Feeling overwhelmed by a full Verizon voicemail inbox? Don't worry, you're not alone! Many of us find our voicemails piling up, leading to that annoying "mailbox full" message for callers. But fear not, clearing out your Verizon voicemail is a straightforward process, and I'm here to guide you through it, step-by-step. Let's get that inbox sparkling clean!
Clearing Your Verizon Voicemail: A Comprehensive Guide
Whether you're a traditional voicemail user or prefer the convenience of Visual Voicemail, we've got you covered. Follow these detailed steps to declutter your Verizon voicemail.
Step 1: Accessing Your Voicemail – The Gateway to a Clearer Inbox
Before you can delete anything, you need to get into your voicemail. There are a couple of primary ways to do this, depending on your phone and service.
Option A: Dialing into Traditional Voicemail
This is the classic method and works on virtually any phone.
Open your Phone app: Find the phone icon on your device (usually looks like an old-fashioned telephone receiver).
Dial your voicemail:
For most Verizon users, you can dial *86 and press the call button.
Alternatively, you can often press and hold the '1' key on your phone's dial pad. This is a common shortcut for accessing voicemail across many carriers.
Enter your voicemail password: If prompted, enter your voicemail password. If you've forgotten it, don't panic! We'll cover how to reset it in the FAQ section.
Option B: Using Visual Voicemail (Recommended for Smartphones)
Visual Voicemail makes managing messages much easier by displaying them as a list.
Locate the Visual Voicemail app:
iPhone users: Your voicemail messages are integrated directly into the Phone app. Open the Phone app and tap on the "Voicemail" tab at the bottom right.
Android users: You likely have a dedicated Visual Voicemail app. Look for an app icon that might resemble two circles connected with a line, or simply be labeled "Voicemail."
Open the app: Tap on the Visual Voicemail app icon to open your inbox.
Step 2: Navigating Your Voicemail Messages
Once you're in your voicemail, whether by dialing in or using the Visual Voicemail app, you'll need to know how to interact with your messages.
For Traditional Voicemail (Dialing In):
You'll typically hear prompts guiding you through your messages.
Listen carefully to the automated voice for options. Common commands include:
Press '1' to replay the message.
Press '3' to fast forward.
Press '7' to delete the message.
Press '9' to save the message.
Press '#' to skip to the next message (without deleting or saving).
For Visual Voicemail:
Messages will appear in a list format.
You can usually see the caller's number or name (if they're in your contacts), the date, and the length of the message.
Tap on a message to listen to it. You'll typically see playback controls (play, pause, fast forward, rewind).
Step 3: Deleting Individual Voicemail Messages
This is the core of clearing your inbox.
For Traditional Voicemail (Dialing In):
Listen to or skip the message: As you listen to each message, or after you've heard enough to know you want to delete it, wait for the prompt.
Press '7' to delete: When prompted, or at any point during playback if the option is given, press '7' on your phone's dial pad. The system will usually confirm that the message has been deleted.
Repeat for all unwanted messages: Continue through your messages, pressing '7' for each one you wish to remove.
For Visual Voicemail:
Select the message: In your Visual Voicemail list, tap on the specific message you want to delete.
Locate the delete icon: Look for a trash can icon. Its location can vary slightly depending on your phone model and OS, but it's often at the bottom of the screen or in the top right corner.
Confirm deletion: You may be asked to confirm your choice. Tap "Delete" or "OK" to permanently remove the message.
Pro Tip: On many Visual Voicemail apps, you can long-press on a message to bring up additional options, including delete.
Step 4: Deleting Multiple or All Voicemail Messages (Mass Deletion)
If your inbox is overflowing, deleting messages one by one can be tedious. Here's how to speed things up.
For Traditional Voicemail (Dialing In):
Unfortunately, traditional dialed-in voicemail systems rarely offer a "delete all" option. You'll typically have to go through each message and press '7' individually. However, if your mailbox is completely full and you can't receive new messages, sometimes accessing it and simply hanging up (without saving any) might trigger a system reset, but this is not guaranteed and depends on your specific voicemail system configuration. It's usually best to delete them one by one.
For Visual Voicemail (The Easiest Way!):
Open your Visual Voicemail app.
Look for a "Select" or "Edit" option: This is often represented by three dots (⋮) in the top right corner, an "Edit" button, or a trash can icon that, when tapped, activates selection checkboxes.
