How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

The default iPhone greeting message is just that – a default, generic placeholder to prompt callers to leave a message for you when you can’t come to the phone. Callers have no way of knowing if they have reached the correct person or if they are potentially leaving a personal message on the wrong phone. Personal callers may simply be annoyed by the generic message – but for business calls, the fact that you’ve failed to pay attention to this detail makes a poor impression – and may even make that prospective client turn elsewhere.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

When you replace this generic greeting with a personalized message of your own, you make it easy for callers to proceed with confidence – and increase the likelihood that they’ll actually leave a message. Updating the voicemail message with your own greeting allows you to let callers know they’ve reached the correct person; the process is fast and easy.

How to Change the Outgoing Voicemail Message on IPhone (iOS 9 or later)

  • Tap the phone icon (the same one you use to make a call).
  • Tap the voicemail icon in the lower right of the screen (it’s the one that looks like an old-fashioned cassette tape).
  • You’ll be taken to a screen that lists all of your recent voicemails; tap on the word “Greeting” in the upper left portion of the screen.
  • Tap the “Custom” message button.
  • Tap “Record” and record your outgoing message. Include a greeting, your name and position, if relevant, and a request for the caller to leave a message; short, to the point and professional greetings are best if you are using the phone for business.
  • When you have finished speaking, tap “Stop.”
  • Tap “Play” to listen to your message and make sure you are happy with it. If you like it, go on to the next step. If you do not like it, press “Record” again and give it another try.
  • When you are happy with your message, choose “Save” to make it your default greeting.

Update Your Message as Needed

Use the same process any time you need to update your outgoing message. You may find you need to redo your message after an iOS update; some recent updates caused problems with voicemail messages and related apps. You can also update the greeting to reflect time out of the office or to quickly disseminate information to anyone who calls you.

It’s never been easier to stay in touch and make the best possible impression on your callers. Alvarez Technology Group, Inc. is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks and news. Contact us at (831) 753-7677 or send us an email at for more information.

Setting up voicemail on your iPhone is easy. The way you set up voicemail will be different depending on where you live and which carrier you’re with. In this guide, we will show you how to set up your voicemail service on your iPhone, no matter where you live.

Using voicemail can be time consuming and inconvenient, however, over a billion voicemails are left every single day around the world. There are times when you are busy or simply cannot answer the phone - this is when voicemail comes in handy. But, if you're looking to turn off your voicemail completely, then check out our other page and our short video tutorial.

Method 1: Use the iPhone 'Phone' App

Open your iPhone's 'Phone' app

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

Some phones will provide an option to activate voicemail via the Phone app. The specific type of voicemail settings you’ll have access to depend on the phone and service you are using. For carriers that support visual voicemail in the iPhone's settings (as is the case for most carriers in the US), you can set up your voicemail directly from the phone app.

This is the app you make calls from. It's the white phone icon in front of a green background that’s usually found on the iPhone’s Home screen.

Set up voicemail within the Phone App

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

From here you should select ‘Voicemail’ in the bottom right corner of the screen. If selecting this option initiates a call, you’ll need to follow the prompts to continue setting up your voicemail.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

If tapping ‘Voicemail’ does not initiate a call then the option to ‘Set Up Now’ should appear instead. This option should be visible in the middle of the page. From there you may need to set a password. This needs to be four to six digits long.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

If you don’t have the option of putting in a password, your voicemail is already set up. Instead, you can record a greeting by selecting the ‘Greeting’ tab in the top left corner. This usually occurs when you transfer data from an old phone to a new one.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

Once you have put in the password, select ‘Done’ in the top right corner of the screen. Type in your voicemail password again to confirm your password. Tap ‘Done’ one more time to complete the set-up of your voicemail password. From there you will be taken to the voicemail greetings page.

