What you can actually do with a voicemail

You can save voicemails in a few different ways depending on your phone type and voicemail service. The most common method is to use your phone's built-in voicemail app to mark messages as saved, which keeps them from being automatically deleted. You can also record voicemails using your phone's voice recorder app, or use a third-party service that converts voicemails to audio files you can store on your computer.

The method that works best depends on whether you want to keep voicemails on your phone long-term, back them up to a computer, or convert them to shareable audio files. Not all carriers and phone types support every option, so knowing what your setup allows matters before you start.

Key Takeaways

  • Most phone carriers let you mark voicemails as saved in the voicemail app, which prevents automatic deletion after 30 days.
  • You can record a voicemail by playing it aloud and using your phone's voice recorder app, though audio quality will be lower than the original file.
  • Some carriers offer voicemail-to-email services that send audio files to your inbox, letting you store them on your computer.
  • Third-party apps like Google Voice can convert and store voicemails as downloadable files, but require setting up a new phone number or forwarding your existing calls.

Marking voicemails as saved on your phone

The simplest way to keep a voicemail is to mark it as saved in your phone's voicemail app. On iPhones, open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, find the message you want to keep, and tap the star icon next to it. On Android phones, the process varies by carrier — most have a similar star or heart icon in the voicemail app, but some use a "Save" button instead.

Saved voicemails stay on your phone indefinitely instead of being deleted after 30 days (the standard retention period for most carriers). This works well if you only need to keep the voicemail on your phone itself. If your phone is lost or replaced, these saved messages are usually lost unless your carrier backs them up — most do not, so this is not a backup method.

Recording a voicemail to your phone's storage

You can record any voicemail by playing it aloud and capturing it with your phone's voice recorder app. Open the voicemail, start your phone's built-in recorder (Voice Memos on iPhone, Recorder on most Android phones), and play the voicemail at normal volume. The recorder will capture the audio, and you can save it with a descriptive name.

This method works on any phone and any carrier, but the audio quality will be noticeably lower than the original voicemail file because you are recording the playback rather than accessing the file itself. The recording will also pick up background noise. Use this method only when other options are not available or when the voicemail is short and you do not need studio-quality sound.

Using voicemail-to-email to save to your computer

Many carriers offer a voicemail-to-email feature that sends voicemail audio files directly to your email inbox. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all offer this, though the feature name and setup process differ by carrier. Check your carrier's website or call customer service to confirm whether your plan includes it and how to turn it on.

Once enabled, voicemails arrive in your email as audio file attachments (usually in WAV or MP3 format) within a few minutes of the call. You can then save these files to your computer, organize them in folders, or back them up to cloud storage. This is the most reliable way to create a permanent record of important voicemails, since email is easier to back up than phone storage.

Converting voicemails with Google Voice

Google Voice is a free service that converts voicemails to audio files and stores them online. To use it, you set up a Google Voice number and forward your existing phone number to it, or switch your main number to Google Voice entirely. All voicemails then go to Google Voice instead of your carrier's voicemail system.

Once a voicemail arrives in Google Voice, you can listen to it online, download it as an MP3 file, or have Google transcribe it to text. The transcription is not always accurate, especially with background noise or accents, but it makes voicemails searchable. The main drawback is that switching to Google Voice requires giving out a new number or forwarding calls, which is a bigger change than the other methods.

Saving voicemails from your carrier's online portal

Some carriers let you access voicemails through their website or app portal, where you can sometimes download audio files directly. Verizon's My Verizon app and AT&T's myAT&T app both allow this on some plans. Log into your carrier's portal, find the voicemail section, and look for a download or save option next to each message.

This method is carrier-specific and not available on all plans, so check whether your carrier supports it before relying on it. If available, it is one of the easiest ways to get voicemail files onto your computer without using a third-party service or recording playback.

What to do if your carrier does not support these options

If your carrier does not offer voicemail-to-email or online download, your best options are recording voicemails with your phone's voice recorder app or switching to Google Voice. Recording is the quickest fix and requires no setup, though audio quality suffers. Google Voice takes more effort to set up but gives you better file quality and permanent online storage.

You can also contact your carrier's customer service to ask whether voicemail-to-email is available on your specific plan — some carriers offer it only on certain account types or require you to request it separately. It costs nothing to ask, and you may find the feature is already available but simply turned off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my voicemail disappear if I do not save it?

Yes. Most carriers delete voicemails after 30 days unless you mark them as saved in your voicemail app. Marking as saved keeps them on your phone indefinitely, but they are lost if your phone is replaced or damaged. For permanent backup, use voicemail-to-email or Google Voice instead.

Can I download voicemails from my carrier if I do not have the original phone?

If your carrier offers voicemail-to-email, you can access those files from your email account on any device. If you did not set up voicemail-to-email before, you cannot recover voicemails from the carrier's system once they are deleted. Set it up now to protect future voicemails.

Is Google Voice free?

Yes, Google Voice is free. You get a free phone number, voicemail storage, and the ability to download voicemail files. You only pay if you use it to make calls to certain countries, which is optional.

What audio format will my voicemail be in if I download it?

Voicemail-to-email usually sends files as WAV or MP3. Google Voice downloads as MP3. Recording with your phone's voice recorder saves in whatever format your phone uses (usually M4A on iPhone, MP3 or WAV on Android). All three formats play on computers and most devices.