Just got your first iPhone? Let us guess. It must be 12 mini or 12 pro, right? When you get your first phone, the foremost thing to do is to set up voicemail, after making an Apple ID, of course.
Once it is set up, you can adjust your notifications accordingly so that you don’t miss even the tiniest detail when someone messages you. Moreover, setting up voicemail will help you know if someone’s message is waiting for your response. If you have gotten a new iPhone and are wondering how to set up voicemail on it, read below. Our guide will walk you through all the details regarding how to set up voicemail on iPhone 12.
Before we begin this guide, know that we attempted to explain the process on iPhone 12 mini since it has been rated as one of the most used and best iPhones to date. It offers features of all the previous models in a compact size and at an affordable price.
What is the voicemail feature and how does it work?
A voicemail is a feature through which a caller can record their message when the recipient isn’t available at the moment. When the owner/receiver is unavailable, the message gets stored in the digital mailbox from where they can retrieve the message through phones, desktops, email and other communication devices.
Before the digital voicemail feature, there were older analog systems in which messages used to get stored in a sequential manner in the mailbox until it was full. However, digital voicemail offers greater flexibility and benefits than the older one. They can carry any kind of information that can be transmitted digitally.
Features of voicemail
Here are some incredible features of voicemail.
- Typically, voicemail supports custom as well as alternative greetings like a busy greetings or out-of-office messages. It can further schedule greetings with an ending/expiration reminder.
- It offers a user interface feature that enables the owner to select, play and manage the messages. On the other hand, the sender gets the options like play o deliver their message.
- There are also features that notify the owner of the waiting messages.
How to set up voicemail on iPhone 12 or mini
Like other phones, you can set up voicemail on your iPhone 12 or mini in a few steps through the phone app itself. If you had owned an iPhone previously, it would be easier for you to set up voicemail on your new phone. But anyhow, we have explained everything in more detail so that you can do it yourself even if you are a new user.
- Unlock your iPhone, set it up, enter or create an Apple id and select the Phone application on your home screen.
- Once you are in the Phone app, navigate voicemail on the right bottom side of your screen and tap.
- Now tap the ‘Set up now’ option on your screen.
- Next, you will be required to provide a Voicemail password, once done, tap ‘Done’.
- You might need to re-enter your password if it’s prompted again and tap ‘Done’.
- In the next step, you will have to choose the greeting to set up on your voicemail.
- You can skip this option by choosing ‘Default greeting message’.
- If you don’t want to go for the default option, you can choose the ‘Custom’ greeting and tap save.
- Finally, your voicemail is set up and ready to use.
How to use voicemail on iPhone 12 mini
By following the above steps, you will be able to set your voicemail successfully. Now the next steps will tell you how to access voicemail on your iPhone 12.
- Once again, go to the Phone app that appears on your home screen.
- Go to Voicemail on the right side bottom of your screen.
- There will appear the list of voicemails. Tap the one you want to listen to.
- Manage your voicemails via the following buttons:
- Tap Play to play the voicemail
- Tap Pause to pause the voicemail
- Tap Delete to remove the voicemail
- Tap Call Back to call the caller
- Tap Speaker to turn on the speaker
Now you must have gotten your answer to the ‘how to set up voicemail on iPhone 12’ query.
Why you’re unable to use Voicemail on your iPhone 12?
A lot of iPhone users have complained about not being able to use voicemail on their phone, saying whenever they open the message, an error appears stating that ‘Voicemail Currently Unavailable. When something like this happens, it means there’s a glitch or an error with your provider network. That said, the following are some troubleshooting tips you might find helpful in restoring voicemail on your phone.
Activate Cellular data
The voicemail feature on the phone solely works on cellular data. Therefore, make sure your cellular data toggle is on in order to receive voicemails on your phone. If your cellular data is not working, turn it off and then again turn it on. Here is how to open cellular data on your phone.
- Unlock your phone, open the Settings app
- Navigate ‘Mobile Data’ and tap
- Now tap the toggle next to ‘Mobile Data
Turn on Airplane Mode
If the above methods don’t help you can try using this one. All you need to do is turn on your mobile phone’s Airplane mode and then turn it off. Wait for a few seconds to re-establish the signals. Doing so will resolve any glitch inhibiting your voicemail from working properly. Here’s how to do it:
- Unlock your iPhone
- Swipe down from the right side top of your screen and tap the Airplane button
Reset Network Settings
Sometimes your voicemail fails to work due to some issues with your network. To fix the issue, you need to reset your network settings. Here’s how you can do that:
- Unlock your iPhone 12 mini
- Open Settings
- Scroll down and tap General
- Head to the last option ‘Reset’ and tap.
