Use Google Voice with Hangouts

You can get calls to your Google Voice number using Hangouts online, on Gmail, and through the Hangouts apps.

Google Voice is only available in the U.S.

Important: You can't make or receive emergency service calls using Google Voice or Hangouts.

Before you get started

You need:

Cost

Almost all Google Voice calls to the U.S. and Canada are free when you're calling from countries where Hangouts calling is available.

  • Calling isn't available from some countries, such as Mexico and Argentina.
  • Calls to a few places in the U.S. and Canada cost 1 cent per minute (USD), or the listed rate for your local currency

Turn on ringing for incoming calls in Hangouts

If you have a Google Voice number, you can get calls on Hangouts. You can also learn how to make calls with Hangouts.

  1. Go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail.
  2. Open settings:
    • On hangouts.google.com: Click Menu Menuand then Settings.
    • On Gmail: At the top of your Hangouts list, click the Down arrow Down Arrow.
  3. Next to "Ring on incoming phone calls," check or uncheck the box. When the box is checked, calls to your Google Voice will ring in Hangouts at hangouts.google.com, in Gmail, and in the Hangouts Chrome app.

Get Google Voice texts and voicemails in Hangouts

When you turn on Google Voice texts and voicemail in Hangouts on one device, you'll get your messages in Hangouts on all your devices.

Important: Soon, text messaging (SMS) will only be available in Hangouts if you have a Google Voice or Project Fi number. Read more.

Step 1: Check that you're signed into Google Voice and Hangouts on the same account

  1. Open your account on Google Voice.
  2. At the top right, click your profile photo. Note what your account username and email address are.
  3. Go to hangouts.google.com.
  4. At the top right, click your profile photo.
  5. Make sure your account here is the same as the one you saw in Google Voice.
  6. If they don't match, sign in to Hangouts with the same account you use for Google Voice.

Step 2: Turn Google Voice in Hangouts on or off

  1. Go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail.
  2. Open settings:
    • On hangouts.google.com: Click Menu Menuand then Settings.
    • On Gmail: At the top of your Hangouts list, click the Down arrow Down Arrow.
  3. Under the "Google Voice" section, check Receive SMS and voicemail in Hangouts. To turn off, uncheck the box.
What happens when you get Google Voice texts in Hangouts
  • It will be marked as "SMS.”
  • The message will look like a Hangouts conversation.
  • Under the message, it will be marked "via Google Voice."

  • Message history will appear in both Hangouts and Google Voice.
    Note: If you don’t see message history in Google Voice yet, you’ll see a notification in the app when it’s available.

  • Messages won't show in your Google Voice history if they’re either:

    • Video or audio messages

    • Group messages where a participant was removed from the group

  • Deleting a Google Voice message in Hangouts or Google Voice will delete it from both apps.

What happens when you turn off Google Voice texts and voicemail in Hangouts

  • You can read and respond to messages only in Google Voice.
  • Google Voice message history from Hangouts will still appear in Google Voice.
  • Voicemails will be stored in Google Voice and will be marked as unread.

Use Google Voice in Hangouts

Answer Google Voice calls

  • Accept the call: After you accept, a Hangout window will open.
  • Ignore the call: After you ignore, the call request goes away. The other person won't be notified that you ignored the call.

Send Google Voice texts in Hangouts

You can't send text messages to numbers outside the U.S. and Canada. But you can get text messages from anywhere in the world.

  1. Go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail.
  2. At the top, click Add Add.
  3. Type and click a name, phone number, or email address.
  4. In the conversation window, click SMS SMS.
If you have trouble sending messages, change your invitation settings.

Check your Google Voice voicemail in Hangouts

  1. Go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail.
  2. Go to your Conversations list.
  3. If you have a new voicemail, it’ll be marked as Voicemail Voicemail.
  4. Open the conversation and click Play Play.

Related link

Brenna is a Hangouts expert and the author of this help page. Help her improve this article by leaving feedback below.

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