The News, Explained

Google published guidance on October 15, 2026 for reviewing suspicious Android text messages with Circle to Search. The purpose is to examine potential scams before clicking a link or sharing personal information. Circle to Search lets users circle an area of the screen to search it. The steps below assume an Android device that supports the feature. Source

First, keep the scope in view. Google’s footnote says results, availability and compatibility may vary. The announcement supplies neither a complete supported-device list nor country-by-country availability. This guide therefore focuses on reviewing a received message on a device where Circle to Search is already available. Source

  1. With the suspicious text visible, long-press the home button or navigation bar to activate Circle to Search. The navigation bar is the phone’s on-screen navigation control area. Use the applicable one of the two activation methods Google describes for your device. Source
  2. Draw a circle around the message you want reviewed. This selects the text as the subject of the search. In keeping with the purpose of the guidance, review it before opening its link or sharing personal information. Source
  3. Read the resulting AI Overview. This is an AI-generated search summary with guidance, insights and suggested next steps concerning the selected message. Source
  4. If the results show red flags, consider deleting the message and blocking the number. Google presents these as possible next actions when warning signs appear. Separating the AI guidance from the user’s subsequent deletion or blocking decision makes the sequence clearer. Source

OYOPICK’s Take

The useful opportunity is to insert a review step before doing what a message asks. Selecting the message on screen and reading an explanation before following a link or sharing information could provide a pause for judgment. The purpose of this guide is to connect a potential-scam assessment with the user’s next decision.

For that flow to help, the result needs to make clear which wording raised concerns and why deleting or blocking is suggested. We hope Google presents the reasons and choices alongside a concise warning. With results that can vary, understandable explanations for the proposed action matter more to us than the forcefulness of a warning alone.