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Original Poster - Netrvin

11/7/19

How can I keep my google voice number without being reclaimed? 1 Recommended Answer 1 Reply 10 Upvotes

I have read many articles, but something are different.

In the policy, it says that If I receive or make a call/SMS in 9 months, my number won't be reclaimed.

But somewhere says that the number should be active in 6 months.

In the help center, receiving a message cannot keep the number active.

So what should I do? How often should I use the number at least? Can receiving a message or a call keep my number from being reclaimed?

What's more, if receiving a voicemail(automatically received by Google Voice not by myself when I am busy) once in a while can also keep my number from being reclaimed?

Thank you.

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Account Credit, Security & Privacy, web

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John of Lower Merion · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-07T07:52:21.743393+00:00

Hello Netrvin, thanks for your question and welcome to the free consumer version Google Voice forum.

So what should I do? How often should I use the number at least?

The recommended time frame used to be 9 months but that changed sometime recently to 6 months.

To avoid having your Google number reclaimed due to "inactivity" (not meeting minimal use requirements), do at least one of the following at least once every 6 months:

✦ place an outgoing Google Voice telephone call (from the app or your computer with Firefox or Chrome)

✦ answer and speak on an incoming Google Voice telephone call

✦ send a text/SMS message using Google Voice

Note that an incoming Google Voice call that goes to voicemail does not contribute to Google Voice "activity" (minimal use).

Presumably other activity, such as changing some Google Voice settings and recording new voicemail greeting messages can contribute to "activity", but for safety and ease, simply place an outgoing Google Voice telephone call or send a text/SMS message once every six months (and to make it even easier, why not make an outgoing call or send a text/SMS message at the beginning of each month so you don't have to remember when the last time you used Google Voice).