Unlocking Your Freedom: A Comprehensive Guide to Turning Off Verizon Voicemail
Are you tired of the endless voicemail notifications? Do you prefer to handle your missed calls directly or use a third-party answering service? If you're a Verizon customer and the default voicemail service is no longer serving your needs, you've come to the right place! This in-depth guide will walk you through every step of the process to turn off Verizon voicemail, ensuring you regain control over your communication.
Let's get started, shall we? Before we dive into the technicalities, take a moment to consider why you want to turn off your Verizon voicemail. Is it to simplify your digital life, reduce notification clutter, or perhaps to route calls to an alternative system? Understanding your motivation will help you appreciate the freedom you're about to gain!
Step 1: Understanding Your Voicemail Options and What "Turning Off" Really Means
Before we hit any buttons, it's crucial to understand what "turning off" Verizon voicemail entails. There isn't a single "off" switch that universally deactivates all voicemail functionalities in every scenario. Instead, it often involves a combination of methods that prevent calls from being routed to your Verizon voicemail box.
What Happens When Voicemail is "Off"?
Callers will typically hear a standard busy signal or the call will simply ring indefinitely until they hang up.
You might not receive any notification that someone tried to leave a message.
This can be ideal if you want to manage all missed calls yourself or if you're using a different voicemail solution.
Important Considerations Before Proceeding:
Missed Calls: If you turn off voicemail, callers won't be able to leave you a message. Be prepared to return missed calls or notify important contacts of your new system.
Emergency Contacts: Ensure your emergency contacts know how to reach you directly or have an alternative method to leave messages.
Customer Service: In some rare cases, turning off voicemail might affect certain Verizon customer service features, though this is uncommon.
Step 2: The Primary Methods for Disabling Verizon Voicemail
Verizon offers a few avenues to manage your voicemail. We'll explore the most common and effective methods here.
Method A: Using My Verizon Online or the My Verizon App (Recommended for Most Users)
This is often the most straightforward and user-friendly approach, giving you direct control over your account settings.
Accessing Your Account:
On a Computer: Open your web browser and go to the official Verizon website. Log in to your My Verizon account using your user ID and password. If you don't have an account, you'll need to register.
On Your Smartphone: Download and open the My Verizon app from your device's app store (Google Play Store for Android, Apple App Store for iOS). Log in with your credentials.
Navigating to Account Settings:
Once logged in, look for a section related to "Account," "Services," "Plans & Devices," or similar. The exact wording can vary slightly as Verizon updates its interface.
You're essentially looking for where you can manage your phone number's features.
Locating Voicemail Settings:
Within the account management section, search for "Voicemail," "Call Forwarding," "Features," or "Add-ons."
You might need to scroll down or click through a few menus to find it. Be patient!
Disabling Voicemail:
Once you've found the voicemail settings, you should see an option to "Remove Voicemail," "Disable Voicemail," or "Manage Voicemail Features."
Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the deactivation. You might be asked to confirm your choice or enter your account PIN.
Important Note: Some users might find an option to "Remove Visual Voicemail" but not standard voicemail. If this is the case, proceed to Method B or C.
Confirmation:
After successful deactivation, you should receive a confirmation message on your screen or via email.
Method B: Dialing a Special Code (Call Forwarding)
This method doesn't technically "turn off" voicemail, but it redirects all incoming calls away from your voicemail box, effectively achieving the same result. This is often done using Conditional Call Forwarding codes.
Understanding Call Forwarding:
Call forwarding allows you to redirect incoming calls to another number. When used to bypass voicemail, you're essentially forwarding calls that would go to voicemail to a non-existent number or a number that doesn't answer.
Specific Codes for Conditional Call Forwarding:
These codes are entered directly into your phone's dialer.
To forward calls when busy:
*71followed by the number you want to forward to (or a dummy number like*719999999999).To forward calls when unanswered:
*73followed by the number you want to forward to (or a dummy number like*739999999999).To forward calls when unreachable:
*67followed by the number you want to forward to (or a dummy number like*679999999999).To cancel all call forwarding:
#73
Executing the Code:
Open your phone's dialer.
Enter the appropriate code (e.g.,
*739999999999#).Press the call button.
You should hear a confirmation tone or message indicating that call forwarding has been activated.
Testing (Crucial!):
Call your Verizon number from another phone. Let it ring. It should not go to your voicemail. Instead, it should continue ringing or eventually give a busy signal.
If it still goes to voicemail, try another code or contact Verizon customer support.
Method C: Contacting Verizon Customer Support (When All Else Fails)
Sometimes, the simplest solution is to go straight to the source. Verizon's customer support team can directly assist you in disabling voicemail.
Gather Your Information:
Have your Verizon account number, account PIN, and phone number ready. This will speed up the verification process.
