Hey there! Are you tired of your Verizon voicemail filling up with spam calls or messages you simply don't need to hear? Many of us appreciate the convenience of voicemail, but for others, it's just an unnecessary hassle. If you're ready to reclaim your peace and manage your incoming calls differently, you've come to the right place. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various ways to turn off your Verizon voicemail, step-by-step. Let's get started, shall we?
The Comprehensive Guide: How to Turn Off Verizon Voicemail
Turning off voicemail on Verizon can be a bit more involved than just flipping a switch in your phone settings, as Verizon often manages this feature at the network level. However, there are several methods you can explore. We'll cover the most effective options, from direct contact with Verizon to clever workarounds.
Step 1: Understand Your Voicemail - Is It Basic or Visual?
Before we dive into the deactivation process, it's helpful to understand the type of voicemail service you have with Verizon. While the end goal is the same (no more voicemails!), the nuances of managing them can differ slightly.
Basic Voicemail: This is the traditional service where callers leave a message, and you dial *86 to listen to them. Notifications are typically a simple icon or a sound.
Visual Voicemail: Available on most smartphones, Visual Voicemail allows you to see a list of your messages, play them in any order, and even read transcriptions (if you have that feature). This usually comes as an app or a built-in feature on your iPhone or Android device.
Knowing which one you have might slightly influence which settings you'll look for on your device, though the ultimate network-level deactivation methods remain consistent.
Step 2: The Most Direct Approach - Contacting Verizon Customer Service
For a permanent and official deactivation of your voicemail service, contacting Verizon directly is often the most reliable method. This ensures that the feature is removed from your line at the carrier level, preventing any calls from being routed to voicemail.
Sub-heading: How to Reach Verizon Customer Service
Dial from a Verizon Phone: The easiest way to reach Verizon customer service is by dialing *611 from your Verizon mobile phone.
Dial from Any Phone: If you're calling from a landline or another phone, dial 1-800-922-0204.
Online Chat/Social Media: Verizon also offers online chat support through their website, and you can often get assistance via their official social media channels (Facebook or Twitter).
Sub-heading: What to Say to the Representative
Once you connect with a customer service representative, be clear and concise with your request:
"Hello, I would like to permanently disable the voicemail feature on my phone number."
"I do not want any calls to go to voicemail. I want my phone to simply ring until I answer or the call is disconnected."
Be prepared to provide your account details for verification. While some representatives might initially try to offer alternatives or troubleshoot voicemail issues, firmly reiterate that you wish to have the feature removed entirely from your line. Some users have reported that not all reps are familiar with this option, so if one says it's not possible, politely ask to speak with a supervisor or try calling again. The key is to request that they "decline the provisioning" of voicemail on your line.
Sub-heading: Verifying Deactivation
After the representative confirms they've disabled the voicemail, it's crucial to verify it.
Ask them to confirm the change has been applied.
Then, from another phone, call your Verizon number. Let it ring until it would normally go to voicemail. If you hear a message indicating the mailbox is not set up, or if it simply keeps ringing, you've succeeded!
Step 3: Exploring Device-Specific Settings (Limited Effectiveness for Full Deactivation)
While Verizon largely controls voicemail at the network level, some phones offer limited options to manage voicemail behavior or notifications. These methods will not permanently disable the voicemail service but can help manage its impact.
Sub-heading: Managing Voicemail Notifications on iPhone
If you want to stop getting alerts but still allow people to leave voicemails (which you'll just ignore), you can manage notification settings:
Go to Settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Scroll down and tap on Phone.
Here you can customize alert styles, turn off sounds, or even disable badges (the little red number on the app icon) for voicemail.
For iOS 17 and later, also check Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail and toggle it off if you don't want to see live transcriptions as people leave messages.
Sub-heading: Managing Voicemail App Settings on Android
Android devices can have varying settings depending on the manufacturer and Android version.
Open your Phone app.
Tap the three dots (or similar menu icon), then go to Settings.
Look for "Voicemail," "Call Settings," or "Supplementary Services."
You might find options here to manage notifications or even a "deactivate" option, but often these only affect the app's behavior and not the network service.
You can also try clearing the Voicemail app's data or cache: Go to Settings > Apps > Voicemail (or your phone's dialer app) > Storage & cache, then select Clear cache and Clear data. This can sometimes resolve persistent notification issues.
Step 4: The Call Forwarding Workaround (Temporary or Specific Use)
This method redirects all incoming calls to another number, effectively bypassing your Verizon voicemail. While not a permanent deactivation of the voicemail feature, it prevents calls from ever reaching it.
