How to use Hold for Me and Direct my Call on your Google ...

How to use Hold for Me and Direct my Call on your Google Pixel 10

Smartphone receiving call while resting on pale wood surface.

By Conor Cawley Published 55 minutes ago Conor has been staunchly in favor of Android since graduating to a smartphone from his hot pink Motorola RAZR. In fact, he'll gladly ruin a friendly dinner in service of lambasting Apple devices to those that use them, which he admits is one of his worst personality traits. After being talked out of sports writing by someone working for ESPN Chicago ("it's the same thing every year, it's like purgatory"), Conor decided that the ever-evolving world of tech would be a much more interesting topic to focus on. Now, more than half a decade later, he covers everything from new devices and big conferences to small startups and business trends. In addition to freelancing for Android Police, Conor is the Lead Writer for Tech.co, a tech publication focused on helping small businesses grow and succeed. He's worked with the likes of Forbes, WeWork, General Assembly, Chase Bank, Tech in Motion, and SXSW, among others, through Tech.co in service of making tech a bit more accessible. Conor also can't properly pronounce the word "colloquially," but honestly, who can? Sign in to your Android Police account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

There are still occasions that require you to pick up the phone.

Whether you're inquiring about your prescription medication from a local pharmacy or itching to yell at an actual customer service representative about your missing package, phone calls are sometimes necessary.

Unfortunately, that means you'll have to endure the nightmare of being on hold and navigating automated number-based menus for a minimum of 20 minutes just to get started.

But not if you own a Google Pixel smartphone equipped with the Hold for Me and Direct My Call features, which make this arduous process easier for everyday users.

We're here to walk you through the simple process for using these features so that you can kiss those lost hours goodbye.

Three smartphones displaying customized calling card screens.

Related How to create custom calling cards on the Google Pixel 10

The feature has been available since August, what are you waiting for?

Posts By Conor Cawley Nov 17, 2025

How to use Hold for Me

Never waste a minute on hold again

For starters, you must make sure the Hold for Me setting is turned on before you can use it. It's not too complicated, so this shouldn't be a barrier to entry.

Just head on over to the Phone app, click the three-line menu in the upper-left corner, select Settings, and scroll down until you see the Hold for Me option.

Click Hold for Me, and you'll see a singular toggle for the feature. Make sure it's turned on, and feel free to familiarize yourself with what it does by reading the large paragraphs of information about it.

As is common with many Pixel-specific Android features, when it's turned on, the hard part is very much over. Using Hold for Me is entirely situational and presents itself when needed.

Basically, if you're in a call via the Phone app that qualifies, you can press the Call Assist button, and the Hold for Me button will be available. Just press it and the mode will activate.

You're greeted by a large "Don't hang up" pop-up that features a Return to call button if you want to get back to the hold music.

When a person returns to the line to take your call, the interface will tell you that someone is ready to talk and prompt you to enter the call.

You can also access the Hold for Me feature while using the Direct My Call feature.

During the transcription, you'll see a small Magic Cue button at the bottom of the screen that says Hold for Me. Push that at any time during the call to activate the feature.

android-phone-direct-my-call-hold-for-me

How to use Direct My Call

Never scream 'Representative!' into a phone again

Just like Hold for Me, you need to make sure that Direct My Call is activated before you get started.

It's almost exactly the same process, though, so you won't strain your mental muscles figuring it out.

Go to the Phone app, click the three-line menu in the upper-left corner, select Settings, and scroll down until you see the Direct My Call option.

After tapping Direct My Call, you're greeted with the Direct My Call toggle button, as well as two others that can improve the overall experience of the feature.

Also, like Hold for Me, the Direct My Call feature will pretty much activate whenever you need it, so you don't need to take any further action.

Simply put, when you make a call to a particular company that has an automated message, Direct My Call automatically turns on and starts transcribing the message for you.

If it doesn't automatically pop up, you can click the Call assist button again, and you'll see the Direct My Call button. Pressing this will also bring you to the helpful transcription interface.

After the feature starts transcribing your call, it will also highlight specific actions you need to take to move on.

When calling Nike, for example, I was asked to provide my order number, which was highlighted by the platform, so I knew exactly how to move forward.

android-phone-call-assist-direct-my-call

New Pixel features abound

It never ends with these phones

Even if you're an avid Pixel loyalist like me, you know that these kinds of features slip through the cracks all the time.

With Google releasing new Pixel features on a consistent basis, it's easy to completely miss out on game-changing features like Hold for Me and Direct My Call.

Not every feature is going to change the game for everyone. These two innovations are really only helpful if you ever actually make phone calls to businesses, and with live chat becoming more of a mainstream option, some users may never even come across this functionality.

Still, for those of us trapped on the phone with travel agents and Blockbuster Video employees, it's a welcome respite from the days of jazzy hold music and frustrating number-based menus.

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