The fastest way to listen to your voicemail
On a Verizon phone, press and hold the 1 key from your home screen. Your phone will dial your voicemail box automatically. When prompted, enter your voicemail password — the same PIN you set up when you first activated voicemail on your account. You'll then hear your messages in the order they arrived.
If you're calling from another phone, dial your own Verizon number and wait for the greeting to finish. Press the asterisk (*) key when you hear it, then enter your voicemail password. This works whether you're borrowing someone else's phone or calling from a landline.
Both methods connect you to Verizon's voicemail system directly, so there's no app to read or website to log into. The call is included in your plan's minutes, though most plans treat voicemail calls as local.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold 1 on your Verizon phone to reach voicemail; from another phone, dial your own number and press * when the greeting ends.
- You'll need your voicemail password, which you created when you first set up voicemail on your account.
- Verizon also offers a web portal and mobile app where you can listen to voicemail, read transcripts, and manage settings without calling in.
- Change your voicemail password regularly and avoid using straightforward-to-guess numbers like your birth year or sequential digits.
Accessing voicemail through the Verizon app or website
If you prefer not to call in, you can listen to voicemail through the My Verizon app on your phone or at verizon.com on a computer. Open the app or website, sign in with your Verizon account username and password, and look for the voicemail section — usually under "Messages" or "Account".
The app shows your voicemail messages in a list with the caller's number or name, the date and time, and how long the message is. You can play any message by tapping it, skip ahead or rewind within a message, and delete messages you no longer need. Some messages will have a transcript below them, which Verizon generates automatically — these transcripts are helpful for quick scanning but not always word-perfect.
Using the app or website is especially useful if you're in a place where you can't make a phone call, or if you want to save a message without deleting it. You can also manage your voicemail greeting and settings from the same place.
Setting up or resetting your voicemail password
When you first set up voicemail on a Verizon line, the system assigns you a temporary password — usually the last four digits of your phone number. You should change this when ready to something only you know, especially since that default password is straightforward for someone else to guess.
To change your password, call your voicemail box (press and hold 1), listen to the menu options, and select the option to change your password or settings. The system will ask you to enter your current password, then prompt you to create a new one. Your new password must be at least 6 digits long and cannot contain only the same digit repeated (so 111111 won't work, but 112233 will).
If you've forgotten your password entirely, you can reset it through the My Verizon app or website. Sign in to your account, go to the voicemail settings section, and select "Reset Password" or "Forgot Password". Verizon will send a verification code to the phone number or email on file, and you can create a new password once you verify your identity.
What to do if you can't access your voicemail
If you press and hold 1 and nothing happens, your voicemail may not be activated on your account. Call Verizon customer service at 611 from your Verizon phone, or 1-908-559-4899 from any phone, and ask them to set up voicemail for you. set up is usually free and takes just a few minutes.
If voicemail is activated but you're getting an error message or can't hear your messages, try these steps: first, hang up and wait 30 seconds, then press and hold 1 again. If that doesn't work, restart your phone and try once more. If you're using the app and messages won't load, sign out of the app completely, close it, and sign back in.
If none of these steps work, contact Verizon support. They can check whether your voicemail box is working properly, reset it on their end, or troubleshoot any technical issues preventing you from accessing messages. Have your phone number and account PIN ready when you call.
Protecting your voicemail from unauthorized access
Your voicemail password is the only thing standing between someone and your messages. A weak password — especially the default one Verizon assigns — makes it straightforward for someone to call in, guess your PIN, and listen to everything in your box. This is particularly risky if your voicemail contains sensitive information like bank account numbers, medical details, or passwords people have left for you.
Create a password that's at least 8 digits long and mixes numbers in a way that's not obvious — avoid birthdays, anniversaries, or sequential numbers like 123456. Don't share your password with anyone, and don't write it down where someone could find it. Change your password every few months, especially if you've given it to someone who no longer needs access.
If you suspect someone has accessed your voicemail without permission, change your password when ready and listen through your recent messages to see if anything is missing or if you notice calls you don't recognize. If you find evidence of unauthorized access, contact Verizon to report it and ask them to review your account activity.
Managing your voicemail greeting and settings
Your voicemail greeting is what callers hear when they reach your box. You can record a custom greeting so people know it's your number, or use Verizon's default greeting. To record or change your greeting, press and hold 1 to call voicemail, then select the option for "Greetings" or "Personal Options" from the menu. Follow the prompts to record a new greeting or listen to your current one.
You can also set up separate greetings for different situations — some Verizon accounts allow a "busy" greeting (when you're on the phone) and an "unavailable" greeting (when you're away). Check your voicemail menu to see what options are available on your account.
From the My Verizon app or website, you can also adjust settings like how many rings before voicemail picks up, whether to receive notifications when you get a new message, and whether to have transcripts sent to your email. These settings let you customize how voicemail works for your routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I listen to my Verizon voicemail from a different phone?
Yes. Dial your own Verizon phone number from any phone, wait for your greeting to finish, then press the asterisk (*) key. Enter your voicemail password when prompted. You'll have full access to all your messages just as if you were calling from your own phone.
What if I forget my voicemail password?
You can reset it through the My Verizon app or website by signing in to your account and selecting the password reset option. Verizon will send a verification code to your phone or email. If you don't have access to those, call Verizon customer service at 611 from your phone and they can help you reset it after verifying your identity.
Does Verizon charge for voicemail?
Voicemail is included with most Verizon plans at no extra cost. Calling your voicemail box uses your plan's minutes, but most plans treat these calls as local. Check your plan details or contact Verizon if you're unsure whether voicemail is included on your account.
Can I delete a voicemail message permanently?
Yes. When you're listening to a message by calling in, you can press 7 to delete it. In the My Verizon app, tap the message and select the delete option. Deleted messages are removed from your voicemail box and cannot be recovered, so make sure you don't need them before deleting.
How long does Verizon keep voicemail messages?
Verizon typically stores voicemail messages for 30 days. After that, they're automatically deleted. If you need to keep a message longer, save it by not deleting it, or take a note of the information in it before the 30 days are up.