Can You Use Google Voice Without Phone Service?

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, and carriers know it—so they charge a lot of coin for something they know you're going to pay. But what if I told you that y'all could use your telephone, including calls and texts, with zero but Wi-Fi?

It's true—it definitely comes with some caveats, but if y'all're looking to ditch your cellphone nib altogether (or yous never had ane to begin with), yous tin yet brand calls and texts on your smartphone.

(Note: If y'all're just struggling with poor reception in your business firm or role, this solution may be overkill—first, give Wi-Fi calling a try on your iPhone or Android device, if your carrier supports it. Between that and services like iMessage, which can send text messages over Wi-Fi, you may be pretty well covered. If non, you can come back here and attempt this setup.)

How This Works

By using this guide, you'll be able to make and receive calls, as well as send and receive text letters—all without a SIM card or cellular service. And of class you'll exist able to do all the same stuff you already use your smartphone for, too.

RELATED: How to Utilize Android's Wi-Fi Banana to Safely Connect to Public Wi-Fi Networks (and Save Data)

Basically, we're going to set upward your phone with Google Phonation and Google Hangouts, which allow you to do all these things over Wi-Fi. That ways, of course, that in order for everything to work, y'all'll demand to be continued to Wi-Fi any time y'all desire to use your telephone. That's definitely a downside, only if Wi-Fi is ubiquitous where you live, you might be able to make it piece of work. Android's Wi-Fi Assistant characteristic can brand this easier past automatically connecting to trusted networks, and if you have cyberspace at home, you may also have costless access to Wi-Fi hotspots around town from the same provider. Comcast and AT&T, for example, have Wi-Fi hotspots everywhere.

In addition, all calls in/to the US and Canada are free using the following methods, but yous'll have to pay extra for international calling.

Lastly, let's talk nigh 911 emergency services. As long as yous're doing this from a phone (not a tablet or iPod touch-like device), 911 servicesvolition ever work, simply you have to use the stock dialer (not the apps we're going to use in this guide). All phones are required to support 911 services—even without a SIM card—so you'll never have to worry during an emergency. Your phone will all the same accept your back.

With that, let'south get started.

What Y'all'll Need

This should work on both Android phones and iPhones, both with the same tools. I'll be primarily using Android in this guide, but volition as well attempt to mention if something is different on iOS. Here are the tools you'll need:

A Google Account
A Google Voice number and the Google Vox app for Android or iOS
The Google Hangouts app for Android or iOS
Hangouts Dialer for Android (this is integrated into the Hangouts app on iOS)

These are going to be the backbone of our carrier-gratis setup.

Step One: Set up Up Your Google Voice Account

The first matter y'all'll demand is a Google Voice business relationship and number. If you already accept that, skip this step!

RELATED: How (and Why) to Port Your Sometime Phone Number to Google Voice

If yous're non familiar with Google Voice, here'due south the quick and dirty caption of what it is: Google Voice is a completely free phone number provided to you lot by Google. It tin can make calls in the US over the internet and send and receive text letters, without you having to pay for any telephone service. However, those calls and texts will appear to people equally coming from your Google Voice number, so you'll need to requite it to all your friends and family as your "new number"—unless y'all port your current number to Google Voice (which is a flake more of a semi-permanent solution, but doesn't come with the hassle of giving out a new number).

To prepare information technology up, head over to the Google Voice homepage on your computer and click on "Get Google Voice" to get started. When the dropdown shows up, click on "Web" (bold yous're doing this from a computer, of course).

Click through the beginning prompt, and so enter your metropolis or expanse code to go a nearby number. Go along in mind that Google doesn't offering numbers for all locations, so you lot may have to choose something close by instead of your actual town.

Pick a number that suits you lot and click "Select."

During the initial setup procedure, y'all'll have to link an existing number to Google Voice (don't worry, if you lot're getting rid of prison cell service altogether, you can unlink information technology later). Click on Next, and then enter your telephone number. You'll get a text bulletin with a vi-digit code to confirm.

I yous're finished with that, information technology'll let you know your number is confirmed. Prissy!

If you don't want your main number to band when you get a phone call on Google Voice (which is what happens when you link your number in the in a higher place step), You lot'll demand to then unlink your number. First, jump into Phonation'due south Settings menu by clicking the the dots in the left pane, and then choose "Settings."

In the Linked Numbers department, click the X next to your main phone number.

It'll inquire if yous're sure that'southward what y'all want to it. If it is, click the Delete push.

Boom, done. Now yous don't have to worry almost getting calls onboth numbers.

Step 2: Set Up Your Telephone

With all the tools in hand and everything installed, y'all're pretty much ready to roll. It's a relatively straightforward setup, so hopefully you won't hit any snags along the fashion.

