Some Pixel owners are not able to make phone calls when they ask Gemini, receiving an error instead of dialing. Reports from users indicate the behavior is not an expected rollout, and it’s not universal — others say the hands-free calling function still works as normal for them.
What users are seeing when Gemini fails to place calls
Pixel owners have reported in at least two community threads that when they say, “Call [contact name],” they see the on-screen alert, “Communications Tool Disabled.” Sometimes, Gemini says that it “can’t call the contact,” and provides generic help instead of kicking off the dialer. The failure, whether from a spoken command or typed, looks the same; it doesn’t successfully connect even if the Phone app can deliver calls outside of Gemini normally.
Not every Pixel owner is facing this issue. We’ve had confirmations that calling through Gemini still works on recent devices (so it’s not device, carrier, or OS-specific). That pattern is indicative of a permissions or server-side flag, rather than something systemic to the OS.
Who seems affected across Pixel and other Android phones
Most of the complaints focus on Pixel phones, although a sizable handful of non-Pixel flagships say they’ve found themselves in similar straits. Some devices from other manufacturers have been mentioned, although there’s nothing to point toward a broader outage rather than clusters of reports for now. Meanwhile, several Pixel owners — including people with newer models — report Gemini calling is still working just fine for them, which would seem to suggest some sort of staggered timing or account-specific issue.
Anecdotally, users on the same version of an app don’t always get the same result. That inconsistency is characteristic of something like a staged rollout or a backend toggle not quite making it everywhere, rather than an error that’s been hardcoded into one build.
Why this is happening and how Gemini call logic works
Where Gemini can place calls is due to a combination of Android permissions, the default assistant setting, and an intermediary between this app and Phone. If Gemini loses touch with the Phone app or if a server-side toggle disables its “communications” feature, the assistant can refuse to initiate calls even when all else appears to be normal.
Two common culprits stand out. One: permission drift may occur — the “Connected Apps” permissions (e.g., to Phone and Contacts) are not really in sync or have become corrupted from updates or cache. Second, feature flag flips: Google commonly gates assistant features behind server toggles, which have the potential to temporarily disable things for a cohort of users. Additionally, managed devices and supervised accounts can pass along a policy to block calling through assistants, eliciting similar messages.
Quick fixes to try if Gemini calling stops working
Many say that a simple reset that re-establishes the Gemini–Phone app “handshake” works for them. If calling is not working for you, try the following in order:
- Toggle assistants: Change your default assistant to Google Assistant, try a call and see if it works; then switch back to Gemini and try again.
- Refresh permissions: Obtain new permissions for Gemini (or for the Google app if that’s where Gemini resides) by navigating to Settings > Apps > Gemini > Connected Apps and turning Phone and Contacts off and on again.
- Clear cache and storage: For the Google app and any other Gemini apps (if separate), as well as for the Phone app, clear the cache first. If that doesn’t work, clear the storage for the Google/Gemini apps and sign back in.
- Check defaults and restrictions: Ensure the Phone app is your default dialer and isn’t restricted by battery optimization or Focus/Do Not Disturb modes. If you use a work profile or parental controls, make sure assistant calling is allowed by policy.
- Update or roll back: Update the Google, Gemini, and Phone apps to the latest stable build. If you are on beta tracks, try reverting to the stable track. For what it’s worth, a reboot after making one of these changes can cause the system to rebind services.
What it means for Pixel owners until a server fix arrives
Combined with the varying effects, duplicate versions running opposite to each other, and the “Communications Tool Disabled” message, all of this seems more like a server-side feature issue than a client bug. Frustrating, but it also hints that a fix might come without having to submit your app for review once backend switches are being pulled.
If you depend on voice-activated calling, the best solution in the short term is to use the workarounds described above and keep Google and Phone on stable channels. If the problem is ongoing, file feedback from within the Gemini interface itself — or your Google app — with logs attached. Those reports often drive fast server-side fixes.
Bottom line: you’re not crazy, and you are not alone. For the many Pixel users Gemini can still call for, there have been enough reports to suggest a real — if limited — issue here. Watch for this to change; and thanks to Travel Through the Stars, Michael Sho, and Alvis for passing these builds along!