Select messages:
To delete all messages, look for a "Select All" option (often a checkbox at the top of the list).
To delete multiple specific messages, tap the checkbox next to each message you want to remove.
Tap the delete icon: Once your desired messages are selected, tap the trash can icon.
Confirm deletion: A pop-up will usually ask you to confirm. Tap "Delete" or "Clear All" to permanently erase them.
Step 5: Clearing Voicemail Notifications (If They Persist)
Sometimes, even after deleting all messages, a stubborn voicemail notification icon might linger on your phone. Here's how to tackle that.
Restart your phone: A simple restart often resolves persistent notification issues. Turn your phone completely off, wait 30 seconds, and then turn it back on.
Call your voicemail and hang up: Dial your voicemail (as in Step 1, Option A), let it connect, listen for a moment (it should say "You have no new messages"), and then hang up. This can sometimes force the notification to clear.
Have someone leave a new message, then delete it: Ask a friend or family member to leave you a very short voicemail. Access it, listen to it, and immediately delete it using the methods above. This often "resets" the notification system.
Clear app data/cache (Android only, advanced):
Go to your phone's Settings.
Tap on "Apps" or "Applications."
Find your "Phone" app or "Voicemail" app.
Tap on "Storage."
You'll see options for "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data." Start with Clear Cache. If that doesn't work, then try "Clear Data." Be aware that clearing data for the Voicemail app might reset some settings, but it shouldn't delete messages already on Verizon's server (though it might remove them from your visual voicemail display, requiring a re-sync).
Important Note: Deleted voicemails are generally unrecoverable. Once you've deleted a message, it's typically gone for good. If you have an important message you want to keep, make sure to save it (usually option '9' in traditional voicemail, or a "save" or "share" option in Visual Voicemail) before deleting. Some phones allow you to save voicemails as audio files to your device or share them via email.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to check my Verizon voicemail?
You can check your Verizon voicemail by dialing *86 from your mobile phone or by pressing and holding the '1' key. If you have a smartphone, you can typically access your voicemail directly through the built-in Phone app (for iPhones) or a dedicated Visual Voicemail app (for Android).
How to reset my Verizon voicemail password?
You can reset your Verizon voicemail password through your My Verizon account online, or by dialing *611 from your mobile phone and following the automated prompts for customer service. You will likely need to verify your identity.
How to save a Verizon voicemail message?
When listening to a message via traditional voicemail (dialing *86), you typically press '9' to save the message. In Visual Voicemail, you can often tap on the message and look for a "Save" or "Share" option, which might allow you to save it as an audio file to your device or email it to yourself.
How to know if my Verizon voicemail is full?
You'll typically receive a notification on your phone indicating your voicemail is full, or callers will hear a message stating that your mailbox is unavailable. When you access your voicemail, the system will often tell you if your mailbox has reached its capacity.
How to delete multiple Verizon voicemail messages at once?
If you have Visual Voicemail, open the app, look for an "Edit" or "Select" option (often three dots), then select all the messages you wish to delete (or "Select All") and tap the trash can icon. Traditional voicemail usually requires deleting messages one by one.
How to clear persistent Verizon voicemail notifications?
Try restarting your phone, calling your voicemail and hanging up (ensuring it says "no new messages"), or having someone leave a new, short message that you then immediately delete. For Android, clearing the cache or data of the Phone/Voicemail app in your settings can also help.
How to access Verizon voicemail from another phone?
Dial your own Verizon mobile number. When your voicemail greeting begins, press the '#' key. You will then be prompted to enter your voicemail password.
How to turn off Verizon voicemail?
Disabling voicemail usually requires contacting Verizon customer support directly. You can dial 611 from your Verizon mobile phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone to speak with a representative and request to have voicemail removed from your line.
How to retrieve deleted Verizon voicemail messages?
Generally, once a voicemail message is deleted from Verizon's system, it is permanently removed and cannot be retrieved. It's always best to save important messages before deleting them.
How to get Verizon Visual Voicemail?
Basic Visual Voicemail is often included with smartphone plans on Verizon. For iPhones, it's integrated into the Phone app. For Android phones, there's usually a pre-installed Visual Voicemail app. Premium Visual Voicemail features (like voicemail-to-text) may be available for an additional monthly fee and can be added through your My Verizon account or by contacting customer support.