Sending texts is one of the quickest ways to communicate with people close to you, and Apple devices have various apps for this, the most common being iMessage. Google has partnered with the company in several instances, and this article explains the relationship between Gmail, Google Voice, and iMessage.
So, can you iMessage with Google Voice? You cannot use iMessage with Google voice. Apple’s texting app is exclusive for its gadgets and uses cellular phone numbers by default. Apple has not included the service as an iMessage carrier, meaning that the two platforms cannot share the same ID. You cannot manually input Google Voice’s number or any other version unless your device’s SIM. Similarly, GV only works with the registered ID tied to the account.
Many users with Google Voice numbers frequently use them for their daily communication. On the other hand, the iMessage app is a favorite among Apple users. It explains why you may want to use your Google Voice identity for iMessage, and here is what you should know.
Unfortunately, you cannot use iMessage with Google voice. The former is Apple’s property and exclusively works with the company’s gadgets, and it only uses your cellular phone number and will not recognize any other version.
Similarly, Google Voice’s identity ties to the same account, and you cannot use normal SMS to receive or send messages through it. Google voice is generally not in the list of iMessage carriers, meaning that it won’t work in the app, and there is no other way to include another number besides your device’s SIM.
As more users are inclined to use Google Voice for most tasks, they also wonder whether they can set it to work with other messaging apps. If your go-to texting app is iMessage, you may ask to access it using your Google Voice ID.
The two platforms have not integrated for users to share the same identity. Apple owns and runs iMessage as a free texting service for all the users of its devices. Therefore, the app only recognizes your telephone number or SIM.
If you carefully read Apple’s terms on its support page, it has listed all the carriers with iMessage support. Google Voice is not among the options, excluding it by omission. Its lack of support rules out any chances of you using GV for the texting app. By extension, you cannot include a Google Voice number or any other unless it is your SIM’s identity and the app doesn’t allow you to input another phone number manually.
On the contrary, Google Voice is only a forward service and does not have Apple support because it is on Google servers. If you have a GV number, it automatically syncs with the same account.
If you want to use it, note that Google has a voice app form in iOS, allowing you to send and receive messages. Since it does not integrate with iMessage, you can opt to use GV with its number and leave iMessage to operate with your phone’s SIM.
Can You Use Gmail for iMessage?
Maybe you are one of the users who want to hide their real phone numbers and instead use their email addresses. It could be an issue with privacy or any other concern, and you want to know whether iMessage allows it. So, can you use your Gmail address in place of your phone number?
You can maintain your privacy by using a Gmail address instead of your phone number when using iMessage. It only needs a few elementary steps, and you can hide your identity using Google. You can go to the settings, find the configurations and use your email address when starting a new conversation. However, remember that this setting will affect FaceTime because removing your phone number will also remove it from the video calling app.
You will be glad to learn that Apple allows users to use iMessage with their SIM and email addresses. The only problem is that, as with any other phone service, the iPhone usually uses your number by default to help prevent configuration issues and other errors. However, some users are very careful to avoid using these phone numbers when texting on iMessage, and if you are among them, you can always force the app to use Gmail.
If you have always wanted to make these changes, you will finally know how to do it on your phone or tablet. First, it is best to set the app to use Apple ID that releases the Gmail accounts that connect to your device.
After that, you can go to the “Settings” from your gadget’s home screen and scroll down and click on the Messages application to check iMessage’s settings from the menu. Select “Send and Receive” and confirm that you have multiple addresses.
You can now tap on your Gmail account when making settings to start using it for conversations. It guarantees that any new person you interact with will not have your real number.
Alternatively, you can also make permanent settings to detach your number from iMessage by clicking “Remove” when you tap your number. If successful, you will be using your Gmail with iMessage.
However, remember that this setting will also apply to FaceTime, as you can see from the confirmation prompt. Therefore, it may not be a good idea if you don’t want to interfere with FaceTime calls. If you also want to avoid using your Gmail with an Apple account, you can opt for a temporary iCloud.com address for iMessage or use a new Apple ID exclusive for iMessage.
How To Add New Gmail To iMessage
iMessage is among Apple’s most secure and reliable apps with incredible features that make chatting more exciting. The good news is that you can use your Gmail instead of your phone number when using the app but few users know how to add a new account. This section gives you the tips to get started.
On your iPhone or iPad, click settings and tap your profile section at the top of the screen. On the next tab below the image you clicked, you will see your name, emails, and phone numbers in a box. Tap it, and once it opens, press the edit icon next to “CONTACTABLE AT”.
