Popularity isn't e'er a sign of a smooth-functioning net phone service. Accept Google Phonation for instance. It'due south one of the nigh well-known options on the market, and still users often report multiple issues per month. 😬 If you rely on the platform to manage all your business phone calls and text letters, Google Vocalism not working tin reflect poorly on your make.

Equally a professional person or a small business concern owner, y'all need to be aware of all the roadblocks you may face (and if they can even be solved) earlier y'all choose your phone service. While you may exist drawn in by how Google Voice works free for individuals, the service could end up costing yous if it creates poor client experiences and inefficiencies within your squad.

And then what Google Vocalization issues do users face up? And since Google doesn't fifty-fifty offering customer support, how tin you address them? Nosotros'll help you troubleshoot nine common problems on the app, then explain how switching to a Google Vox alternative similar OpenPhone can exist a one-step remedy for all your GV woes.

9 Common Google Voice Issues

Google Voice doesn't have a flawless runway record when information technology comes to VoIP calls — far from information technology. Just inbound "Google Vox non working" on a Google search brings upwards a number of complaints, questions, and articles about known (and sometimes unresolved) bug. If you're currently using Google Vocalism and are having issues with crucial business phone features, you lot're not the only one.

Google Voice not working: Screenshot of that query in Google search

We've identified nine common issues with the internet telephone service beneath.

i. Unable to Access Google Voice Account

At minimum, your Vocalization over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service should be one you can access. Only if you're running into errors with Google Vocalism, this could exist an internet connexion issue. Or, you lot may need to go into your Google Play Store or App Shop to update to the latest version of the Vocalisation app. You lot tin can also run into problems if yous are trying to take more than one Google Voice number on your phone.

Otherwise, there is a pesky situation in which you or your squad members may not be able to access Voice through your Google accounts.

If y'all're using Google Voice for Google Workspace, admins actually need to assign each user a Google Voice license earlier assigning telephone numbers (and each number can only be assigned once). When admins forget to plow on Google Voice for each individual account or accidentally re-assign a phone number, this could crusade issues that squad members can't set on their own.

Though it's a adequately easy set up — licenses and telephone numbers tin be managed through the "Users" section of the Google Admin console — getting started with Google Voice for business can be a huge hassle.

2. No Ringing for Incoming Calls

Google Voice not working (double): woman in a yellow television

You've made it into Google Vocalization. So, why aren't you actually getting alerted when you lot have incoming calls or SMS messages? A long list of missed calls or voicemails is never a expert sign for customer satisfaction.

Open up the app settings to encounter if yous've toggled on "Do not disturb" mode (and turn it back off if so).

Google Voice not working: Having Do not disturb mode enabled can prevent incoming calls

If not, tap on the "Calls" department of your settings to run across if you've accidentally turned off call answering on the web, Android device, or iPhone.

Google Voice not working: Fix issue not receiving incoming calls by going into Voice settings

Only even if all your settings are perfect on the browser, Google Voice volition withal instantly mute sound later on you finish interacting with the platform for a while — even if you're simply on the next tab over! The only fix is to jump dorsum on the tab and click around for effectually 10 seconds.

Google Phonation won't reliably work in the background. On decorated workdays, when y'all're completely focused on tasks outside your business phone app, you may forget to tap into the platform and stop up missing a slew of calls.

three. Can't Make International Calls

Got a global squad or international clientele? You need an internet phone service that lets you lot seamlessly make international calls. 🌎 With Google Vocalism, there are a few issues yous tin can come across.

First, gratis accounts cannot make any calls or texts outside of the US While you can purchase calling credits (not possible via the app for iPhone users), you lot're merely allowed to take $seventy max in your account.

If you update to Voice for Google Workspace, you may pay as much as $20 per user per calendar month and still only be able to send texts inside the US That'due south on elevation of the other texting limits for Google Voice.

Google Voice also states that users may have issues with international calls on their phone if some other app conflicts with the service. All the same, it doesn't specify what apps can cause these issues, so it'll take some trial and error to figure out which app is at fault — if some other app is even the issue. You may also need to try restarting the Google Voice app in example it's merely a glitch.

four. Major Sound Quality Issues With Google Voice

When you're choosing your VoIP service, quality is key. Unfortunately, Google Voice doesn't have a reputation for great sound quality. A slew of users report sounding muffled or distorted on calls — which is definitely bad for business. Later repeating "your sound is breaking up" for the hundredth time, your clients may actually pause up with your brand for expert. 💔

Assuming that you're not facing any Wi-Fi or mobile data issues of your own, this is a Google Vocalism trouble that users solitary tin can't fix. Simply with no client support for free users, getting aid may not be every bit possible as yous'd hope. With no one to enquire, it's hard to say if what you lot're experiencing is an internet connection consequence, a platform issue, or something else.

