The basic steps to retrieve your voicemail
To check voicemail on a landline, pick up your phone and listen for a stutter tone or visual indicator on your phone's display — this signals you have a message waiting. Press the voicemail button if your phone has one, or dial your voicemail access number (usually *98 or a number your phone company provided). Enter your PIN when prompted, then follow the menu to listen to your messages.
The exact steps depend on your phone company and the type of phone you have. Some landlines show a blinking light on the handset or a message counter on the base unit. Others require you to dial into a system. Your phone company's customer service number or your bill should list your specific access number and default PIN.
Key Takeaways
- A stutter tone or blinking light on your phone means you have a voicemail waiting.
- Most landlines use *98 or a company-specific number to access voicemail from your phone.
- You will need a PIN to log in — check your bill or call your phone company if you do not know it.
- You can usually listen, delete, save, or replay messages from the voicemail menu.
- If your voicemail is not working, restart your phone and check that call forwarding is turned on.
Finding your voicemail access number
Your voicemail access number is printed on your phone bill or in the welcome materials your phone company sent you. Common numbers are *98, *99, or 1-800 numbers specific to your provider. If you cannot find it, call your phone company's customer service line — the number is usually on your bill or on their website.
When you call customer service, have your account number ready. They can confirm your access number, reset your PIN if you have forgotten it, and walk you through the process if you are having trouble. Some companies also let you manage voicemail through their website or app, which may be faster than calling.
Setting up or resetting your PIN
Your PIN is a security code that prevents others from listening to your messages. When you first set up voicemail, your phone company usually assigns a temporary PIN — often your last four digits or a default like 0000. You should change this to a number only you know.
To change your PIN, call your voicemail access number, log in with your current PIN, and look for a menu option to change your security code or PIN. Follow the prompts to enter a new number. If you have forgotten your PIN entirely, call your phone company and they can reset it for you — they will verify your identity first.
Understanding voicemail menu options
Once you log into voicemail, the system will play a menu with numbered options. You can usually press 1 to listen to new messages, 2 to listen to saved messages, 3 to delete a message, and 4 to replay the current message. Some systems let you press 5 to skip ahead or 6 to go back to the previous message.
The exact menu varies by phone company, so listen carefully to the options when you first log in. If you are unsure, you can usually press 0 to reach a help menu or speak to a representative. After you finish listening to a message, the system will ask if you want to delete it, save it, or replay it — choose the option that matches what you want to do.
Fixing voicemail that is not working
If you are not seeing a message indicator or cannot reach your voicemail, start by restarting your phone. Unplug it from the wall for 30 seconds, then plug it back in and wait for the lights to stop blinking. This clears temporary problems that prevent the phone from communicating with your voicemail system.
Next, check that call forwarding is turned on. If calls are not being forwarded to voicemail when you do not answer, messages will not be recorded. Your phone may have a call forwarding button or menu option — check your phone's manual or call your phone company to confirm it is active. If restarting and checking call forwarding do not fix the problem, contact your phone company's technical support line.
Checking voicemail from another phone
You can check your landline voicemail from a cell phone or another phone by dialing your voicemail access number and entering your PIN. This is useful if you are away from home and need to listen to messages. Use the same access number and PIN you would use from your landline.
Some phone companies require you to dial a different number when calling from outside your home network — check your bill or call customer service to confirm. If you are calling from a cell phone on a different carrier, you may be charged long-distance fees, so check your plan before calling frequently from away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a stutter tone mean?
A stutter tone is a broken dial tone — short beeps instead of a steady tone — that plays when you pick up your phone. It signals that you have a new voicemail waiting. Some phones show a blinking light instead of or in addition to the stutter tone.
Can I delete a message by mistake?
Yes, but many phone companies keep deleted messages in a trash folder for a few days. Call your phone company's customer service to ask if they can recover a recently deleted message. If you want to keep a message, press the save option in the voicemail menu instead of delete.
Why is my voicemail full?
Voicemail boxes have a storage limit, usually 10 to 20 messages. If yours is full, old messages are not being recorded. Delete messages you no longer need by pressing 3 in the voicemail menu, or call your phone company to increase your storage limit.
Can I change my voicemail greeting?
Yes. Log into your voicemail, look for a menu option to record or change your greeting, and follow the prompts. You can usually record a custom message or choose from pre-recorded options. The greeting is what callers hear when they reach your voicemail.
Do I have to pay for voicemail?
Voicemail is usually included with your landline service at no extra charge. Check your phone bill to confirm — it should be listed as part of your base service. If you see a separate voicemail charge, call your phone company to ask if it can be removed or bundled into your plan.