Google Voice is one of the search giant's hidden gems — a Voice Over IP (VoIP) service that gives your phone access to a (mostly) free second phone number which you can use as a business line or second personal number. Unfortunately, Google Voice is no stranger to connection issues. If you can't get Google Voice to work on your iPhone or Android phone, here are five ways to troubleshoot the problem and get the service up and running.
Check your internet connection
If you usually have no trouble with Google Voice but it's currently not connecting properly, the first thing you should check is your internet connection. Google Voice will work over both a cellular connection and Wi-Fi, but if you have neither, you won't be able to connect. Check the status bar at the top of your phone screen to see if you have a solid signal. If in doubt, swipe down from the top of the screen to see the Control Center or shortcuts panel, then toggle Airplane mode and Wi-Fi to refresh your connections.
Make sure you're not in 'Do not disturb' mode
You probably know that your phone's "Do not disturb" mode can silence your phone to give you a break from incoming calls, texts, and notifications. But Google Voice has its own Do not disturb setting, and if it's enabled, you won't see any incoming calls or messages. To check, start Google Voice and tap the three-line menu at the top right or left corner. Tap Settings, and find the Do Not Disturb section near the bottom of the Settings page. Make sure Do not disturb is off by swiping the button to the left.
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Properly redirect Google Voice to your current phone
If you've recently changed phones, your Google Voice account might be linked to the old number, which means Google Voice won't receive calls on your new phone. That's easily fixed. Open the Google Voice website in a browser and sign into your Google account if necessary. Click the Settings icon at the top right (it's shaped like a gear) and make sure you're in the Account tab on the left side of the page. In the Linked numbers section, check to see what phone number is listed. If it's not the phone number currently associated with your phone, click the X to the right of the number and then click New linked number. Enter your phone number, click Send code, and follow the directions to confirm this is your phone number.
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You need credit to make international calls
Google Voice is mostly free. You only need to pay to port an existing phone number to the service if you'd rather not use a random number assigned by Google and to make international calls and text messages. If you're trying to make an international call, you need to add credits to your Google Voice account, which you can do from the Google Voice website or from the Android mobile app's Settings menu.
Check to see if the Google Voice service is down
If nothing else is working, the Google Voice service might be temporarily offline or experiencing some sort of outage. One easy way to see if the problem is confined to your phone or if it's more pervasive: Try to use service via the Google Voice website in a browser. You can also check to see if there are reported outages at Google Voice. Visit IsItDown's Google Voice status page for the latest news on the site. If it appears to be down, you will need to wait and try again later.
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
