How To Get A Google Voice Phone Number

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Google Voice is a popular virtual phone number provider that works together with your existing mobile or landline setup. It allows you to forward calls you receive over the internet to your device. It also lets you choose and adopt phone numbers from nearly any area code in the U.S.

Google Voice is popular among solopreneurs and freelancers due to the fact that it offers a free personal number and unlimited domestic calling and texting. Business plans are affordable, too. Best of all, setting up a Google Voice number is easy and takes just a few simple steps.

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Setting Up Your Google Voice Account

To get started with Google Voice, you will need to visit the official website. If you already have a Google Account, then you should be able to pick a number and get started right away. Otherwise, you will need to create a Google account.

Setting up a Google account is easy: Simply follow the step-by-step guide where you will be asked to enter your name and contact information. You can either use your existing email address or create a new one. It's also worth noting that your account also gives you access to other Google products such as Docs, Sheets and Slides.

Creating a Google Account will give you access to Google Voice as well as many of the company's other services.

You will be asked to choose between a personal account or one specifically designed for business. The business tiers start at $10 per user, per month and offer advanced features like call reports and support for multiple people. If you're a freelancer, you can get away with using the free personal version, but established teams might want to look at what the paid tiers have to offer.

Once you have your account set up, you are ready to get started with getting your number and making calls with the service.

Getting Your Google Voice Number

Once your Google account is ready, you can start setting up Google Voice.

Google Voice will ask you to search for a number by area code. While you can simply choose your local prefix, area codes from all over the U.S. are also available. This is especially useful if you do the majority of your business in a different city than where you live.

Once you've chosen a number, you will need to link it to an existing phone number. This is part of Google's verification process. Because it's a virtual number that you are getting with Google Voice, it needs to be linked to a real-world phone number. You must use a U.S.-based mobile phone or landline for this step.

Google Voice lets you adopt local numbers from nearly anywhere in the United States.

Once you enter a number, you will either be sent a text message or receive a phone call to confirm that number. After you've confirmed, you are ready to make calls with Google Voice from your desktop. However, we strongly encourage you to download the mobile app to get the full benefits of the service.

Installing the Google Voice Mobile App

While you can use Google Voice from any web browser, many users prefer the mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The app lets you use all of the service's features wherever you are.

Google Voice can be used on any iOS or Android device.

Installing the app is a straightforward process. Simply head to either the App Store or Google Play marketplaces and search for the app. Once it's downloaded, enter your Google login credentials and you should be ready to start making calls immediately.

Using Google Voice

All told, making calls, sending texts and checking voicemail works in an almost identical fashion to what you're probably used to on your smartphone's default apps. You can almost think of it as a phone within your phone.

Google Voice comes with a wide range of basic features, such as contacts, SMS, voicemail transcription and the ability to record all of your calls. It even offers international calling starting at 1 cent per minute.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Google Voice

How many Google Voice numbers can I have?

With Google Voice, you can only link one phone number per account. If you want to use multiple numbers with Google Voice, then you will also need to create multiple Google accounts.

Is Google Voice here to stay in the long-term?

Often people are worried that, with a Google product, it's hard to guarantee its longevity. Google is known for dropping products that have previously been successful, much to the annoyance of its users. With Google Voice, however, things seem a bit different. It's been going since 2009, and while the updates aren't super frequent, Google shows no sign of ditching this particular service.

Can I port my Google Voice number to another service?

Yes, you can. To port an existing number into the service, Google charges a flat fee of $3 to unlock your number so that it can be transferred over to another service. This is useful if your business has grown out of Google Voice, but you'd like to keep your number because it's what your customers remember.