How to Port a Number to Google Voice (Personal and Workspace)

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To port a number to Google Voice, open Google Voice on a computer, go to Settings > Account, and under Port a number to Google Voice click Port a number, then Get Started. You’ll confirm the number with a text code, enter the account number and PIN from your current carrier, and pay a one-time $20 fee. Most ports finish within 48 hours.

Before you start, know the big catch: once the port completes, your current carrier cancels the phone service tied to that number. Personal Google Voice accounts can only take active US mobile numbers, and work or school accounts go through an administrator instead. Everything you need to prepare, the exact steps, and what happens afterward are below.

Quick Answer

  1. Get your carrier account number and PIN (and ask your carrier whether you need a separate transfer PIN).
  2. On a computer, open Google Voice and click Settings.
  3. In the Account section, under Port a number to Google Voice, click Port a number, then Get Started.
  4. Enter the number, then type the 6-digit code Google texts to it.
  5. Enter your carrier account details exactly as they appear on your bill, review, and pay the $20 fee.
  6. Track the request in Settings > Account > Track your progress and set up new phone service before your old line is canceled.

In This Guide

What You Need Before You Port

Porting means moving a phone number from one provider to another. You keep the same digits, but the new provider (here, Google Voice) takes over calls and texts to it. This guide covers personal Google Voice accounts in the US, plus a short section for Google Workspace business accounts, as of September 2026.

Gather these before you begin:

  • A personal Google Voice account. You need Google Voice already set up on your Google Account. If you’re not sure which number you have now, see how to find your Google Voice number.
  • A computer. Google’s instructions for starting a port use Google Voice on a computer (voice.google.com in a web browser), not the phone app.
  • The phone that currently has the number. Google sends a 6-digit verification code by text to the number you’re porting, so it must be active and able to receive texts.
  • Your carrier account number and PIN. Google says you need the account number and PIN for your billing account with your current provider. You’ll usually find the account number on your bill or in your carrier’s app or website.
  • Your billing name and address exactly as the carrier has them. Small differences, such as an old address or a misspelled name, are a common reason ports fail.
  • A payment method for the $20 fee, which is processed through Google Pay.

About the PIN. Many carriers use a separate “transfer PIN” or “port-out PIN” that you generate in their app or by calling them, rather than your everyday account PIN. Requirements differ from carrier to carrier, and some transfer PINs expire after a few days. Check your carrier’s own instructions just before you start so the PIN is still valid when you submit the request.

If you’re on a family plan, Google says to use the account owner’s information. That means the primary account holder’s name, billing address, account number, and PIN, even if the line is used by someone else in the family.

Plan your replacement service first. Porting ends your carrier’s service for that number. If the phone you carry every day uses this number, decide ahead of time whether you’ll get a new number from your carrier (or a new plan) so the phone keeps working for calls, texts, and data after the switch.

Which Numbers Can Be Ported

Google’s help page for porting into Google Voice lists these rules for personal accounts:

  • Personal accounts only. The self-service port feature applies to personal Google Voice accounts. If your Google Voice is managed by your work or school, contact your administrator.
  • Active US mobile numbers. Users based in the US can only port an active US mobile phone number. You also need to manage port requests from the US.
  • Not every mobile number qualifies. Google notes that not all mobile numbers can be ported into Google Voice. The port page checks the number when you enter it.
  • No minors’ accounts. Accounts belonging to minors can’t place a port request.
  • Identity verification. Google may require you to complete identity verification before some porting actions, such as keeping a reserved number. If you see a verification prompt, finish it before continuing.

What about landlines and VoIP numbers? Because personal accounts are limited to active US mobile numbers, a home landline or a number from an internet phone service generally can’t be ported directly into a personal Google Voice account. Some people first move a landline number to a mobile carrier and then port it to Google Voice, but that depends entirely on what the mobile carrier will accept, so ask them before trying.

Numbers that are already Google Voice numbers don’t need porting. If you want to move a Google Voice number to a different Google Account, look for Google Voice’s transfer option rather than a port.

