Delete a Single Voicemail Message
Open the Phone app on your home screen and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right. You will see a list of all your voicemail messages with the most recent at the top. Find the message you want to delete, swipe left across it with your finger, and a red Delete button will appear on the right side. Tap that button and the message is gone.
If swiping does not work on your device, tap Edit in the upper left corner instead. This puts the voicemail list into edit mode. A small circle will appear to the left of each message. Tap the circle next to the message you want to delete — it will turn red with a checkmark. Then tap Delete in the upper right corner to remove it.
Deleted voicemail messages do not go to a trash folder. They are permanently removed from your iPhone and cannot be recovered, so double-check that you are deleting the right message before you confirm.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe left on any voicemail message and tap the red Delete button to remove it immediately.
- If swiping does not work, use Edit mode by tapping Edit in the upper left, selecting messages with the circles, and tapping Delete.
- Deleted voicemail messages cannot be recovered, so make sure you want to delete a message before you confirm.
- You can delete multiple messages at once by selecting several in Edit mode before tapping Delete.
- Your voicemail is stored on your iPhone, not on your carrier's server, so deleting it from the Phone app removes it completely.
Delete Multiple Voicemail Messages at Once
If you have several messages to remove, edit mode is faster than deleting them one at a time. Open the Phone app, go to the Voicemail tab, and tap Edit in the upper left corner. Small circles will appear next to each message.
Tap the circle next to each message you want to delete. Each one will turn red with a checkmark inside. You can select as many as you want. Once you have chosen all the messages you want to remove, tap the red Delete button in the upper right corner. All selected messages will be deleted at once.
Clear All Voicemail Messages at Once
If you want to delete every voicemail message on your iPhone without going through them one by one, you can do this in Edit mode. Open the Phone app, tap the Voicemail tab, and tap Edit in the upper left.
Look for a Select All option in the upper left corner (on some iPhone models this appears as a link or button). Tap it to select every message in your voicemail list. All circles will turn red with checkmarks. Then tap the red Delete button in the upper right corner to remove all messages at once.
If you do not see a Select All option, you can manually tap the circle next to each message, but this takes longer if you have many voicemails. The Select All shortcut is available on most recent iPhone models running iOS 14 or later.
What Happens When You Delete a Voicemail
When you delete a voicemail from your iPhone, it is removed only from your device. Your carrier's voicemail server may still have a copy of the message for a limited time — usually 30 days, though this varies by carrier. If you want to make sure a message is gone from everywhere, you should delete it from your iPhone and also delete it from your carrier's voicemail system if you access voicemail through their website or app.
To check your carrier's voicemail system, log into your account on your carrier's website or app. Look for a voicemail or messages section. You can usually delete messages there as well. This step is optional if you only care about removing voicemail from your iPhone.
Recover a Deleted Voicemail Message
Once you delete a voicemail from your iPhone, you cannot recover it through the Phone app. However, if you deleted it recently and your carrier still has a copy on their server, you may be able to retrieve it through your carrier's voicemail system.
Contact your carrier's customer support and explain that you deleted a voicemail by mistake. Provide them with the approximate time and date the message arrived. Some carriers can restore deleted messages if you ask within a few days, but this is not may provide. The longer you wait, the less likely they will be able to help.
Why You Might Not See the Delete Button
If you swipe left on a voicemail message and no delete button appears, your iPhone may be in a mode that blocks the action. Try restarting the Phone app by closing it completely and opening it again. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top on newer iPhones) to close the app, wait a few seconds, and tap the Phone app icon to reopen it.
If the delete button still does not appear, use Edit mode instead. Tap Edit in the upper left corner of the Voicemail tab, select the message you want to delete using the circle, and tap the red Delete button. This method works on all iPhone models and iOS versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a deleted voicemail?
No, deleted voicemail messages cannot be undone through your iPhone. If you deleted a message by mistake, contact your carrier within a few days to see if they can restore it from their server. The longer you wait, the less likely they will be able to help.
Does deleting a voicemail from my iPhone delete it from my carrier's server?
No. Deleting a voicemail from your iPhone only removes it from your device. Your carrier keeps a copy on their server for a limited time, usually around 30 days. If you want to delete it completely, you need to delete it from both your iPhone and your carrier's voicemail system.
Why is my voicemail taking up so much storage on my iPhone?
Voicemail messages are audio files that use storage space on your device. If you have many old messages, they can add up. Deleting voicemail messages you no longer need will free up storage space on your iPhone. You can check how much space voicemail is using by going to Settings, tapping General, then Storage.
Can I delete a voicemail without listening to it?
Yes. You do not have to listen to a voicemail before deleting it. Simply swipe left on the message in the Voicemail tab and tap Delete, or use Edit mode to select it and delete it. The message will be removed without being played.
What if I want to keep a voicemail but do not want to see it in my list?
The Phone app does not have a way to hide or archive voicemail messages. Your only options are to keep the message in your list or delete it. If you want to preserve the content, consider recording the voicemail or saving the audio file before you delete it.