Truecaller for Android — Complete Setup Guide 2026
Setting up Truecaller correctly on Android takes about ten minutes but requires five separate steps: installing the app, granting permissions, setting it as the default caller ID and Phone app, configuring battery settings, and enabling auto-block. Miss one and features silently break. This guide walks through each step for v27 on Android 15.
Requirements
- Android version: 7.0 (Nougat) or later — Android 15 is fully supported with v27
- Truecaller version: v27 (current) — install the official app from Google Play
- Internet: mobile data or WiFi is required for live caller ID lookups
- For auto-blocking: Truecaller must be set as the default Phone app (not just the caller ID app)
- For call recording: a Truecaller Premium subscription is required
Step 1 — Install Truecaller v27
- Open the Google Play Store. Search “Truecaller” and tap Install. Make sure it is the official app by True Software Scandinavia AB — it has over 500 million downloads.
- Open the app and register. Enter your phone number with the country code → receive the OTP → verify → set your display name and photo.
- Accept the permission requests during setup. Grant every permission Truecaller requests during the setup flow. You can fine-tune these later, but accepting all of them now is the fastest path to a working installation.
You can install Truecaller from the Play Store here: Truecaller on Google Play.
Step 2 — Grant All Required Permissions
Truecaller needs specific permissions to function, each serving a distinct purpose. All permissions marked “Required” must be granted for caller ID to work.
| Permission | Why it is needed | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Allows Truecaller to intercept incoming calls and perform live lookups. | Required |
| Contacts | Matches callers against your local contacts; also used to sync your contact list to Truecaller’s database. | Required |
| Call Logs | Reads recent call history to identify unknown numbers in your Recents list retroactively. | Required |
| Display Over Other Apps | Shows the caller ID overlay card on top of the phone call screen during an active ring. | Required |
| Notifications | Shows caller ID when the screen is locked and delivers missed-call alerts. | Required |
| Microphone | Required for call recording only — not needed otherwise. | Optional |
| Location | Used for regional spam databases; denial does not affect core caller ID. | Optional |
| SMS | Reads SMS sender IDs to identify text spammers; does not read message content. | Optional |
After any Android OS update — check all permissions again. Android 14 and 15 silently reset sensitive permissions (Display Over Other Apps, Notifications, Call Logs) during major OS upgrades without notifying you. This is the number one cause of “stopped working after update” reports.
Step 3 — Set Truecaller as Default Apps
There are two separate default app settings that Truecaller needs. Most users only set one — and then wonder why spam blocking does not work.
Default Caller ID app (required for caller ID display)
Go to Settings → Apps → Default Apps → Caller ID & Spam → Truecaller.
Default Phone app (required for auto-blocking)
This is separate from Caller ID & Spam. Auto-blocking requires Truecaller to be the default dialer so it can intercept calls before they ring. Go to Settings → Apps → Default Apps → Phone App → Truecaller.
Samsung One UI 7 difference: on Samsung, the Caller ID setting lives inside the Phone app itself, not in Android Settings. Open the Samsung Phone app → tap ⋮ → Settings → Caller ID & spam protection → enable and select Truecaller as the provider.
Step 4 — Battery and Background Settings
Android’s battery management kills background apps — including Truecaller’s caller ID service. Configure these settings to keep it running reliably:
- Set battery usage to Unrestricted: Settings → Apps → Truecaller → Battery → Unrestricted.
- Disable App Hibernation (Android 15): Settings → Apps → Truecaller → Pause app activity if unused → OFF.
- Samsung: add to Never Sleeping Apps: Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps → + → Truecaller.
Step 5 — Enable Auto-Block Inside the App
- Auto-block top spammers: Truecaller → ☰ → Settings → Block → Auto-block top spammers → ON. This activates automatic call rejection for known high-confidence spam numbers.
- Number Series Blocking (Premium, optional): blocks entire number prefixes to stop rotating robocallers. Truecaller → ☰ → Settings → Block → Number Series Blocking.
Samsung One UI 7 — Full Setup
Samsung devices have additional settings that affect Truecaller behaviour. Complete these on top of the steps above:
- Enable Smart Call via the Samsung Phone app. Samsung’s Smart Call uses Truecaller’s database without the full app. If you are using the full Truecaller app, disable Samsung Smart Call to avoid conflicts: Samsung Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Caller ID & spam protection → select Truecaller.
- Disable Samsung’s own spam protection. Running Samsung’s spam protection alongside Truecaller causes duplicate notifications and missed blocks. Disable it in the Phone app settings: Samsung Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Spam protection → OFF.
- Add Truecaller to Never Sleeping Apps. Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps → + → Truecaller.
- Check Secure Folder is not hiding Truecaller. If you use Samsung Secure Folder, make sure Truecaller is installed in the main profile — not only inside Secure Folder. Secure Folder apps run in isolation and cannot act as the default system caller ID.
Configuration Checklist
| Setting | Where | Required for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone permission | Apps → Truecaller → Permissions | All caller ID functions |
| Display over other apps | Apps → Truecaller → Special access | Caller ID overlay display |
| Default Caller ID app | Apps → Default Apps → Caller ID | Identifying incoming callers |
| Default Phone app | Apps → Default Apps → Phone | Auto spam blocking |
| Battery → Unrestricted | Apps → Truecaller → Battery | Reliable background operation |
| App Hibernation OFF | Apps → Truecaller → Advanced | Android 15 stability |
| Auto-block toggle ON | Truecaller → Settings → Block | Automatic spam blocking |
| Microphone permission | Apps → Truecaller → Permissions | Call recording only |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Android version does Truecaller require?
Truecaller v27 requires Android 7.0 (Nougat) or later. It is fully optimised for Android 15 and One UI 7. Older Truecaller versions (v25 and below) support Android 5.0 and above, but are missing key features and have known bugs — always use v27.
Why does Truecaller need my contacts?
Two reasons: (1) to avoid showing caller ID for numbers already in your contacts — those display your saved name instead, and (2) to upload your contacts to its crowdsourced database. This is the privacy trade-off of using Truecaller.
Does Truecaller work without being the default Phone app?
Caller ID display works without it — you only need Truecaller set as the default Caller ID & Spam app. However, automatic spam blocking requires Truecaller to be the default Phone app. If you want identification but not auto-blocking, you do not need to change the default dialer.
Is Truecaller free on Android?
Yes — the core features (caller ID display, manual number search, spam reporting) are free. Premium features (auto-blocking, call recording, who viewed your profile, no ads) require a subscription.
How do I update Truecaller on Android?
Open Google Play → search Truecaller → tap Update if available. After any major update, re-check your permissions — Android sometimes resets them during app upgrades.