It'south too worth mentioning that while yous could technically practise most of this stuffjust using the Google Vocalization app, I had problems getting notifications for calls and whatnot with just Voice. Switching everything over to Hangouts fixed that, so I recommend using that instead of just Voice.

First, fire up Hangouts. This will ultimately be the hub that handles all of your settings.

If you've used Hangouts before, and then you already know the interface. On Android, there are two tabs: 1 for messages, and ane for the calls (which is only present once the Hangouts Dialer is installed). On iOS, the tabs are forth the bottom, and there are four: Contacts, Favorites, Messages, and Calls.

Ultimately, these work the aforementioned manner, and you really merely need to worry well-nigh the Messages and Calls tabs on both platforms.

Become ahead and slide open the menu on the left side by pressing the three lines in the top corner (or but sliding in from left to right), then choose Settings.

On Android, choose your account, and so discover the Google Vocalism section. On iOS, coil down to the "Telephone Number" entry and tap into this menu.

The first matter you'll want to enable is the "Incoming Phone Calls" option, which means it volition ring on this phone when you get a call.

If you'd like to use Hangouts instead of Google Vocalisation for text messages also, toggle the "Messages" option here, too. It'southward nice to be able to handle everything from the same app, plus SMS in Hangouts is slightly nicer than the Voice app. Also, I found GIF back up to exist amend in Hangouts than Voice, then take that into consideration as well.

Keep in heed that if yous choose to use Hangouts for SMS, you'll get notifications on every device that has Hangouts installed—including computers.

On iOS, there'due south one other setting you'll want to make sure is enabled. Back in the main Settings carte du jour, toggle "Answer on lock screen" to on, which volition let y'all to answer calls straight from the lock screen, merely like a native call.

From now on, you can text and call like yous normally would, but instead of using the stock dialer and messaging applications, you'll just utilise Hangouts (unless, of course, you opted to utilize the Google Voice app for messaging).

Pace Iii: Tweak Your Google Voice Settings (Optional)

Google Voice settings are synced across devices (and the web), so there are a few things you may want to tweak.

Link Your Master Number

Starting time off, if you don't plan on using this every bit your main phone (which I really advise against doing anyway), you can fix all calls to forward to your main number. In Google Phonation, open Settings, and then choose "Linked Numbers" to add your primary number. If you did this when setting up your Vocalism number and didn't unlink it, then you're already skillful here.

Keep in mind that all calls and whatnot volition also ring your main phone later that, so you'll become calls on both. If you plan on using your new carrier-less setup as a standalone system, I wouldn't worry about linking numbers.

Enable Missed Phone call Notifications and Messages Over Email

When you get a missed phone call on your Google Voice number, you lot can get email notifications. I personally notice these abrasive equally hell, but you do you.

To enable this characteristic, open the Voice app, so get to Settings.

To enable SMS over electronic mail, enable the "Frontward messages to…" option.

To get missed call notifications over e-mail, enable the "Get e-mail alerts for missed calls" option.

Fix for the flood in your inbox.

Get Voicemail Transcripts

Since you're using Google Vocalisation to receive calls, you tin too permit Google transcribe your voicemails, which is neat.

In the Phonation app, open the Setting carte du jour and gyre to the Voicemail section. Enable the "Voicemail Transcript Analysis" pick to brand information technology happen.

Also, yous can enable the "Become voicemail via electronic mail" pick to get these transcriptions in your email, which I really like.

Other Apps

To say that Google Phonation/Hangouts is the only way to do this would exist airheaded, considering there are a lot of other apps out there that do the aforementioned things. The affair is, the combination of Hangouts and Vox is easily the about universal way to use your telephone without the need for a carrier, and information technology's the best option for an all-in-one solution that volition handle both calls and texts. All others just fall apartment in this regard.

But! In that location are some other options for staying in touch with people:

Facebook Messenger:This is a great mode to make calls and transport messages to people you know, but the problem here is that everything is handled through your Facebook business relationship—meaning y'all don't accept an bodily telephone number to give out in this instance.
WhatsApp:Pretty much the same as Facebook Messenger, only with a WhatsApp account.
Other Instant Messaging Clients: The story is going to be same across the lath hither—yous can talk to people you know over pretty much any IM client you're both on, but yous'll be lacking the robustness and versatility of having an actual phone number to use.

This is a slap-up way to use an onetime telephone as a 2d line if you need one. And considering how ubiquitous public Wi-Fi is now, you lot can get coveragealmostanywhere—the primary exception is going to be when travelling. If you're in the car, you're pretty much out of luck. Every bit soon as you re-connect, even so, you're back in concern.