How do I use Google Voice to call someone?

What is Google Voice?

Google Voice is a free calling and voicemail service from Google that provides users with a free phone number. This Google Voice number can route incoming calls to your cell phone, landline, or even multiple phones (Source).

With Google Voice, you get features like voicemail transcription, call blocking, call screening, and more. It’s available as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, as well as through a web interface that you can access from any browser.

Some key things to know about Google Voice:

Lets you choose a free phone number with your local area code
Routes incoming calls to your cell, home, or work phones
Transcribes voicemail messages into text

Allows call blocking, screening, and do not disturb
Works on smartphones through the mobile app
Accessible via web browser for call management

Overall, Google Voice provides a convenient way to manage all your calling and voicemail features through one central phone number and account. It’s a popular option both for personal use as well as small businesses.

Getting Started with Google Voice

Getting started with Google Voice requires just a few simple steps. First, you’ll need to sign up for a free Google account if you don’t already have one. This allows you to access all Google services, including Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and of course Google Voice.

Next, you can download the Google Voice app on your mobile device through the Google Play Store (for Android devices) or the App Store (for iOS devices). Alternatively, you can access Google Voice through the web interface on your desktop.

Once you’ve downloaded the app or accessed the website, you’ll be prompted to choose a new Google Voice phone number. You can search for available numbers by area code and city. Choose a number that’s easy for you and others to remember.

Finally, you can connect your existing phone numbers to your new Google Voice number. This allows you to screen calls, send texts, listen to voicemail, and make calls, all through your Google Voice number rather than your original numbers. Just follow the setup instructions to add and verify your existing numbers.

Making Calls with Google Voice

One of the main features of Google Voice is the ability to make phone calls directly from the service. There are a few different ways you can make calls with Google Voice:

From the Google Voice App – Open the Google Voice app on your mobile device or tablet. Tap on the “Call” icon to dial a number or select a contact. The app will connect the call using your Google Voice number, not your regular mobile number [1].

From the Google Voice Website – Go to the Google Voice website and select the “Calls” tab. Click on a contact or enter a phone number to dial. The website will place the call for you [2].

With Google Voice you can make calls to any phone number, even international numbers, for low rates. You can also call other Google Voice users in the US and Canada for free. All calls will display your Google Voice number to the recipient, not your regular phone number.

Receiving Calls with Google Voice

Your Google Voice number can receive calls on all the devices and phone numbers you have linked to your Google Voice account. When someone calls your Google Voice number, all linked devices will ring simultaneously so you don’t miss the call (source).

Google Voice will transcribe voicemails into text that you can easily read, allowing you to quickly get the message without having to listen to the recording. You can customize the greeting callers hear when reaching your voicemail as well (source).

You will also receive email notifications whenever someone leaves you a new voicemail through Google Voice. This ensures you don’t miss any important messages.

Text Messaging with Google Voice

One convenient feature of Google Voice is the ability to send and receive text messages via your Google Voice number. This allows you to have all your conversations synced across your devices.

To enable text messaging in Google Voice, simply download the Google Voice app on your smartphone or tablet. You can then send and receive SMS texts via your Google Voice number just like regular texting. The texts will show up in your main messaging app alongside your normal texts.

Google Voice will sync your text conversations across devices, so you can start a conversation on your phone and continue it on your computer. This makes it easy to text from whichever device is most convenient. Any messages sent or received via your Voice number will be saved in the Google Voice app (1).

If you receive an unwanted text, Google Voice allows you to easily block that number. Open the conversation, tap the more icon, and select Block. This prevents any future texts from that number.

You can also attach photos to your Google Voice messages to share visual content. The photo attachments are seamlessly integrated with the text conversation.

Overall, Google Voice texting provides a streamlined messaging experience across all your devices. With useful features like blocking and photo sharing, Google Voice messaging is a robust alternative to your standard text messaging app.

Call Forwarding and Screening

Google Voice allows you to forward calls to different numbers based on the time of day, recipient, or other factors. You can set up call forwarding rules in your Google Voice settings. For example, you could forward calls to your work number during business hours and to your cell phone after hours and on weekends.

