Google Voice is a service where you can basically get a virtual phone number and use it to make and receive calls, messages, everything you would normally do with a phone number. In terms of internet marketing and social media and all this kinda stuff, Google Voice is a great way to verify accounts on social networks 😉
But Google Voice numbers expire if you don’t use them…
Check it out:
We noticed that you haven’t used your Google Voice number in a while. Because phone numbers are a limited resource, it is our policy to reclaim unused numbers so they can be made available to new users.
If you’d like to keep your Google Voice number (802) ***, you will need to make calls or send text messages by July 27, 2019 by logging in to your account or using one of our mobile apps.
Please remember that your current number will be reclaimed in 30 days unless you start using it. If the number is reclaimed, your existing messages will remain available in your account, but you will no longer be able to receive calls or text messages.
The Google Voice Team
As you can see above, if you don’t use your Google Voice number for a few months, they will send you an email and let you know that if you don’t use it in the next 30 days they will reclaim the number, and you will lose it.
The solution to “refreshing” the time is quite simple. Simply go to Google Voice and use it for something.
Personally I have about 5 Google Voice numbers. What I do when any of them is close to expiring is I send a message from that account to one of my others. Then I reply with the other one. I exchange a few messages between them, and that does it every time (I don’t have to exchange a few messages, even 1 message would do it, but better safe than sorry right) 😀
Here is a video I made about this:
Conclusion
And there you have it. If you have a Google Voice number and you receive the email above that your number is expiring, don’t stress, simply use your account for something – a call, a message – and it will be reactivated and the expiration date will move for another 90 days or longer.
It’s an inconvenience to have to login to Google just for this. Google login is not part of my normal workflow. I normally never login to it.
In fact, I use my number quite frequently, mainly for receiving a code via SMS to login to other sites.
For some reason, the geniuses at Google can’t figure out that this actually constitutes using the service.
The root cause of the problem is that Google employees can solve “Leet Code” problems but have no common sense.
We will all be better off when Google has been replaced by some other company staffed by people who understand human beings. And that may take a while.
Yeah, I agree, it is an inconvenience. It’s not part of my normal workflow either. In fact, I don’t even have this “task” on my monthly to-do list. I just receive the email that my number is expiring in 30 days, and then i login and send a message or something, and it renews.
But I will say, it could be worse. They could not send you an email that the number is expiring. Or they could shorten the time between when you last used the number and when it expires.
All things considered, it’s not perfect, but it could be much worse, so I’m good with the status quo :)