You can call a real phone number from a Chromebook in two ways: Google Voice in the Chrome browser (if you have a US Google Voice number), or a browser calling service that dials landlines and mobiles over the internet. Phone Hub, the feature that links your Chromebook to an Android phone, does not make or answer phone calls. Whichever route you pick, Chrome needs permission to use your microphone, and that is the step that trips up most school and work Chromebooks.

Which method should you use?

Start with this table and jump to the section that fits.

You have...	Best method	Calls landlines and mobiles?	Cost
A US Google Voice number	Google Voice at voice.google.com	Yes	US and Canada almost always free, other countries per minute
No Google Voice, or you live outside the US	A browser calling service	Yes	Per minute, prepaid
An Android phone next to you	Your phone's own dialer	Yes	Your normal phone plan
Only someone's WhatsApp, Meet or Zoom	That app in Chrome	No, app users only	Free over the internet

The last row matters more than it looks. Google Meet, Zoom and Teams all run on a Chromebook, but they connect you to other users of the same app. If you need to ring a doctor's office, a bank, a hotel or a relative's landline, you need something that dials the actual phone network.

Method 1: Make a call with Google Voice in Chrome

Google Voice is the built-in Google answer, and for US users calling US numbers it is free. The catch is eligibility. Google's own app listing says Google Voice "is currently only available in the US" for personal Google Accounts (work accounts get it only if their organization sets it up), and you need a Google Voice number before you can call.

If you already have one, here are the steps from Google's Make a call with Google Voice help page, as of October 2026:

Open Chrome and go to voice.google.com. (Google also supports Firefox, Edge and Safari.)
Select the Calls tab on the left.
To call someone you spoke to recently, point at their name in the list and select Call.
To call a saved contact, select their name on the right, or type it in the Enter name or number bar at the top.
To dial a new number, select Show keypad at the bottom right, type the number and select Call.
For a number in another country, type the country code first (for example 44 for the UK or 52 for Mexico). The Call as field at the top right shows which Google Voice number the other person sees.
When Chrome asks to use your microphone, choose Allow.

Google says almost all calls to the US and Canada are free (a few destinations there cost 1 cent a minute), and other calls are charged per minute from prepaid credit. You add credit under Settings, then Payments, then Add credit. Two more things from Google's page: calls you make while abroad are billed at international rates, and Google Voice cannot call emergency numbers, so keep a phone for 911.

For the full list of Google Voice international rates and the problems people hit abroad, see our guide to Google Voice international calls.

Method 2: Call any number from a browser calling service

If you do not have Google Voice, a browser calling service is the simplest route, because a Chromebook is mostly a browser anyway. Nothing to install, no Android app, no phone needed. You open a website, sign in and type the number.

The steps are much the same on any service:

Open the calling site in Chrome and create an account.
Add credit if the service is prepaid.
Type the full number in international format: a plus sign, the country code, then the number without any leading zero. A US number looks like +1 212 555 0100.
Check the per-minute rate the dialer shows, then press call.
Allow the microphone when Chrome asks.

BoraPhone works this way. It calls landlines and mobiles in more than 180 countries from Chrome, with pay-as-you-go credit in US dollars from a $5 top-up, no subscription, and the rate shown before every call. Your first call is free (you sign up with an email address), billing is per minute rounded up to the next full minute, and failed calls are refunded in full. Calls to the US and Canada start from $0.04 a minute, and the dialer shows the exact rate for the number you type.

The real advantage on a Chromebook is that it does not depend on Google Voice eligibility or on having your phone nearby. It works on a borrowed Chromebook, on hotel Wi-Fi abroad, or when your phone is broken. For more ways to do this on other machines, read how to call from your computer.

Can Phone Hub make calls from a Chromebook?

No. This is the most common misunderstanding, partly because Apple's Mac and iPhone pairing does relay calls. Google's Phone Hub help page lists what it does, as of October 2026, and calling is not on the list:

Show your phone's signal and battery
Quick controls: turn on the hotspot, silence the phone, locate the phone
Open Chrome tabs from your phone on the Chromebook
Sync and control notifications
See and download recent photos and screenshots
Stream your phone's apps (supported phones only)

Phone Hub needs a Chromebook on ChromeOS M89 or later, an Android phone on Android 5.1 or later, and Bluetooth turned on. App streaming has extra rules: both devices on the same Wi-Fi network and a supported phone running Android 13 or later.

How to set up Phone Hub anyway

It is still worth connecting your phone for text messages and notifications. Google's steps:

Select the Phone icon at the bottom right, next to the time.
Select Get Started, then Accept & continue.
Under Connected devices, next to Android phone, select Set up.
Follow the instructions on screen and select Done.

