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How to Stop Voicemail on an iPhone: The Definitive Guide

Want to silence that digital answering machine on your iPhone? The somewhat cryptic process involves either disabling voicemail directly through your carrier or utilizing conditional call forwarding, effectively diverting unanswered calls elsewhere. Let’s dive deep into how to achieve voicemail liberation.

Understanding the Voicemail Beast

Before we slay the voicemail dragon, it’s essential to understand its lair. Unlike a simple app you can delete, voicemail is a service baked into your cellular plan by your carrier. Think of it as a digital extension cord reaching from your phone to your provider’s network. That’s why truly “stopping” it requires interacting with them or strategically rerouting the calls destined for voicemail.

Methods to Silence the Voicemail Siren

There are several approaches you can take, ranging from straightforward to slightly technical. The effectiveness can depend on your carrier and your specific needs.

1. Contacting Your Carrier Directly

This is often the simplest and most reliable method.

Call customer support: Dial your carrier’s customer service number (usually found on their website or bill) and request that they disable voicemail on your line. Be prepared to verify your account information.
Online chat or account portal: Many carriers offer online support through chat or their account portal. You can often request voicemail deactivation through these channels.
Visit a store: If you prefer face-to-face interaction, visit your carrier’s store and speak with a representative.

Pros: Most reliable method, directly addresses the core issue. Cons: May require waiting on hold or visiting a store, carrier policies vary.

2. Conditional Call Forwarding: The Silent Redirect

This method doesn’t technically disable voicemail, but it cleverly redirects calls that would normally go to voicemail to another number, effectively silencing it.

Access the dialer: Open the Phone app on your iPhone.
Enter the code: Dial the following code, replacing “**” with a number that will always be unavailable (e.g., a non-working number or a fax line). *67***********# or *61***********#. Try both if one doesn’t work. *62***********# and *68***********# are also options you can try.
Press call: Press the call button. You should see a message indicating that call forwarding has been successfully activated.
Test: Have someone call your phone and let it ring without answering. The call should either disconnect after a while or go to the unavailable number you entered, not your voicemail.

To Disable Conditional Call Forwarding:

Dial ##67# or ##61# or ##62# or ##68# or ##21# and press call. This will cancel all conditional call forwarding settings.

Pros: Can be done directly from your phone, doesn’t require carrier interaction in most cases. Cons: Requires finding a suitable “dead end” number, the code can sometimes be unreliable and carrier-dependent. You are actually forwarding the calls instead of stopping them.

3. Visual Voicemail Reset (Sometimes a Temporary Fix)

While not a permanent solution, resetting visual voicemail can sometimes temporarily stop new voicemails from appearing. This is more of a troubleshooting step.

Open the Phone App: Tap the voicemail icon in the bottom right corner.
Hard Reset: Force close the Phone app. Depending on your iPhone model, this involves swiping up from the bottom and holding, then swiping up on the Phone app preview, or double-clicking the home button and swiping up on the Phone app preview.
Restart Your iPhone: This clears out any potential software glitches that might be affecting voicemail.

Pros: Quick and easy, requires no carrier interaction. Cons: Usually a temporary fix, doesn’t prevent voicemails from being recorded, may not work at all.

Considerations & Caveats

Carrier policies: Not all carriers allow voicemail to be completely disabled. Some may offer alternative solutions like increasing the number of rings before a call goes to voicemail.
International roaming: Voicemail behavior can change when roaming internationally. Check with your carrier about their international voicemail policies.
Third-party apps: Some third-party apps offer voicemail alternatives or enhanced control over voicemail notifications. These can be useful but don’t fundamentally disable your carrier’s voicemail.

FAQs: Your Voicemail Questions Answered

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the process of disabling voicemail on your iPhone.

1. Can I disable voicemail directly from my iPhone settings?

No, there’s no built-in setting in iOS to directly disable your carrier’s voicemail service. You need to contact your carrier or use conditional call forwarding.

2. Will disabling voicemail affect my ability to make or receive calls?

No, disabling voicemail only affects what happens when you don’t answer a call. It won’t interfere with making or receiving calls when you are available.

3. What happens to existing voicemails if I disable the service?

Typically, when you disable voicemail, all existing messages are deleted. Back up any important voicemails before disabling the service if necessary. Some visual voicemail systems allow you to save voicemails as audio files.

4. Can I reactivate voicemail later if I change my mind?

Yes, in most cases, you can reactivate voicemail by contacting your carrier again. The process is usually simple and quick.

5. Is there a cost to disabling voicemail?

It depends on your carrier. Some carriers may charge a fee to disable or re-enable voicemail, while others offer it as a free service. Confirm with your carrier beforehand.

6. What’s the difference between “deleting” a voicemail and “disabling” the voicemail service?

Deleting a voicemail removes a specific message. Disabling the voicemail service prevents new messages from being recorded in the first place.

7. Does conditional call forwarding work on all iPhones and carriers?

Conditional call forwarding generally works on most iPhones and carriers, but its reliability can vary. Test the codes thoroughly after implementation to ensure they function as expected. You can test the functionality by calling your phone from another line and letting it ring to see where it forwards to.

8. If I use Google Voice or another third-party voicemail service, do I still need to disable my carrier’s voicemail?

Yes, it’s recommended to disable your carrier’s voicemail to prevent callers from leaving messages in two different places. Forward your calls from the iPhone conditional call forwarding to your Google Voice account or any other third-party application.

9. My carrier says they can’t disable voicemail. What are my options?

If your carrier refuses to disable voicemail, your best option is to use conditional call forwarding. Experiment with different “dead end” numbers to find one that works reliably.

10. What does “busy transfer” mean in the context of conditional call forwarding?

Busy transfer, in the context of conditional call forwarding, refers to forwarding your calls when your phone line is already occupied or “busy”. You use a specific code different than the ones shared above, typically starting with *67.

11. How can I save my voicemails before disabling the service?

The easiest way is to play the voicemail and use a screen recording app on your iPhone to record the audio. Some visual voicemail systems also allow you to share voicemails as audio files via email or other methods.

12. I have a dual SIM iPhone. Does disabling voicemail affect both numbers?

No, disabling voicemail typically applies only to the specific number you’re working with. You’ll need to repeat the process for each SIM card if you want to disable voicemail on both.

By following these steps and understanding the nuances of voicemail management, you can effectively silence the voicemail siren on your iPhone and regain control over your call answering experience. Good luck!