Is there a Google Voice app for Android?
What is Google Voice?
Google Voice is a telephony service offered by Google that provides users with a free phone number for making calls, sending texts, and more. Some key features of Google Voice include:
- Free phone number – You can get a free phone number with a U.S. area code to use for calling, texting, voicemail, and more.
- Voicemail – Google Voice transcribes voicemail messages and delivers them via email or SMS.
- Call forwarding – You can forward incoming calls to any phone number, including landlines and mobiles.
- SMS – Send and receive text messages using your Google Voice number.
- Call history – Review call logs, voicemails, and texts all in one place.
Google Voice acts as a central hub for managing phone communication, giving users added features like voicemail transcription, call recording, and more. It works across devices and platforms, with apps available for iOS and Android.
Is there a Google Voice app for Android?
Yes, there is an official Google Voice app for Android that allows you to use Google Voice on an Android phone or tablet.
The Google Voice app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Once installed, the app allows Android users to take advantage of Google Voice features like making calls, sending texts, listening to voicemail, and more.
With the Google Voice app, calls to your Google Voice number will ring on your Android device. You can also make outgoing calls with your Google Voice number shown as caller ID.
Text messages sent to your Google Voice number will be received in the app, where you can send replies. Voicemails can be listened to directly in the app as well.
The Google Voice Android app syncs with the Google Voice service, so your messaging and call history are kept up to date across devices. This allows you to seamlessly use Google Voice whether you’re on your Android phone or on a computer.
Key features of the Google Voice Android app
The Google Voice Android app allows users to get the full functionality of Google Voice on their Android devices. Some of the key features include:
Make and receive calls through your Google Voice number – You can use the app to make calls using your Google Voice number as the caller ID. The app will route calls through your Google Voice number. You can also receive incoming calls to your Google Voice number directly in the app.
Listen to voicemails – Any voicemails received by your Google Voice number will be accessible in the app. You can play back voicemails directly within the app.
Read and reply to SMS messages – The app allows you to send and receive SMS text messages using your Google Voice number. You can have conversations via SMS just like you would with your regular phone number.
Review call history and settings – The app provides full call logs showing all incoming and outgoing calls through your Google Voice number. You can also access settings to customize your Google Voice experience, like configuring call forwarding and voicemail options.
Overall, the Android app provides full access to all the main features of Google Voice, giving you enhanced calling and messaging capabilities.
Downloading and installing the app
The Google Voice app for Android is available for free download on the Google Play store. According to the Play store listing, the app is compatible with most Android devices running Android 5.0 or later (Google Voice – Apps on Google Play).
Installing the Google Voice app is a quick and simple process. Just open the Play Store app on your Android device, search for “Google Voice”, and tap install. The app will download and install automatically in just a few seconds. There is no complicated setup or registration required in the Play Store. As long as your Google account is logged in on your device, you can install and open the Google Voice app right away.
The download and installation process for the Google Voice app is seamless and user-friendly. With just a couple taps in the Play Store, Android users can quickly get the app downloaded and ready to start making calls, sending texts, and more using their Google Voice number.
Setting up Google Voice on Android
To get started with Google Voice on Android, first you’ll need to add your Google Voice number to the app. According to Google Support, when you initially open the Google Voice app after installing it, you’ll be prompted to add your existing Google Voice number or get a new number through the app.
Once your number is added, you can configure the app settings and notifications. In the app’s settings, you can manage how calls and texts are handled, set up voicemail, and allow international calling. You can also enable notifications for new voicemails, texts, and other activity through the app settings or your device settings.
Another important step is to link your Google Voice contacts. The Google Voice app can sync with contacts from your Google account. You can also manually add contacts within the app. This allows you to easily call or text your contacts through your Google Voice number when using the app.
Making calls with Google Voice
One of the key features of the Google Voice Android app is the ability to make calls using your Google Voice number. You have the option to make calls over Wi-Fi or your carrier’s minutes, depending on your preferences and situation.