Fees and Costs

As of September 2026, Google’s help page lists these charges:

Action Cost Notes
Port a mobile number into personal Google Voice $20 USD One-time fee, paid through Google Pay. Refunded if you cancel a stuck or delayed request.
Keep your original Google Voice number as a secondary number No fee listed Available within 90 days after the port.
Unlock your Google Voice number to port it out later $3 USD Free if the number was originally ported in from another carrier.
Relock a number you unlocked Free Only possible before another carrier starts a port.

Carrier charges are separate. Google doesn’t control what your current carrier bills you. Leaving a carrier can trigger an early termination fee, a remaining device payment balance, or a final partial month of service, depending on your contract. Ask your carrier what you’ll owe before you submit the port so there are no surprises.

Fees can change, so the payment screen at the end of the port request shows the current amount before you confirm.

How to Port Your Number to Google Voice

Warning: Completing a port cancels your carrier’s service for this number. Make sure you have the account details ready and a plan for your phone’s service before you pay.

  1. Open Google Voice on your computer. Go to voice.google.com in a web browser and sign in with the Google Account that has your Google Voice number. Expected result: Your Google Voice inbox opens.
  2. Open Settings. At the top right, click Settings (the gear icon), then Settings if a menu appears. Expected result: The Settings page opens.
  3. Go to the Account section. Scroll to or select Account. Expected result: You see your Google Voice number and a Port a number to Google Voice area.
  4. Start the port. Under Port a number to Google Voice, click Port a number.
  5. Click Get Started. Expected result: A form asks for the number you want to port.
  6. Enter the number you want to port. Type the full 10-digit mobile number and continue. Expected result: Google checks whether the number is eligible. If it isn’t, you’ll see a message and can stop here without being charged.
  7. Verify the number. Google texts a 6-digit code to the number. Enter it on the screen. Expected result: Google confirms you control the number.
  8. Enter your carrier account information. Fill in the account number, PIN, and billing details from your current provider. Type them exactly as your carrier has them, including the billing address and name. On a family plan, use the account owner’s details.
  9. Review the request. Check every field for typos. Wrong PINs, account number mistakes, and mismatched billing addresses are the most common reasons a port gets rejected.
  10. Pay the fee. Proceed to payment and complete the $20 charge through Google Pay. Expected result: Google submits the port request and shows that it’s in progress.

Don’t cancel your old service yourself. Keep your carrier account active until the port finishes. If you cancel first, the number can be released and lost, and the port has nothing to transfer. The carrier ends the service automatically once the port completes.

Track, Edit, or Cancel a Port Request

After you submit, you can check on the request from the same Settings page.

Check progress

  1. In Google Voice on your computer, click Settings.
  2. Go to the Account section.
  3. Click Track your progress. Expected result: If your details were verified, you see an estimated completion time.

Fix details if verification failed

If your carrier rejected the details, the progress screen lets you edit your account information. Double-check the account number, PIN (or transfer PIN), name, and billing address against your latest bill, update them, and resubmit.

Cancel a stuck or delayed port

If a port gets stuck or delayed, you can cancel it and get the $20 fee refunded:

  1. Go to Settings > Account > Track your progress.
  2. Click Cancel my porting request and confirm. Expected result: The request is canceled and the number stays with your current carrier.

How Long Porting Takes

Google says a number can take up to 48 hours to port, and text messages can take up to 3 business days to start arriving in Google Voice. In practice, the timing depends on how quickly your old carrier approves the request.

  • Calls switch over first, usually within the 48-hour window.
  • Texts can lag behind calls for a few days. During that time, some messages may still go to your old phone or be delayed.
  • Rejected details restart the clock. If your carrier refuses the request, the port waits until you correct the information.

Plan the port for a time when a short gap in texts won’t hurt, such as not the day before a trip or a big account login you depend on.

What Happens After the Port Completes

Your carrier service ends

When the port finishes, your service provider cancels the phone service for that number. Google’s advice is to contact your carrier if you want to keep phone service, either to get a new number or start a new plan. Your phone’s SIM will stop working with the old number, so without a new number from the carrier it may lose cellular calling, texting, and mobile data.