Google Voice also lets you screen calls before answering them. When you get an incoming call, you’ll see the caller’s name or number. You can choose to answer, reject, or screen the call. If you screen the call, the Google Assistant will answer and ask who’s calling. You can listen in and decide whether to pick up. This is useful for avoiding spam and robocalls.

You can enable call screening in your Google Voice app or account settings. On Android, go to Menu > Settings > Calls > Screen Calls. On iPhone, go to Settings > Calls > Screen Calls.

Google Voice allows you to block specific numbers so your phone doesn’t even ring when they call. You can add numbers to your block list in the Google Voice settings. This is an easy way to stop getting calls from spammers or other unwanted callers.

Learn more about call forwarding and screening in Google Voice:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061?hl=en
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115082?hl=en

Using Google Voice on the Go

Google Voice offers native mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing you to take your Google Voice number with you anywhere. The apps make it easy to make calls, check voicemail, send texts, and manage your Google Voice account from your smartphone.

A great feature of the mobile apps is the ability to seamlessly handoff calls between your mobile device and desktop. For example, if you answer a Google Voice call on your smartphone, you can tap a button to transfer the call to your computer without disconnecting. This provides flexibility to take calls wherever is most convenient.

The mobile apps also support WiFi calling. If you have an internet connection but poor cell service, you can place and receive calls over WiFi. This helps ensure you don’t miss important calls just because you have a weak signal.

Overall, the Google Voice mobile apps make it simple to stay connected on the go. You can manage the core features of your Google Voice number no matter where you are, thanks to the well-designed and full-featured iOS and Android apps.

Other Google Voice Features

Google Voice comes with several handy features beyond making and receiving calls:

Voicemail transcription – Google Voice can automatically transcribe your voicemails into text so you can read them instead of listening to them. This feature makes it easy to quickly get the gist of a voicemail.

Conference calling – You can set up conference calls with up to 10 participants using Google Voice.
Call history and logs – Google Voice keeps a record of all your incoming and outgoing calls, missed calls, and voicemails. You can review your full call history and listen to past voicemails.
Notification settings – Configure notifications for voicemails, text messages, and missed calls. You can choose to get email alerts, SMS notifications, or view them in the app.

Low international rates – Calling internationally with Google Voice is very affordable. Rates start at $0.01 per minute to many countries.

Taking advantage of these Google Voice features can make your calling experience more convenient, productive, and cost effective.

Switching to Google Voice

If you want to make Google Voice your primary phone number, you can port your existing mobile or landline number over to Google Voice. This allows you to keep your same phone number when transitioning to Google Voice.

To port your number to Google Voice, go to the Google Voice website and click on the menu option to Port your Google Voice number. Follow the instructions to port your existing number.

While the number is porting, you can temporarily forward your calls to your Google Voice number to avoid missing any calls or messages. Just remember to disable call forwarding after the port is complete.

Once the port is finished, your existing contacts will dial the same number and reach you on Google Voice. But you may want to notify frequent contacts about your new Google Voice number as well.

A great feature of Google Voice is the ability to set a vacation responder when you are traveling or unavailable. This automatically sends a text message to callers informing them of your status.

Getting Help and Support

If you run into any issues while using Google Voice, there are several resources available to help troubleshoot and solve problems:

Official Google Voice Help Center – Google’s official support site has extensive help articles, FAQs, and step-by-step instructions for using all Google Voice features. You can browse help topics or search for solutions to specific issues.

Active Google Voice user forums – Communities like Reddit and Quora have active discussions where Google Voice users help each other with tips, tricks, and troubleshooting. These can provide helpful crowd-sourced solutions.

How-to videos on YouTube – There are many tutorials and explanatory videos on YouTube showing how to use Google Voice and fix common problems. These videos can provide visual guidance.

Contact customer support by email – If you can’t find an answer through other help resources, you can email Google Voice customer support for additional assistance. Make sure to provide detailed information about your issue.

With official documentation, community forums, videos, and email support, there are many available channels to get help with Google Voice. The Google Voice Help Center should be the first place to look for solutions.