Use Messages for web with Fi

With Messages for web, you can use your computer to text with your friends. Messages for web shows what’s on your Messages mobile app.

With Messages for web with Fi, you can also make voice calls and get voicemail messages on your computer.

Important: Messages only works with Android. Make sure to download the latest version of Messages by Google.

Choose how you use Messages for web

To use Fi with Messages by Google online, you have 2 options:

Option 1: Send and receive texts only (chat features available with this option)

Send and receive texts with chat features, like high-resolution photos. Once you turn on texting on your computer, you still need your phone to stay connected. Messages for web sends SMS text messages with a connection from your computer to your phone. Carrier fees apply, like on the mobile app. 

With this option, you can’t transfer your messages from Hangouts. 

Option 2: Text, make calls, and check voicemail that sync to your Google Account (chat features not available with this option)

Make calls, send texts, and check voicemail with your phone or computer. Even when your phone is off, text conversations stay synced across the Messages mobile app and Messages for web.

With this option, you can transfer your messages from Hangouts until September 30, 2021.

If you delete your Google Account, your data in Messages for web is deleted. This includes texts, voicemail, and call history. However, your texts, voicemail, and call history will stay on your phone.

Important: Hangouts no longer supports Fi. For a similar experience to Hangouts, we recommend you use Option 2. Learn how to transfer your messages from Hangouts.

Use option 1: Send and receive texts only

Eligibility:

  • If your phone is off or without service, you can’t receive or send text messages on your computer.
  • Chat features are available with this option.

To text with Messages for web, go to Check your messages on your computer.

Use option 2: Text, make calls & check voicemail

Eligibility:

  • With this option, chat features aren’t available.
  • On your computer, make sure you use one of these browsers:
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox
    • Microsoft Edge (Chromium is required for voice calling)
    • Safari

Important:

Transfer or sync your conversations

To use this option, chat features must be off. If you already use Messages by Google, before you sync your conversations, you need to turn off chat features.

  1. On your phone, open the Messages app Android Messages app.
  2. In the upper right, tap More More and then Settings and then Advanced and then Google Fi Settings.
  3. Sign in to your Google Fi account.
  4. To begin to sync your conversations, tap:
    • Transfer and sync conversations: If you have text messages in Hangouts to transfer.
    • Sync conversations: If you don’t have any text messages in Hangouts to transfer.
    • To sync with data, turn off Sync only over Wi-Fi.
  5. When the sync is done, at the top, you find “Sync complete.”
  6. To find your conversations, go to messages.google.com/web.

Tips: 

  • Sync can take up to 24 hours. During the sync, you can still text, make calls, and check voicemail on the web.
  • If you experience any problems with the sync, like messages out of sync between your phone and the web: Tap Settings and then Advanced and then Google Fi Settings and then Stop sync & sign out. Then, sign in and resume the sync.
  • If you use Messages for web on a shared or public computer, turn off the sync when you’re done.
  • If you transfer from Hangouts, you also back up current conversations from the Messages app to your Google Account.
  • If you sync conversations, they’re stored in your Google Account and available from multiple devices.
Stop sync of texts, calls, and voicemail

If you want to stop backup of your texts, call history, and voicemail to your Google Account, you can stop sync. If you used Hangouts for text messages, you can still find your text messages in Gmail.

  1. On your phone, open the Messages app Android Messages app.
  2. In the top right, tap More More and then Settings and then Advanced and then Google Fi settings.
  3. Sign in to your Google Fi account.
  4. Tap Stop sync & sign out.
    • If prompted, tap Stop syncing. This doesn’t delete previous synced texts, call history, and voicemail.

Tip: If you want to use text only with chat features, turn on chat features.

Delete texts, call history & voicemail on the web

To delete a text:

  1. Open Messages for web.
  2. On the left, select Messages .
  3. Next to the text message you want to delete, select More More and then Delete.
Important: If you delete the Messages app from your phone, your texts in Messages for web aren’t deleted.

To delete a call from your call history:

  1. Open Messages for web.
  2. On the left, select Calls .
  3. Select the call you want to delete from your history.
  4. In the top right, select More More and then Delete and then Delete here.

Important: When you delete a call from your call history, the call only deletes from Messages for web. Your call history is automatically deleted from Messages for web after 6 months.

To delete a voicemail:

  1. Open Messages for web.
  2. On the left, select Voicemail .
  3. Select the voicemail you want to delete.
  4. In the top right, select Delete  and then Delete.

Important: When you delete a voicemail, the voicemail deletes from your Google Account and all of your devices. 

Use Messages on the web features

Make voice calls

Important: International calls made with Messages for web are subject to these rates.
  1. On your computer, open Messages for web.
  2. On the left, click Calls and then Make a call.
  3. To start a call, click a contact.

​​​​Change your microphone or speakers

Important: Make sure you have a microphone that works and you accept mic permissions.

  1. On your computer, open Messages for web.
  2. Next to your profile photo, click the speaker.
  3. Choose your microphone, call ring, or call audio device.

Tip: If you use Chrome, learn how to fix problems with your mic. 

Check voicemail on the web

  1. On your computer, open Messages for web.
  2. On the left, click Voicemail.
  3. To listen or read the transcript, click a voicemail.
Tip: To check your voicemail, you can also call your Fi number while online.

Read transcripts of your voicemail

Your voicemail can be transcribed into these languages:
  • English
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • French
  • German
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

It may take several minutes for the transcript to show.

Make international calls
Important: International calls made with Messages for web are subject to these rates.
If you are in one of these countries/regions, voice calls may not be available:
  • Argentina
  • China
  • Cuba
  • Egypt
  • Ghana
  • India
    Important: India customers can make calls to other countries/regions but not within India.
  • Iran
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Mexico
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Peru
  • Russian Federation
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • South Korea
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Thailand
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Vietnam

Hide your caller ID

  1. On your computer, go to Messages for web.
  2. At the top left, click Menu Menu and then Settings.
  3. To hide your caller ID, turn on Anonymous caller ID.

Make emergency calls

Fix problems with voice calls 

Use a school or work account

If you use a work or school Google Account, check if your administrator allows Messages for web.

Format phone numbers correctly

  • If you copy and paste the phone number, enter it instead.
  • For international calls, enter the correct country/region code and make sure you didn’t enter it twice.

Phone still rings after I declined a call on the web

This works as intended. You need to decline the call on all synced devices.
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