Your ported number becomes your Google Voice number

Calls and texts to the ported number now reach you through Google Voice: in the Google Voice app, on voice.google.com, and on any phones you’ve linked for call forwarding. To confirm texts are arriving correctly, see how to tell if a Google Voice text was delivered.

Your original Google Voice number

Within 90 days after porting, you can choose to keep your original Google Voice number as a secondary number or have it removed. If you keep it, calls and messages to either number reach you. If you do nothing, check Google Voice settings before the 90 days end so you don’t lose a number you still give out. If you later decide you don’t want Google Voice at all, see how to cancel a Google Voice number.

Set up Google Voice on your phone

Because your carrier service for this number ends, the Google Voice app becomes the main way to use it on the go. A few quick checks after the port help avoid missed calls:

  • Install and sign in to the Google Voice app on your phone with the same Google Account, and allow notifications so incoming calls and texts alert you.
  • Link your new carrier number (if you got one) in Google Voice settings so calls to your ported number can also ring that phone.
  • Record a voicemail greeting and set a voicemail PIN in Google Voice settings. You’ll also need that PIN if you ever port the number out.
  • Make a test call and send a test text to the ported number from another phone to confirm both work. Remember texts can lag for up to 3 business days.
  • Keep a way to reach emergency services. Google Voice is an internet-based service, so check Google Voice help for its emergency calling limits, and keep a working carrier line on your phone if you can.

Check your accounts that use text codes

Many banks and apps send one-time sign-in codes by text. Some services don’t send codes to internet-based phone numbers, and you might not find out until you try to sign in. After porting, test sign-ins on your most important accounts, and add a backup method (an authenticator app or backup codes) where the service offers one.

Google Voice for Google Workspace (Business Accounts)

If your Google Voice comes through a work or school Google Workspace account, you can’t use the personal steps above. Google says to contact your administrator. Admins port numbers from the Google Admin console.

Admin steps

  1. Sign in to the Google Admin console and go to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Voice > Number porting.
  2. Click Create port order. Enter a name for the port, the country or region, a primary contact, and the current provider’s details from a recent billing statement.
  3. Enter the numbers. One order can include up to 1,000 landline or VoIP numbers (50 in Canada), or one wireless number.
  4. Choose an activation date within the next 60 days, avoiding weekends and holidays.
  5. Review and submit the order. In some countries you must also submit a signed letter of authorization within 7 days.
  6. Monitor the order on the Number porting page. Errors trigger email notifications.
  7. When the port completes, assign the numbers to users, auto attendants, or ring groups so they start working.

Workspace porting requirements

  • All numbers in one request must belong to the same service provider. Use separate requests for different carriers.
  • Toll-free numbers can’t be ported, and neither can mobile, VoIP, or nomadic numbers in European countries.
  • Numbers can’t move from an unmanaged (personal) account to a managed account, or between Workspace domains.
  • Remove special features such as DSL internet or hunt groups, confirm there are no account holds, and keep current service active until the port completes.

Google’s number porting requirements for Google Voice and the admin guide to porting business numbers have the full list.

Moving Your Number Out of Google Voice Later

If you ever want to take the number to a mobile carrier or another service, you first unlock it in Google Voice.

  1. In Google Voice on your computer, click Settings and go to the Account section.
  2. Under your number, click Unlock.
  3. Complete the $3 payment. It’s free if the number was originally ported in from another carrier. Expected result: The number is unlocked and ready for the new provider to request.
  4. Start the port with the new provider. When they ask for account details, give them your 10-digit Google Voice number as the account number and the PIN you use to access Google Voice voicemail.

If you change your mind, go to Settings > Account, click Lock, and then Yes. Relocking is free, but you can’t relock once the new provider has started the port.

Should You Port Your Number?

Porting makes sense for some people and causes headaches for others. Use this table to decide.

