Why can’t I send a message on Google Voice?
Google Voice is a telephony service from Google that provides users with a single phone number for calling, text messaging, and voicemail. With Google Voice, users can send and receive messages to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers using the Google Voice app or website. Some key messaging capabilities include:
- Send and receive SMS texts
- Group messaging
- MMS photo messaging
- Voicemail transcripts
However, at times users may find themselves unable to send messages using Google Voice. This article explores some common causes and solutions for messaging issues.
Common Causes of Messaging Issues
There are a few common reasons why you may not be able to send messages using Google Voice:
Account Suspended
Google may temporarily or permanently suspend your Google Voice account if they detect suspicious activity or violations of their terms of service. A suspended account will be unable to send or receive calls and messages. You can appeal the suspension by following the instructions here.
Carrier Blocking
Some cell phone carriers block Google Voice numbers by default, so you may not be able to send messages to certain recipients. You can request your carrier unblock Google Voice, or ask the recipient if their carrier restricts Google Voice.
Unverified Number
Google Voice requires you to verify your phone number before using all messaging and calling capabilities. If your number is not verified, messages you attempt to send may fail. You can verify your number by following the steps here.
Account Suspended
Sometimes Google Voice accounts get suspended, which prevents sending or receiving messages. The most common reasons for suspension include violating Google’s Terms of Service through spamming, making unsolicited calls, or other abusive behavior. Google may also suspend accounts that show suspicious activity like numerous failed login attempts or accessing the account from unfamiliar locations.
To unsuspend a Google Voice account, you will need to appeal the suspension by contacting Google Support. Provide details on why you believe the suspension was a mistake. It may take a few days for Google to investigate and respond. If your appeal is accepted, your account access will be restored. However, repeat violations could lead to permanent disabling of the account. So carefully follow Google’s policies when using Google Voice.
If you cannot access your suspended account, you may need to create a new Google Account and submit an appeal from there. Some users have successfully gotten accounts reactivated this way after providing proof of ownership. But there is no guarantee Google will unsuspend an account, so it’s best to avoid behavior that violates the Terms of Service.
Carrier Blocking
Some major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint have been known to block certain messaging functionality from Google Voice numbers. This is likely due to business conflicts between the carriers and Google Voice.
According to users on Reddit and Google support forums, many users have found that trying to send messages from Google Voice to recipients on these major carriers fails or never arrives. The carrier appears to block the message from being received when coming from a Google Voice number [1].
If you are experiencing this issue, there are a couple potential workarounds:
- Try linking your cell phone number to your Google Voice account if it is from one of the major carriers blocking messages. This may allow texts to be sent normally when originating from your actual cell carrier number.
- Use the Google Voice app or website to send messages instead of your normal texting app. Sometimes these messaging channels work even when direct carrier texts are blocked.
- Contact your carrier and request they remove the block or limitation on your line.
In some cases, the carrier blocking can be intermittent or only affect certain recipients. But if you continually have issues sending messages from Google Voice, carrier blocking is one potential cause to investigate.
Unverified Number
One common reason you may not be able to send messages on Google Voice is if you have an unverified phone number. Google Voice requires users to verify ownership of their phone number in order to send and receive texts.
Verifying your number is an important step to gain full functionality in Google Voice. Without verification, usage will be limited. According to Google’s support page, unverified numbers can only send texts to other confirmed Google Voice numbers and cannot send or receive texts from outside lines (Source).
To verify a number, Google will send an automated call with a 6-digit confirmation code. Users must enter this code online or in the mobile app to complete the verification process. Google recommends verifying over a cellular data or WiFi connection for best results.
If you are having trouble receiving the automated verification call, double check that your phone can receive calls and texts. The verification call may get blocked if you have call screening enabled through your carrier. You may need to disable call screening temporarily to receive the verification call (Source).
Taking the time to verify your Google Voice number is worth the effort. Once verified, you’ll be able to fully utilize Google Voice features and connect with friends, family, and business contacts through messaging.
Texting Limits
Google Voice enforces daily sending limits on text messages to prevent spam and abuse. The default limit is 100 texts per day, with a maximum of 1,000 texts per day allowed. If you try to exceed the daily limit, your texts may fail to send.
To increase your daily sending limit, you’ll need to verify your phone number with Google Voice. Once verified, the limit can be raised to up to 1,000 texts per day. The exact increased limit may vary depending on factors like the age of your account.