Choose Your Contact Method:
Phone: Dial
611from your Verizon phone or1-800-922-0204from any phone.Chat: Visit the Verizon website and look for the "Contact Us" or "Support" section to access their live chat feature.
Social Media: Sometimes, reaching out via Verizon's official Twitter or Facebook accounts can be effective.
Explain Your Request:
Clearly state that you wish to "deactivate" or "remove" the voicemail feature from your line.
Be polite but firm in your request. If they try to upsell you on other services, reiterate your desire to simply turn off voicemail.
Confirm Deactivation:
After the representative confirms they have processed your request, test it immediately by calling your number from another phone.
Ensure you receive a confirmation that the voicemail has been removed from your line.
Step 3: Verifying and Troubleshooting
After attempting to disable voicemail, it's absolutely critical to verify that it worked.
The Test Call:
Use a different phone (a friend's, a landline, or another mobile) to call your Verizon number.
Allow the call to ring for an extended period.
Expected Result: The call should not go to your voicemail. It should either continue ringing indefinitely or eventually disconnect/provide a busy signal.
If it still goes to voicemail:
Double-check the steps you followed.
If you used codes, ensure they were entered correctly.
If you used the app/website, try again, ensuring you confirm all prompts.
Contact Verizon customer support as a last resort.
Checking Your Account Online/App:
Log back into My Verizon (website or app) and navigate to your line's features.
Confirm that voicemail is no longer listed as an active feature.
Restart Your Phone:
Sometimes, a simple phone restart can help in applying network changes. Turn your phone completely off, wait for 30 seconds, and then turn it back on.
Step 4: Alternative Solutions (If You Still Need an Answering Service)
If you've successfully turned off Verizon voicemail but still need a way for people to leave you messages without using Verizon's service, consider these alternatives:
Google Voice:
Google Voice offers a robust free voicemail service that transcribes messages and sends them to your email or as a text. You can forward your Verizon calls to your Google Voice number.
Third-Party Voicemail Apps:
Many apps offer advanced voicemail features, including visual voicemail, custom greetings, and message management. Research reputable options in your app store.
Call Forwarding to Another Number:
If you have a secondary phone number or a landline, you can simply forward all calls from your Verizon number to that alternative.
By following these detailed steps, you should be able to successfully turn off Verizon voicemail and take control of your communication preferences. Enjoy your newfound freedom from endless notifications!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to disable Verizon visual voicemail?
To disable Verizon visual voicemail, you can usually do so through the My Verizon app or website under your account features, or by calling Verizon customer support. It's often a separate feature from basic voicemail that can be removed independently.
How to set up call forwarding on Verizon?
To set up call forwarding on Verizon, you can use specific dialer codes like *72 followed by the number you want to forward to (for unconditional forwarding), or *71, *73, and *67 for conditional forwarding based on busy, unanswered, or unreachable conditions. Alternatively, you can often manage call forwarding settings via the My Verizon app or website.
How to check if Verizon voicemail is active?
To check if Verizon voicemail is active, you can call your own Verizon number from a different phone and let it ring to see if it goes to voicemail. You can also log into your My Verizon account (app or website) and check your active features under your line's details.
How to reactivate Verizon voicemail?
To reactivate Verizon voicemail, you can usually do so through the My Verizon app or website by adding the voicemail feature back to your line, or by calling Verizon customer support and requesting reactivation.
How to access Verizon voicemail remotely?
To access Verizon voicemail remotely, dial your 10-digit Verizon mobile number from any phone, and when your voicemail greeting begins, press # or * (depending on your setup) and then enter your voicemail PIN.
How to change Verizon voicemail greeting?
To change your Verizon voicemail greeting, call your own voicemail box (dial *86 from your Verizon phone or your 10-digit number), enter your PIN, and follow the prompts for "personal options" or "greeting options" to record a new greeting.
How to delete Verizon voicemail messages?
To delete Verizon voicemail messages, access your voicemail box (dial *86), listen to your messages, and typically after each message, you'll hear options like "press 7 to delete" or "press 9 to save." Follow the voice prompts.
How to reset Verizon voicemail password?
To reset your Verizon voicemail password (PIN), you can do so through the My Verizon app or website under your line's features or voicemail settings. Alternatively, you can call Verizon customer support to have them reset it for you.
How to block calls from going to Verizon voicemail?
To block calls from going to Verizon voicemail, you can either completely disable the voicemail feature as detailed in this guide, or you can use conditional call forwarding to redirect calls that would normally go to voicemail to a different, non-existent number.
How to manage Verizon voicemail notifications?
To manage Verizon voicemail notifications, access your voicemail settings either by calling your voicemail box (*86) and adjusting options like "message waiting indicator" or "notification settings," or through the My Verizon app/website, where you can often customize how you receive alerts for new messages.
