You can make domestic and international calls from your Google Voice number on desktop or mobile.
Call someone with Google Voice
Important:
- Caller ID must be turned on to make calls from your mobile device carrier.
- You can only make an emergency call on Voice for Google Workspace accounts managed by your work or school.
- When you call someone, a US phone number might appear that’s not your number. The person you call still gets a phone call from your Google Voice number.
- Open the Voice app
.
- On the bottom, tap Calls
.
- If the number you want to call is a saved contact: On the top, in the search bar, enter the name and select it from the list.
- If the number you want to call isn’t a saved contact: Tap Dial
enter the number.
enter the number. 3. Tap Call .
Tip: For international calls, enter the country code before the phone number. For example, for Brazil, enter +55 before the phone number.
Important: This feature isn’t available for Google Workspace accounts or for personal accounts when Google Voice is installed on a Work Profile.
When you make outbound calls with your phone app, you can use your Google Voice number instead of your phone's carrier number. Calls you make from the Voice app always use your Google Voice number.
- Open the Voice app
- At the top left, tap Menu
Settings.
- Under “Calls,” tap Calls started from this device's phone app.
- Select when to use Google Voice for calls from the phone app.
- Under “Driving mode,” select when to use Google Voice while driving.
Tip: If a call from your phone's calling app isn't free, you get a message that the call routes through Google Voice.
- Open the Voice app
- At the top left, tap Menu
- Under "Payments," you can check your current balance.
- Open the Voice app
- Tap Menu
- Under "Payments," tap Add credit.
- To add to your balance, tap the amount of credit
- Select a payment method.
- Tap Buy. You get an email to confirm your purchase.
- Next to "Auto-recharge," you can select what to do when your balance falls below $2.00:
- $10, $25, $50: Automatically add this amount of credit. After you select your payment method, tap Save.
- Notify me via email: Get an email reminder when your balance is low.
- Off: Don't automatically add more credit to your account.
Tip: If you're not sure how much credit to buy, you can find the calling rate for a country or region. Next to “Calling rates,” tap Look up 
Your bank statement might show an extra $1.00 transaction from Google. The transaction is a temporary authorization request to make sure your card is valid and has enough funds. It isn't an actual charge, and will disappear.
If there's a credit purchase for a larger amount you didn't make, learn how to report the unauthorized charge.
Know how much a call costs
- When you’re calling from the US, almost all Google Voice calls to the US and Canada are free.
- Calls to a few places in the US and Canada cost 1 cent per minute USD, or the listed rate for your local currency.
- Calls to places outside the US are at listed rates.
- Learn more about calling rates.
Domestic and international calls use minutes from your mobile carrier, unless you make calls over the internet.
Long-distance charges
When you call someone, your call is routed through a randomly assigned US number. If the routed number’s area code isn’t the same as your area code, you might be charged long-distance rates. If you travel to another country/region, your carrier can charge you international calling rates.
Standard airtime and text messaging rates apply, based on your phone plan.
International charges
If you have a US number and call someone while visiting another country/region, you're charged international rates. Your mobile carrier might also charge you extra roaming fees. To make calls without roaming, you can use Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Confirm your paid call uses Google Voice
If the call is without charge, you get a message from Google Voice. The message says how much the call costs or that the call is routed through Google Voice.
If you don't get a message, your call isn't using Google Voice. Your mobile carrier might charge you.
Check if your call settings were changed by a recent update or another app that conflicts with Google Voice.
Use of data & text messages
You can only send text messages to numbers in the US and Canada.
Texts you send
Texts you send from the Google Voice mobile app or at voice.google.com use data. They can use data from your mobile phone plan, or a Wi-Fi internet connection. You don't need to buy Google Voice credit.
Texts you get
Based on your mobile phone plan, you can be charged for text messages you receive.
If you have trouble buying credit
If you have problems paying for calling credit or you get one of the messages below, you might need to fix an issue with your payments profile.
