Set Up Basic Voicemail
This method works on every Android phone regardless of carrier or manufacturer.
- Open the Phone app.
- Press and hold the “1” key on the dialer. This speed-dials your voicemail.
- If this is your first time, the system prompts you to create a voicemail PIN. Enter a 4 to 7 digit PIN and confirm it.
- Follow the voice prompts to record your personal greeting.
- Your voicemail is set up. Callers who reach your voicemail will hear your greeting.
If pressing and holding “1” doesn’t work, your carrier’s voicemail number might not be configured. Go to Phone app settings (tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Voicemail) and enter the voicemail number manually. Common voicemail numbers: T-Mobile uses *86, AT&T uses *86, Verizon uses *86, and most other carriers use *86 as well.
Set Up Visual Voicemail
Visual voicemail shows a list of your voicemail messages with caller info, timestamps, and often a transcription – no need to dial in and listen to messages one by one.
Visual Voicemail on Samsung Galaxy
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom (it may say “Voicemail” or show a voicemail icon).
- If prompted, set up visual voicemail by following the on-screen instructions.
- Your voicemail messages appear in a list. Tap any message to play it.
Samsung phones on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon come with visual voicemail pre-configured. If the Voicemail tab doesn’t appear, your carrier may not include visual voicemail with your plan, or you may need to download your carrier’s visual voicemail app from the Play Store.
Visual Voicemail on Google Pixel
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the Voicemail tab.
- Visual voicemail activates automatically on supported carriers (T-Mobile, Google Fi, and most major carriers).
- Messages appear in a list with transcriptions when available.
Pixel phones on Google Fi have particularly good voicemail transcription. The transcription uses Google’s speech recognition and is usually accurate enough to read instead of listening to the message.
Set Up Voicemail by Carrier
| Carrier | Voicemail Number | Visual Voicemail |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | *86 or 1-805-637-7249 | Included free; built into Phone app |
| AT&T | *86 | Free basic; AT&T Visual Voicemail app |
| Verizon | *86 | Included free; built into Phone app |
| Cricket | *86 | Cricket Visual Voicemail app (free) |
| Mint Mobile | *86 | Built into Phone app on supported phones |
| Google Fi | *86 | Built into Phone app with transcription |
Record a Custom Greeting
- Dial your voicemail (press and hold “1” or dial *86).
- Enter your PIN when prompted.
- Listen for the menu options. Select “Personal Options” or “Greeting” (the menu varies by carrier – common prompts are pressing 4 for personal options, then 1 for greeting).
- Choose “Record greeting” and speak your message after the tone.
- Listen to the playback. Re-record if needed, or save it.
Keep your greeting short – 10 to 15 seconds is ideal. State your name and ask the caller to leave a message. Avoid including your phone number in the greeting since the caller already knows it.
Change Your Voicemail PIN
- Dial your voicemail (*86 or hold “1”).
- Enter your current PIN.
- Navigate to Personal Options or Settings (menu number varies by carrier).
- Select “Change PIN” or “Change password.”
- Enter your new PIN and confirm it.
If you’ve forgotten your PIN, call your carrier’s customer service line. They can reset it. Some carriers also let you reset the voicemail PIN through their app or website under account settings.
Our guide on how to check WiFi router history on Android goes into more detail if you need it.
Check Voicemail Messages
Visual voicemail: Open the Phone app and tap the Voicemail tab. Tap any message to play it. Swipe to delete messages you’ve listened to.
Traditional voicemail: Press and hold “1” to dial voicemail. Enter your PIN. New messages play automatically. Press the prompted number to save, delete, or replay messages.
Notification: When a new voicemail arrives, you see a voicemail icon in the notification bar. Pull down the notification shade and tap the voicemail notification to listen.
Voicemail to Text (Transcription)
Many carriers and phone manufacturers now offer voicemail transcription that converts the audio message to text. You can read the message instead of listening to it.
Google Pixel: Transcription is built into the Phone app’s visual voicemail. Tap any message to see the transcript below the playback controls.
Samsung Galaxy: Transcription availability depends on your carrier. T-Mobile and Verizon include it with visual voicemail on Samsung phones.
We also wrote a hands-on guide on how to block a number on Android that you might find useful.
Third-party apps: YouMail (free) and Google Voice (free) both provide voicemail transcription regardless of your carrier. They replace your carrier’s voicemail with their own system and send transcriptions via notification or email.
Troubleshooting
Voicemail not set up after following the steps. Restart your phone and try again. Some carriers require a network refresh before voicemail activates. On some phones, you can trigger a network refresh in Settings, then About Phone, then “Update Profile” or “Update PRL.”
Calls go straight to voicemail. This means incoming calls aren’t ringing your phone. Check that Do Not Disturb is off, Airplane Mode is off, and you have cell signal. Call forwarding settings can also send calls directly to voicemail – dial ##002# to cancel all call forwarding on most carriers.
Voicemail notification won’t go away. This is a common Android bug. Try dialing your voicemail and listening to (then deleting) all messages, including saved ones. If the notification persists, clear the Phone app’s cache (Settings, then Apps, then Phone, then Storage, then Clear Cache) and restart your phone.
Is voicemail free?
Basic voicemail is included with virtually all cell phone plans at no extra charge. Visual voicemail is also free on most major carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T). Some carriers charge $3 to $5/month for premium visual voicemail features like extended message storage or voicemail-to-text transcription.
How many messages can voicemail store?
Most carriers store 20 to 40 voicemail messages. Saved messages count against the limit. Once the mailbox is full, new callers hear a “mailbox is full” message and can’t leave new voicemails. Delete old messages regularly to keep space available.
Can I access voicemail from another phone?
Yes. Call your own phone number from any other phone. When your voicemail greeting plays, press the star (*) or pound (#) key (varies by carrier). Enter your voicemail PIN to access messages remotely. This is useful when your phone is lost or dead.
Sources
T-Mobile – Set Up Voicemail | Google – Visual Voicemail
