How to set up voicemail on any phone

On iPhone, voicemail lives in the Phone app under the Voicemail tab (bottom right). The first time you open it, you'll be walked through setup.

1. Open the Phone app and tap Voicemail.
2. Tap Set Up Now.
3. Create a voicemail password (PIN) when prompted.
4. Choose Custom to record your own greeting, or Default for the generic one.
5. Tap Record, say your greeting, then tap Save.

If you don't see a Voicemail tab, your carrier may not support Visual Voicemail — in that case, press and hold 1 to dial in instead. To update your greeting later, see how to change your voicemail greeting on iPhone.

Android setup varies by carrier more than any other phone, because some carriers use a visual voicemail app and others want you to dial in.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Press and hold the 1 key to dial your voicemail.
3. Follow the voice prompts to set a PIN and record a greeting.

Many Android phones also have a dedicated Voicemail app (or a voicemail tab inside the Phone app) that lets you read and play messages visually. For the full walkthrough, see how to set up voicemail on Android. On a Galaxy phone? Use our Samsung voicemail guide instead.

Landline voicemail is run by your phone provider, so you activate it by dialing a code from the phone itself.

1. Pick up the handset and dial your voicemail access number (often your own number, or a code your provider gave you).
2. Enter the temporary PIN from your welcome letter or provider.
3. Set a new PIN.
4. Record your greeting when prompted, then save.

If you're not sure of the access code, check your provider's account page or call their support line — the codes are different for every company.

A good greeting is short and tells the caller exactly what to do. Include your name or business, and a clear next step.

• Keep it under 20 seconds.
• Say your name or business name first.
• Tell callers when you'll return the call ("I'll call you back today").
• For a business, mention your hours.

Stuck on wording? Our free voicemail greeting generator writes one for you in seconds.

Here's the hard truth: most callers don't leave a voicemail. When someone calls a business and hits the mailbox, they often hang up and call the next name on their list. For an appointment-based business, that's a booking that just walked out the door.

That's the gap RingOwl fills. Instead of sending callers to voicemail, a 24/7 AI answering service picks up live, answers common questions, and books the appointment straight into your calendar — even at 11pm on a Sunday. Voicemail is still worth setting up as a backup, but it shouldn't be the first thing a paying customer hears.