You can disable voicemail on iPhone by turning off the visual voicemail feature or by contacting your carrier to remove voicemail service entirely
Visual voicemail — the feature that shows your voicemails as a list you can tap through — is what most people mean when they say they want to disable voicemail. You can turn this off in your iPhone settings without calling your carrier. If you want voicemail removed completely so callers cannot leave messages at all, you will need to contact your phone company, because voicemail is a carrier service, not just an iPhone feature.
The difference matters: turning off visual voicemail means calls still go to voicemail, but you will not see a list of messages in the Phone app. Removing voicemail entirely means callers hear a message that voicemail is not available and the call ends. Most people choose to disable visual voicemail only, because it keeps a safety net for important calls while removing the notifications that annoy them.
Key Takeaways
- Visual voicemail is turned off in Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID, then toggle off "Voicemail" — this stops the list from appearing in your Phone app but does not remove the service.
- Disabling visual voicemail does not prevent callers from leaving messages; it only hides them from your iPhone's interface.
- To remove voicemail entirely so callers cannot leave messages, you must call your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or your MVNO) and request voicemail removal.
- Some carriers charge a small monthly fee to keep voicemail active, so removing it may lower your bill slightly.
- If you disable visual voicemail and later want it back, you can re-enable it in the same settings menu.
How to turn off visual voicemail in settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Phone. Scroll down until you see Voicemail and tap it. You will see a toggle next to "Voicemail" — tap it to turn the feature off. The toggle will turn gray, meaning visual voicemail is now disabled.
After you disable it, the voicemail tab will disappear from the Phone app. Callers can still leave messages, but you will not see them listed in your phone. If someone leaves a voicemail, you may still receive a notification, depending on your carrier and iOS version. The messages themselves are stored on your carrier's server, not on your phone.
If you change your mind later, you can turn visual voicemail back on by returning to Settings > Phone > Voicemail and toggling it on again. Your old voicemails will reappear in the list once the feature is re-enabled.
What happens to voicemails after you disable visual voicemail
Disabling visual voicemail does not delete any existing messages. They remain stored on your carrier's voicemail server. You can still retrieve them by calling your voicemail number — usually by pressing and holding the 1 key on your phone's keypad — and listening through the automated system. This is the old-fashioned way of checking voicemail, before visual voicemail existed.
Some carriers send text message notifications when someone leaves a voicemail, even if visual voicemail is off. You can usually disable these texts separately in your carrier's settings or by texting a code to your carrier. Check your carrier's website or call their customer service to find out how to turn off voicemail notifications for your specific plan.
How to remove voicemail entirely through your carrier
If you want callers to be unable to leave voicemail at all, you need to contact your carrier directly. Call the customer service number on the back of your SIM card or on your carrier's website. Tell them you want to remove voicemail service from your account. They will disable it on their end, and callers will hear a message that voicemail is not available.
The process takes a few minutes on the phone, and the change usually takes effect within an hour. Some carriers may ask why you want to remove it or offer you a discount to keep it, but you can decline. If your carrier charges a monthly fee for voicemail (some do, though many include it free), removing it may lower your bill by a dollar or two.
Major carriers handle this differently: AT&T uses the code *71 to disable call forwarding to voicemail, Verizon may require a phone call to customer service, and T-Mobile can disable it through their app or website. If you use an MVNO (a smaller carrier that runs on another company's network, like Mint Mobile or Visible), contact your MVNO's customer service, not the underlying network.
Why you might want to disable voicemail instead of removing it
Most people disable visual voicemail rather than removing it entirely because they want a backup. If your phone dies, your battery runs out, or you miss a call, the person can still leave a message. You can retrieve it later by calling your voicemail number, even if visual voicemail is off. This is especially useful for work calls or family emergencies.
Disabling visual voicemail also stops the notifications that pop up when someone leaves a message. If you find voicemail notifications distracting but still want the safety net, turning off visual voicemail in settings is the fastest solution. You keep the service without the constant reminders.
Turning off voicemail notifications without disabling the feature
If you want to keep voicemail but stop seeing notifications, you have another option. Go to Settings > Notifications > Phone and scroll down to find voicemail-related notifications. You can turn off badges (the red number on the Phone app icon), sounds, and banners. This keeps visual voicemail active but silences the alerts.
You can also customize notifications per contact. If certain people's voicemails matter more to you, you can set their notifications to stay on while muting others. This gives you control without removing the feature entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling visual voicemail delete my old messages?
No. Your voicemails stay on your carrier's server. Disabling visual voicemail just hides them from the Phone app. You can still listen to them by calling your voicemail number, and you can re-enable visual voicemail anytime to see the list again.
Can I disable voicemail for just one contact?
Not directly. You cannot block voicemail for a specific person. However, you can block that contact entirely in the Phone app, which prevents them from calling or leaving messages. Go to Contacts, find the person, tap Edit, and scroll down to Block This Caller.
Does my carrier charge extra to remove voicemail?
Most carriers include voicemail free with your plan, so removing it will not cost anything. Some older plans or business accounts may have a small monthly charge for voicemail, in which case removing it could save you money. Call your carrier to ask if voicemail is charged separately on your account.
What if I remove voicemail and then want it back?
Call your carrier and ask them to re-enable voicemail service. The process is quick and usually takes effect within an hour. You can also re-enable visual voicemail in settings if you had only disabled that feature instead of removing the service entirely.
Will people know I have voicemail disabled?
If you disable visual voicemail only, callers will not know — they can still leave messages normally. If you remove voicemail entirely, callers will hear a message saying voicemail is not available. They will know the service is off, but they will not know why.