5. Google Voice Loading Tiresome on Browser

Google Voice not working (double): GIF of old Rose from Titanic

One perk of Google Vocalism is the ability to access your telephone from whatever computer or mobile device. The trouble is, users written report bug when accessing the platform via a browser on vocalisation.google.com.

"For the last calendar month or and then, the Google Voice website acts similar I'm on dialup. Fifty-fifty when I type text messages, the characters take i-2 seconds to echo to the screen." ( Reddit enquiry )

"Very dull to load into the browser." ( Review on GetApp )

There are a few potential causes that you can cheque:

  • Poor internet connection
  • Incompatible browser (must use Chrome, Microsoft Border, Safari, or Mozilla Firefox)
  • Browser not updated

You tin can also effort a reboot if yous feel Google Vocalization not working on your browser, or double check Google Vocalization'due south system and browser requirements. However, if none of these are at fault and slow loading is a consistent event, there's unfortunately not much that tin can exist done on your part. Switching to a Google Phonation alternative like OpenPhone may be your best bet.

6. Google Voice Number Disappeared

GIF of Mrs. Maisel from Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

We admit, this upshot may sound a fiddling weird. Just it's truthful: These days, even your Google Vocalism number tin can ghost you lot. 👻

There are more means this can happen than you think. It makes sense for VoIP services to revoke access if you neglect to pay, simply Google volition even take back your phone number in the following instances:

  • You don't make a telephone call, send a text, mind to your voicemail, or open up the Vocalism app on an Apple or Android phone in six months. You'll only have 45 days to reclaim the number earlier it'due south gone for good.
  • You port in a number merely don't pay a $20 fee to keep your Google-provided number as a secondary number within 90 days.

For business organization owners, the risk of losing a phone number is never ideal, even if it'south easily avoidable. This event is pretty much unheard of with most legitimate paid internet telephone services.

7. Can't Port Phone Number

Google Voice states that it's able to port phone numbers, merely users may actually see a number of porting issues on the platform. For example, Voice does non support porting for Canadian or toll-costless numbers. And you'll get stuck if you lot don't pay a $20 porting fee per number. The process doesn't brand it easy either, as users report:

"Porting a number is super hard, there is zero client support." ( Review from G2 )

"Shifting numbers you are already using was not very convenient for me." ( Review from GetApp )

A smooth transition of all your business telephone numbers into Google Vox isn't possible for every company, fifty-fifty when it should be.

viii. Non Receiving Voicemail Transcriptions

Google Voice not working: GIF of Terrence Howard from Empire

If you're not getting voicemail transcriptions, you wouldn't be the first. Some users written report issues with both delivery and transcription quality. At that place could be a few reasons for this:

  • You turned off "Go voicemail via e-mail" in your settings.
  • Y'all're looking for voicemail transcriptions via text (the Voice app permanently disabled this feature).
  • Your caller's audio quality was poor, and Google couldn't decipher the message.

Even if your result is resolved, keep in mind that Google Voice is nonetheless pretty limited when it comes to options for receiving voicemail transcriptions. Google Phonation alternatives like OpenPhone back up more integrations, allowing you to get transcripts on more convenient channels.

9. Unable to Make Vocalization Calls on Hangouts

Did you cull Google Vox as your business phone service due to its integration with Hangouts? Google has bad news for yous.

First, Hangouts will exist going to the growing Google Graveyard this twelvemonth (RIP). ⚰️ 2d, some users are already unable to make Google Vocalization calls via Hangouts. This is a known upshot that will not be fixed.

Using Google Voice ways y'all'll have to switch betwixt two dissimilar platforms to bulletin your team and manage phone calls. Or, if you want to use Google Voice for both your team and customer communications, things might become a little messy. The platform doesn't offering a swell way to organize your inbox or contacts — largely because the Google Voice app wasn't originally built for business employ.

A Google Vocalization culling that'due south created with business needs in mind (like OpenPhone) can aid you achieve much smoother communication direction.

