Modern smartphones have turned into personal assistants that take on many routine tasks, including identifying incoming calls. A feature where an automated voice says the caller's name or number before you answer is useful when driving or when your hands are full. However, in a quiet environment, at a meeting, or simply when you want privacy, this feature becomes intrusive and annoying.
Users often encounter a situation when voice assistant starts broadcasting caller information unexpectedly, even if they did not consciously enable this option. This may be due to a system update, activation of third-party applications, or manufacturer default settings. It can be difficult to understand the labyrinth of menus of various Android shells, since the path to the desired switch differs on devices of different brands.
In this material we will take a detailed look at all the ways to deactivate the number reading. We will touch on system settings Google Assistant, proprietary functions from Samsung i Xiaomi, as well as the capabilities of third-party caller ID. You will learn how to completely eliminate this sound and regain control over the sound of your calls.
Google Assistant system settings
On most “pure” Android devices, as well as on smartphones with minimal interface modifications, the voice announcement of calls is directly responsible Google Assistant. This feature is integrated deeply into the system and is often turned on automatically when you first set up your phone. To control it, you need to go to the settings of the assistant itself, and not to the general sound settings.
Open the Google application on your device or call the assistant by long pressing the power button (on new models) or swiping from the corner of the screen. Go to your profile by clicking on your avatar icon and select section Settings. Next, find the item Google Assistant and scroll the list to category Phone. This is where the switch responsible for voicing incoming calls is hidden.
If you are using an older version of the interface, the path may be slightly different. Try saying the command “Open Assistant settings” or find the corresponding section in the general system settings through search. In the menu Phone you will see an option Announce calls. Make sure it is set to "Never" or completely disabled.
⚠️ Warning: After changing your Google Assistant settings, you may need to completely restart your device for the changes to take effect for the phone service. Do not ignore this step if the function continues to work.
It is worth noting that in some versions of Android this setting is duplicated in the menu of the application itself Phone. If disabling in the Assistant did not help, check the three-dot menu in the dialer, section Settings and subsection Incoming calls. There may be an independent toggle switch Announce the caller's namethat works in parallel with the system assistant.
If you often use a headset, check the call announcement settings separately for the “Headset Only” or “Always” mode to avoid surprises when connecting headphones.
Features of the Samsung One UI shell
The devices of the South Korean giant work on the basis of a proprietary shell One UIwhich has its own implementation of many system functions. Here, voice notification about calls is placed in a separate section of the phone settings, which is not always directly related to Google. Users Samsung Galaxy often find this option accidentally enabled after major firmware updates.
To disable the function on Samsung, you need to open the standard application Phone (green tube). Click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the screen and select Settings. In the list that opens, look for the section Incoming calls. Inside you will find the item Announce the caller's name.
By clicking on this item, you will see three options for the system's behavior:
- 🔇 Never — the function is completely disabled, the phone is silent when calling.
- 🎧 Only when a headset is connected — the name is pronounced only if headphones are inserted or Bluetooth is connected.
- 📢 Always — the phone speaker will announce the number or name during any call.
Select “Never” to stop voice notifications. This section may also contain a setting Vibrate when callingthat can be configured at your discretion. The One UI interface is regularly updated, so the location of the items may change slightly depending on the version of Android (12, 13, 14 or 15).
Settings in Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones
The shell MIUI and its successor HyperOS from Xiaomi are famous for their functionality, but sometimes for redundancy of settings. The function of voicing a number here can be implemented both through the “Phone” system application and through third-party services pre-installed by the manufacturer. Owners Xiaomi i Redmi should check both possible ways.
The first method is through the call application. Open Phone, click on the settings gear. Find the section Incoming calls or Incoming call settings. If there is an item Announce name, disable it. In some regions, this item may be called “Number Announcement.”
The second method is related to application GetApps or system optimizer. Sometimes the feature is activated through automation scripts. Go to Settings the phone itself (gear in the notification shade), scroll down to Special features. This section often hides settings for the visually impaired, where a mode TalkBack or a similar service that duplicates voice actions may be active.
| Model / Shell | Path to setting | Function name |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi MIUI 12-14 | Phone → Settings → Incoming calls | Announce caller's name |
| Redmi HyperOS | Settings → Special. capabilities → Visualization | Speaking notifications |
| Poco Launcher | Phone → Three dots → Settings | Voice prompts |
Please note that some global versions of Xiaomi firmware have pre-installed caller ID from third-party developers, which has its own sound settings. If system methods do not help, check the list of installed applications for apps with names like “Caller ID”, “Truecaller” or similar.
