Link 2 Google Voice Numbers to 1 Phone {Updated}
Originally published: 9/7/2011 Last updated: 8/5/2013
I LOVE Google Voice! I’m using it right now for IT Pixie. It allows me to keep my mobile number private but still let my (potential) clients to get in touch with me by phone. And it allows you to keep your mobile number via the number porting feature.
I had been looking for a way to have multiple Google Voices numbers (one for work and one for personal use), and forward calls to these numbers to my mobile phone (so I don’t have to give out my mobile number to strangers). Google allows only one mobile number to be linked to any one Google Voice number, and you have to have a physical phone number attached to the Google Voice number (even if you don’t actually forward calls to it). But there is a way around this limitation. The trick is mark your mobile number as one of the other, non-mobile phone types!
When setting up your Google Voice number, you have to indicate where calls to this Google Voice number to be forwarded to. You also have to indicate the type of phone this forward-to number is: Home, Work or Mobile.
There is really no difference between the three, except you can receive text or SMS messages on phones marked as Mobile only. But there is a way to get around that as well (See below and here)!
Linking 2 Google Voice numbers to one phone:
- Make sure you have separate mobile and Google Voice numbers. In other words, make sure you had not ported your mobile to be your Google Voice number. If you had, please get a new (true) Google Voice number as your Google Voice #1 before setting anything up.
It is because if you had ported your mobile number to Google Voice, it became a Google Voice number. Because Google does not allow calls to one Google Voice number to be forwarded to another Google Voice number (i.e. Your mobile/Google Voice #1), you won’t be able to link another Google Voice number to your mobile phone.
- Set up your mobile phone number as a forward-to phone (in the “forward calls to” section) on the 1st Google Voice number. Choose the phone type as Home or Work. If your mobile number is already linked to one Google Voice number and is marked as Mobile, change that to Home or Work phone type before linking another Google Voice number to it.
- Go to Voice Settings (the Gear icon at upper right corner) –> Phones –> Edit
- Go to Voice Settings (the Gear icon at upper right corner) –> Phones –> Edit
- When you set up your 2nd Google Voice number, add your mobile number as a forward-to phone again, and make sure you set the phone type as Home or Work as well.
Important: Make sure NONE of your forward-to phone numbers is marked as “Mobile”. Once you have a forward-to number marked as “Mobile” Google will flag you if you try to add the number to a 2nd Google Voice account. Google only allows ONE “Mobile” number attached to ONE Google Voice account at any given time. - To not miss any text or SMS messages that are sent to your Google Voice numbers, go to Voice Settings –> Voicemail & Texts –> Text Forwarding. Do this for both Google Voice numbers.
- Check the box that says “Forward text messages to my email: <your email address here>“
- You can reply to the SMS sender directly from your email. Simply reply to the text message email you receive from Google Voice. Note: The SMS sender will receive your reply from email ONLY if you’re replying from the email address that’s attached to the Google Voice. For more information on forwarding text messages to email, check out this Google Voice support article.
- 5/24/2012 Update: Thanks to commenter Sennivar, I learned that there IS a way to receive SMS to your GV attached phone, even after you mark your phone as “Home” or “Work”. Most wireless carriers allow their customers receive SMS via emails by using customized email addresses in specific formats. Once you figure out the special email address to use for sending SMS to your phone, simply put this email address in the “Forward text messages to my email” field. To find out more about how to figure out the special email address for your wireless carrier, check out this article.
- 7/30/2012 Update: You can no long specify which email to forward SMS to. You can only forward your SMS to the email that’s attached to your Google Voice number. However some people is finding that they are able mark their forward-to phones as “Mobile” by simply ignoring the error message. You might want to give that a try, especially if you do not have a smart phone that can receive emails.
- Check the box that says “Forward text messages to my email: <your email address here>“
- If you have a smartphone and have a Google Voice app installed, you can receive SMS sent to your Google Voice number(s) via your Google Voice app.
- With Android’s native Google Voice app, you can only sign into one Google Voice account at a time, so you would still want to set up receive SMS via email for the Google Voice account that you’re NOT signed into in your app.
- If you use a Google Voice app that allows multiple accounts signed in simultaneously (like GV Mobile+), then you should be able to receive SMS in your app for all accounts signed in.
There is however ONE limitation to this work-around: You can only link a maximum of TWO Google Voice numbers to one phone.
But other than that, this work around is pretty sweet. And I’m going to enjoy my new Google Voice number for personal use and not having to worry about giving out my real mobile number anymore!
Update 2/27/2012 (Revised 8/5/2013):
After reading and answering all the comments, I realized I had failed to mention ONE VERY IMPORTANT thing (especially for Sprint customers):
If you want to use this set up, DO NOT PORT your mobile number to Google Voice. That is, DO NOT USE your mobile number as your Google Voice number. If you port your mobile number to Google Voice, it becomes a Google Voice number. Because Google does not allow Google Voice number forwarding to another Google Voice number, you won’t be able to link another Google Voice number to your mobile phone. All you Google Voice numbers must be “virtual” numbers, ones that you pick out using Google Voice’s new number wizard, in order for this set up to work.
If you have already ported your mobile number to Google Voice, you CAN get a new number. Go to Settings (gear wheel) –> Phones (tab) –> Change/Port link. Be sure you click “I want a new number” option. Please note that Google might charge you a fee for changing your Google Voice.
The reason why this is very important is explained here.
Update 5/24/2012:
According to commenter Sennivar (thank you again!), there is an iOS app called GV Mobile+ that allows you to switch between 2 Google Voice accounts with ease. I do not have an iOS so can’t really test the app out. If you have tried it or are using it right now, I would love to know what you think.
Update 7/30/2012:
Commenter Christopher discovered that he could link two Google Voice numbers to a single non-smart phone, and he was able to mark the forward-to phone as “mobile” on both Google Voice numbers (The trick is to ignore and close the warning/error dialogue box). If anyone else has success linking a non-smart phone to 2 Google Voice numbers, and/or able to mark the forward-to phone as “mobile” on either or both Google Voice number, please share your success story in the Comments.
Update 7/31/2012:
Check out more from Christopher on receiving SMS at a simple phone (non-smart phone) when having 2 Google Voice numbers forwarded to it, as well as how to make calls using Google Voice from your simple phone.
Click here for more Google Voice Q & A
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