How to Turn Off Voicemail (Answer Phone) on iPhone

If calls keep going to voicemail when you'd rather handle missed calls differently, you're not alone. The iPhone doesn't have a single, obvious "turn off voicemail" toggle — but there are several methods that effectively stop voicemail from picking up, depending on your carrier and what you're actually trying to achieve.

Here's a clear breakdown of how it works, what options exist, and which variables determine the right approach for your situation.

What "Answer Phone" Actually Means on iPhone

In the UK and parts of Europe, "answer phone" is the common term for what Americans call voicemail — the service that automatically picks up calls you miss or decline. On iPhone, voicemail is not a feature built into iOS itself. It's a carrier-side service, meaning it runs on your network provider's infrastructure, not your phone.

This distinction matters because you can't turn it off from the iPhone's Settings app the way you'd toggle Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Disabling it requires either contacting your carrier directly or using call forwarding codes that instruct the network how to route unanswered calls.

Method 1: Use Carrier Call Divert Codes 📞

The most reliable method across most carriers is dialing a deactivation code directly from your iPhone's Phone app. These are network-level commands your iPhone sends to your carrier.

To disable voicemail from picking up unanswered calls, open your Phone app and dial:

##002# 

Then tap the Call button. This is a universal GSM code that cancels all call forwarding, including the conditional forwards that route calls to voicemail when you're busy, don't answer, or are out of reach.

After a few seconds, you should see a confirmation message on screen indicating the setting was cleared.

To disable only the "no answer" voicemail redirect (while keeping others), you can use the more targeted code:

##61# 

This cancels call forwarding specifically for unanswered calls — typically those that ring out after 15–30 seconds.

⚠️ These codes work on most GSM networks (including EE, Vodafone, O2, Three, T-Mobile, and AT&T-based networks), but behavior can vary by carrier. Some carriers may restore voicemail forwarding when you restart your phone or update your plan.

Method 2: Contact Your Carrier Directly

If the divert codes don't work, or you want a permanent change, the most definitive route is calling or live-chatting with your carrier's support team. They can:

• Fully deactivate the voicemail service on your account
• Disable it temporarily (useful for travel or specific periods)
• Confirm whether your plan includes voicemail as a bundled feature that requires removal

This is particularly relevant if you're on a business or bundled plan, where voicemail may be tied to additional services.

Method 3: Use iPhone's Do Not Disturb or Focus Modes

If your goal isn't to eliminate voicemail permanently but to stop calls reaching voicemail from certain people or during certain hours, iPhone's built-in Focus modes offer a softer approach.

Under Settings → Focus, you can:

• Allow calls only from specific contacts (everyone else goes to silence — not voicemail, unless your carrier routes them there)
• Schedule Focus periods for sleep, work, or driving
• Customize behavior per app and contact group

This doesn't technically disable voicemail, but it reduces how often calls reach it by filtering who can ring through in the first place.

Method 4: Silence Unknown Callers

For users mainly bothered by spam or unknown callers going to voicemail, Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers is worth knowing about. When enabled, calls from numbers not in your contacts are automatically silenced and sent to voicemail — but you can pair this with a carrier-side voicemail disable to stop those calls leaving messages entirely.

Key Variables That Change What Works for You

The right approach depends on several factors that vary person to person:

For example, someone on a prepaid UK SIM wanting to permanently remove voicemail will follow a different path than someone in the US on a family plan who just wants to reduce voicemail interruptions during work hours.

What Happens to Calls After Voicemail Is Off

When voicemail is disabled and a call goes unanswered, the caller typically hears an engaged tone or a carrier message stating the number is unavailable — no option to leave a message. Some carriers return a "number not in service" style tone, which can be confusing for callers.

If you're using your iPhone for business or expect important calls, this is a meaningful consideration. The experience your callers get when they can't reach you depends entirely on how your carrier handles unrouted calls — and that varies.

Whether disabling voicemail suits your situation comes down to how you manage missed calls, who typically calls you, and whether your carrier's implementation supports a clean removal without side effects.