Port or transfer your personal number to Google Voice

 

• This information applies only to personal Google Voice accounts.
• If you have a Google Voice for Google Workspace account managed by your work or school, contact your administrator to port your number.
• If you're a Google Workspace administrator who wants to port your organization's phone numbers, go to Port business numbers to Voice for Google Workspace. 

You can port your mobile phone number into Google Voice or port your Google Voice number out to a mobile service provider. You can also transfer your Google Voice number from one Google Account to another.

If you like your current phone number, there are 3 ways you can keep using it:

• Port your mobile number to a personal Google Voice account (most common)
• Port your Google Voice number out to a mobile phone service
• Transfer your Google Voice number to a different Google Account

Option 1: Port your mobile number to a personal Google Voice account

Note: You can't port your mobile number to a Google Voice account managed by your work or school.

• You'll be charged a $20 fee to port your mobile number to Google Voice from most mobile service providers, such as Verizon or AT&T. If you have a Google Fi number, read Transfer your Google Voice number to Google Fi.
• Not all mobile numbers can be ported into Google Voice. Check the Porting Status page to verify your number can be ported.
• Don't cancel your phone plan until Google Voice notifies you the port is complete. To verify the port, we'll call your phone with a code. After the port is finished, your service provider will cancel your phone service. If you have multiple numbers on the account, check with the service provider first to find out about their policies. If you want to keep the plan and get a new mobile number, confirm that with the service provider.

Before you begin

Find your billing account information from your current service provider, such as your account number and PIN for number porting. You need this information to complete your port request.

Port your number

1. On your computer, open Google Voice.
2. If you haven't used Google Voice on your account before, set up Voice. You'll be prompted to pick a new number, but your ported number will soon replace it, so it won’t matter what that number is.
3. At the top left, click Menu   Legacy Google Voice. Google Voice will look different, but you're in the right place.
4. At the top right, click Settings   Settings.
5. Click the "Phones" tab.
6. Next to your current number, click Change / Port.
7. Select I want to use my mobile number. Follow the onscreen instructions to set up your new number and pay.
8. To get calls, set up phones to receive calls.
9. Optional: Check the status of your number porting. Numbers take from 48 to 96 hours to port.

If the port gets stuck or delayed, contact the Google Voice Community Help Forum for more help.

Get calls on your phone after you port the number

Keep your original Google Voice number

Cancel a number port

Option 2: Port your Google Voice number out to a mobile phone service

To port your number out of Google Voice, unlock the number. Then, let your mobile service provider know you want to port a number to their service. They do the rest.

Unlocking your Google Voice number costs $3, but it's free if your number was originally ported in from a mobile service provider.

1. On your computer, go to the Google Voice unlock page.
2. Point to the Google Voice number you want to port, and click Unlock my number.
3. Click Continue.
4. Pay with your Google Account. You’ll get your receipt by email.
5. Ask your mobile service provider to port your number to their service.
   Note: If your mobile service provider asks for your account number and PIN, provide your ten-digit Google Voice phone number and the PIN you use to access your Google Voice voicemail.

Note: Without a phone number, your account will change to Google Voice Lite.

Lock your number again

"Can't relock your number" error

Option 3: Transfer your Google Voice number to a different Google Account

You can also move your Google Voice number to another Google Account. Transfers complete within seconds, unlike porting numbers. Only your Google Voice number is transferred.

What you can't transfer

• A personal Google Voice account number to a Voice for Google Workspace account number, such as one managed by your work or school.
• A Voice for Google Workspace account number to any other type of Google Account, including personal accounts and accounts using a different Google Workspace domain.
• A second Google Voice number to a Google Account that already has a Google Voice number.
• A Google Voice number to a Google Account that hasn't accepted the Google Terms of Service.
• Your account information, including your settings, voicemail, call history, text messages, and linked numbers. To export all your information, learn how to download your data. There's no process to import your account information into another Google Voice account; you must view it locally.

Transfer to another Google Account (ends in @gmail.com)

1. On your computer, open Google Voice.
2. At the top left, click Menu   Legacy Google Voice. Google Voice will look different, but you're in the right place.
3. At the top right, click Settings   Settings.
4. Click the "Phones" tab.
5. Next to your Google Voice number, click Transfer, then follow the onscreen instructions.
   If the Transfer option is inactive, it's because the destination account hasn't accepted the Terms of Service:
   1. Go to the destination account.
   2. At the welcome message, click Continue. Don't do anything else.
   3. Go back to the transfer screen for the original account, then click Transfer.
6. After the transfer finishes, set up a linked number in the new Google Voice account.

