What Google Voice actually does
Google Voice is a phone service that gives you a single phone number you can use to make calls, send texts, and check voicemails from any device — your computer, phone, or tablet. When someone calls your Google Voice number, the call can ring on multiple devices at once, or you can route it to a phone number you already have. You can also use it to make calls and texts from your computer without needing a separate phone line.
The service is free for calls within the United States and Canada. International calls cost money, but the rates are usually lower than what your phone carrier charges. Google Voice keeps all your messages, call logs, and voicemails in one searchable place, which is useful if you want to keep your work calls separate from personal ones without carrying two phones.
Key Takeaways
- Google Voice requires a Google account and works best on a computer first — you sign up at voice.google.com, choose a phone number, and verify an existing phone number.
- You can route incoming calls to any phone number you own, or answer them directly from your computer or the Google Voice app.
- The service is free for calls and texts within the US and Canada, but you need to add a payment method if you want to call other countries.
- Once set up, you can use your Google Voice number on your phone by installing the app and choosing it as your default for calls and texts.
Setting up Google Voice on a computer
Start by going to voice.google.com in any web browser and signing in with your Google account. If you don't have a Google account, create one first — it takes a few minutes and requires an email address and password. Once you're signed in, Google Voice will ask you to choose a phone number. You can search by area code or by typing in a word (some numbers spell out words like 2255 for CALL). The number you pick becomes your Google Voice number, and this is what people will call or text.
After you choose a number, Google Voice will ask you to verify an existing phone number — this is a real phone number you already have, like your cell phone or home phone. Google will send a verification code to that number by text or call, and you'll type the code back into the website. This step confirms that you own the phone number and prevents someone else from setting up Google Voice in your name. Once verified, you're done with setup on the computer.
Routing calls to your existing phone
By default, when someone calls your Google Voice number, the call rings on the phone number you verified during setup. You can change this in the settings. Go to voice.google.com, click the Settings gear icon, and select "Phones." From there you can add more phone numbers — for example, your work phone and your home phone — and decide which ones ring when someone calls your Google Voice number. You can also set different rules for different contacts: calls from your boss might ring only on your work phone, while calls from friends ring on your personal phone.
If you don't want calls to ring on any of your phones, you can answer them directly from your computer using Google Voice in a web browser, or from the Google Voice app on your phone. This is useful if you're at your desk and want to take the call on your computer, or if you're traveling and don't want to use your regular phone number.
Using Google Voice on your phone
read the Google Voice app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone). Sign in with the same Google account you used to set up Google Voice. Once you're in the app, you'll see your Google Voice number, your call history, and your messages. If you want to make calls and send texts from your phone using your Google Voice number instead of your regular phone number, go to the app's settings and turn on "Make calls and send texts from Google Voice."
On Android, you can also set Google Voice as your default phone app, which means when you dial a number from your contacts, it automatically uses Google Voice. On iPhone, this option is more limited — you can set Google Voice as the default for texting, but calls may still go through your carrier's number. Check your phone's settings under "Phone" or "Messages" to see what options are available for your device.
Managing voicemails and messages
When someone calls your Google Voice number and you don't answer, they can leave a voicemail. Google Voice transcribes the voicemail into text and stores it in your account, so you can read it instead of listening if you're in a situation where you can't play audio. The transcription isn't always perfect — names and technical terms sometimes get garbled — but it's usually good enough to understand the message. You can listen to the audio voicemail anytime by clicking the play button.
Text messages sent to your Google Voice number appear in the app and on the website. You can reply to texts from either place. All your messages and voicemails stay in Google Voice indefinitely unless you delete them, and you can search through them by contact name, date, or keyword. This makes it straightforward to find old conversations without scrolling through months of messages.
Paying for international calls
Calls and texts to US and Canadian numbers are free. If you want to call other countries, you need to add a payment method to your Google Voice account. Go to voice.google.com, click Settings, select "Billing," and add a credit or debit card. Rates vary by country — calling a landline in Mexico might cost a few cents per minute, while calling a mobile phone in the same country costs more. You can see the exact rate for any country before you dial.
Google Voice doesn't charge a monthly fee or require a contract. You only pay for the calls you actually make to international numbers. If you rarely call outside the US and Canada, you might never need to add a payment method at all.
Switching your Google Voice number to a different phone carrier
If you want to keep your Google Voice number but move it to a different phone company, you can port it out. This means transferring the number from Google to your new carrier so that calls go directly to them instead of through Google Voice. To do this, go to voice.google.com, click Settings, select "Account," and look for the option to port your number. Google will charge a one-time fee (usually around $20) and give you instructions for your new carrier. The process typically takes a few business days.
Before you port your number, understand that you'll lose access to Google Voice features like voicemail transcription and the ability to answer calls from your computer. Your new carrier will handle voicemail and call routing instead. If you want to keep using Google Voice features, you can keep your Google Voice number and just add a new number from your carrier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a smartphone to use Google Voice?
No. You can use Google Voice entirely from a computer at voice.google.com. You can make calls and send texts from your browser, and you don't need to install an app. A smartphone makes it more convenient, but it's not required.
Can I use Google Voice if I don't have a phone number yet?
You need to verify an existing phone number during setup — this can be a cell phone, home phone, or even a work phone. If you don't have any phone number, you can't set up Google Voice. However, once it's set up, you can use it without that verified number if you answer calls from your computer instead.
What happens to my Google Voice number if I stop using it?
Google Voice will disable your number if you don't use it for several months. Once disabled, you lose access to the number and can't recover it. If you want to keep the number, sign in to your account at least once every few months.
Can I have more than one Google Voice number?
No. Each Google account can have only one Google Voice number. If you need multiple numbers, you would need to create separate Google accounts, but Google's terms of service don't allow you to manage multiple accounts for the same person in most cases.
Does Google Voice work if I don't have internet?
Google Voice requires an internet connection to work. If you're using the app on your phone, it needs either WiFi or mobile data. If your internet goes down, you can't make calls or send texts through Google Voice, but calls to your verified phone number will still ring through normally.