Why can’t I receive Google Voice calls?
Google Voice is a telephone service offered by Google that provides call forwarding, voicemail, SMS messaging, and other phone features. With Google Voice, you get a free phone number that can ring multiple phones, including landlines and mobile phones (Google Voice: Business Phone System & Plans).
Some key features of Google Voice include (How Google Voice Works – The Complete Guide):
- Voicemail transcription – Voicemails are automatically transcribed and can be read as text messages.
- SMS messaging – You can send and receive text messages through your Google Voice number.
- Call screening – Screen calls and block numbers you don’t want to receive calls from.
- Web interface – Manage your account, texts, and voicemails through a web interface.
- Call forwarding – Forward calls to any linked number, including cell phones and landlines.
Google Voice aims to provide a unified phone number and system across devices. It’s available on iOS, Android, and on the web at voice.google.com (Google Voice).
Common Reasons for Missed Google Voice Calls
There are several common reasons why you may miss calls on Google Voice:
Voicemail is full or not set up properly – If your voicemail box on Google Voice is full, or voicemail is not enabled properly in your settings, callers may not be able to leave a message and the call will be missed. Make sure to check your voicemail settings in Google Voice and delete old messages if your inbox is full. (Source 1).
Do Not Disturb mode enabled – If you have Do Not Disturb mode turned on in the Google Voice app settings or on your Android/iPhone device, incoming calls will be silenced and cause missed calls. Disable DND if you are expecting important calls. (Source 2).
Poor cellular data/WiFi connection – The Google Voice app relies on a stable internet connection to route calls and notifications. If you have a weak cellular signal or are disconnected from WiFi, you may experience delays and missed calls. Try moving to a location with better connectivity. (Source 3).
Blocked numbers – Google Voice allows you to block specific phone numbers. Any calls from blocked numbers will be sent directly to voicemail. Check your block list if you suspect a number was blocked in error.
Checking Voicemail Settings
Your voicemail settings in Google Voice control whether your calls go to Google’s voicemail system and whether you receive text transcriptions of your voicemail messages. Here’s how to access and configure your voicemail settings:
To access your voicemail settings, open the Google Voice app and tap Menu > Settings > Voicemail greeting. Here you can enable/disable voicemail transcription and select a custom voicemail greeting.
To enable voicemail transcription, tap the option labeled “Transcribe voicemail” under your selected greeting. This will generate a text transcription of voicemails left on your Google Voice account and can be useful for quickly skimming messages.
You can also configure Google Voice to send unanswered calls from your mobile number directly to your Google Voice voicemail box. This ensures you never miss an important message.
Do Not Disturb and Call Screening
Google Voice’s Do Not Disturb setting allows you to silence incoming calls during certain times or events. When enabled, callers will be sent directly to your voicemail.
According to Google Support, you can enable Do Not Disturb in the Google Voice apps: “In the Mobile app, go to the left menu and tap ‘Do Not Disturb’. On the Computer, in the top left corner, click the settings gear and select ‘Do Not Disturb’.”
For detailed instructions on scheduling Do Not Disturb for certain times/days or allowing calls from certain contacts, check Google’s support article.
Call Screening is another feature that lets Google Voice ask callers why they are calling before putting the call through. Callers then have to state their name and reason for calling.
As confirmed by users in the Google Voice community on Reddit, Google Voice’s call screening feature should not actually prevent you from receiving calls as long as Do Not Disturb is disabled. Instead, call screening just adds an extra verification step before callers connect.
Cellular Data/WiFi Connection
Google Voice calls rely on Wifi or cellular data in order to connect 1. If you are having issues receiving calls, check that you have a strong wifi or cellular data connection on your device.
Google Voice will use data from your phone plan when making calls if you enable the “Use carrier only” setting. This routes calls through your carrier minutes rather than Wifi or mobile data 2. If you have this setting enabled but still miss calls, your cellular plan may not have strong enough coverage.
