Visual voicemail takes up storage and shows messages you may not want to keep
Visual voicemail is a feature that displays your voicemails as a list on your phone instead of making you call a number to hear them. You can delete individual messages, clear all messages at once, or remove the app entirely depending on your phone and carrier. The steps differ between iPhone and Android, and some carriers let you turn off the feature while others require you to delete messages manually.
Deleting voicemails frees up phone storage and removes a record of calls you received. If you use visual voicemail through your carrier (like AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile), the messages are usually stored on their servers, not just your phone, so deleting them locally may not remove them everywhere.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, select a message, and tap Delete or swipe left to remove it.
- On Android, the steps depend on your carrier's app — most let you long-press a message and select Delete from the menu.
- Deleting a voicemail from your phone does not always delete it from your carrier's server, so check your carrier's website if you need permanent removal.
- You can disable visual voicemail on most phones by turning off the feature in settings or uninstalling the carrier's app, though this may revert you to traditional voicemail.
Delete voicemails one at a time on iPhone
Open the Phone app and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right. You will see a list of all your voicemails with the caller's name or number, the date, and a duration. Tap the voicemail you want to delete.
Once the message opens, look for the Delete button — it is usually a trash icon or the word "Delete" at the bottom of the screen. Tap it. The message disappears from your list. You can also swipe left on a voicemail in the list view and tap the red Delete button that appears without opening the message first.
If you want to keep a voicemail but mark it as old so it does not show as new, tap the message and look for a Mark as Read or similar option. This keeps the message but removes the notification badge.
Delete voicemails one at a time on Android
The process depends on which voicemail app your phone uses. Most Android phones come with Google Voice, your carrier's app (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile), or a third-party app like YouMail.
For Google Voice: Open the Google Voice app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select Voicemail. Long-press the message you want to delete and tap Delete from the menu that appears.
For carrier apps (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile): Open the app, find your voicemail list, long-press the message, and select Delete. Some carrier apps show a trash icon you can tap instead.
For other apps: Look for a delete icon (usually a trash can) next to each message, or long-press the message to see options. If you are unsure which app you use, check your phone's app drawer or ask your carrier.
Delete all voicemails at once
On iPhone, there is no built-in "delete all" button, so you must delete messages one by one or use a workaround. Open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, and swipe left on each message to delete it quickly. If you have many messages, this takes time but is the only option without third-party tools.
On Android with Google Voice, open the app, tap the menu, select Voicemail, and look for a select-all or bulk delete option. Not all versions have this feature, so if you do not see it, delete messages individually by long-pressing each one.
On Android with a carrier app, check the app's settings or menu for a delete-all option. If none exists, you may need to delete messages one by one or contact your carrier to clear them from their server.
Turn off visual voicemail or uninstall the app
If you do not want to use visual voicemail at all, you can disable it on most phones. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, scroll down to Voicemail, and toggle off Visual Voicemail. Your phone will revert to traditional voicemail, where you call a number to hear messages.
On Android, the option depends on your carrier. Open your carrier's voicemail app, look for Settings or Preferences, and find an option to disable visual voicemail or switch to standard voicemail. If you cannot find it in the app, contact your carrier — some require a phone call to turn off the feature.
You can also uninstall a carrier's voicemail app by long-pressing it on your home screen and selecting Uninstall or Remove. Be aware that uninstalling may break voicemail entirely until you reinstall it or contact your carrier to restore the default system.
Delete voicemails from your carrier's server
When you delete a voicemail from your phone, it usually stays on your carrier's server for a set period — often 30 days or longer. To permanently remove it, you may need to delete it through your carrier's website or account portal.
Log into your carrier's website (Verizon.com, AT&T.com, T-Mobile.com) and look for a voicemail or messages section. Some carriers let you view and delete voicemails there. If you cannot find the option online, call your carrier's customer service and ask them to delete specific voicemails from your account.
Keep in mind that once a voicemail is deleted from the carrier's server, it cannot be recovered. If you think you might need a message later, save it to your phone's voice memo app or take a screenshot of the transcript first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a voicemail from my phone delete it from my carrier?
No. Deleting from your phone removes it from your device, but your carrier usually keeps a copy on their server for 30 to 90 days. To permanently remove it, you must delete it through your carrier's website or call them to request removal.
Can I recover a voicemail after I delete it?
If you deleted it from your phone only, you may be able to recover it from your carrier's server within the retention period — usually 30 days. Contact your carrier and ask if they can restore it. Once deleted from the carrier's server, recovery is not possible.
What happens if I turn off visual voicemail?
Your phone switches to traditional voicemail, where you dial a number (usually *86 or 123) to listen to messages. You lose the ability to see a list of voicemails and read transcripts, but your voicemail service continues to work.
Why does my Android phone not show a voicemail app?
Some Android phones do not come with a voicemail app pre-installed. Check your carrier's website to see if they offer one, or use Google Voice as an alternative. You may need to read the app from the Google Play Store.
Can I delete voicemails from someone specific?
Yes. In both iPhone and Android, you can delete individual voicemails by selecting them from your list. There is no filter to hide all messages from one person, but you can delete them one by one as they arrive or in bulk by going through your voicemail list.