How to delete voicemail depends on your phone type and carrier

The steps to delete a voicemail message differ between iPhone and Android, and some carriers offer a voicemail app separate from your phone's built-in system. On most iPhones, you open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, select the message, and tap Delete. On most Android phones, you open the Phone or Google Phone app, find Voicemail, select the message, and tap the trash or delete icon. If your carrier (like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile) provides its own voicemail app, you delete messages through that app instead.

Some carriers also let you delete voicemail by calling your voicemail box directly and following the voice prompts. This method works on any phone, including older models, and is useful if you cannot access your phone's voicemail interface.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone users delete voicemail through the Phone app by tapping Voicemail, selecting a message, and tapping Delete.
  • Android users delete voicemail through the Phone or Google Phone app by selecting a message and tapping the trash icon.
  • Some carriers provide separate voicemail apps (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) where you delete messages within that app instead.
  • You can delete voicemail by calling your voicemail box and using voice commands if you cannot access the app interface.

Deleting voicemail on iPhone

Open the Phone app on your iPhone and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right of the screen. You will see a list of all your voicemail messages with the sender's name or number and the date received. Tap the message you want to delete.

Once the message opens, look for the Delete button, which usually appears as a trash icon or the word "Delete" at the bottom of the screen. Tap it, and the message will be removed from your voicemail box. If you want to delete multiple messages at once, tap Edit in the upper left corner, select the messages you want to remove by tapping the circle next to each one, and then tap Delete.

Deleting voicemail on Android

Open the Phone app on your Android device and look for the Voicemail tab or icon. On some Android phones, this appears at the bottom of the screen; on others, you may need to tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) to find it. Tap Voicemail to see your list of messages.

Select the message you want to delete by tapping and holding it, or by tapping the checkbox next to it. A trash or delete icon will appear, usually at the top or bottom of the screen. Tap it to remove the message. If you use Google Phone (Google's voicemail app), the process is the same: open the app, find the message, and tap the trash icon.

Using your carrier's voicemail app

Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other carriers often provide their own voicemail apps separate from your phone's built-in system. If your carrier offers one, you may need to use that app to manage your voicemail instead of the Phone app. Check your phone's app store or your carrier's website to see if a dedicated voicemail app is available for your account.

Once you install the carrier's app, open it and look for your voicemail messages. The delete process is similar to the built-in apps: select the message and tap the delete or trash icon. Some carrier apps also let you listen to voicemail transcriptions (text versions of the message) before deciding whether to delete it.

Deleting voicemail by calling your voicemail box

If you cannot access voicemail through your phone's app, you can delete messages by calling your voicemail box directly. Dial your own phone number from your phone, or call your carrier's voicemail number (usually found on your carrier's website or in your phone's settings). When prompted, enter your voicemail password.

Once you are in your voicemail box, listen to each message and follow the voice prompts to delete it. The prompts usually say something like "Press 7 to delete" or "Press * to delete." This method works on any phone, including older models without a voicemail app, and is useful if you are away from your primary phone.

Clearing your entire voicemail box at once

Most phones do not have a single button to delete all voicemail messages at once. Instead, you need to select multiple messages and delete them together. On iPhone, tap Edit in the Voicemail tab, then tap the circle next to each message you want to delete, and tap Delete. On Android, tap and hold each message to select it, or use checkboxes if available, then tap the delete icon.

If you have many old messages, this can take time. Some carrier voicemail apps let you sort messages by date, which makes it easier to select and delete older ones in batches. If you want to delete everything, you can also call your voicemail box and use voice commands to delete all messages, though this varies by carrier.

What happens after you delete a voicemail

Once you delete a voicemail message, it is permanently removed from your voicemail box and cannot be recovered through your phone or carrier's system. The message does not go to a trash folder first — it is deleted immediately. This is why it is important to listen to a message before deleting it if you are unsure whether you need it.

Deleting voicemail does not affect your phone's storage or performance, since voicemail is stored on your carrier's servers, not on your phone itself. However, if you have voicemail transcriptions saved as text messages or notes on your phone, those will remain unless you delete them separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a voicemail after I delete it?

No, deleted voicemail messages cannot be recovered through your phone or carrier. Once you delete a message, it is permanently removed from your carrier's servers. If you need to keep important information from a voicemail, listen to it and write down the details before deleting it.

Why can't I see the delete button on my voicemail?

The delete button may be hidden if you are using a carrier's separate voicemail app instead of your phone's built-in system. Check whether your carrier provides its own app and whether you are signed into it. If you still cannot find the delete option, try calling your voicemail box directly and using voice commands to delete messages.

Does deleting voicemail free up space on my phone?

No, voicemail is stored on your carrier's servers, not on your phone, so deleting messages does not free up your phone's storage. If you have voicemail transcriptions or recordings saved as files on your phone, deleting those files will free up space.

What if my carrier's voicemail app is not working?

Try using your phone's built-in voicemail system instead, or call your voicemail box directly using voice commands. If the carrier app continues to have problems, contact your carrier's customer support to report the issue and ask whether they can delete messages from their end.