Using Google Voice with Android Tablets and Media Players

I’ve had a Google Voice number for years and have been using it on my smartphones, landlines, and work phones, so I just need to provide a number and receive calls wherever I am. I recently installed Google Voice on my Android tablet so I can reply to text messages or listen to voicemails without having to open my phone.

Even though my tablet doesn’t have a number and can’t make calls (without assistance), it’s still a useful platform for Google Voice. Same with Android media players like Samsung Galaxy Player. In fact, with Google Voice, you can turn a non-phone device into a free messaging paradise for a child or teenager.

You can even use your Android device to initiate a Google Voice call on your smartphone or landline. And if you have a service like Line2 that lets you make calls over Wi-Fi with a non-phone device, you can use these steps to make a call using your Google Voice Number.

Install Google Voice

Sign up for Google Voice. If you are not already using GV, sign in to your Google account and then go to: google.com/voice to start.

Tablets and media players don’t have numbers, so simply enter your mobile phone or landline as your first forwarding number.

Link this Google account to your device. If this is the account you used to initially set up the device, continue to the next step. If you need to add another account, go to Settings > Accounts > Add Account.

Install the Google Voice app. you can find it here Google Play store.

If your device does not have an official market, you can: use this Chrome extension to download any Android app to your computer, then sideload it to your device.

Install the application. When you open it for the first time, it will guide you through the necessary steps. On the second screen, select the account associated with Google Voice.

Since you’re not installing a phone, there are fewer steps than a regular Google Voice setup. The app will immediately start syncing your Inbox.

Make Google Voice Searches

On Android 4.0 devices, tap the phone icon in the upper-right corner of most GV screens to launch Click-to-Call. On other devices, tap Menu > Click to Call.

Enter the number to call or type letters to instantly call an existing contact.

Choose which phone to use for the call. Tap the arrow to show a list of all your GV numbers. Then tap Connect.

The phone you selected will ring. When you pick it up, you’ll hear a ringtone as Google Voice connects you to the person you’re calling.

Check out our posts for more tips and tricks for using Google Voice on any device.