You might want to delete your Google Voice account for several reasons. Maybe you’re no longer using the service. Or perhaps you’re concerned about privacy issues. Each person’s situation is unique, but the decision to delete should not be taken lightly.
Go to the Google Voice website and log in to your account. In the Setting section, click on “Voicemail” and ensure that “Get Voicemail via Message” is unchecked. This will disable Voicemail support for your number. Next, go to “Phone Numbers” and select “Delete” under your number. After confirming, your Google Voice account will be disabled and your number deleted.
This article will discuss and explain exactly how to delete your Google Voice account in a few steps. We will also discuss the various methods to do this based on your particular device. And we’ll provide additional details, such as how to recover your Google Voice account.
How to Delete Your Google Voice Account & Number
This section will explain how to disable your account or unsubscribe from Google Voice. When you delete your Google Voice account or number, it won’t delete all the data associated with the account immediately. Therefore, your messages will remain visible in your inbox.
Reminder:
You will not be able to delete your Google Voice number if:
- It’s controlled & managed by your school, or it’s a Google Workspace number.
- You have paid $10 to transfer the number.
- You are using your Google Voice number with your sprint account.
Below are the steps to disable your Google Voice account and delete your number.
- Go to the official website of Google Voice.
- Log in or sign in to your existing Google Voice account.
- Now, you will see the three horizontal lines & a menu option located in the top left corner of the window.
- Open the menu bar, and choose the Settings option.
- So first, you need to disable Voicemail support for your Google Voice number.
- In the settings, select Voicemail and uncheck the Get Voicemail via Message option.
- Now in the settings, choose the Phone Numbers option from the menu.
- Tap on the Delete option under your Google Voice number.
- After the confirmation, select Proceed to delete the number.
- Congratulations. You have successfully disabled your Google Voice account and number.
Note: When you delete your Google number from your account, it will be permanently disqualified from getting another free Google number and the old number could be unavailable for months.
Can I Recover a Google Voice Account?
Whenever a user deletes their Google Voice number and disables their account, Google gives them a 90-day standby period. This means you can recover your Google account and get your number back within 90 days of deleting the account.
After the standby period, Google will transfer that number to someone else, giving users time to think before getting rid of their Google number entirely.
Reactivating Your Google Voice Account and Number
Reclaiming your account and number within 90 days of deleting them is very simple. Go to the Google Voice website and sign in with your email id.
In the Menu, scroll down to the Legacy Google Voice option. Here you can reactivate your number by selecting Get your old number back.
Conclusion
Google Voice is a convenient way to make and receive calls, but it does collect a great deal of personal data. If you’re worried about your personal information being collected and stored, then deleting your account may be the best option. With the above steps on hand, you can delete your Google Voice account if needed.
FAQs
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Can I Delete my Google Voice Number and Get a New One?
No, you cannot get a new number. You’ll need to reclaim your original deleted number to use your Google Voice account again.
Also, you cannot claim your old number with the same phone number you verified in the first place.
After you reclaim it, you can change the number by paying $10 for a new number. -
Can I Create a New Google Voice Account With a New Number and Then Change It to My Original Number, Which I Used With My Old Account?
Yes, you can do that with your Google Voice account.
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I Cannot Link My Old Google Voice Number to My New Account. However, I Deleted My Number from My Old Voice Account. What Can I Do?
If you deleted your Google Voice number from your old account, that account is permanently disqualified from getting another free number.
The Google Voice number you deleted will be unavailable for many months until Google restores it to their pool of available numbers.
If you delete your original Google Voice account, you cannot even reclaim that deleted number since you deleted the account.
Note: Your Google voice account gets permanently deleted after 90 days of deleting the number.
If you have not deleted your Google Voice account and can reclaim your deleted Google number, then it is easy to move your Google number to another Google Voice account that does not have a number. Follow this guide. -
What Happens If I Delete the Number Linked to My Google Voice Account?
If you delete the number linked to your Google Voice account, your Google Voice number will still work fine.
Make sure to disable Voicemail forwarding support for the linked number.
Google only links your number for the initial account creation. After that, you have the freedom to do anything. -
How Do I Unlink My Cell Phone Number from an Unknown Google Voice Account?
First, you will need a different phone number to get the account verified again. Once verified, you can replace the forwarding phone with your phone number.
This happens because a phone number can only be used once to verify or reclaim a Google Voice account. This also applies if your phone number was used by someone who owned the number before you. This process protects you from fraud and abuse.
You can simply use your friend or family member’s phone number to verify who you are. That is only if they don’t plan to use Google Voice in the near future because, once you use their number for verification, they will not be able to sign up using that number. They will also have to follow the same process to use Google Voice.