Sub-heading: How to Forward All Calls
Dial Activation Code: From your Verizon phone, dial *72 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to (e.g., *72-555-123-4567).
Press Send/Call: You should hear a confirmation tone or message.
Important Considerations:
The number you forward to must be an active, voice-capable line in the US.
You cannot forward calls to international numbers.
This will forward all incoming calls, not just those that would go to voicemail.
If the number you forward to is busy or unanswered, callers might still eventually reach that number's voicemail if it has one.
Sub-heading: How to Turn Off Call Forwarding
If you decide you no longer want to forward all your calls, simply dial *73 from your Verizon phone. You should hear a confirmation that call forwarding has been deactivated.
Step 5: The "Full Voicemail Box" Trick (Not Recommended for Long-Term)
This is more of a hack than a solution and is generally not recommended for long-term use, but it's a known workaround if you're desperate to stop receiving new voicemails immediately without contacting Verizon.
Sub-heading: How it Works
The idea is to fill your voicemail inbox to its maximum capacity. Once it's full, callers will typically hear a message stating that your mailbox is full and they cannot leave a message.
Record Long Voicemails: From another phone, call your Verizon number and leave numerous, lengthy voicemails for yourself until your inbox is completely full. Most carriers allow 20-30 messages, or a specific total recording time.
Check for Full Status: After leaving several, call your number from a third phone and try to leave a message. If you hear a "mailbox is full" announcement, you've succeeded.
Why it's not ideal:
Most carriers automatically delete old voicemails after a certain period (e.g., 30 days), meaning you'd have to repeat this process regularly to keep the inbox full.
It's an inelegant solution and might confuse callers.
Step 6: Post-Deactivation Checklist
No matter which method you choose, it's always a good idea to perform a final check to ensure your Verizon voicemail is indeed turned off.
Call Yourself: Use a different phone (a friend's, a landline, or a different mobile number) and dial your Verizon number.
Observe the Behavior:
If your phone rings indefinitely without going to voicemail, or if you hear a message like "The subscriber you are calling is not available" without an option to leave a message, then you've likely succeeded.
If it still goes to voicemail, revisit the steps, particularly contacting Verizon Customer Service.
Turning off your voicemail can significantly change how you manage calls, so make sure this is the right decision for your communication needs!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 10 related FAQs to help you navigate Verizon voicemail management:
How to permanently turn off Verizon voicemail?
The most reliable way to permanently turn off Verizon voicemail is to contact Verizon Customer Service directly by dialing *611 from your Verizon phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any other phone, and request them to "decline the provisioning" of voicemail on your line.
How to stop Verizon voicemail notifications?
To stop notifications without disabling voicemail entirely, go to your phone's settings: on iPhone, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Phone and customize the alerts; on Android, check Settings > Apps > Voicemail (or your phone's dialer app) and manage notification preferences there.
How to disable Visual Voicemail on Verizon?
Disabling Visual Voicemail typically involves removing the feature from your account through the My Verizon app or website, or by contacting customer service. For iPhones, you might also have "Live Voicemail" in Settings > Phone which can be toggled off.
How to reset my Verizon voicemail password?
You can reset your Verizon voicemail password by dialing *611 from your Verizon phone and following the automated prompts, or by logging into your My Verizon app or website and navigating to Account > Profile & settings > Voicemail password.
How to forward calls instead of sending to Verizon voicemail?
To forward all calls, dial *72 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to (e.g., *72-555-123-4567) from your Verizon phone. This will bypass voicemail.
How to check Verizon voicemail from another phone?
Dial your 10-digit Verizon mobile number. When your voicemail greeting starts, interrupt it by pressing the # key, then enter your voicemail password when prompted.
How to delete all Verizon voicemail messages at once?
While there isn't typically a "delete all" option, you can call *86 to access your voicemail, listen to or skip messages, and press 7 to delete each message individually. For Visual Voicemail, you can often select multiple messages and choose to delete them.
How to turn on Verizon voicemail if I previously turned it off?
If you had Verizon customer service disable it, you'll need to contact them again to reactivate the voicemail feature on your line. If you only disabled notifications or used call forwarding, simply reverse those settings.
How to know if Verizon voicemail is active on my line?
Call your Verizon number from another phone. If it rings and then goes to a voicemail greeting where a message can be left, voicemail is active. If it rings indefinitely or states the subscriber is unavailable without a message option, it's likely disabled.
How to get a transcript of my Verizon voicemails?
Verizon offers a "Voicemail to Text" service, which transcribes your voicemails into text messages. This is often a premium add-on that can be managed through your My Verizon account or by contacting customer service.
