You can move a Google Voice number to another Google Account (another email address) you own with Google’s built-in transfer tool. On a computer, open Google Voice, go to Settings > Account, and select Transfer a number. Enter the other account’s email address and send the request. The other account then has 7 days to accept it.
Only the number moves. Your texts, voicemails, call history, settings, and linked phone numbers stay behind, so save anything you need first. There are also eligibility rules for both accounts, covered below, that explain why the transfer option sometimes doesn’t appear.
Quick Answer
- Back up your Google Voice texts, voicemails, and call history with Google Takeout.
- Make sure the receiving account doesn’t already have a Google Voice number.
- On a computer, open Google Voice and click Settings > Account > Transfer a number.
- Click Get Started, enter the number and the receiving account’s email address, and click Send transfer request.
- Sign in to Google Voice with the receiving account, go to Settings > Account, and click Accept within 7 days.
In This Guide
- Before you start: eligibility and what moves
- Save your texts and voicemails first
- Send the transfer request
- Accept the transfer on the new account
- Transfer to a work (Google Workspace) account
- Other options: port the number to a carrier
- Which option should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start: Eligibility and What Moves
This guide covers personal Google Voice accounts in the US, as of September 2026. The transfer has to be started on a computer at voice.google.com; the Google Voice phone apps don’t handle it.
Google’s Transfer your Google Voice number help page sets these rules.
The account sending the number
You won’t be able to transfer (and may not see the option at all) if the sending account:
- Has held the number for less than 3 months.
- Has recently deleted a Google Voice number.
- Already has a pending transfer request.
- Has sent a successful transfer request in the last 4 months. In other words, you can only transfer a number once every 4 months.
- Needs ID verification that hasn’t been completed.
- Belongs to a minor.
- Is a Google Voice for Google Workspace account managed by your work or school. In that case, contact your administrator.
Google Voice can only be used in the US, so both accounts need to be US Google Voice accounts.
The account receiving the number
- It must be an account you own.
- It can’t already have a Google Voice number. If it does, you’ll need to delete that number before accepting.
- It can’t have accepted 3 transfer requests in the past 12 months.
- It must have accepted Google’s Terms of Service and completed any required ID verification.
What transfers and what doesn’t
| Item | Moves to the new account? |
|---|---|
| The Google Voice phone number | Yes |
| Text messages | No |
| Voicemails | No |
| Call history | No |
| Settings (forwarding, greetings, do not disturb, and so on) | No |
| Linked phone numbers | No |
A linked number is a regular phone number (like your mobile number) that you connected to Google Voice so calls can ring there. You’ll need to add and verify it again on the new account.
Fees: Google’s transfer help page doesn’t list a fee for moving a number between your own Google Accounts. That’s different from porting a number out to a phone carrier, which has a fee (see the options section below).
Save Your Texts and Voicemails First
Because messages and history don’t follow the number, download a copy before you transfer. Google Takeout is Google’s tool for exporting your data, and it includes Google Voice.
- Sign in to the sending account and go to takeout.google.com.
- Click Deselect all, then scroll down and check Voice.
- Click Next step, choose how you want to receive the file (for example, a download link by email), and click Create export.
Expected result: Google emails you when the export is ready. A small Voice export is often ready quickly, but larger exports can take longer. - Download the file and keep it somewhere safe.
Google’s page on downloading your Google data explains the export options in more detail. Also write down your current settings, such as call forwarding and your voicemail greeting, so you can set them up again on the new account.
Send the Transfer Request
Warning: Once the transfer finishes, the number leaves this account, and you can’t transfer it again for 4 months. Double-check the receiving email address before you send.
- On a computer, go to voice.google.com and sign in with the account that has the number now.
- At the top right, click Settings (the gear icon).
- Click Account.
- Under Transfer your number to another Voice account, click Transfer a number.
Expected result: A transfer window opens. If you don’t see this option, check the eligibility rules above. - Click Get Started.
- Enter the number you want to transfer and the email address of the Google Account that should receive it. Follow any on-screen prompts.
- Click Send transfer request.
Expected result: The receiving account gets an email about the request, and the transfer shows as pending in your settings.
Changed your mind? Before the transfer finishes, go back to Settings > Account and click Cancel the request.
Accept the Transfer on the New Account
The receiving account has 7 days to accept. If it doesn’t, the request expires and you’ll need to send a new one.
- Check the receiving account’s email for the transfer invitation.
- If the receiving account has never used Google Voice, go to voice.google.com, sign in, and set up Google Voice. When asked to choose a number, skip that step, because you’re about to receive one.
- If the receiving account already has a Google Voice number, you must delete it first. Deleting a number is permanent, so make sure you don’t need it.
- In Google Voice on the receiving account, click Settings > Account.
- Under Transfer your number to another Voice account, click Accept.
