Learn How to Remove Voicemail Notifications From Your Phone

Why Voicemail Notifications Pile Up and What They're Really Doing to Your Phone

Most people don't realize that voicemail notifications work differently depending on your phone's operating system and carrier settings. When someone leaves you a voicemail, your phone doesn't just show a single alert—it can trigger visual badges on your voicemail app, send text notifications, light up your lock screen, produce sounds, and sometimes even create vibration patterns. Each of these notification types operates through separate channels in your phone's notification system, which means turning off one doesn't necessarily silence the others.

Learn About Easy Home Improvement Projects →

The accumulation happens because notification settings often default to "on" when you first set up your phone or switch carriers. According to surveys from the Pew Research Center, about 62% of smartphone users report feeling interrupted by notifications multiple times daily, and voicemail alerts rank among the most frequent offenders. This is partly because voicemail notifications travel through your carrier's network rather than through your phone's standard app system, making them harder to control in one place.

Understanding how these notifications function on your specific device matters because the pathways differ significantly. Android phones typically route voicemail notifications through your default messaging or phone app, while iPhones handle them through the native Phone app and carrier services. Some carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile also send separate voicemail alerts through their custom apps, creating multiple notification streams that operate independently from each other.

Takeaway: Before adjusting settings, identify which notification channels are active on your phone—this might include your phone's native voicemail system, your carrier's proprietary app, your default messaging app, and any third-party voicemail services you've connected.

Removing Voicemail Notifications on iPhones Running iOS

iPhone users have several notification control points to address because Apple routes voicemail through multiple systems. The most direct method involves the Phone app itself, where you can disable voicemail notifications at the notification level. Open your Settings app, scroll to "Notifications," find "Phone," and then locate the voicemail notification section. Within this menu, you'll see toggle switches for "Allow Notifications," "Sounds," "Badges," and "Lock Screen" display. You can turn off any or all of these to prevent voicemail alerts from appearing.

Get Your Free Tennessee Permit Test Guide →

Beyond the Phone app settings, your carrier's voicemail system also sends notifications through a separate channel. If you're using Visual Voicemail (Apple's service that displays voicemail transcriptions in your phone app), this feature is enabled by default and comes with its own notification settings. To modify these, open the Phone app, tap "Voicemail" at the bottom of the screen, and look for "Voicemail Settings" or "Greeting" options. Some carriers allow you to disable Visual Voicemail entirely, which will stop many carrier-specific notifications.

iPhones also allow Do Not Disturb scheduling, which silences voicemail notifications during specific times without disabling the feature entirely. In Settings under "Focus," you can create a custom focus mode that blocks notifications from the Phone app during work hours, sleep time, or other designated periods. This approach lets voicemail messages still arrive—they simply won't alert you until your focus period ends.

For users who want to keep voicemail functionality but reduce notification frequency, you can adjust the notification grouping method. In the Notifications settings for the Phone app, change "Notification Grouping" from "Automatic" to "By App." This consolidates all voicemail notifications into a single grouped notification rather than showing each one individually, which reduces visual clutter without eliminating the feature.

Takeaway: On iPhones, check three separate locations—the Phone app notification settings, your carrier's Visual Voicemail settings within the Phone app, and Focus modes in your main Settings—because each controls different aspects of voicemail notification delivery.

Removing Voicemail Notifications on Android Devices

Android's notification system works through a permission framework that gives you granular control, though the specific steps vary depending on your manufacturer and Android version. The most universal approach involves accessing your default phone or messaging app's settings. Open your phone's Settings app, navigate to "Apps" or "Applications," locate your default voicemail or phone app (this might be Google Phone, Samsung Phone, or your carrier's custom app), and select it. Then tap "Notifications" and toggle off "Show Notifications" or similar language.

Local DMV Information Guide for 610 Exterior Street →

Many Android users have multiple potential sources of voicemail alerts. If your carrier is AT&T, you likely have the AT&T Messages app; Verizon users often have the Verizon Message+ or MyVerizon app; T-Mobile users may have T-Mobile's Voicemail app installed. Each of these can send independent notifications even if you've disabled them in your system phone app. Check your app drawer for carrier-branded voicemail applications and disable notifications for each one individually through the same Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Notifications pathway.

Google's native Phone app includes specific notification channels for different types of alerts. If you're using Google Phone, open Settings, go to Apps, select Google Phone, then Notifications. You'll see separate toggles for various notification types—look for entries labeled "Voicemail," "Missed calls," or "Voicemail transcription." You can disable only the voicemail notifications while keeping missed call alerts active if you prefer.

Android also offers notification management through your main Settings notification panel. Some versions allow you to block notifications by app or even by conversation thread. In Settings, look for "Notification Management" or "Advanced Settings" under Notifications, where you can sometimes specify that voicemail notifications should not appear on your lock screen or should not produce sound, while still allowing them in your notification drawer.

Takeaway: Android users should create a checklist of all voicemail-related apps on their device—not just the system phone app—and systematically disable notifications for each one, as carrier apps often operate independently from your system settings.

Disabling Carrier-Level Voicemail Alerts and Services

Your mobile carrier operates notification systems that run parallel to your phone's settings, which is why some voicemail alerts persist even after you've adjusted your phone. This happens because carriers maintain their own servers that generate notifications separately from your device. To stop these alerts at the source, you need to access your carrier account through their customer portal or dedicated app.

Learn About Choosing the Right Mobility Scooter →

Verizon customers can log into their My Verizon app or website, navigate to Account Settings, and look for "Notifications" or "Voicemail Settings." Within this section, you can disable voicemail notifications entirely or adjust when they're sent. Some carriers let you specify that you only want notifications for voicemail, not text messages or missed calls. AT&T offers similar controls through the AT&T mobile app under Account > Notifications & Alerts. T-Mobile provides voicemail controls through the T-Mobile app and also allows you to text "STOP" to certain notification numbers to disable alerts.

If your carrier uses a dedicated voicemail service separate from your phone line, that service may send its own notifications. For example, Google Voice—which some users set up as their primary voicemail service—sends notifications through the Google Voice app. To disable these, open Google Voice, tap your profile picture, select Settings, navigate to Notifications, and turn off voicemail notifications. Similarly, if you use any third-party voicemail transcription services like Google's call screening feature or professional voicemail systems, each maintains separate notification controls.

Some carriers also use email notification systems for voicemail, sending transcriptions or alerts to your registered email address. Check your carrier's email notification settings, which are often found in the Account Settings or Preferences section of their website. You may find options to disable voicemail-to-email, transcription notifications, or daily voicemail digests. This represents another notification pathway that operates outside your phone's control.

Takeaway: Access your carrier's official customer portal or app (not just your phone's settings) to locate and disable voicemail notifications at the carrier level, which operates as a completely separate system from your phone's notification settings.

Managing Visual Voicemail, Transcription, and Cloud-Based Services

Visual voicemail services—which display voicemail messages as a list you can read or hear directly in your phone app rather than calling a number to listen—come with their own notification settings that many people overlook. If you have Visual Voicemail through your carrier or a service

Learn How to Upload Videos to TikTok →