Your situation Good fit? Why
You’re leaving a carrier or retiring a second line but want to keep the number Yes Google Voice keeps the number reachable on any device for a one-time fee.
You want one number that rings on your computer and several phones Yes Google Voice forwards calls to linked devices and works in a browser.
The number is your only phone line and you rely on it for bank codes Maybe You’ll need new carrier service, and some services may not send codes to internet-based numbers.
The number is a home landline or VoIP line Usually no Personal Google Voice accepts active US mobile numbers only.
It’s a company number managed by IT Admin only Workspace numbers are ported by an administrator in the Admin console.

Alternatives to porting. If you just want Google Voice features, you can keep your mobile number with your carrier and simply use your free Google Voice number alongside it. You can also link your mobile number to Google Voice so Voice calls can ring your phone. Neither option cancels your carrier service.

Related: How to Transfer a Google Voice Number to Another Google Account.

Troubleshooting

“This number can’t be ported”

Google checks eligibility when you enter the number. Remember that personal accounts accept only active US mobile numbers, and not every mobile number qualifies. If it’s a landline, VoIP number, or prepaid line your carrier won’t release, the port can’t go through as is. Contact your carrier to confirm the number type and whether it can be transferred.

The verification code never arrives

The number must be active and able to receive texts. Confirm the phone has signal, texts from other senders arrive, and the number isn’t suspended or already canceled. Then request the code again.

The carrier rejected my account details

Open Settings > Account > Track your progress and edit the information. Compare each field to your most recent bill. The usual culprits are misspelled names, an outdated billing address, the wrong PIN (for example, an account PIN instead of a transfer PIN), and typos in the account number. On a family plan, use the account owner’s details.

The port has been pending for days

Calls typically move within 48 hours, and texts within 3 business days. If it’s past that, check Track your progress for an error. If the request is stuck, you can click Cancel my porting request to get the $20 back, fix any issues with your carrier, and try again.

Calls work but texts don’t

Texts can take up to 3 business days after calls switch. Wait out that window before troubleshooting further. Meanwhile, ask important contacts to call instead of text.

My phone lost service after the port

This is expected: the carrier cancels service for the ported number. Contact your carrier to get a new number or start a new plan on the phone, then link that new number to Google Voice if you want Voice calls to ring it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to port a number to Google Voice?

Google charges a one-time $20 USD fee to port a mobile number into a personal Google Voice account, paid through Google Pay. Your old carrier may bill separately for things like early termination or remaining device payments.

Can I port a landline to Google Voice?

Not directly into a personal account. Google limits personal ports to active US mobile numbers. Workspace business accounts can port landline and VoIP numbers through an administrator.

Will I lose my current Google Voice number?

Not right away. Within 90 days after the port, you can keep your original Google Voice number as a secondary number or have it removed.

Can I keep using my phone plan after porting?

Not with the same number. Your carrier cancels service for the ported number when the port completes. You can ask the carrier for a new number or a new plan to keep the phone working.

Can I port a number from the Google Voice phone app?

Google’s instructions start the port from Google Voice on a computer. Use voice.google.com in a web browser.

Can I get my $20 back?

If the port gets stuck or delayed, you can cancel it from Track your progress and receive a refund of the $20 fee.

Can I move the number out of Google Voice later?

Yes. Unlock it in Settings > Account ($3, or free if you ported it in), then start the port with the new provider using your Google Voice number and voicemail PIN.

Summary

  1. Confirm the number is an active US mobile number and your account is a personal Google Voice account.
  2. Get your carrier account number, PIN or transfer PIN, and exact billing details.
  3. In Google Voice on a computer, go to Settings > Account > Port a number > Get Started.
  4. Verify with the texted code, enter your carrier details, and pay the $20 fee.
  5. Track the request under Track your progress; expect up to 48 hours for calls and 3 business days for texts.
  6. Set up new carrier service for your phone and decide what to do with your original Google Voice number within 90 days.

Next step: read Google’s Google Voice help page on porting numbers for any updates, then gather your carrier account number and PIN before you start the request.

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