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Just bought a brand new phone and don't know how to check your voicemail? Forgotten how to check after a long period without any messages? With a variety of different methods used by the industry's carriers, checking your phone's voicemail can be a surprisingly unintuitive process today. Luckily, the vast majority of phones use one (or more) of a few simple, common methods.

Checking Your Voicemail from Another Phone

  1. Open your phone app and dial your own number.
  2. Press the star key (*) or pound key (#) when you hear your voicemail greeting.
  3. Enter your voicemail PIN when prompted, then hit pound (#).
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Using Common Voicemail Access Options

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Note that voicemail access numbers will vary from phone to phone — some phones even have more than one way to call their voicemail service. Thus, some or all of the methods below may not work for your phone.

    • If you start to get your standard "I'm away from the phone right now" recording, try pressing * before the message ends — for many carriers, this command signals that you want to log in to your voicemail account.
    • You can usually look up your own number on most modern smartphones. To do this, navigate to your "Settings" menu, then tap "Phone" or "About phone." From here, you should see an entry labeled "My phone number" or something similar with your number listed under it.
    • Note that the instructions above are very general and will vary from phone to phone.
    • This method is used by Verizon and many other carriers.
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    • This method is used by XFINITY/Comcast and many other carriers.
    • This method is used for many AT&T home phones.
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    • Some phones use the number 1 as their voicemail number. Occasionally, it's not even necessary to dial the number — simply hold the 1 button down for a few seconds, then move the phone to your ear.
    • This method is used by T-Mobile, some Sprint devices, and others.[1]
    • Most modern cell phones have an app can be used to access your voicemail service automatically. To use this app, simply access your app menu, scroll through your options, and tap the one that's labeled "Voicemail" or something similar.
    • By default, most smartphones' apps are arranged alphabetically.
    • On iPhone, open up the phone app and tap on the "Voicemail" option.
    • Some phones (especially the types of landline phones used in offices) have a dedicated button for calling their voicemail service. Typically, to use this, all you need to do is pick up the handset and press the voicemail button.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Solving Problems

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    • You won't be able to receive or retrieve voicemail messages if you haven't opened your voicemail account yet. However, most modern phones will direct you to set up a voicemail account the first time you try to access your voicemail using one of the methods above. In this case, an audio recording will usually direct you through the process of choosing a password and/or recording a message for your callers — simply follow the prompts you are given to set up your account.
    • If you aren't automatically directed to set up your voicemail account when you first try to log in, your carrier may have a special setup process you need to go to, so contact your carrier's online support resources or its customer support line (see below.)
    • Unlike passwords for most online services, there isn't usually an easy "Forgot password?" option for getting your voicemail password back if you don't remember it. Typically, the easiest way to reset your password is to do so online via the account you have registered with your carrier. Below are brief instructions for resetting your password at the sites of major U.S. carriers:
      • Verizon: Visit verizon.com/myverison, then navigate to My Verizon > My Device > Reset Voicemail Password. Follow the prompts to rest your password.
      • AT&T: Log in to your MyAT&T account, then navigate to Profile > Passwords > Wireless Voicemail Passwords. Select the number you want and click Submit. Follow the prompts to rest your password.
      • Sprint: Log in to your My Spring account, then navigate to My preferences > Things I can manage online > Change voicemail passcode. Follow the prompts to rest your password.
  1. Note that there are sometimes (but not always) options for resetting your password via phone. These options will depend on your carrier and your service plan.
    • Many carriers allow you to call *611 to access your voicemail account settings. For example, Verizon mobile phones can reset their passwords with these steps:[2]
      • Call *611 or (800) 922-0204
      • Tap 2 to reset your password, then tap 1 when prompted.
      • Enter your billing zip code and follow the prompts for security verification.
    • Some phones also allow you to use "shortcodes" to start the password reset process. For example, T-Mobile users can call #793# (#PWD#) to do this.[3]
    • Every major telephone service has customer service resources to help you if you have trouble accessing your voicemail. Below you can find customer service contact information for the biggest U.S. carriers:
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What number should I dial to listen to my voicemail on my phone?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try *86, *98, or press and hold 1. Also try dialing 1. Any of these should open voicemail.
  • Question
    My phone is prepaid, Can I still use voicemail?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, in most cases. You just need to set it up first by calling your voicemail (as described in the article).
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Tips

  • On some smartphones, you may see a "Voicemail" option in your "Settings" app — here, you can usually find information about how to access your voicemail.
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Warnings

  • Note that accessing your voicemail menu may cost you airtime depending on the terms of your contract.
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About This Article

Josef Storzi
Co-authored by:
Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
This article was co-authored by Josef Storzi. Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates. This article has been viewed 316,018 times.
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Co-authors: 13
Updated: June 23, 2024
Views: 316,018
Categories: Voicemail
Article SummaryX

To call your voicemail from your smartphone, tap the icon for your Voicemail app to be automatically connected to your voicemail box. Alternatively, try calling your own phone number and pressing * as soon as the pre-recorded greeting starts, which for many carriers, signals that you want to log in to your voicemail account. You can also try dialing *VM (*86) for most carriers, including Verizon and AT&T. If you have a T-Mobile or Sprint device, press and hold down the number 1 button for a few seconds. For more advice, including how to retrieve or reset your voicemail password from your phone, keep reading.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 316,018 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Sharon Bint

    Sharon Bint

    Feb 12, 2018

    "The *86 was appearing on my phone, telling me I had a VM and indicating *1925, but I could not figure out which #..." more
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