Skip to main content

Your Android 10 smartphone may not be able to call 911 if you use Microsoft Teams

Two weeks ago, a Google Pixel 3 user made a Reddit post detailing a potentially critical bug that prevented him from making a 911 call. Now, Google confirmed that they were able to reproduce the issue on “a small number of devices,” implying that the problem is more widespread than initially thought.

Google’s investigation revealed that the issue only manifests if users install Microsoft Teams on devices running Android 10 and above. Also, the issue seemingly occurs when users have installed Microsoft Teams but have chosen not to log in. The company blamed the issue on an “unintended interaction between the Microsoft Teams app and the underlying Android operating system” while adding that they are working with Microsoft to issue a fix.

The Reddit user first noticed the issue when he attempted to dial 911 after his grandmother appeared to be having a stroke. Instead of connecting the call, the emergency call menu froze and stopped reacting to his touch inputs. The phone also sent him a notification stating that it had shared his location with emergency services.

Since he was unable to complete the call, he wasn’t able to speak to an emergency operator — and could not tell him his exact address. He would later find out that the phone did not actually share his location with emergency services and that there was no record of a 911 call on his call log or his carrier call log (Verizon). During the failed 911 call, he noted that the phone was able to access other apps with the emergency call menu running in the background. The phone also had no issues making standard non-emergency calls.

Because it will be a few days before Google and Microsoft release a patch to fix this issue, Google suggests users make sure that they are logged in to Microsoft Teams on their phones running Android 10 and above. If you have already downloaded Microsoft Teams but haven’t logged in yet, it is advisable to uninstall and reinstall a new version of the app from the Google Play Store and then log in. Google also indicated that a fix for this issue might arrive via an Android platform update scheduled for January 4.

Editors' Recommendations

Rahul Srinivas
Rahul is a smartphone buff turned tech journalist who has been tinkering with all things mobile since the early 2000s. He has…
Wireless charging not working on your Pixel with Android 13? You aren’t alone
Google Pixel 6 Pro in hand.

Android 13 has been hotly anticipated for months, but following its rollout to Pixel users last Monday, many have been reporting issues with wireless charging. As first spotted by 9to5Google, Pixel owners have been posting their issues to Reddit in hopes of finding a simple community fix, but based on the number of complaints, there seems to be more at work.

While the hope is always that companies like Google will put their best foot forward when launching new software, sometimes new bugs are found after pushing an update globally. If your Pixel is having trouble with wireless charging, don't worry: you're not alone.
What does the issue look like?

Read more
Android 13 is here, and you can download it on your Pixel phone right now
Official artwork of Android 13

The day has finally arrived for Android phones to get their big yearly update. Google released the stable Android 13 update today, and if you have a Pixel 4 or later model in your hand, the update notification will pop up soon. I’ve already got it on my Pixel 6a, and installation is underway.

Google says that phones from Samsung, OnePlus, Nokia, Oppo, Realme, and Xiaomi, among others, will start getting the update later this year. You can expect these brands to make an official announcement regarding the update road map for their respective phones in the next few days.

Read more
The Pixel Fold may skip an important feature used on other foldables
Google Pixel Fold concept image.

The anticipated Google Pixel Fold may lack a feature you would least expect to be absent from foldables — or any other smartphone, for that matter. According to a rumor by the Digital Chat Station on the Chinese social media app Weibo (via 9to5Google), the Pixel Fold won't have a selfie camera on its inner display.

Digital Chat Station says the Pixel Fold will look a lot like the Oppo Find N, meaning we can expect a shorter outer display than the Z Fold 3 and a large tablet display on the inside. Unlike the Find N and Fold 3, however, the inner/tablet display on the Pixel Fold is said to not have a selfie camera of any kind.

Read more