Try moving to an area with better reception or connecting to a reliable Wifi network. You can also disable “Use carrier only” so calls rely on Wifi/mobile data instead of your carrier plan minutes.
Blocked Numbers
One reason you may be missing Google Voice calls is if the caller’s number is blocked. To check if a number is blocked in Google Voice:
On your Android device, open the Google Voice app and tap Menu > Settings > Blocked Numbers. This will show you a list of all numbers you have blocked in Google Voice (source). Review the list and make sure you haven’t accidentally blocked a number you still want to receive calls from. Tap the “x” icon next to any number you want to unblock.
You can also check blocked numbers by logging into your Google Voice account on desktop. Click on “Blocked Numbers” in the left sidebar. Again, review the list and remove the block on any numbers that were blocked incorrectly.
Once you have confirmed your blocked numbers list only contains numbers you do want to block, this should no longer cause you to miss desired calls in Google Voice.
Google Voice Mobile App
One common reason Google Voice calls may not be going through is if there are issues with the mobile app settings or permissions. Make sure to check that the Google Voice app has “Phone” permissions granted in your device settings to receive incoming calls and notifications. You may also want to verify that “Incoming phone calls” is enabled in the Google Voice app settings. To do this:
- Open the Google Voice app
- Tap the menu icon in the top left
- Go to Settings
- Scroll down to “Calls started from this device”
- Ensure “Incoming phone calls” is enabled
If you have recently updated the Google Voice app, there may be new permissions that aren’t enabled. Try uninstalling the updates and reupdating the app to trigger the permissions pop-up again. Making sure these settings are properly configured in the mobile application can help resolve issues receiving Google Voice calls.
Sources:
https://callhippo.com/blog/general/google-voice-not-working
Google Voice Website
One reason you may be missing Google Voice calls is if there are issues with your Google Voice account when accessing it through the desktop website at voice.google.com. It’s important to troubleshoot any account or browser problems on the website.
First, try clearing your browser cache and cookies and logging out and back into your Google Voice account. Browser issues like out-of-date caches can sometimes interfere with call forwarding and notifications.
Also check that your Google Voice account does not have any restrictions set, such as being suspended. Make sure your account is active and enabled to receive calls and voicemails.
Additionally, issues with two-factor authentication, incorrect passwords, or other account problems can prevent call forwarding. Check account security settings and reset your password if needed.
Contacting Google Voice Support
If the previous troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue with receiving Google Voice calls, you can contact Google Voice support for additional assistance.
There are several options for contacting Google Voice support:
- Visit the Google Voice Help page to search for help articles and resources related to your issue
- Call +1-650-203-0000 / 1-650-844-0001 to speak with a Google Voice support agent
- Send feedback through the Google Voice mobile app or website
- Fill out a support request form on the Google Support page
When you contact Google Voice support, be prepared to provide details about the specific issue you’re experiencing with receiving calls. It’s helpful to know the date and time of any recent missed calls, whether the issue occurs on the mobile app and/or website, and any troubleshooting you’ve already tried.
The Google Voice team aims to respond to inquiries within 1 business day. However, resolution times can vary depending on the complexity of the issue.
Summary and Next Steps
To recap, the main troubleshooting tips for missed Google Voice calls include:
- Checking your voicemail settings and enabling voicemail transcription
- Disabling Do Not Disturb and Call Screening features if enabled
- Ensuring you have a stable cellular data or WiFi connection
- Checking your blocked numbers list and contacts
- Updating to the latest version of the Google Voice mobile app
- Trying to receive calls on both the mobile app and website
If you have tried these troubleshooting methods and are still missing Google Voice calls, your best next step is to contact Google Voice customer support for further assistance and troubleshooting. Describe in detail the issue you are experiencing, the troubleshooting you have done, and any error messages you may see. The Google Voice team may be able to identify the root cause and provide customized troubleshooting advice.
We hope this article helped explain some of the common reasons for missed Google Voice calls and provided some troubleshooting tips. Please reach out to the Google Voice support team if your issue continues, as they are best equipped to resolve ongoing call reception problems.