At this point, you could even customize your voicemail greetings for specific contacts on your phone, and set business hours for voicemail.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

Choose your voicemail greeting

Inside the greetings page, tap ‘Default’ if you want to use your service provider’s default voicemail greeting. Otherwise, if you want to record a custom greeting then select ‘Custom’. Both options are found near the top of the page. If you have selected ‘Custom’, you will see the option to record your voicemail message.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

Tap the ‘Record’ button on the bottom right and capture your voicemail message. Speak clearly when recording this message, then tap ‘Stop’, followed by ‘Save’. If you need ideas on what to say in your voicemail greeting, then check out our other page which gives examples of the 5 best voicemail greetings in 2022, and how you can customize them to make them work for you. You can tap ‘Play’ in the bottom left corner to preview the message. You can also select ‘Cancel’ to cancel and change your recording.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

Once you are happy with your voicemail message you can press ‘Save’ and return to any page or app on your iPhone. Your password protected voicemail is now set up, featuring a custom or default greeting.

Method 2: Call your Service Provider

Call your service provider

While the Phone app can be used to set up voicemail on some iPhones, where you live can change whether this option is possible. Older versions of the iPhone and different service providers might not allow you to set up your voicemail via the phone app. Alternatively, your service provider may also have a section in the settings relating to setting up and managing voicemail. If you search online for "how to set up voicemail for your specific provider" you can usually find information on the ways you can activate your voicemail services.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

In some cases, like Australia and New Zealand, to begin setting up your voicemail you will need to call the mailbox number of your service provider. You can find the voicemail numbers of popular Australian carriers below:

  • Vodafone - 121
  • Optus - 321
  • Telstra - 101

The voicemail numbers of popular New Zealand service providers are also featured here:

  • 2Degrees - 202
  • Vodafone - 707

Record your voicemail greeting

When you set up voicemail you may be asked to record your name for your standard greeting. You can then follow the prompts to personalize your greeting, change your notification method and set up a security code.

Method 3: Use a Smart Voicemail App

One way to set up your voicemail is by using a smart voicemail app. Traditional voicemail services can consume large amounts of time, with every message having to be listened to in chronological order, and it taking minutes or even hours to listen to caller details and the contents of each voicemail message.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone

A smart voicemail app makes your voicemail visual, like reading texts or checking your emails. A voicemail app can transcribe your messages and display them in an email-like interface, allowing you to quickly read them and prioritize them as you scroll. You will not need to dial a number to find out who left the call, how long the message lasted, or what the content of the message was. Also, instead of listening in chronological order, as is the case with regular voicemail, you can read visual voicemail in any order.

Download a voicemail app

We will show you how to set up your voicemail by using Vxt, an app that takes less than 1 minute to set up, but will save you time and effort in the future. First, download the Vxt Voicemail app for your iPhone. (It is also available for Android devices here!).

Once the app has finished downloading, enter your mobile number and carrier, then continue with the instructions in the app.

If you are a professional, you can even use visual voicemail in your work to make the most out of your main contact points: your phone. You can use a voicemail app to set business voicemail greetings, get your voicemails to be transcribed and sent to you as emails, and use in-app dictation. Vxt also offers integrations with other useful tools such as Slack, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and more, making it easier to send information to your other work tools.

How do you change the voicemail on an iphone


If you are still having issues with setting up your voicemail, you'll likely need to contact your mobile carrier’s support team. Calling your service provider’s helpline will put you in touch with a representative. The contact information for your specific carrier will be available on their website. If you are unsure of who your service provider is, check your phone’s homepage or billing information. Set aside some time in your day if you do decide to call. Traffic can be high depending on the time of day and you may be kept on hold for a long period of time as you wait to get in contact with someone.

How do I change my Voicemail message?

In the Voicemail section, tap Voicemail greeting. Tap Record a greeting..
To listen to the recording, tap Play. ..
To replace the recording, tap Redo..
To save the recording, tap Save. Enter a name for the new greeting and tap Save..

Why can't I change my iPhone Voicemail greeting?

If you persistently can't save your greeting, you may need to reset your phone's network settings. The iPhone needs to access your network's data connection to save changes to your voice mail configuration, and if it can't connect to 3G or 4G, it won't save the changes.