According to Open Phone, Google Voice limits texts to 100 recipients per day. So even if your daily limit is higher, you can only send to 100 different numbers per 24 hour period. For heavy business usage, this recipient cap may be prohibitive.
While Google Voice’s default texting limits are sufficient for personal use, businesses that need to send high volumes of texts per day may need to look for alternative solutions. The recipient limit in particular makes Google Voice impractical as an SMS platform for marketers and other power users.
Invalid Recipients
One common issue that prevents sending messages on Google Voice is getting an “invalid recipient” error. This occurs when you attempt to send a text to a number that Google Voice doesn’t recognize as valid. There are a few potential causes of invalid recipients:
You may be trying to text an international number outside of the US. According to Google Support, Google Voice currently only supports sending texts to US numbers: “Invalid SMS recipient” – can’t respond to phone numbers outside the US.
The recipient’s number may be incorrectly formatted in your contacts. Check that you have the full 10-digit number including area code saved correctly.
Your recipient may have blocked you or opted out of receiving Google Voice texts. There’s no way for you to overrides blocks or opt-outs on their end.
Some carriers automatically block Google Voice texts, so texts may fail when sending to numbers with certain providers. You can ask the recipient to check with their carrier.
If you keep getting invalid recipient errors when trying to text US numbers that should be valid, try restarting your phone or reinstalling the Google Voice app. There may be a temporary app glitch preventing sending.
App Issues
Sometimes issues with the Google Voice app itself can prevent you from sending messages. Here are some common troubleshooting tips for Google Voice app problems:
Make sure the app is up to date – Go to the Play Store and check for any available updates for the Google Voice app and install them. Older versions may have bugs or problems.
Force close and clear cache – In your phone’s Settings, find Google Voice in the Apps section and select Force Stop. Then clear the cache. Reopen the app and try again.
Check permissions – The app may need permissions to access SMS/calling/contacts in order to send messages properly. Make sure all required permissions are enabled.
Try deleting and reinstalling – As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall the Google Voice app from the Play Store. This will give you a clean slate.
Check if issues only occur on mobile data – The Google Voice app may have trouble connecting when on mobile data vs WiFi. See if issues persist when you’re connected to WiFi.
Update Android OS – Make sure your version of Android is up to date, as the Google Voice app may have issues on older Android versions.
Try on a different device – See if you can send messages properly through the Google Voice app on a different Android phone. This can determine if it’s an isolated device issue.
Contact Google Voice support – If you’ve tried the above steps and are still unable to send messages in the app, you may need to contact Google Voice customer support for additional troubleshooting.
Web Browser Issues
Sometimes Google Voice messaging problems are caused by the web browser you’re using rather than the Google Voice service itself. Google Voice’s website and features are designed to work best in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers. Trying messaging in a different browser can determine if your issues stem from your current browser.
If Google Voice messaging is not working properly in your usual browser, first try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. This removes any corrupt data that could be disrupting Google Voice functionality. You can also try using Google Voice in a private or incognito browsing mode, which disables extensions and other customizations that may interfere.
As a test, open Google Voice in another mainstream browser like Firefox or Safari. If messaging works normally there, then you know your original browser is the culprit. You may need to switch browsers or troubleshoot further issues in your browser’s settings and extensions.
Reinstalling your browser or resetting it to default settings can also fix browser-specific Google Voice problems. If issues persist across all browsers, then there are likely larger account or service issues occurring.
Sources:
https://support.google.com/voice/thread/122437514/google-voice-on-chrome-web-does-not-show-new-messages?hl=en
Contact Support
If you’re unable to resolve your Google Voice messaging issues on your own, you may need to reach out to Google Voice support for additional help. Here’s when and how to contact them:
You can contact Google Voice support directly through their help center at support.google.com/voice/contact/voice_other_issues. Select the issue you need help with from the list to be connected with their support team.
It’s recommended to contact Google Voice support if you receive an error message you don’t understand, experience issues with sending or receiving messages, or have an account suspension or restriction you need resolved. They can investigate problems, troubleshoot technical issues, and restore access to accounts.
When contacting support, be ready to provide your account information like your phone number, email address, and account creation date. Having details about your issue available can help expedite the resolution process. You may need to verify your identity before support can access or make changes to your account.
Google Voice does not have phone support, but the online help center has various contact options like live chat, email forms, community forums, and virtual agent help. Support specialists are available 24/7 to provide assistance. Be patient though, as response times may vary.