- Now select ‘Reset Network Settings’ (a prompt will ask you again to reset, tap ‘Reset Network Setting’) and your work is done there.
How to set up voicemail on Android
If you were an iPhone user and have recently switched to Android, follow the steps below to set up voicemail on your Android device.
- Unlock your Android device, navigate the Phone app and tap it.
- Open the dial screen, press and hold One to start a call with your voicemail and set it up.
- If you already have your voicemail set up, you will be required to enter your PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN, you can reset it. However, the procedure varies by service provider.
- If your voicemail is not set up, you will receive a message stating, No voicemail number is stored on the card.” You need to follow the instructions you get to set up the voicemail service on your device.
- Once your setup is complete, press and hold One again and crosscheck if the service is working properly with your provided password.
That’s that! By doing so, you will successfully set up voicemail on your Android device. If you have the latest Android device, you will likely have the Visual Voicemail app installed on your phone. A notification will pop up whenever you receive a voicemail for this app. Several people recommend managing voicemails through the Visual Voicemail app rather than dialing to manage the incoming voicemails.
About Visual Voicemail App
The latest Android phones now come with a pre-installed app, called Visual Voicemail that provides a convenient way to receive and manage voicemail on your Android device. With this app, you won’t be required to make a phone call or provide a PIN or passcode to check your voicemail. Moreover, the app allows you to check all your voicemail messages, the number they came from, the length of the message and the date it came on.
Several new Android devices have this app natively to ease your work. Once you this app, we bet you will never go back to your traditional method of checking your voicemails.
How to navigate and change settings in the Visual Voicemail app?
Typically, when you receive a voicemail, a notification will come from the Visual Voicemail app to tell you it’s ready to check. Then you need to click on the notification to access the voicemail in the Visual Voicemail app.
Another way to access the Visual voicemail app is by opening your Phone app and tapping the button on the bottom left corner of your screen.
If not, then you can directly use your phone’s search bar to navigate the Visual Voicemail app. Just type the app’s name on the search bar and enter. You will see the results in a second.
Now that you know how to find the app on your Android phone, let’s figure out how to navigate the settings of the app.
Open the Visual Voicemail app, tap the three vertically aligned dots on the right side, top of your screen and press Settings. Now you are free to configure it just like you want. Here you can do the following things:
- Change or customize your voicemail greetings
- Change your password
- Change the auto-save function
- Choose how to display your voicemail notifications
Note: when you change the greetings of your voicemail, you will be provided with the following three options:
- Default setting: if you choose to keep your settings default, an automated voice will read out your number to the callers.
- Name: If you opt for this one, the caller will hear your name (recorded by you) before sending a voicemail to you.
- Custom: Through this option, you can personalize your greeting for your callers.
Pros and Cons of Voicemail for businesses
Voicemail has been proven to be effective in the business world. That said, it has some disadvantages as well. Below we have discussed both pros and cons of using voicemail for organizations.
5 pros of using voicemail in business
- Increase connectivity: Voicemail is a vital feature to keep the employees and businesses connected to each other. While it might not be the best way to approach employees, it could be the best alternative to stay connected to your employees who don’t use phones much often while working. Apart from businesses, it serves as a means to communicate with your friends and family when they are unavailable on the phone.
- Reduce On-hold calls: Voicemails eliminates on-hold calls, enabling the callers to address their concerns without worrying about being put on hold. Typically, in the business world, employees cannot communicate their concerns properly as their calls are put on hold most of the time. Via voicemails, they can address their issues adequately without their time being wasted.
- Improve productivity: Most clients prefer voicemails to communicate with their team to ensure they exchange their concerns without interruptions or distractions.
- Cost efficiency: If used efficiently, voicemails can reduce staff expenses. With it, organizations might not need a dedicated customer service staff. Recorded automated messages can answer multiple calls during the day.
- Call screening: Voicemail helps employees to monitor incoming calls. By doing so, they will know which calls should be answered immediately and which ones can be kept to respond at a later time.
6 Cons of using voicemails in businesses
While there is no denial that voicemails provide an effective way to communicate with clients and employees, it also has some drawbacks. Here they are:
- Security Concerns: Sending and receiving messages via voicemail can be risky, especially for organizations. Hackers can attack the system via SMS, calls, and emails to retrieve sensitive data, including confidential corporate information.
- Costly: Voicemail is more expensive than other voice messaging alternatives. Therefore, it is mostly used by either enterprises or for personal use.
- The language barrier between the sends and receiver: Voicemailing wouldn’t be effective if the sender and receiver don’t speak the same language. As a result, you get tired of deleting those useless un-checked messages to clear up space for other voicemails.
