How to Set Up and Manage iPhone Voicemail

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Easy steps activate iPhone voicemail and customize your greeting
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Do you want to start using voicemail on your iPhone? With iPhone's Visual Voicemail format, you can easily set up voicemail in a few simple steps. You'll just need a voicemail password and greeting to get started. If you're having trouble with your device's voicemail, you may need to contact your mobile carrier. This wikiHow will show you how to set up, use, and change your voicemail settings on any iPhone device, with tips from Apple repair specialist Josef Storzi.

Quick Steps

  1. Open the Phone app and tap Voicemail .
  2. Select Set Up Now .
  3. Set a new voicemail password.
  4. Choose the default greeting or tap Custom and record a new one.
  5. You can enable Live Voicemail in Settings > Apps > Phone > Live Voicemail .
Section 1 of 4:

Setting Up Voicemail

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  1. This looks like a white phone receiver with a green background. [1]
  2. It's in the bottom right corner of the screen.
    • If tapping Voicemail initiates a call, you'll need to follow the spoken instructions from here to finish setting up your voicemail. This means that your provider doesn't support Visual Voicemail .
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  3. According to Storzi, if this is the first time you're setting up the voicemail, you'll need to tap Set Up Now . [2] This option should appear in the middle of the page.
    • If you don't see this option, your voicemail is already set up; you can record a greeting by tapping Greeting in the top left corner of the screen. This usually happens when you transfer information from an existing phone to a new phone.
  4. The option varies depending on whether you've already set up voicemail through your provider. [3]
    • If you've already set up a voicemail password through your cellular provider, you'll be prompted to enter it now. Type the password and tap Done to connect your existing voicemail to Visual Voicemail. Any messages in your existing voicemail box will be transferred to your iPhone after setup is complete.
    • If you've never set up your voicemail, you'll be prompted to create a password. Enter a new password, then tap Done . Re-enter the voicemail password, then tap Done again to confirm.
    • You can always change your voicemail password later.
  5. Storzi says you’ll be given the option to use the default voicemail greeting or record your own. [4] If you'd rather choose the default pre-recorded greeting, you can select Default instead. Otherwise, select Custom to create your own greeting:
    • Tap Record and say your greeting.
    • Tap Stop when you're finished.
    • Tap the play button to hear a preview.
    • If you don't like your greeting, tap Record again to record over it. You can also tap Cancel to completely exit the Greeting menu, then come back and try again.
    • Tap Save when you're happy with your greeting.
  6. This option is available only in certain regions, and you need to have iOS 17 or later to use it. [5] It’s on by default on iPhones where this feature is available, but here’s how to turn it on if it’s not already active for some reason:
    • Open the Settings app, then go to Apps > Phone (or just Settings > Phone in iOS 17 and earlier).
    • Tap Live Voicemail and toggle the switch to the on position.
    • If you have Silence Unknown Callers enabled, calls from unknown numbers will be routed directly to Live Voicemail. [6]
    • You can also tap the Voicemail icon on incoming calls to send the call straight to Live Voicemail.
    • If you’re outside of your carrier range, calls you don’t pick up will be redirected to your carrier voicemail instead of Live Voicemail.
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Section 2 of 4:

Changing Your Voicemail Greeting and Settings

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  1. You can change your greeting any time after your initial setup. [7] To do so, open the Phone app, then tap Voicemail in the bottom right corner. At the top right corner, tap Greeting . From there, you can:
    • Select either Default or Custom depending on whether you want callers to hear the pre-recorded greeting or a custom one.
    • If you selected Custom , tap Record and say your custom greeting. Tap Play to play it back. Once you’re satisfied, tap Save . If you change your mind, tap Cancel .
  2. If you want to set a new voicemail password, go to Settings > Apps > Phone and tap the blue Change Voicemail Password link. Follow the prompts to set and confirm your new password.
    • If you’ve forgotten your old password and you’re prompted to enter it during this process, you may need to contact your carrier for help. They may have set the initial password for you.
  3. If you don’t like the default alert sound for new voicemail messages, you can change it by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics . Tap New Voicemail and select the sound you like from the list, or tap Tone Store to browse for a custom tone.
    • You can also go to Settings > Notifications > Phone to make adjustments to the notification style for incoming phone calls, voicemails, and more.
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Section 3 of 4:

