Get New Google Dialer/Phone App APK with Google Caller ID feature for your Android device

The new phone app that Google showcased with Nexus and left you very much impressed, doesn’t come in its full package in your standard KitKat AOSP ROMs.

New features like Caller ID isn’t present, for example, which can be infuriating for some.

So, if the developer of your device’s Android 4.4 ROM didn’t specifically include it in your ROM — be it CM11, GUMMY, SimKat, etc. — you don’t have it already on your device, even though you are on Android 4.4, and even though you’ve got the new phone app working.

But, you can get the new phone app complete with its New Caller ID features and other feature whatsoever, yourself, by following this very simple guide below.

What you need is a device running Android 4.4, KitKat, and root access. If your device isn’t rooted, get it rooted first.

Know more about the new caller ID and better search feature in words of Google itself, here.

Let’s see now how to get the missing Called ID feature on your rooted android phone that’s running Android 4.4.

WARNING!

This procedure required experience. If you are not careful, this could soft-brick your device. So, don’t do this unless you know what you are doing.

We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device. You have been warned!

Quick Method:

This is not an alternate method/trick, but is just a quick version of the guide below.

If you’ve got a custom recovery installed — chances of which are 99.99% if you got an AOSP custom ROM installed — then simply flash this .zip file of new Google Dialer using your recovery and that would be it.

DOWNLOAD LINK | (MIRROR) | Filename: GoogleDialer.zip (2.4 MB)

How To:

Download the GoogleDialer.zip and transfer it to your android device. Now reboot into recovery. (Optional – make a nandroid backup.) Install the .zip file. Reboot back to Android system.

That’s it — try it out. Now the guide to do it manually, if you don’t have a cwm/twrp recovery installed.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:

  1. Download the APK file of new phone app by Google that Nexus 5 has.
    DOWNLOAD LINK (Mirror) | File name: GoogleDialer.apk  (2.3 MB)
  2. Transfer the GoogleDialer.apk to your phone if you downloaded it on PC. Remember its location.
  3. You need root file explorer to be able to do this. So, if you don’t have one, just install the ES File Explorer from the play store.
  4. Now, enable root explorer in ES File explorer as it’s disabled by default. For this:
    1. Open the ES File explorer
    2. Tap on icon at top left to open settings
    3. Under Tools, look for Root Explorer and tap on Off to toggle it ON.
    4. Grant the permission when your SuperUser/SuperSU asks, right after you enable it.
  5. Now, enable write access.
    1. Under settings of the app, tap on Tools tab and then tap on text Root Explorer to bring up its options.
    2. Now tap on Mount R/W, and then OK to enable the write access.
  6. Now, go to where you have the GoogleDialer.apk file and copy it.
  7. Now we paste it to folder priv-app in system folder on the root of the device. For this:
    1. Open settings by tapping on menu key or icon at top left
    2. Under Local tab, tap on / Device
    3. Scroll and find the system folder and tap on it
    4. Scroll and find the priv-app folder and tap on it
    5. Now you are inside the priv-app folder, paste the Google Dialer.apk that you copied in step 5.
  8. Change the app’s permissions. For this:
    1. Tap and hold on GoogleDialer.apk to select it
    2. Then press 3-dot button on the screen and select properties
    3. Now, click on the change text right to the Permissions text to bring up pop-up titled Permission
    4. You will see all boxes are checked under Read, Write and Execute options. Well, you have to uncheck all boxes under Execute option and uncheck Group and Other boxes under Write option. So that, all 3 boxes under Read option are checked and only Owner box under Write option is checked. See the screenshot below for help.
      Set Permission to rw- r-- r--
    5. Tap on OK. Now, it will read as rw- r– r– between Permissions text and change text on the properties pop-up. That’s what we wanted the permissions to be: rw- r– r– Press back button to remove the pop-up and come back to priv-app folder.
  9. Now, backup original and old phone app. For this, simply rename the dialer.apk that was already there to dialer.bak.
    └ Okay, ignore this step. backing up/renaming the old dialer isn’t required. Thanks to all who pointed it out in comments below.
    â”” Now, you will have to phone apps on your device. No worries though. And your old dialer would be handling incoming calls, btw.
  10. That’s it. Restart your device.
  11. Locate the new phone app in the app drawer and drag it to home screen to your favorite location. Open the phone app and look into settings, you have it right there.

Done!

Via XDA (taranfx), (cell30)

Posted by
Kapil Malani

A die-hard Liverpool FC fan, Kapil is a big fan of Batman, Android and street Cricket. In that order, probably. Email: [email protected]

39 Comments

  1. Huh??? I got the OTA 4.4 update for my Nexus 4 and it has all the new Caller ID features. You don’t need to download anything. So I think you need to make it clear that those that get the OTA 4.4 update do not need to follow these instructions as they already have it.

    1. This article is for those running an aosp rom so they can have the nexus launcher if it wasn’t included in their rom

  2. Huh??? I got the OTA 4.4 update for my Nexus 4 and it has all the new Caller ID features. You don’t need to download anything. So I think you need to make it clear that those that get the OTA 4.4 update do not need to follow these instructions as they already have it.

    1. This article is for those running an aosp rom so they can have the nexus launcher if it wasn’t included in their rom

  3. Huh??? I got the OTA 4.4 update for my Nexus 4 and it has all the new Caller ID features. You don’t need to download anything. So I think you need to make it clear that those that get the OTA 4.4 update do not need to follow these instructions as they already have it.

