connected to Wi-Fi.
Use Ask to Hold
How do I start Ask to Hold?You can use Ask to Hold during an incoming call.
- When you receive an incoming call, on the Pixel Watch, tap More
.
- Under “Call Assist,” tap Ask to Hold
.
.Tip: The feature might take a few days to a week to be ready. It depends on if the device is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.
- To give you time to respond, the Google virtual assistant answers the call and asks the caller to hold.
- The call remains connected. You have the option to pick up or decline the call while the other person is on hold.
- After some time, the virtual assistant informs the caller that you aren’t available, and offers them to leave a message.
Tip: On the Pixel Watch, you can find exactly what the Google virtual assistant says to your caller.
How Find My Phone works
How to use Ask to Hold to locate my phone?To help you locate your phone while Ask to Hold is turned on, use Find My Phone.
- While Ask to Hold is turned on, on your Pixel Watch, tap More
- Tap Find My Phone.
- Your phone starts to ring. To stop the ringing, on your Pixel Watch, tap Dismiss.
Only you can hear the Find My Phone ringing feature. Once you answer or decline the call, the ringing automatically stops.