Using Voicemail

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  1. This looks like a white phone receiver with a green background. [8]
    • You can see how many new voicemail messages you have by looking at the little red number on your Voicemail icon.
  2. It's at the bottom-right corner. As long as your carrier supports Visual Voicemail, you can access your voicemails by tapping the Voicemail button. You will be able to browse through all of your voicemails and choose which ones you want to listen to. [9]
    • If tapping this button dials your provider's voicemail line, follow their prompts to retrieve your voicemail.
  3. You'll see the time and date at which the voicemail was received, the phone number or contact's name, and the options to play, listen, call back, or delete. [10]
    • If your carrier supports Visual Voicemail, you'll see a transcript of the message below the controls.
  4. This is the sideways triangle at the bottom-left corner of the message. Tapping this will begin playing your voicemail message. [11]
    • Tapping the speaker icon will play the message through your iPhone's external speaker instead of through the phone receiver.
  5. If you want to delete multiple messages, tap the back button to return to the voicemail list, tap Edit at the top left corner, select messages to delete, and then tap Delete at the bottom. [12]
    • To retrieve a deleted voicemail, scroll to the very bottom of the Voicemail page. Tap Deleted Messages . Tap the voicemail you want to recover, then tap the slashed trash can icon. This will return the voicemail to the main page.
  6. Tap the "Share" icon to save a voicemail . You can use AirDrop, send the voicemail via Messages and Mail, or you can save the voicemail to your device. [13]
  7. This immediately returns the call, so only tap this button if you're ready to talk to the caller.
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Section 4 of 4:

Troubleshooting iPhone Voicemail

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  1. Restart your iPhone. Restarting your device can solve a lot of minor problems you may be having, including issues accessing your voicemail. [14]
    • For most newer models of iPhone, hold either volume button and the side button until you see the power off slider. Swipe the slider, wait 30 seconds, then press the side button to restart your phone.
    • If you have an iPhone with a Home button, press and hold the side button until the power off slider appears. Swipe the slider, wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button to restart your phone.
  2. Update your iPhone. There may be a bug that's causing your voicemail problems, and a more recent version of iOS may have fixed the problem. You can check for updates in the "General" section of the Settings app, or you can connect your iPhone to a computer to use Finder (Mac) or iTunes (PC) to install an update. [15]
    • You can also check for any Carrier Updates, which can be found by tapping About in the General section of the Settings app. [16]
  3. There are several issues that may occur when setting up your voicemail, especially if you are upgrading from a much older device. Contacting your carrier's Customer Service line can help you reset your voicemail settings, change your password, and get your visual voicemail setup. Common carrier customer service lines include the following:
    • AT&T - (800) 335-4685 or 611 from your iPhone. [17]
    • Verizon - (800) 922-0204 or *611 from your iPhone. [18]
    • T-Mobile - 1-800-937-8997 or 611 from your iPhone. [19]
    • Boost Mobile - (866) 502-6678. [20]
    • Cricket - (800) 274-2538 or 611 from your iPhone. [21]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I activate voicemail on my iPhone?
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates.
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Open the phone app and click on voicemail. If you're setting up voicemail for the first time, click set up now. Enter a voicemail password, then select whether you would like to use the default voicemail recording or record a custom one.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 0
  • Question
    My phone says "no voicemail" even though I have messages. What is the problem?
    Community Answer
    The Visual Voicemail system will only work if your carrier allows it — and it may charge extra for the feature. If it worked before and doesn't work now, make sure you have a good data connection and try Settings: General: Reset: Reset Network Settings.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 34
  • Question
    While setting up voicemail, my phone asks me to enter my number, then says it doesn't recognize it. What do I do now?
    Community Answer
    Your carrier may have a mistake when activating your phone. If you have AT&T, call 611 and follow the automated prompts to get a password. Hold down Home and Power to soft reset your iPhone, then use this password to access your voicemail. If this password stops working or if you have a different carrier, call the carrier's customer service to get a permanent password.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 20
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      • If you are not getting the Visual Voicemail option, ensure that your cellular data is turned on for the Phone.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-voicemail-iph3c99490e/ios
      2. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-voicemail-iph3c99490e/ios
      4. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/105066
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-voicemail-iph3c99490e/ios
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/change-voicemail-greeting-and-settings-ipha113f4a15/ios
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-voicemail-iph003dae603/ios
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-voicemail-iph003dae603/ios
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-voicemail-iph003dae603/ios
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-voicemail-iph003dae603/ios
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-voicemail-iph003dae603/ios
      4. ↑ https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-223412/
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118259
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118575
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109324
      8. ↑ https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1009432/
      9. ↑ https://www.verizon.com/support/pound-star-codes/
      10. ↑ https://www.t-mobile.com/contact-us
      11. ↑ https://help.boostmobile.com/docs/contact-our-support-teams
      12. ↑ https://www.cricketwireless.com/contactus

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To set up voicemail on an iPhone with Verizon or Sprint, start by tapping Voicemail in your Phone app. If this initiates a call, follow the spoken instructions to set up your voicemail. Otherwise, tap the “Set up now” option and enter a password that’s between 4 and 6 characters long. After you’ve entered your password, select Done and re-enter your password to confirm it. Once you reach the voicemail greeting page, tap Custom if you want to record a greeting message, then press Record to start. After you’ve recorded your message, tap Save to store it. If you’re having problems with your voicemail, try restarting your phone, which can sometimes resolve minor issues you’re having. For tips on how to set up a voicemail with T-Mobile or AT&T, keep reading!

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