    1. This article is for those running an aosp rom so they can have the nexus launcher if it wasn’t included in their rom

  4. Thanks so much. I updated my phone OTA and didn’t got the Google Id. A thousand times thank you

  5. Thanks so much. I updated my phone OTA and didn’t got the Google Id. A thousand times thank you

  6. Thanks so much. I updated my phone OTA and didn’t got the Google Id. A thousand times thank you

  7. Thanks for this informative article but I’m a little bit skeptical about rooting my device. I read from an android blog that it can cause harm to our devices. Please can you shed more light on this. I want to get this app but I’m afraid of rooting my android smartphone. Just want some recommendation here. I’m willing to read your view about this please. http://www.androidtonic.com

    1. I have rooted every phone it is easy and doesn’t harm anything. However rooting, giving yourself “root” or superuser permissions can make it easy for you to ruin your OS if you’re not careful by what you do when you have the ability to change system files

  8. cm11 n7000, I did it is said but now the problem is when therez a incoming call I can only listen the ringtone and no display of incoming call handling screen or the caller id … where did I go wrong?

    1. I have the same problem as well. I hear the ringtone but I can’t answer the call because I don’t see any phone displays.

  9. Thanks for this informative article but I’m a little bit skeptical about rooting my device. I read from an android blog that it can cause harm to our devices. Please can you shed more light on this. I want to get this app but I’m afraid of rooting my android smartphone. Just want some recommendation here. I’m willing to read your view about this please. http://www.androidtonic.com

    1. I have rooted every phone it is easy and doesn’t harm anything. However rooting, giving yourself “root” or superuser permissions can make it easy for you to ruin your OS if you’re not careful by what you do when you have the ability to change system files

  10. Thanks for this informative article but I’m a little bit skeptical about rooting my device. I read from an android blog that it can cause harm to our devices. Please can you shed more light on this. I want to get this app but I’m afraid of rooting my android smartphone. Just want some recommendation here. I’m willing to read your view about this please. http://www.androidtonic.com

    1. I have rooted every phone it is easy and doesn’t harm anything. However rooting, giving yourself “root” or superuser permissions can make it easy for you to ruin your OS if you’re not careful by what you do when you have the ability to change system files

  11. cm11 n7000, I did it is said but now the problem is when therez a incoming call I can only listen the ringtone and no display of incoming call handling screen or the caller id … where did I go wrong?

    1. Mesha Michael Savio

      I have the same problem as well. I hear the ringtone but I can’t answer the call because I don’t see any phone displays.

  12. cm11 n7000, I did it is said but now the problem is when therez a incoming call I can only listen the ringtone and no display of incoming call handling screen or the caller id … where did I go wrong?

    1. Mesha Michael Savio

      I have the same problem as well. I hear the ringtone but I can’t answer the call because I don’t see any phone displays.

  13. It’s not working on Samsung G Nexus

  14. It’s not working on Samsung G Nexus

  15. It’s not working on Samsung G Nexus

  16. Tried to follow the instruction but stuck on step 7.5. It says that it can’t be pasted…
    Edit: Running the latest CM11

  17. Tried to follow the instruction but stuck on step 7.5. It says that it can’t be pasted…
    Edit: Running the latest CM11

  18. Tried to follow the instruction but stuck on step 7.5. It says that it can’t be pasted…
    Edit: Running the latest CM11

  19. Same problems as the others this article is not accurate and only causes problems

  20. Same problems as the others this article is not accurate and only causes problems

  21. Same problems as the others this article is not accurate and only causes problems

  22. OK update: if you leave the stock dialer alone instead of renaming it with a .bak extension like the article says it will still handle incoming calls without interfering with nexus dialer 

  23. OK update: if you leave the stock dialer alone instead of renaming it with a .bak extension like the article says it will still handle incoming calls without interfering with nexus dialer 

  24. OK update: if you leave the stock dialer alone instead of renaming it with a .bak extension like the article says it will still handle incoming calls without interfering with nexus dialer 

  25. Okay, post edited. Sorry to all who got issues with it.

    Also added the .zip file of the new dialer, so just flash that from recovery and that’s it. Pretty quick now, eh!

    Sorry again for that 9th step about renaming the old dialer as it was causing many issues. And for the delay. Doesn’t happen normally but somehow it skipped my attention.

    Let me know how’s it working on your phone now.

  26. Okay, post edited. Sorry to all who got issues with it.

    Also added the .zip file of the new dialer, so just flash that from recovery and that’s it. Pretty quick now, eh!

    Sorry again for that 9th step about renaming the old dialer as it was causing many issues. And for the delay. Doesn’t happen normally but somehow it skipped my attention.

    Let me know how’s it working on your phone now.

  27. Okay, post edited. Sorry to all who got issues with it.

    Also added the .zip file of the new dialer, so just flash that from recovery and that’s it. Pretty quick now, eh!

    Sorry again for that 9th step about renaming the old dialer as it was causing many issues. And for the delay. Doesn’t happen normally but somehow it skipped my attention.

    Let me know how’s it working on your phone now.

  28. Will this work on nexus 7 2ndgen with or without Sim capabilities?

  29. Will this work on nexus 7 2ndgen with or without Sim capabilities?

  30. Will this work on nexus 7 2ndgen with or without Sim capabilities?

Comments are closed.