Google Phone app starts rolling out customizable ‘calling cards’

Similar to the iPhone, the Google Phone and Contacts apps are introducing customizable “calling cards” that some beta users are beginning to see.

Instead of just seeing a person’s profile picture at the center of the screen, you can have a fullscreen image serve as the background. A similar customization was introduced for the iPhone in iOS 17 (2023), but Google’s take appears to be more of an extension of profile pictures than creating something that other people will always see. That said, Google Messages lets you set what image everyone sees. Calling cards could in theory be extended to that.

Once available, opening a person’s contact page will prompt you to “Try adding a calling card: Customize how [contact name] appears during calls.” Calling cards are codenamed “patrick” in the Google Phone app.

“Calling card” joins the existing circular “picture” for all other instances. After picking an image from your Camera, Gallery, or Google Photos and adjusting the position, the editor lets you pick a font and color for the name that appears near the top of the Incoming Call screen.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

• Colors: Autumn Orange, Black, Blush Pink, Dark Green, Dark Purple, Gentle Blue, Greenish Yellow, Lavender, Lavender Two, Navy, Orangy Yellow, Raspberry Pink, Red, Reddish Orange, Royal Blue, Seafoam Green, Smart Color, Vivid Cyan, White, Yellow Green, and a “Smart Color” option.

This goes hand-in-hand with the upcoming Horizontal swipe or Single tap gesture for answering calls. 

Calling cards are not yet widely rolled out, but some users are beginning to see it after the Phone by Google 188 beta, while Contacts 4.61 has widely rolled out with Material 3 Expressive. In other developments, the upcoming “Call Message” capability has been renamed to “Take a Message” in the new beta.

More on Google Phone:

Thanks Tushar