Expected result: The number appears on the receiving account. Calls and texts to it now arrive there. - Add and verify any linked phone numbers, and set up forwarding, voicemail, and your greeting again.
If more than one transfer request is waiting, you can only accept one of them.
After the move, test the number: call it from another phone and send it a text to confirm both reach the new account.
Transfer to a Work (Google Workspace) Account
You can also send a personal Google Voice number to a Google Account run by an organization, such as a business using Google Workspace. The steps on your side are the same: Settings > Account > Transfer a number > Get Started, then enter the work email and send the request.
The difference is who approves it. For a work account, the notification goes to the organization’s Google Workspace administrator instead of to you. According to Google’s admin guide to Voice number transfers, the admin can decline or accept the request. If they accept, they can assign the number to a user right away or move it to the organization’s number pool and assign it later.
Keep in mind that a number moved into a work account is managed by that organization. If you leave the job, the number may stay with the company. Going the other direction, from a work-managed account to a personal one, isn’t something you can do yourself; your administrator handles those numbers.
Other Options: Port the Number to a Carrier
If you actually want your Google Voice number on a mobile carrier or another phone service instead of another Google Account, that’s called porting out. It’s a different process with a fee.
Google’s help page on porting out describes the basics:
- In Google Voice, go to Settings > Account and click Unlock under the number.
- Pay the unlock fee with your Google Account. Google lists it as 3 US dollars, waived if you originally ported the number into Google Voice.
- Contact the new carrier to start the port, and give them your 10-digit Google Voice number and your voicemail PIN when they ask.
- Don’t delete the number from Google Voice while the port is in progress.
Going the other way, bringing a mobile number into Google Voice, has its own fee and steps. See our guide on porting a number to Google Voice.
Which Option Should You Use?
| Goal | Best option | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Move the number to another Gmail or personal Google Account you own | Transfer a number | No fee listed by Google |
| Move the number to your company’s Google Workspace | Transfer a number, approved by the admin | No fee listed; depends on your organization’s Voice plan |
| Use the number on a mobile carrier | Unlock and port out | 3 US dollars unlock fee (unless waived) |
| Stop using the number completely | Delete the number | Free, but the number is gone |
If you’re thinking of giving up the number, read our guide on canceling a Google Voice number first. Deleting it before a transfer disqualifies the account from transferring for a while, and you may not get the number back.
Troubleshooting
I don’t see Transfer a number
Check the sending account against the eligibility list. The most common reasons are holding the number for less than 3 months, having transferred a number in the last 4 months, having a pending request, or using a work or school account. Also make sure you’re on a computer at voice.google.com, not in the phone app.
The receiving account never got the email
Check spam and other inbox tabs, and confirm you typed the email address correctly. If it’s wrong, cancel the request and send a new one to the right address. The receiving account can also accept from Settings > Account in Google Voice without the email.
The receiving account can’t accept
It probably already has a Google Voice number, has accepted 3 transfers in the past year, or hasn’t finished Google Voice setup or ID verification. Delete any existing Voice number (only if you’re sure) and finish setup, then try again within the 7-day window.
The request expired
If 7 days pass without acceptance, the request lapses. Send a new request from the original account once it shows as eligible.
Calls still ring my old phone
Linked numbers don’t move with the transfer. Remove the old linked number if needed, and add and verify the phones you want in the new account’s settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer a Google Voice number to a different email address?
Yes, as long as that email address belongs to a Google Account you own and it meets the eligibility rules. Use Settings > Account > Transfer a number on a computer.
Does it cost anything to transfer a Google Voice number to another account?
Google’s transfer help page doesn’t list a fee for moving a number between your own accounts. The 3 US dollar fee applies to unlocking a number to port it to a carrier.
Will my text messages and voicemails move with the number?
No. Settings, voicemail, call history, text messages, and linked numbers stay behind. Export them with Google Takeout before you transfer.
How long does the receiving account have to accept?
7 days. After that, you’ll need to send a new request.
How often can I transfer a Google Voice number?
Once every 4 months, and the number must have been on the sending account for at least 3 months.
Can I do the transfer from my phone?
Google’s instructions start with opening Google Voice on a computer. If you don’t have one, you can try voice.google.com in a desktop-mode browser, but a computer is the reliable route.
Summary
- Confirm both accounts are eligible, and that the receiving account has no Google Voice number.
- Export your Voice data with Google Takeout, since only the number moves.
- On a computer, go to Settings > Account > Transfer a number > Get Started and send the request.
- On the receiving account, go to Settings > Account and click Accept within 7 days.
- Re-add linked numbers and settings, then test calls and texts.
- To move the number to a phone carrier instead, unlock it and port it out.
Next step: Go to takeout.google.com, export your Voice data, and then open voice.google.com on a computer to send the transfer request.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.