If you've already tried to transfer and now can't use your number, create a post on the Google Voice Help Forum. Post using the Google Account that originally had your Google Voice number. In your post, include only the last 4 digits of your Google Voice number.

If porting your number isn’t working

If you have problems porting your number to Google Voice, use this information to help troubleshoot your particular issue.

"Couldn't transfer your number" error

If your number port doesn't go through, you get an email from Google that explains what to do.

"Carrier info doesn't match" notification

The account information you enter when you start your number port needs to be completely accurate.

If a number port doesn’t go through, it’s often because of incorrect account information. Your port won’t work with a misspelled name, an incorrect billing address, or an incorrect PIN, for example.

You have the chance to enter your information and try again. Here are some things to check:

• Make sure there aren't any typos.
• Account numbers are hard to find and it’s easy to forget your PIN number. Contact your previous carrier. They should be able to provide this information.
• Try entering your account number without any dashes.
• You usually need to provide the account owner’s information. If you’re on a family plan, find out who is listed as the account owner.

Information required by service providers

Verizon

AT&T

T-Mobile

Sprint

U.S. Cellular

Other carriers

Number Porting to Google Voice™

 This tutorial will guide you through the process of porting a non-mobile number to Google Voice. Once your number is ported, you can eliminate the monthly fee and use this number on the OBi with Google Voice.

Since Google does not support porting non-mobile numbers to Google Voice directly, this requires a two-step process that we will describe in greater detail below. In essence, you will first port your number to a mobile service number and then the mobile service number (previously the original number) to become your Google Voice number.

Before you begin, do this first!
Before you begin the process to convert your land line number to a mobile number for further porting to Google Voice, perform a "sanity check" on the number using the Google Voice Number Porting Tool. Click Here to access the tool. When you enter your land line number you will see one of the following messages.

Msg: Ooops! This number appears to be from an area we don't currently support.
For some area codes, Google Voice does not support porting, e.g. Hawaii (808), Alaska (907). If you get this result when you enter your land line number, you will not be able to port you number to Google Voice. It is of no use to complete the steps below.

Msg: Ooops! We currently don't support porting from your carrier. We apologize and are working on adding support for more carriers.
This is actually good news, because once your land line number is ported to a mobile service, it will be able to be ported to Google Voice. Please continue reading and follow the steps below to convert your land line number to a mobile number. Then you can port it to become your Google Voice number.

Important Note: Google Voice cannot be used to place or receive emergency services calls.
Requirements: An unlocked mobile phone (with SIM card access) and a pre-paid SIM card from T-Mobile available here (link).

1. Check if your number can be ported or transferred to T-Mobile. Click here to check. 2. If your number is eligible for transfer, buy a prepaid SIM card from T-Mobile here (link)or at any authorized T-Mobile dealer. This will cost approximately $3 to $7. Select the image to the right to purchase from Amazon. 3. When you receive the prepaid SIM card, activate the SIM card using the instructions included in the package. You will choose a new (temporary) number and PIN. Insert the SIM card into an unlocked phone and a test call — call in and out. 4. Call T-Mobile's activation department at 1-800-937-8997. Request to port your old number to your new prepaid SIM account. 5. In 1 to 3 days, you will receive confirmation that the number port is complete, check to see that the number is working properly — E.g. Your old number is now the mobile number. 6. Go to your Google Voice account and request to port your T-Mobile number to Google Voice. The request to port link is found in, "Voice Settings." Look for the"Change/Port" link (click here for example screen shot). Google will charge a one-time fee of $20 for this service. You will need to provide your T-Mobile account number which is your ported number, e.g. 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx and your PIN. Note: Use your newly ported, original number — not the number you choose when activating the SIM card. Google will call the mobile number for activation purposes, so be sure to have your unlocked phone in which you inserted the prepaid SIM card. 7. In 1-3 days, Google will email you to confirm the porting is complete.

You may now start using your old number with Google Voice on your new OBi!

Helpful Resources:
OBiTALK Forum
Google Voice Forum