Follow it by clicking “add email or phone number” on the preceding page. Type the email address you wish to add and click Next. A code will come to the email you have included; copy it on the provided space and tap OK. With these simple steps, you will have added a fresh Gmail account to iMessage.
It is easy to include a new email address in iMessage. First, go straight to settings and pick the Apple ID icon to take you to the next step. You’ll notice the email, name, and phone number in a blue stripe on the open screen. Tap it and click edit on the following screen. Another window will open up, giving you an option to include a phone number or email. Select the box and insert your preferred email address on the next page before clicking next.
Due to Apple’s tight security, it will send a code to your registered email address. Enter it on your phone, and if successful, a pop-up will appear, prompting you to accept the new email address for iMessage, where you can press OK to complete the action. However, sometimes you may not see the pop-up text, but to be certain, you can go back to settings, then messages, and next click the “send and receive” button.
On the next screen, navigate to find either “You can receive iMessage to and receive from” or “Start new conversations from”. Under these options, you should see the new email address you have added, and you can adjust the settings to allow only those who have the email to text you. Alternatively, if you begin new chats on iMessage using the novel Gmail, the receiver will only view the email and not your actual phone number.
Adding a new address to Mac is slightly different, though. To do this, select settings and choose system preferences, then tap on the Apple ID icon and select tab with name, email, and phone number on the left bar. There is a small addition sign to your right and click it and type your new email on the new screen before pressing next. From here, the final steps are similar to if you were using an iPhone to register Gmail.
What Does ‘Is not Registered With iMessage’ Mean?
Apple is famous for designing applications exclusive to its gadgets, but it is still possible to have issues. Looking closer at iMessage, it is one of the most widely used applications on iPhones, and you may find an error “Is not registered with iMessage”. Here is what it means and how to solve it.
When you save a contact for an Android phone user on iMessage or when you have not yet enabled the app, the error “Is not registered with iMessage” pops up. If your chats specifically consist of iDevice users, it means you don’t use the standard SMS or MMS system.
Therefore, by introducing a non-Apple owner, the phone will detect a breach, and the contact will appear red together with the error message. Luckily, you can solve this issue by text forwarding or restarting the phone.
If your device says not registered with iMessage, the most probable reason is that the recipient is a non-Apple user. iMessage is custom-made for either iPods, iPads, iPhones, or Macs.
Once you enable it on your device, it registers contacts that use iDevices, only leaving the Android contacts unregistered. Hence, the app alerts you of the foreign number whenever you try using iMessage, and the only remedy for this is to use the traditional messaging system.
Similarly, the error text can also pop up if the intended user has not enabled the app on their end. Besides these two reasons, there are other minor reasons. For instance, the iOS you are currently using may be outdated, causing bugs in the application. Also, the more you use your phone, you might misdial some buttons that turn off the Apple ID logins. When this happens, it prevents you from sending an iMessage.
Luckily, there are some workarounds to these hitches to allow you to keep communicating with your loved ones. If the receiver is an Android user, you can always use text forwarding for starters.
Go to settings, click messages and proceed to the text forwarding section. Ensure that all other devices you need are available in the list, and you can select all of them, but follow the onscreen instructions if there are certain security protocols.
You can also solve the same problem by creating a new chat group. Delete your previous iMessage chats and initiate a new one. Try sending the text and confirm whether it is successful; otherwise, you can start a new chat room with non-iMessage users. Log in with your Apple ID with simple procedures and ensure that the app remains functional.
Note that the iMessage, not registered text, also results from using an old operating system that cannot smoothly process data. You have to update the system and check whether the texts can go through. To find out whether there is an update, tap settings, go to general, and choose software. The next window will hint about possible app upgrades and click the ” install now tab” if there is a new version.
The final solution may be to register your Apple ID because there are high chances that you may have mistakenly disconnected the login details. As a result, the app develops bugs preventing you from using iMessage.
It is advisable also to check whether you are still in the program or not. You can reverse Apple’s ID settings by going to settings then messages and tap send and receive. In the open section, find the text ” You can send iMessages to and receive from” and confirm the accuracy of your details.
Wrap Up
If iMessage is your favorite texting app, you must be thrilled that there is a lot more you can do with it. Although it doesn’t have Google Voice support, you can still make some cool privacy settings using Google. For instance, you can use your Gmail account instead of your phone number to prevent everyone from texting you.
You can also add a new email address to iMessage if you want only a few people to find you on the app. It is a simple procedure based on your device but is very effective in enhancing your privacy. If you have any issues with iMessage when trying to text, you can confirm that the receiver is an Apple user and has enabled the app on their device.
