Modern mobile communication has long relied on emojis, GIFs, and haptic feedback to convey sentiment. With recent updates to the Phone by Google app, Google introduced Audio Emojis—an interactive calling feature that plays expressive sound effects paired with playful full-screen animations during active voice calls. When triggered, both you and the person on the other end of the line hear an auditory reaction accompanied by an animated visual effect.
What Are Audio Emojis and How Do They Function?
Audio Emojis are pre-configured sound bites mapped to widely recognised emoji expressions. When you tap an audio emoji icon on the in-call display, the Phone app injects the corresponding audio clip directly into the microphone channel while simultaneously broadcasting an animated graphic overlay on compatible Android devices.
Currently, the Phone by Google app includes six curated sound reactions:
- Clapping (👏): Plays an appreciative round of enthusiastic applause.
- Laughing (😂): Emits contagious laughter and giggles.
- Party (🎉): Triggers a festive horn toot with celebratory party-popper effects.
- Crying (😢): Produces a dramatic, mournful trombone sound or weeping effect.
- Poop (💩): Plays an amusing sound effect accompanied by dancing graphics.
- Drumroll (🥁): Builds anticipation with a classic snare drum roll and cymbal crash.
Requirements and Device Compatibility
To use Audio Emojis, ensure your smartphone meets the following criteria:
- Phone by Google App: The feature is exclusive to the official Phone by Google dialler app (standard on Google Pixel devices and available on select Motorola, Xiaomi, and Nothing phones).
- Carrier Call Audio: Audio Emojis function over standard cellular voice calls (VoLTE/5G) and Wi-Fi calling.
- Audience Audio Transmission: The recipient does not need to own a Google Pixel phone to hear the sound effect; because the audio is transmitted across the call’s audio channel, any mobile phone or landline can hear the reaction.
How to Enable or Disable Audio Emojis in Settings
Audio Emojis are typically enabled by default on supported builds. To verify or toggle the feature:
- Open the Phone by Google app on your Android device.
- Tap the three vertical dots (⋮) in the search bar at the top right corner.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Scroll down to the General section and tap Audio emoji.
- Toggle the switch for Audio emoji to the On position (or toggle it Off if you prefer a distraction-free corporate dialler).
How to Trigger Audio Emojis During a Live Call
Using Audio Emojis during an ongoing phone conversation is effortless:
- Place or answer an active phone call using the Phone by Google app.
- On the active call interface, locate the new Audio Emoji button (represented by a smiling emoji icon alongside Mute, Keypad, and Speaker).
- Tap the button to bring up the reaction drawer displaying the six available sound effects.
- Tap any emoji (such as 👏 Applause or 🎉 Party).
- A colourful animation ripples across your screen, and the sound effect plays clearly over the call for both participants.
Cool-down Timers and Sound Etiquette
| Mechanism | Specification | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Cool-down | 5-second lockout between triggers | Prevents accidental or deliberate spamming of loud audio clips during serious conversations. |
| Call Channel Injection | Standard audio stream | Allows friends and family on any cellular carrier or operating system to hear the sound effect. |
| Volume Calibration | Normalized to safe decibel levels | Engineered to avoid sudden acoustic shocks to listeners using earpieces or Bluetooth headphones. |