[2024] How to Recover Inactive or Lost Google Voice Number? (2024)

Google Voice is a free platform that offers versatile and cost-free calling, texting, and voicemail services worldwide through a designated Google Voice number. While it's a highly convenient option with many benefits, it has one drawback. If you don't use the number within a certain time frame, it may become inactive. Consequently, your Google Voice number could be deleted. If your GV number is inactive and you'd like to recover or reactivate it, read this article carefully. It will guide you through the process, including how to recover your Google Voice number.

Part 1. What Happens to an Unused Google Voice Number?

Before we dive into recovering a Google Voice number, let's understand what happens when you don't use it for a while. There are two main possibilities:

• If you leave your Google Voice number inactive for a while, someone else might request and claim it for themselves.
• If your number goes unused for an extended period, Google might remove it from their system altogether.

What Happens to Your Old Number?

• If someone else is using your old number, it means they successfully claimed it.
• In some cases, your old number might be automatically linked to your new Google account.

Part 2: How to Recover Google Voice Number?

If your Google Voice number was recently removed from your account, you can reclaim it within 45 days. This process works differently depending on the type of Google Voice account you have.

There are two main types of Google Voice accounts:

1. How to Check Your Account Type?

Step 1: Open Google Voice on your computer.

Step 2: Click "Settings" in the top right corner.

Step 3: Under "Account," look for the text "This account is managed by your Google Workspace administrator."

How to Recover a Google Voice Number in 45 Days?

If you haven't used your Google Voice number for a long time, Google might reclaim it. Here's how to get it back within 45 days of the reclaim date:

Step 1: Go to the Google Vocie website on your computer.

Step 2: Sign in to your Google Account.

Step 3: Accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Step 4: Search for your number by city or area code.

Step 5: Click "Select" next to your number and follow the instructions.

How to Recover a Google Voice Number for Google Workspace Accounts?

Before you reclaim a number, you might need to release an unused one first. Here's how:

Step 1: Sign in to the Google Admin console with your administrator account (ending in something other than @gmail.com).

Step 2: Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Voice.

Step 3: Click Users on the left menu.

Step 4: Find the user with the number you want to release, click Edit.

Step 5: Click Unassign for the number and confirm.

Step 6: Go back to Users and click Numbers on the left menu.

Step 7: Find the number you want to release, click More > Release.

Step 8: Confirm the release.

How to Recover a Recently Released Number

If you accidentally released a number or want it back, you can reclaim it within 30 days (provided by Google Voice, not ported numbers). Here's how:

Step 1: Sign in to the Google Admin console with your administrator account.

Step 2: Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Voice.

Step 3: Click Users on the left menu.

Step 4: Find the user you want to assign the reclaimed number to, click Edit.

Step 5: Set the user's country/region and service address for the number you want to reclaim.

Step 6: Click Change next to the Google Voice number field.

Step 7: Click Add a filter > Number source and ensure the Recently Released box is checked. Click Apply.

Step 8: (Optional) Search for the specific number you want to reclaim and click Search.

Step 9: Locate the number and click Select > Assign.

Part 3. How to Recover Deleted Google Data?

We often encounter significant data loss in our lives. If you accidentally delete important files, messages, contacts, or other data, you can use iMyFone D-Back data recovery software to safely recover your lost data. This tool can recover Google Drive files that have been downloaded and stored locally. So, if your Google Drive files on your PC are overwritten, you can use iMyFone D-Back Hard Drive Recovery to get them back.

Here’s how to recover deleted files from Google with D-Back

Step 1: Start by installing iMyFone D-Back on your computer. Once it's installed, open the program. It'll show you all the drives on your computer. Just pick the one where your deleted files were.

Step 2: Once you've chosen the drive, let iMyFone D-Back do its thing. It'll search through the drive to find any deleted or overwritten files. After it's done, you'll see a list of files it can recover.

Step 3: Now, take a look at the list of files. Find the ones you want to bring back. Click on "Recover" and choose where you want to save them.

Following these simple steps, you can easily recover your deleted files using iMyFone D-Back.

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Part 4. FAQ on Google Voice Number Recovery

1What should I do if my Google Voice number has been reclaimed by Google?

If your Google Voice number has been reclaimed by Google, you need to choose a new number. Sign in to Google Voice, follow the on-screen instructions to get a new number, and update your contacts with your new details.

2How can I check if my old Google Voice number is still available?

To check if your old Google Voice number is still available, sign in to your Google Voice account and see if the number is listed. If not, try to reclaim it by selecting "I want to use my own number" during the setup process. If it's not available, you'll need to choose a new number.

3What if my Google Voice number was claimed?

If your Google Voice number has been reassigned to another user, it may be due to inactivity or an error. This means someone (including yourself) might be using your number with another Google Voice account. If you still have access to the phone number, you can add it back to your preferred Google Voice account.

Here's how:

Step 1: Go to https://voice.google.com/ on your computer.

Step 2: Click "Settings" in the top right corner.

Step 3: Under "Linked numbers," click "New linked number."

Step 4: Enter your phone number and choose how to receive a verification code:

Step 5: Enter the code and click "Verify."

Step 6: If the number is already claimed by another account, you'll be asked to "Claim" it. Click "Claim" to link the number to your account again.

4Can I recover a Google Voice number after it has been inactive for a long time?

Unfortunately, once a Google Voice number is deactivated due to inactivity, it cannot be recovered. You will need to select a new number from the available options in your Google Voice account.

Conclusion

Getting the most out of Google Voice requires some understanding of how it manages inactive numbers. This guide has equipped you with the knowledge to recover a lost Google Voice number if you act quickly. Remember, the official method is most reliable within the 45-day window.

For broader data recovery needs beyond Google Voice, tools like iMyFone D-Back can be helpful in recovering accidentally deleted files, messages, and contacts from your devices or cloud accounts.