Google just confirmed a major fix for one of Android’s oldest calling headaches
Google just confirmed a major fix for one of Android’s oldest calling headaches
Publish Date: 2026-05-16 11:00:00
Source Domain: www.phonearena.com
If you’ve ever wondered why your WhatsApp or Telegram calls don’t show up alongside your regular phone calls on Android, you’re definitely not alone. It’s one of those small daily annoyances that quietly piles up over time, and Google is finally about to do something about it.
What Google is rolling out
Google just confirmed on its Android Developers Blog that the Phone app is getting the ability to properly recognize calls made through third-party messaging apps. Once this fully kicks in, calls from apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Meet will start showing up in your Phone app’s call log, just like a regular phone call would.You’ll also be able to tap a contact in the Phone app and kick off a call through the messaging app you usually use with that person, without opening that app first. And if you’d rather keep certain apps out of it, there’s a toggle to exclude them, which is a thoughtful little touch.
The change is rolling out in phases. Right now it’s only working with Google Meet, but according to a new report, apps like WhatsApp are already getting set up behind the scenes.
Integrated call log. | Image by Google
How it compares to iOS
For some context, iPhones have been able to do this since 2016. It’s the reason a WhatsApp call on an iPhone looks and rings just like a regular call, even from the lock screen.
Android has taken a different path up until now, with each messaging app handling its own call screen in its own way. It should be noted that Google Meet calls already worked nicely with the Phone app, however this update opens that same kind of treatment up to other apps too, and that’s a much bigger deal for the overall Android experience.
The catch you should know about
Before you get too excited, this only works on devices running Android 16.1 or newer, so a chunk of Android users…
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