Voicemail is one of those iPhone features that you don’t really think about - until you need it.
When you’re busy with work or just really need a break from constant phone calls, voicemail is the best way of making sure you never miss a message. But just like anything else on your phone, it’s important to keep it updated. Especially if it's a jokey message that you’ve now grown out of.
The good news is that changing your voicemail on an iPhone is easy. In just a few simple steps, you can record a personalised greeting that gives callers the right impression of you. Here’s what you need to do…
Accessing your voicemail settings
The first step in updating your voicemail is to access the voicemail settings on your iPhone. This part is pretty straightforward:
Open the Phone app. Start by tapping on the Phone app, which is usually located on your home screen or in your app drawer. This is where you normally make calls, but it’s also the hub for managing voicemails.
Tap the voicemail tab. At the bottom right of the screen, you’ll see a button called Voicemail. Tap on this, and you’ll be taken to your voicemail inbox.
Set up or manage your voicemail. If you’ve never set up voicemail before, you might see a prompt asking you to set it up now. If you’re just editing your existing voicemail, you’ll see a list of saved messages. You should also see an option at the top of the screen that says Greeting. Tap on it.
Right – you’ve now accessed voicemail settings. Now that you're in the right place, let’s move on to actually recording your voicemail greeting.
Recording a custom voicemail greeting
The great thing about iPhone voicemail is that it gives you the flexibility to create a custom greeting that fits your personality. Here’s how easy it is to record and save your message:
Tap ‘Custom’. Once you’re in the voicemail section and have tapped the Greeting button, you’ll see a screen with two options: Default and Custom. Tap on Custom to record your personalised message.
Record your greeting. After tapping Custom, a recording screen will appear with a big Record button in the centre. When you’re ready, press Record, and speak clearly into the microphone of your iPhone. Keep in mind that you can record as many times as you need until you’re happy with how it sounds.
Stop and review. Once you’ve finished your greeting, tap Stop. You can now listen to your recording by tapping the Play button. If you’re happy with the recording, tap Save to make it your new voicemail greeting.
Set the greeting. If you need to re-record your greeting, simply tap Record again and repeat the process. Once you’ve got it just right, hit Save, and your new voicemail greeting will be live for all callers to hear.
That’s all it takes to record a custom voicemail greeting on your iPhone. Now, let’s go over some tips to make sure you’re leaving the best impression!
Tips for a good voicemail greeting
You might be tempted to get creative with your voicemail message, but it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
Keep it short. People don’t want to listen to a voicemail greeting that’s too long or rambling. Try to keep your greeting between 20 and 30 seconds. You can simply say your name and let callers know when to expect a response. Something like, “Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m not available right now, but please leave a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
Be nice and clear. If you’re using voicemail for business purposes, make sure your greeting is clear, polite, and professional. Even if it’s for personal use, it’s a good idea to avoid a message that’s too casual or confusing. And be sure to speak slowly and clearly, especially if you’re providing important details like your email or alternative contact information.
Don’t try to be funny. Keep things appropriate. Avoid any humour that might just confuse the caller. Your mates might laugh at your “wasssup?” voicemail packed with in-jokes, but business colleagues won’t.
Update your greeting regularly. Don’t forget to update your greeting if there are any changes to your availability, especially during holidays, or times when you might be unreachable.
Changing your voicemail password
For extra security and peace of mind, it’s a good idea to set or change your voicemail password. If you haven’t already set one, let’s do it now. It just helps to make sure that no one can access your voicemail messages without your permission.
Go to Settings. Start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone (it looks like a gear cog). Now scroll down and tap on Phone.
Access voicemail settings. Under the Phone settings, tap Change Voicemail Password.
Set or change your password. You’ll now be prompted to enter a new voicemail password. Make sure it’s something secure but memorable. It needs to be between 4 and 7 digits long.
Save your changes. Once you’ve entered the new password, tap Done to save it. Now your voicemail is password-protected and secure.
Troubleshooting common issues
Voicemail on iPhone is usually completely reliable, but there are a few issues that might crop up. Here are some solutions to fix them:
Voicemail box is full. Here it is - one of the most common problems. If you’re not receiving new messages, it could be time to delete some old ones. Go to your voicemail inbox and swipe left on old messages to get rid of them, or use ‘clear all’ to remove all saved messages in one satisfying tap.
Unable to access voicemail. If you can’t access your voicemail, make sure your phone service is working properly. Try calling your voicemail manually by holding down the number 1 on your phone dial pad. If that doesn’t work, you can try rebooting your iPhone. If none of this solves the issue, contact your mobile network for help.
Voicemail not working after setting up. If you’ve just set up your voicemail but it’s not working, make sure you’ve completed the setup process with your mobile network. Sometimes, you’ll need to contact them to finalise the voicemail activation.
Voicemail password issues. If you’ve forgotten your voicemail password, most mobile networks have a reset option. You can either reset the password online, or give customer services a call.
Need more help?
Need more iPhone advice? Our How to set up your new iPhone article is a good place to start. And if you’re interested in finding out what Ai can do for you, here’s an article on using Google Gemini on your iPhone.
If you’re looking for a new iPhone, check out our best iPhones article, and take a look at the new iPhone 16. If you’d like expert advice on what to buy, pop into your local Currys and chat to one of our colleagues. They’ll happily answer all your phone-related questions.