To change features later, select the time, then the Settings gear, then your phone under Connected devices.

How to allow the microphone in Chrome

Every method above needs the microphone. If the other person cannot hear you, this is almost always the reason.

When the prompt appears: Chrome asks the first time a site wants your microphone. Choose Allow while visiting the site (or Allow this time for a one-off). If you picked Never allow by mistake, Chrome will keep blocking it silently.

To fix a blocked site, Google's Chrome microphone help gives this path:

In Chrome, select More (the three dots), then Settings.
Select Privacy and security, then Site settings.
Under Permissions, select Microphone.
Find the calling site in the not-allowed list and change its permission to Allow.
Reload the page and try the call again.

Check the right microphone is picked. On the same Microphone settings screen, use the drop-down at the top to choose the default microphone Chrome uses. If you plugged in a headset, select it there, and check the input in the Chromebook's sound settings from the clock menu.

Check ChromeOS itself. ChromeOS has its own microphone setting in the Settings app, separate from Chrome's site permissions. If Chrome allows the site and the other person still hears nothing, open Settings, search for "microphone" and make sure access is switched on.

Calling from a school or work Chromebook

School and work Chromebooks are managed by an administrator, and that changes the rules.

The microphone may be locked. Google says your administrator can set camera and microphone settings for the device, and you may not be able to change them yourself. If the Microphone setting is grayed out, that is a policy, not a fault.
Calling sites may be blocked. Many school networks filter sites by category, so voice.google.com or a calling service may not load at all.
Phone features may be off. Google's connect your phone help page warns that at work or school "you may not be able to use these features with your phone", so Phone Hub can be unavailable.
Google Voice may not be there. Google Voice for personal use needs a personal Google Account. On a school or work account, it only works if the organization has set it up.

There is no setting you can flip to get around this, and trying to bypass a school's controls can break its rules. If you genuinely need to call from that Chromebook, ask the IT department to allow the microphone for one site. Otherwise use a personal device or sign in on a personal Chromebook. If an iPad is the nearest device, our guide to making calls from an iPad covers it.

Tips for a clear call on a Chromebook

Use a headset. The built-in speakers and microphone can cause echo. Any wired or Bluetooth headset that the Chromebook recognizes works.
Close heavy tabs. Google's tips for video calls on a Chromebook apply here too: update ChromeOS and close tabs and apps you are not using.
Prefer a steady connection. Calls over the internet need far less bandwidth than video, but a weak signal causes gaps. Sit closer to the router if the call breaks up.
Keep the tab open. Closing or reloading the calling tab ends the call.

What does a call from a Chromebook cost?

Prices for the two dialing methods, per minute. Google Voice figures are from Google's help page and its rates show inside your account. Browser-calling rates are at the time of writing (October 2026), and the live rates page shows every country.

Calling...	Google Voice (US users)	Browser calling (BoraPhone)
A US or Canadian number	Almost always free (a few places 1 cent a minute)	From $0.04 a minute
A UK landline or mobile	Per-minute rate from credit	$0.04 landline, $0.07 mobile
A Mexican landline or mobile	Per-minute rate from credit	$0.04 landline, $0.11 mobile
An Indian number	Per-minute rate from credit	$0.11

If you are in the US with Google Voice and you mostly call US numbers, Google Voice is the cheaper choice. A browser service earns its place when you cannot get Google Voice, when you are outside the US, or when the person making the call is not the Google Voice account holder.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Chromebook be used as a phone?

Yes, for calls over the internet. With Google Voice (US accounts) or a browser calling service, a Chromebook can call real landlines and mobiles using its microphone and speakers. It cannot use a SIM card for voice calls, and Phone Hub does not turn it into a phone.

How do I call on a Chromebook for free?

If you have a US Google Voice number, calls to the US and Canada are almost always free from voice.google.com. Calls to other WhatsApp, Meet or Zoom users are free in those apps. Calls to regular phone numbers in other countries are not free, but browser services charge a few cents a minute to many countries.

How do I call a phone number on a Chromebook?

Open Google Voice or a browser calling service in Chrome, type the number with its country code, and press call. Allow the microphone when Chrome asks. If nothing happens, check the site's microphone permission under Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings.

Can I make a phone call from my computer?

Yes. Any computer with Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox and a microphone can call phone numbers through a browser calling service or Google Voice. On a Chromebook the steps are the same as on a Windows laptop or a Mac.

Why can't I call from my school Chromebook?

Your school's administrator controls the microphone, which websites load and whether Google Voice is enabled. If the microphone setting is grayed out, only the administrator can change it. Use a personal device instead, or ask the IT team.

Call From a Chromebook: Google Voice, Browser Calls and Mic Fixes