Disabling voicemail depends on your phone type and carrier
The steps to disable voicemail differ between iPhone, Android, and your carrier. iPhones let you disable voicemail through the Phone app settings. Android phones usually require you to contact your carrier directly, since the voicemail system lives on their network, not your device. Some carriers also let you disable it through their website or customer service line.
Before you disable voicemail, understand what happens: callers will hear a message saying your voicemail is not set up, and they cannot leave a message. If you want callers to reach you but not leave messages, disabling voicemail is the right choice. If you want to keep voicemail but stop hearing notifications, that is a different setting covered below.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users can disable voicemail in the Phone app by going to Voicemail, tapping Edit, and removing the voicemail account.
- Android users must contact their carrier to disable voicemail, since the system is managed on the carrier's network, not the phone itself.
- Disabling voicemail means callers cannot leave messages; they will hear a message that voicemail is not available.
- If you want to keep voicemail but silence notifications, turn off voicemail notifications in your phone's notification settings instead of disabling the service entirely.
Disabling voicemail on iPhone
Open the Phone app and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right. You will see a list of voicemail messages if you have any. Tap Edit in the upper left corner. This reveals a red minus sign next to your voicemail account.
Tap the red minus sign, then tap Delete. The voicemail account is now removed from your phone. Callers will no longer be able to leave voicemail messages. If you change your mind later, you can set up voicemail again by going back to the Voicemail tab and following the setup prompts.
Disabling voicemail on Android
Android phones do not have a built-in voicemail disable option because voicemail is managed by your carrier's network, not your phone. You must contact your carrier directly to turn off the service. Call your carrier's customer service number (usually on your bill or their website), tell them you want to disable voicemail, and they will do it on their end.
Some carriers let you disable voicemail through their website or mobile app. Log into your carrier account online, look for voicemail or call settings, and see if a disable option appears. If you cannot find it, calling customer service is the fastest route. The process takes a few minutes and requires no technical knowledge on your part.
Turning off voicemail notifications instead of disabling voicemail
If you want to keep voicemail but stop getting notifications when someone leaves a message, you do not need to disable the service. You can silence notifications while keeping voicemail active. This is useful if you check voicemail rarely but want the option available.
On iPhone, go to Settings, tap Notifications, scroll down to Phone, and turn off the toggle next to Voicemail. On Android, open your carrier's voicemail app (such as Google Voice or your carrier's branded app), tap Settings, and look for notification options. Turn off notifications for new voicemail messages. You will still receive voicemail, but your phone will not alert you.
What happens after you disable voicemail
Once voicemail is disabled, callers who reach your voicemail box will hear a message saying voicemail is not available. They cannot leave a message. Some callers may hang up; others may try calling back later. Your phone will still ring normally when someone calls you.
If you have voicemail messages saved before disabling the service, listen to them and save any important information before you proceed. Once you disable voicemail, those messages may become inaccessible depending on your carrier and phone type.
Re-enabling voicemail if you change your mind
On iPhone, open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, and tap Set Up Now. Follow the prompts to create a new voicemail greeting and password. On Android, call your carrier and ask them to turn voicemail back on. They can usually do this in one call.
Re-enabling takes just a few minutes. Your old voicemail messages may or may not be recoverable depending on how long ago you disabled the service and your carrier's policies. If you need to retrieve old messages, ask your carrier before you re-enable voicemail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will people know my voicemail is disabled?
Yes. When callers reach your voicemail box, they will hear a message saying voicemail is not set up. Some callers may assume your phone is full or broken, so if you disable voicemail, you may want to tell people who contact you regularly.
Can I disable voicemail on just one phone line?
If you have multiple phone lines through your carrier, you can disable voicemail on one line while keeping it on another. Contact your carrier and specify which phone number you want voicemail disabled on. They will make the change on their end.
Does disabling voicemail save money on my phone bill?
Voicemail is usually included in your plan at no extra cost, so disabling it will not lower your bill. If your carrier charges separately for voicemail, disabling it may remove that charge, but this is rare. Check your bill or ask your carrier if voicemail is a separate line item.
What if my carrier does not let me disable voicemail?
Some carriers do not allow customers to fully disable voicemail. In that case, turning off notifications (so you do not hear alerts) is the closest option. You can also set a voicemail greeting that discourages people from leaving messages, such as "I do not check voicemail regularly."