"Your transaction cannot be completed"
If you’re asked to provide more information after you receive this message, follow the instructions. If not, try the following:
- Check whether the billing address for your payment method, such as your credit card, matches the address in your Google Pay settings. If they don't match, update your address on pay.google.com, and try the transaction again.
- If you’re on an app, try to pay on the product’s website instead. If you’re on the website, try the app.
- If you’re buying Google Voice credit on Google Pay, learn how to fix payment issues on your account.
- If you’re using guest checkout on Google Store, sign in to your Google Account. If you don’t have one, create your Google Account.
"Unable to complete transaction: expired card"
Check if your payment method is up to date. If it isn’t, update it in Google Pay.
"Unable to complete the transaction. Please use another form of payment."
- Check if your payment method is up to date. If it isn’t, update it in Google Pay. Then try your purchase again.
- Make sure you have enough money in your account for the purchase.
- If you still have issues, contact your bank to check if there’s a problem with your account.
- Try to make the purchase again with a different payment method.
"Your payment didn't go through. Please try a different payment method or try again later."
- Check if your payment method is up to date. If it isn’t, update it in Google Pay. Then try your purchase again.
- Make sure you have enough money in your account for the purchase.
- If you still have issues, contact your bank to check if there’s a problem with your account.
- Try to make the purchase again with a different payment method.
"Your payment was declined due to an issue with your account"
If you get this message, it might be because:
- We noticed a suspicious transaction on your payments profile.
- We need more information to protect your account against fraud.
To fix the issue, try the following.
- Go to pay.google.com.
- Act on any alerts or requests. Before you can buy anything through your Google Account, you may need to verify your identity.
- Make sure your name, address, and payment information are up to date.
"Unable to process payment: low card balance"
You might not have enough funds in your account to make the payment. Check your account balance or contact your bank.
Ineligible or grayed out card
If your card is grayed out or you get a message your card is ineligible, you can't use it for this type of purchase. Try to make the purchase again with a different payment method.
If you can't find the payment method you want to use, to add a new one, follow the instructions on the screen.
Why do I have a "pending" transaction?
You may notice a pending transaction for calling credit on your card statement or Google Pay. This pending transaction is an authorization request and not a charge. The authorization request is a temporary hold that changes when the payment goes through.
Manage auto-recharge payments
If you turn on auto-recharge in Google Voice, your charges for calling credit show under "Subscriptions and services" in Google Pay. You can make payments by visiting pay.google.com. Auto-recharge payments can't be managed from the Google Pay mobile app.
- Sign in to Subscriptions.
- Find the Google Voice auto-recharge for calling credit and click Manage.
Cancel an auto-recharge
If you cancel an auto-recharge subscription, any payments you already made aren't refunded.
- Sign in to Subscriptions.
- Find the Google Voice auto-recharge for calling credit and click Manage.
- Select Cancel subscription.
- Go to voice.google.com.
- At the top right, click Settings
.
- On the left, click Payments.
- Next to "Auto-recharge," select Off.
Related resources
If the call isn't free, you get a message from Google Voice. The message says how much the call costs or that the call routes through Google Voice. Learn more about the cost of a call.
If you don't get a message, your call doesn’t use Google Voice and your carrier can charge you.
Tips: Check that:
- A recent app update didn't change your call settings.
- Another app doesn’t conflict with Voice. In your phone’s settings, open Apps and notifications
Know how much a call costs
- When you’re calling from the US, almost all Google Voice calls to the US and Canada are free.
- Calls to a few places in the US and Canada cost 1 cent per minute USD, or the listed rate for your local currency.
- Calls to places outside the US are at listed rates.
- Learn more about calling rates.
- Domestic and international calls use minutes from your phone plan, and you might be charged long-distance rates.
- If you have a US phone number and make a call when you're in another country/region, you're charged international rates.
- Make Google Voice calls over the internet.
Tip: If your internet connection isn’t stable, you get a notification to use minutes from your phone plan, which may include carrier call charges. If you don’t want to switch to a carrier call, on the notification, select Cancel.