To enable calling over Wi-Fi, open the Google Voice app, go to Settings > Calls started from this device’s phone app, and turn on “Prefer Wi-Fi and mobile data.” This will route calls through the internet when connected to Wi-Fi.[1]
Google Voice also allows you to screen incoming calls and forward them to different numbers or voicemail. Under Settings > Calls, you can enable call screening, call forwarding, and “Do not disturb” mode.
One of the biggest benefits of Google Voice is inexpensive international calling rates. Calls to many countries are just $0.01 per minute. You can see a full list of international calling rates in the Google Voice app under Settings > Calling rates.
Managing voicemail
The Google Voice app for Android makes it easy to manage your voicemail messages. You can listen to and reply to voicemails directly within the app. Google Voice will also provide a transcription of each voicemail, allowing you to quickly skim through messages.
To listen to a new voicemail, simply open the Google Voice app and tap on the Voicemail tab at the bottom. Unread voicemails will be displayed in bold. Tap on any message to play it back through your device’s speaker.
One handy feature is the ability to reply to a voicemail directly with either a call or text message. After listening to the voicemail, tap the reply button and choose to call back or respond via SMS. Google Voice will automatically populate the number for you.
Google Voice transcribes each voicemail and displays the text transcription below the audio player. This allows you to quickly skim and understand the contents of a voicemail without needing to listen to the full audio recording. The transcription isn’t always perfect, but it’s quite accurate in most cases.
The visual voicemail interface displays new messages prominently and makes it very easy to manage your voicemail inbox. You can sort, play, delete, and reply to messages efficiently. Overall, it provides a much improved voicemail experience compared to the traditional numeric-menu voicemail systems.
Sending and receiving SMS
One of the key features of Google Voice is the ability to send and receive SMS messages for free using your Google Voice number. This allows you to keep your mobile number private and communicate through your Google Voice number instead. Here are some of the capabilities for sending and receiving SMS through the Google Voice Android app:
Send free SMS – You can send free text messages to any number in the US and Canada through the Google Voice app. This helps you avoid carrier SMS fees. The messages will appear to come from your Google Voice number.
Group conversations – The Google Voice app supports group messaging, so you can include multiple recipients on a single message thread. This makes it easy to keep conversations organized in one place. According to a Google Voice help article, group conversations are limited to 100 participants.
Get SMS notifications – When you receive an SMS on your Google Voice number, you’ll get a notification on your Android device so you can respond right away through the app. You can customize notifications and ringtones as well.
Overall, the Google Voice app provides a full-featured SMS experience, allowing you to keep in touch via text messaging through your Google Voice number on your Android phone.
Reviewing call history
One of the key features of the Google Voice Android app is the ability to easily review your full call history. This allows you to see details of incoming, outgoing, and missed calls going back as far as you want.
To access your call history, open the Google Voice app and tap on the “Calls” tab at the bottom. Here you will see separate tabs for missed, received, and dialed calls. Tap into each tab to view your full call history for that type of call.
You can also filter your call history by date range or by a specific contact. Tap the filter icon in the top right to select a time period like today, yesterday, this week etc. You can also start typing a contact name to only view calls from that person (Source).
Call history displays important details like date, time, duration, and contact name/number for each call. You can tap into any individual call to see options for calling back, texting, or adding the number to your contacts.
Overall, the call history feature makes it simple to audit incoming and outgoing Google Voice calls over any time period. It’s easy to search, filter, and analyze your full call data right from the Android app.
Conclusion
Google Voice offers numerous benefits that make it a top choice for an Android phone app. With Google Voice, Android users can make affordable calls within the US and Canada using mobile data or WiFi. Important features like voicemail transcription, SMS messaging, and call screening allow users to manage calls and texts from one place.
The official Google Voice app is free to download from the Google Play Store. Android users can search for “Google Voice” directly in the Play Store app on their device to find and install the app. Once set up, Google Voice seamlessly integrates with the native phone dialer and messaging apps on Android.
With its call management features, unified inbox, and cheap rates, the Google Voice app is an essential download for any Android user looking to make the most of Google’s phone service.