Deleting voicemail is different on every phone, but the basic steps are the same: open your voicemail app or dial into your voicemail system, find the message you want to remove, and select delete

The exact location of the delete button depends on whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, or a landline with voicemail through your phone company. Some phones let you delete messages directly from the app on your home screen. Others require you to call your voicemail inbox by dialing a code — usually *86 or *98 — and follow voice prompts to delete one message at a time. A few phones offer both options.

The reason for these differences is that voicemail lives in two places at once: a copy on your phone's app, and the original stored on your phone company's servers. Deleting from the app removes what you see, but the message might still exist in the system until you delete it there too. This guide covers the main phone types and shows you where to find the delete option on each one.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone users can delete voicemail directly from the Phone app by swiping left on a message and tapping the trash icon.
  • Android users open the Google Phone app or their carrier's voicemail app, tap and hold a message, then select delete from the menu that appears.
  • Deleting from your phone's app removes the message from your screen but may not remove it from your carrier's servers — call your voicemail system to delete it there too if you want it completely gone.
  • If you cannot find a delete option in your app, you can call your voicemail inbox by dialing *86 or *98 and following the voice prompts to delete messages one at a time.
  • Some carriers let you delete messages through their website or customer portal instead of using the phone app.

Deleting voicemail on iPhone

Open the Phone app on your home screen and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right. You will see a list of all your voicemail messages with the most recent at the top. Find the message you want to delete and swipe your finger from right to left across it. A red trash icon will appear on the right side of the message.

Tap the trash icon and the message is deleted from your phone when ready. The message is now gone from your screen, but it may still exist on Apple's servers or your carrier's servers for a short time. If you want to make sure it is completely removed, you can also delete it from your carrier's voicemail system by calling your voicemail inbox — dial *86 or *98, depending on your carrier — and following the voice prompts.

If you have multiple messages to delete, you can tap Edit in the upper left corner of the Voicemail tab. This lets you select several messages at once by tapping the circle next to each one, then tap Delete in the lower right corner to remove them all together.

Deleting voicemail on Android

The steps depend on which voicemail app your phone uses. Most newer Android phones come with Google Phone, which has a built-in voicemail tab. Open Google Phone and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom. You will see your list of messages. Tap and hold on the message you want to delete until it is highlighted, then tap the trash icon that appears at the top of the screen.

Some carriers — like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile — have their own voicemail apps instead of using Google Phone. If you see a separate app called Voicemail, Visual Voicemail, or your carrier's name, open that app instead. The delete process is similar: tap and hold the message, then look for a delete or trash icon in the menu that appears. The exact location of the icon depends on your carrier's app design.

Like iPhone, deleting from the app removes the message from your phone but may not remove it from your carrier's system. To delete it completely, call your voicemail inbox by dialing *86 or *98 and follow the voice prompts to delete the message from the server.

Deleting voicemail through your carrier's website

Many phone carriers let you manage voicemail through their website or customer app instead of using your phone. Log into your account on your carrier's website — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and most regional carriers all offer this option. Look for a section called Voicemail, Messages, or Visual Voicemail.

Once you find your voicemail inbox online, you will see a list of messages with dates and caller information. Click or tap on the message you want to delete, and a delete button or trash icon will appear. Click it to remove the message from your account. Deleting through the website removes the message from your carrier's servers, so it is completely gone — you do not need to delete it again from your phone.

This method is useful if you want to delete many messages at once, because most websites let you select multiple messages with checkboxes and delete them together, rather than one at a time through your phone.

Deleting voicemail by calling your voicemail system

If you cannot find a delete option in your phone's app, or if you want to delete messages from your carrier's system directly, you can call your voicemail inbox. Dial *86 or *98 from your phone — *86 works on most carriers, but some use *98 instead. You will hear a voice prompt asking for your voicemail password.

Enter your password using the number pad on your phone. The system will then play your messages one at a time, starting with the oldest. After each message plays, the system will give you options: press 1 to save, press 2 to delete, press 3 to replay, or press 4 to skip to the next message. Press 2 to delete the message you just heard. The message is when ready removed from your carrier's system.

This method is slower if you have many messages, because you must listen to each one or skip through it before you can delete it. But it is the most reliable way to make sure a message is completely removed from your carrier's servers, not just from your phone.

What happens when you delete a voicemail

When you delete a message from your phone's app, your phone stops showing it to you, but the message may still exist on your carrier's servers. Your carrier typically keeps deleted messages for a short time — usually 30 to 90 days — before permanently removing them. During that time, your carrier can recover the message if you change your mind, but you cannot access it from your phone.

When you delete a message by calling your voicemail system or through your carrier's website, the message is removed from the carrier's servers more quickly, usually within hours. This is the most complete way to delete a voicemail if you want to make sure it is gone.

Some carriers let you recover deleted messages within a certain window of time. If you accidentally delete a message and want it back, contact your carrier's customer service as soon as possible — the sooner you call, the better your chances of recovery.

Deleting old voicemail messages in bulk

If you have many old messages you want to remove at once, the fastest method depends on your phone type. On iPhone, open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, tap Edit, then tap the circle next to each message you want to delete. Tap Delete in the lower right corner to remove them all together. On Android, the process is similar: open your voicemail app, tap and hold the first message, then tap the circles next to other messages to select multiple ones, and tap the trash icon.

If your phone's app does not support selecting multiple messages, use your carrier's website instead. Log into your account, select all the messages you want to delete using checkboxes, and click the delete button once. This is much faster than deleting one message at a time through your phone.

Another option is to call your voicemail system and press 2 to delete each message as it plays. You can speed this up by pressing 4 to skip to the next message without listening to it, then press 2 to delete it. This method takes longer but works on any phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a voicemail message after I delete it?

Yes, but only within a limited time. Most carriers keep deleted messages for 30 to 90 days before permanently removing them. Contact your carrier's customer service when ready and explain which message you deleted. They may be able to restore it, but the sooner you call, the better your chances.

Why do I see the same voicemail on both my phone and my carrier's website?

Your phone and your carrier's servers store separate copies of the same message. Deleting it from your phone's app does not delete it from the carrier's system, and vice versa. To completely remove a message, delete it from both places — your phone app and your carrier's website or voicemail system.

What does it mean when a voicemail says "saved" instead of "new"?

A saved voicemail is one you have already listened to but chose to keep instead of deleting. Your phone marks it as saved so you know you have heard it before. Saved messages take up space on your carrier's servers just like new messages do, so deleting old saved messages can help free up space in your voicemail inbox.

Is there a way to automatically delete old voicemail messages?

Most phone carriers do not offer automatic deletion of voicemail messages. You must delete them manually through your phone app, your carrier's website, or by calling your voicemail system. Some carriers have a storage limit — usually 20 to 100 messages — and will stop accepting new voicemail once you reach it, so deleting old messages regularly helps prevent this.

What if I forgot my voicemail password?

Contact your carrier's customer service and ask them to reset your voicemail password. You will need to verify your identity by providing your account number, phone number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Once your password is reset, you can call your voicemail system and delete messages using the voice prompts.