Google Voice Not Working for You lot? Switch to OpenPhone

Screenshots of the OpenPhone mobile and desktop apps

Despite its popularity, Google Voice is riddled with problems that business owners can't beget to deal with. Google Vocalism not working at a critical fourth dimension — for case, during a phone phone call — can lead to your brand losing a sale and losing trust.

Luckily, Google Vocalisation isn't the just VoIP service around. In fact, VoIP providers like OpenPhone are specifically built for business use, which ways y'all won't simply eliminate Google Vocalism issues. Y'all'll as well become a number of features that Google's phone app tin't provide.

Here's how switching to OpenPhone can help y'all overcome Google Vocalisation's nine major issues for businesses.

1. Easy Setup and Access

Though Google Vocalisation access issues can exist pretty hands fixed, the VoIP service leaves your squad members far also susceptible to lost or delayed access. Plus, setting upwardly Voice for Google Workspace isn't exactly intuitive. Having to assign licenses before telephone numbers is an unnecessary step — 1 that OpenPhone eliminates.

With OpenPhone, adding a team fellow member is easy. Just invite team members via electronic mail, assign a number, and they can accept! Unless you purposely head to the members section of your settings to remove team members, your employees will never get booted for something as trivial as lack of licensing when they already have an account.

Plus, since users tin share phone numbers, in that location'south no gamble of locking users out of their accounts when you double-assign a number. 🤩

2. Rings on Every Incoming Telephone call (When You lot Desire Them)

put a ring on it GIF of Beyonce

As much as we'd love for you to, we know y'all're not going to actively use OpenPhone (or whatsoever VoIP app) every 2d. If you're non on a sales or client back up squad, yous may non jump on your business organisation telephone app at all unless you lot get a telephone call or text. And OpenPhone won't force you to.

OpenPhone won't terminate alerting you well-nigh incoming calls just because you're not clicking around the platform, so you'll never accept to intermission focus only to collaborate and avoid missing calls.

If you choose OpenPhone, nosotros really will put a ring on it. 💍

Of course, y'all can always set up business hours to avoid getting calls at the wrong times. Simply let usa know when you're actually working, and nosotros hope not to wake you in the middle of your sugariness dreams.

3. Seamless International Calls

OpenPhone offers free, unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS in the US and Canada with all plans, starting at just $x per user per calendar month. ✨ Information technology'southward affordable, and all users can make international calls at very depression rates.

What's more, y'all can become a United states of america number (or Canadian number) fifty-fifty if y'all're living abroad and avoid paying international calling fees.

4. Crystal-Articulate Audio Quality

Unlike Google Vocalism, which lets down users when it comes to sound quality, OpenPhone offers top-notch audio for both incoming and approachable calls. Take it from our users:

"The call quality is terrific and the features offered are awesome too. Also, over the last year, they have connected to make improvements that only make the app better." ( Review on G2 )

"The design is clean and the call quality is impressive. Would recommend. 👌" ( Review on Product Chase )

"I likewise experience high call quality using OpenPhone versus the contest." ( Review on G2 )

If you exercise meet issues, yous can run through OpenPhone's transparent VoIP troubleshooting guide or contact the support team directly.

5. Fast-Loading Web App

Quicksilver Speeding GIF from X-Men

If you're using Google Voice because of its cross-platform compatibility, the skilful news is, you can still get this perk when yous switch to OpenPhone — only yous won't have new wrinkles by the time the platform's washed loading on your browser. 👴 With a solid uptime record for the website (forth with all iOS, Android, and web apps), OpenPhone is a service you can rely on, and ane that offers back up if you do run into issues.

6. Phone Numbers You Won't Lose

"I lost my number. Tin can I have yours?" is a cheesy pickup line at best and a 18-carat question afterwards a nightmarish Google Vocalisation state of affairs at worst. Your business telephone service should never abolish your phone number just considering you lot're not using it — even with notice.

At OpenPhone, we know a consistent telephone number is crucial for a expert customer experience, and to avoid updating all your online business organisation pages at one time. We won't retract your business organization number unless yous purposely delete it from your account (or cancel your subscription). And to brand sure you don't exercise and then on accident, we've even labeled this role of your settings the "Danger Zone" and require yous to physically type "delete" earlier your number goes away. ⚠

7. Simple and Free Porting Procedure

When Google Vocalization (or another internet telephone service, for that matter) isn't working out, we want to make all your worries become abroad. 💆 That's why we make porting your telephone number to OpenPhone as piece of cake as possible.