- Personal Inconvenience: Sending and receiving voicemails can be inconvenient for some when other alternatives like texting are available. Those who procrastinate are at a greater disadvantage as they avoid checking voicemails and delay it by convincing themselves that they will do it sometime at a later date.
- Tech illiterate: People who are tech illiterate often avoid using such features. Switching them to a new method of communication can be challenging.
- Less cost-effective for smaller businesses: Small businesses or organizations might not be able to save big through the voicemail system. Hence, it could be less effective for their corporate strategy.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
How to set up voicemail on iPhone 12 series?
Setting up voicemail on iPhone 12 is more or less the same as doing it on other series. We have already mentioned above how to set up voicemail on iPhone 12, however, we will briefly discuss the method again to make it easier for you. First, press and hold ‘One’ on your mobile phone> follow the instructions to provide a password and for the existing mailbox, provide the password when prompted> your custom or default greetings will be transferred to your new iPhone.
How to access voicemail on your phone?
You can easily access an iPhone voicemail by dialing its number on a different carrier. After dialing, for AT&T, press asterisk (*) to stop receiving voicemails. Next, enter your 7 digits password. Your default password is your 7-digit phone number.
How to reset the voicemail password on iPhone?
Follow these steps to reset your voicemail password on an iPhone. Go to the Settings app (probably present on your home screen)> scroll down and navigate to Phone> now select ‘Change Voicemail Password’. There you will be required to enter your current password first to make a new one.
How to reset a voicemail?
Those who have AT&T log in to their carrier’s app. Choose a wireless network account when it appears. Now tap the menu option, then Profile, and finally Reset Voicemail Password. Tap the phone number with the voicemail passcode you want to reset. Tap Reset and then Yes.
How to set up Comcast voicemail?
First, dial your house number or *99 to reach Comcast’s voicemail service. A customer service representative will guide you through the process by asking you to set up your voicemail name, password and personal greeting. Dial your house number or *99 to check your Comcast voicemail.
How to set up Verizon voicemail?
This one is the most asked question as Verizon is the largest wireless provider in the US. if you want to activate your voicemail on Verizon, follow these steps: dial *86 and send a message to the service provider through your Verizon Wireless device. Or you can simply dial your phone number if you want to activate the feature without your wireless home phone. Upon dialing, you will hear greetings, tap ‘#’ to continue. Follow the instructions to move forward, then again dial # to confirm the language choice. (dial 1 for English and then # to confirm). Next, enter your 7-digits password and then # to confirm. When prompted, provide the signature (name) and dial # to confirm. Next, provide greetings and tap # to confirm. That’s that. You have successfully activated voicemail on your Verizon device.
How to set up voicemail on Allworx device?
Tap the MSGS key on your Allworx device twice to log in. Next, provide the password (default PIN 1234). Now follow the instructions and confirm the recorded signature (name) and greetings. It’s done! Now you will get a notification when someone sends you a voicemail.
Why is your voicemail not working on your iPhone?
There could be a variety of reasons why your voicemail fails to work on your iPhone. For instance, if you have recently switched to a new iPhone, you will probably face this issue because of changes in settings and iOS updating. Another reason you experience this issue is when your service has a bad connection in your area.
How to access voicemail on iPhone?
Go to the Phone app, tap, Voicemail, and follow the prompts. For other devices, dial your phone number and then # to skip the greeting. Lastly, enter your voicemail PIN, and you are done.
How to set up voicemail via Siri?
To set up voicemail on iPhone via Siri, you will first be required to activate Siri on your iPhone next, follow these instructions: head to the Settings app on your phone, select Siri and search. Choose ‘Listen’ or ‘Hey Siri’ and turn on the toggle if it’s grey.
How to enable Siri to recognize your voice?
Here’s how you can make Siri recognize your voice: open the Settings app, choose Siri and Search, turn off the ‘Hey Siri’ option and then turn it back. Next, when the Configure Hey Siri option prompts on your screen, tap Next, follow all the on-screen instructions, and tap Done to confirm.
How to set up Siri on your MacBook?
Open Setting on your MacBook, click Siri and Search, deactivate Hey Siri, and activate it again. Upon appearing the Configure Hey Siri prompt, click Next. Follow the instructions on your screen and click Done.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, setting up voicemail is no big leg work. You just need to spare a few minutes of your time to set it up and get going with your work. Earlier, voicemail use was not widespread, but now people are becoming more aware of technology and utilizing features that already exist on their phones for convenience. Via this feature, you can never lose a potential client or an important message because it will take it for you when you are not available. Those facing issues while setting up their voicemails can call their service providers to check if anything is wrong at their end. Also, ask them to activate it for you if you haven’t done so already. Rest can follow our guide to start using their voicemail feature on their Android and iOS devices.