☑️ Diagnosing the problem on Xiaomi
Third-party caller ID applications
Often the source of the annoying voice is not the system settings, but third-party ones applications you have installed to protect against spam or identify unknown numbers. apps like Truecaller, Yandex.Identifier, Kaspersky Who Calls or GetContact have their own voiceover engines that work on top of the system dialer.
To turn off the voice in such applications, you need to go directly to their settings. This is usually done through the main application menu (profile icon or line). Look for section Settings, then subsection Sound and vibration or Alerts. There will be a switch Name speaking or Voice notifications.
In the application Truecaller, for example, this function is in the menu Settings → Notifications → Announce caller's name. In Russian services such as Yandex, the option may be called “Voice assistant when calling”. Disabling this checkbox will instantly stop the application's voice module from working, even if Android system settings allow announcements.
⚠️ Attention: Third-party applications often require permission to access contacts and call logs. If you do not use the spam detection feature, consider completely uninstalling such an application to increase privacy.
Don't forget that after updating such an application, the settings may be reset to factory settings and the voice will appear again. Regularly check the configuration of installed utilities, especially after major updates in Google Play.
Using USSD codes and engineering menu
In rare cases, when software settings are unavailable or blocked by the telecom operator, you can try using special codes. However, it is important to understand: there are no standard USSD codes specifically for disabling. The voice is generated by the phone, not the operator's network. voice guidance does not exist. The voice is generated by the phone, not the operator's network.
However, there are codes to disable additional network services, which can confuse users. For example, the AntiAON service hides your number, but does not affect the voice of incoming calls. To reset all forwarding and some network settings, you can use a universal code:
##002#Dial this code in the Phone application and press the call button. This will reset the forwarding settings to the network's factory defaults. If the problem was caused by a strange network service (unlikely for voice, but possible for tones), this will help.
What is the engineering menu?
The engineering menu (accessed by codes like ##4636##) allows you to test the phone's radio module. There you can find the Phone Information section, but disabling voice is usually not provided there, since this is a function of the UI, not the radio module. Interfering with the engineering menu without knowledge can lead to loss of the network.
If you suspect that the voice is coming from the operator (Voice Informant service), check the personal account of your cellular operator (MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2). In the “Services” section, look for active subscriptions to information services and disable them.
Do Not Disturb modes and accessibility
Sometimes the problem lies not in a specific call setting, but in general accessibility modes or sound profiles. Android has a powerful Special features (Accessibility) section designed for people with visual impairments. If the service is accidentally activated there TalkBack or Select to Speak, the phone will voice everything that happens on the screen, including names when calling.
Check the path Settings → Accessibility. Make sure the switch TalkBack is turned off. Also check the section Improving visibility or Audio inside Accessibility. Sometimes there are settings like “Speaking notifications”, which also affect calls.
In addition, mode Do Not Disturb (Do Not Disturb) may behave differently depending on the settings. Although it generally mutes sounds, in some configurations it may allow repeated voice calls. Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Do Not Disturb and check the exceptions.
Mode TalkBack completely changes the logic of phone control (gestures, voice acting). If it is turned on accidentally, you can usually turn it off by pressing both volume buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the phone call a number and not the contact name?
This happens if the caller's number is not saved in your phone book. In this case, the system or identification application announces the digital sequence of the number. If the name is in contacts, but is not pronounced, check the correct spelling of the name (use Cyrillic for Russian names) and the application's access rights to contacts.
Is it possible to set the voice to male or female?
Yes, it depends on the speech synthesis engine used. Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Speech synthesis (or Text-to-Speech output). Select your preferred engine (for example, Google or Samsung) and click on the gear next to it. There you can select a language and a specific voice (Male/Female), as well as speech speed.
The phone is silent when call, although the setting is enabled. What is the reason?
You may have a Bluetooth headset connected, and the setting is in “Headset only” mode. Or the volume of the media channel or notification channel is turned down to zero. Check the sound profile and make sure that the complete silence or vibration mode is not active at the time of the call.
Does disabling this function affect spam detection?
No, these are different functions. Spam detection marks the call with a color or text on the screen. Voicing a name is a separate auditory function. You can leave anti-spam protection active, but turn off voice guidance so that the phone does not talk to you.
After resetting the settings, the feature turned on again. What to do?
With a full reset (Hard Reset), the phone returns to factory settings, where some functions may be activated by default. You'll have to go through the shutdown process again in the Google Assistant menu or Phone app. To avoid this, when initially setting up a new phone, carefully read the proposed configuration options.