How to disable voicemail depends on your phone type and carrier
Voicemail is usually turned off through your phone's settings, your carrier's customer portal, or a call to your carrier's support line. The exact steps differ between iPhone and Android, and some carriers offer additional options through their apps. You can disable voicemail entirely, send callers to a text-based message service instead, or keep voicemail but change the greeting and storage settings.
If you want callers to hear a busy signal or go straight to a text service, you'll need to contact your carrier — your phone's settings alone won't do that. Most carriers let you manage voicemail through their website or app without calling, though some still require a phone call or a visit to a store.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users can disable voicemail notifications in Settings > Phone, but the voicemail system itself stays active unless you contact your carrier.
- Android users can turn off voicemail notifications in their phone app settings, though the carrier's voicemail system remains available.
- To completely disable voicemail so callers hear a busy signal or are redirected, you must contact your carrier by phone, app, or website.
- Most carriers let you manage voicemail through their customer portal without calling, though some require a phone call to disable the service entirely.
- Disabling voicemail notifications does not delete existing voicemail messages — you'll need to delete those manually or through your carrier.
Turning off voicemail notifications on iPhone
On iPhone, you can stop seeing voicemail notifications without disabling voicemail itself. Open Settings, tap Phone, then scroll to Voicemail. Toggle off Voicemail Notifications. You'll no longer see alerts when someone leaves a message, but the voicemail system stays active and messages will still be stored.
If you want to remove the voicemail tab from the Phone app entirely, go to Settings > Phone > Voicemail and toggle off Show Voicemail Tab. This hides the voicemail section but does not disable the service with your carrier. Callers can still leave messages; you just won't see them in the Phone app.
To actually disable voicemail so callers cannot leave messages, you must contact your carrier. Your phone's settings control only how notifications appear on your device, not whether your carrier's voicemail system is active.
Turning off voicemail notifications on Android
Android voicemail settings vary by phone manufacturer and carrier, but the general path is Phone app > Settings > Voicemail. Look for an option to disable notifications or turn off voicemail alerts. Some phones call this Voicemail Notifications or Notification Settings. Toggle it off to stop receiving alerts when messages arrive.
If your phone uses Google Voice, open the Google Voice app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings > Notifications, and turn off voicemail alerts there. If you use your carrier's voicemail app (like Verizon Voicemail, AT&T Phone, or T-Mobile Voicemail), open that app and look for notification settings within it.
Like iPhone, turning off notifications does not disable voicemail with your carrier. To stop callers from leaving messages entirely, you need to contact your carrier directly through their website, app, or phone support.
Disabling voicemail completely through your carrier
To fully disable voicemail so callers hear a busy signal or are sent to another service, contact your carrier. Most carriers offer this through their customer portal or app without requiring a phone call. Log into your account on your carrier's website or app, find the voicemail or call settings section, and look for an option to disable voicemail service.
If your carrier does not offer this online, call their customer support line. You'll find the number on your bill or on your carrier's website. Tell them you want to disable voicemail service entirely. Some carriers may ask why or offer alternatives like visual voicemail or call forwarding to another number.
When you disable voicemail, callers typically hear a message saying the voicemail box is full or unavailable, and the call may drop or forward to another service depending on your carrier's setup. Some carriers let you choose what happens — for example, forwarding calls to a text-based service or to another phone number instead.
What happens to existing voicemail messages
Disabling voicemail notifications does not delete messages you've already received. They remain stored in your voicemail box until you delete them manually. Open your voicemail, select old messages, and delete them one by one or in bulk if your phone allows it.
If you disable voicemail service entirely through your carrier, your existing messages may be deleted automatically after a set period — usually 30 days, though this varies by carrier. Some carriers let you download or export messages before you disable the service. If you want to keep any messages, save or transcribe them before you contact your carrier to disable voicemail.
Using alternatives to voicemail
Instead of disabling voicemail completely, you can redirect calls to a text-based service. Google Voice transcribes voicemail messages to text and sends them to your email or phone. You can set it up to handle calls from certain contacts or to be your primary voicemail system. YouMail and HulloMail offer similar services with customizable greetings and spam filtering.
Another option is call forwarding. Set your phone to forward calls to another number — a work phone, a family member, or a business line — instead of sending them to voicemail. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding on iPhone, or Phone app > Settings > Call Forwarding on Android, and enter the number where you want calls to go.
You can also use Do Not Disturb mode to silence calls from unknown numbers while allowing calls from your contacts through. This does not disable voicemail, but it reduces unwanted calls reaching your voicemail box in the first place.
Carrier-specific voicemail settings
Verizon lets you manage voicemail through My Verizon online or the My Verizon app. Log in, go to Account > Phone Settings > Voicemail, and choose your options. You can disable voicemail, change your greeting, or set up call forwarding.
AT&T offers voicemail management through the AT&T Mobile app or at att.com. Sign in to your account, find Voicemail Settings, and toggle voicemail on or off. AT&T also lets you set up Visual Voicemail, which shows transcripts of messages instead of requiring you to listen to them.
T-Mobile customers can manage voicemail through the T-Mobile app or by calling 611 from their phone. Google Fi uses Google Voice for voicemail by default, and you can manage it through the Google Voice app or at voice.google.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling voicemail notifications delete my messages?
No. Turning off notifications in your phone's settings only stops alerts from appearing — your messages stay in your voicemail box. If you disable voicemail service entirely through your carrier, messages may be deleted after 30 days depending on your carrier's policy. Delete messages manually before disabling the service if you want to keep them.
Can I disable voicemail for certain contacts only?
Your phone's voicemail system does not have a per-contact disable option. However, you can use Do Not Disturb mode to silence calls from unknown numbers, or use a third-party app like Google Voice to set custom greetings and rules for different callers.
What happens when someone calls if I disable voicemail?
Callers typically hear a message saying the voicemail box is unavailable or full. The call may drop, or your carrier may forward it to another service or phone number if you've set that up. Ask your carrier what the default behavior is before you disable voicemail.
Can I re-enable voicemail after disabling it?
Yes. Contact your carrier through their website, app, or phone support and request to turn voicemail back on. It usually takes a few minutes to activate, though some carriers may take up to 24 hours to process the change.
Does turning off voicemail stop spam calls from leaving messages?
Disabling voicemail prevents anyone from leaving messages, including spam callers. If you want to keep voicemail but reduce spam messages, use a spam-filtering app or your carrier's spam protection service instead of disabling voicemail entirely.