The fastest way to hear your voicemail

To access your voicemail on Verizon, press and hold the 1 key on your phone's keypad. Your phone will dial your voicemail box automatically. When prompted, enter your voicemail password (usually your last four digits of your phone number by default, unless you changed it). You will then hear your messages in the order they arrived.

If you are calling from a different phone, dial your own Verizon number, wait for the greeting to finish, and press the * key during the greeting. This will interrupt the call and take you to the password prompt. Enter your password and listen to your messages.

You can also access voicemail through the My Verizon app on your phone, which shows a visual list of your messages with timestamps and caller information before you listen.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold 1 on your Verizon phone to reach voicemail instantly without dialing.
  • Your default voicemail password is the last four digits of your phone number unless you changed it.
  • The My Verizon app lets you see who called and when before you listen to each message.
  • You can check voicemail from any phone by dialing your own number and pressing * during the greeting.
  • Verizon Visual Voicemail (available on some plans) shows a transcript of what callers said without listening to the full message.

Changing your voicemail password

Your voicemail password protects your messages from being heard by someone else who has your phone. The default password is usually your last four digits, but Verizon recommends changing it to something only you know.

To change your password, call your voicemail box by pressing and holding 1. When you hear the main menu, press 0 to reach the settings menu. Select the option to change your password (usually option 3 or 4, depending on your phone type). Enter your new password twice to confirm it. Write down your new password somewhere safe in case you forget it.

If you forget your password, you will need to contact Verizon customer service at 611 from your Verizon phone, or call 1-908-559-4899 from any phone. They can reset your password after verifying your account information.

Using the My Verizon app to manage voicemail

The My Verizon app is available for both iPhone and Android and gives you a different way to handle voicemail than the traditional phone method. Open the app, tap the phone icon at the bottom, and then tap "Voicemail." You will see a list of all your messages with the caller's name or number, the date and time, and how long the message is.

From this list, you can tap any message to play it, delete it, or save it. You can also mark messages as read or unread. If you have Visual Voicemail turned on (available on certain plans), you may see a text transcript of what the caller said, which is useful when you cannot listen to audio.

The app also lets you set up voicemail greetings. Tap the settings icon in the voicemail section and select "Greeting" to record a new message that callers hear when they reach your voicemail box.

Setting up a custom voicemail greeting

Your voicemail greeting is the message callers hear when they reach your box. By default, Verizon uses a generic greeting with your phone number. You can record your own greeting to sound more personal or professional.

Press and hold 1 to enter your voicemail. From the main menu, press 0 to go to settings. Select the option to record a greeting (usually option 1 or 2). You will hear a tone, and then you can speak your message. Keep it brief — 10 to 20 seconds is typical. When you finish, press 1 to save the greeting or 2 to re-record it.

You can also record a greeting through the My Verizon app. Open the app, go to Voicemail settings, and tap "Greeting." Follow the prompts to record and save your message. The app method is often easier because you can hear your greeting played back before saving it.

Troubleshooting voicemail problems

If you cannot reach your voicemail by pressing and holding 1, your phone may not have voicemail set up on your account. Contact Verizon customer service at 611 from your phone to confirm voicemail is active. They can turn it on if it is not.

If you are locked out of your voicemail because you forgot your password, call 611 or 1-908-559-4899 from any phone. Verizon will verify your identity using your phone number and account information, then reset your password. You will receive a temporary password by text or email that you can use to log in and set a new one.

If messages are not being saved or you are not receiving notifications that you have new voicemail, check that voicemail notifications are turned on in your phone's settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications and make sure the Phone app has notifications enabled. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Phone and check notification settings. You may also need to restart your phone or contact Verizon if the problem continues.

Accessing voicemail from another device

You can listen to your Verizon voicemail from a computer or tablet using the My Verizon website. Go to verizon.com, sign in with your account credentials, and look for the voicemail section under your phone settings. This method works best if you want to listen to messages on a larger screen or save them to your computer.

Some Verizon plans include voicemail-to-email, which sends a copy of each voicemail message to your email address as an audio file. This is useful if you prefer to listen to messages in your email client or want a backup of important calls. Check your voicemail settings in the My Verizon app or by calling 611 to see if this feature is turned on for your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default voicemail password for Verizon?

The default password is usually the last four digits of your phone number. Verizon recommends changing this to a custom password as soon as you set up voicemail. If you have never changed it and cannot remember those digits, contact Verizon at 611 to reset it.

Can I listen to voicemail without calling my voicemail box?

Yes. The My Verizon app shows all your messages in a list so you can tap any one to play it without going through the voicemail menu. If you have Visual Voicemail, you can also read transcripts of messages instead of listening to them.

What happens if I delete a voicemail message?

Deleted messages are removed from your voicemail box and cannot be recovered. If you think you might need a message later, save it instead of deleting it. Both the phone method and the My Verizon app let you mark messages as saved.

Can I set up voicemail if I have a prepaid Verizon plan?

Voicemail is usually included with prepaid plans, but you may need to turn it on. Press and hold 1 to see if your voicemail box is active. If you get an error, contact Verizon customer service at 611 to confirm the feature is turned on for your account.

How do I stop getting voicemail notifications?

On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications and turn off notifications for the Phone app. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Phone and disable notifications. You can also turn off notifications in the My Verizon app settings. You will still be able to check voicemail manually, but you will not receive alerts when new messages arrive.