If yous desire to port your number from Google Voice, for case, all you need to exercise is:

  • Create an OpenPhone account.
  • Unlock your Google Voice number. (Note: Google charges a 1-time $three fee to transfer your number abroad from Google Phonation.)
  • Submit this 1-minute porting request class.

Switching from most other VoIP services is fifty-fifty simpler and merely requires ii steps: creating your OpenPhone account and filling out the form.

OpenPhone won't charge you whatsoever porting fees. And to give you something else to celebrate, OpenPhone supports Canadian and toll-free numbers, too. 🥳

eight. Reliable Voicemail Transcriptions

Screenshot of an OpenPhone voicemail transcription

Your squad members aren't always in a place where they tin take business calls. Merely even in the centre of a loud music festival, a voicemail transcription tin can help them decide the urgency of a phone call or remind them to phone call back later on.

Missing voicemail transcriptions can lead to unhappy clients and missed opportunities.

Luckily, it's not an upshot with OpenPhone. Once you lot're on your OpenPhone Admin Dashboard, information technology only takes a infinitesimal to become voicemail transcripts (and the voicemail audio) via Gmail, other email providers, and even Slack. All users get voicemail transcriptions texted to them through the OpenPhone app.

Plus, since OpenPhone offers pristine audio quality, you may fifty-fifty get more reliable and authentic transcripts than on Google Voice.

9. Effective Team Communication Tools

Screenshot of OpenPhone team communication

With Google Vocalization not working on Hangouts, you may be seeking out a platform that allows y'all to streamline your team and client communication — and do so well. Look no further than OpenPhone.

OpenPhone is congenital with a dedicated section for all your team members. You can easily keep runway of your internal communications and reach out to the right person fast. Just tap their names to offset conversations and collaborate! 🙌

Plus, yous can organize your business contacts based on everything from company to role, so you can easily search for clients when it's fourth dimension to achieve out. Using OpenPhone is a lot less hectic than Google Voice. While Google Voice spreads your calls, text messages, and voicemail across three different inboxes, OpenPhone uses one unified inbox.

If you exercise want a defended squad messaging platform, feel free to use Slack. OpenPhone allows you lot to see voicemails, texts, and missed calls on the platform when yous integrate your business relationship with Slack, so you'll still become a fairly streamlined feel.

Want fifty-fifty more peace of mind? Instead of sending popular features to a graveyard like Google does every single twelvemonth, OpenPhone is constantly adding new features to help you ameliorate your internal and external communication — many of which are suggested past business owners like you!

A Foolproof Fix for Google Voice Not Working: Making a Switch

Screenshot of the call screen in the OpenPhone app

Google Voice non working can be a costly issue if you're using information technology as your business organisation telephone. When seeking a VoIP service for professional employ, using a platform that's built for reliable team and customer communication tin can help you stay organized and efficient, without whatever downtime.

OpenPhone fits the bill. With international phone call capabilities, excellent sound quality, and more must-have features, OpenPhone tin brand your team manage calls and texts better than ever. And you won't have to spend actress just to port telephone numbers when you make the switch.

Want to test out the platform before you commit? Commencement your free trial of OpenPhone today.

FAQ

Why doesn't Google Voice piece of work on Hangouts/Google Encounter anymore?

A recent update to the Google Run into (formerly Hangouts) app removed support for third-party backups, which means your Google Vocalization messages and phone calls won't sync upwards with your Hangouts app anymore.

Why is my Google Voice non ringing?

First, cheque the "Do non disturb" toggle in your Google Voice settings. Next, ostend that the "Calls" section of your settings has all telephone options turned on. Tap effectually within the "Calls" department for 10 seconds to make sure everything is working properly. Finally, confirm you are signed into Google Vocalisation make sure that the "Calls" section has all phone options turned on past toggling each option. Tap around within the "Calls" section for 10 seconds to make sure everything is working properly.

Why can't I make international calls using Google Voice?

In order to make international phone calls, you have to have a Google Voice number with the required plan. The basic free Google Vocalization account can only text and call domestically. In-person calls and texts are no problem, but international calling features require an upgraded subscription for at to the lowest degree $sixteen/calendar month per user. The other selection is the more expensive Google Voice for G Suite (which likewise ways making Android apps) which doesn't mention anything about international options without additional purchases.