No one likes missing important messages, but that’s what typically happens if the voicemail on a device isn’t functioning. These days, sending a call to voicemail is the only way to know when an important call comes in, especially because there are so many spam calls.
There are a few workarounds you can attempt if you are trying to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone. We’ve described them in this guide, so hopefully one of these workarounds will make your iPhone’s voicemail functional once more, ensuring that you never again miss a message.
Ways to Fix Voicemail Not Working on an iPhone
There are many possible reasons for voicemail on iPhones not to function, ranging from network issues to incorrectly configured settings. As a result, we have included different feasible solution below, ranging from the simplest to a bit more complex options.
So, to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone, try the following procedures.
Empty your voicemail box
You might stop getting voicemails if your voicemail box fills up pretty quickly. Although the majority of new iPhones have ample storage, voicemail storage is typically restricted and can quickly get full, especially if you receive a lot of spam calls.
Go to the Phone app and select Voicemail to erase older voicemails and free up space. Once you’re there, you’ll be able to choose the voicemails you want to delete by tapping Edit in the top right corner.
Select the ones you want, then tap Delete in the lower right corner. If you think you might need your voicemails in the future, make sure to back them up. If your voicemail storage space was the problem, this action would fix voicemail not working on an iPhone by freeing up space, and you should be able to receive voicemails once again.
Do a Carrier Settings Update Check
Not many people are aware, but occasionally there might be a need to update your carrier settings. Although this need doesn’t arise frequently, when it does, updating solves many carrier issues, and this includes helping to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone.
Open Settings > General > About. There will be a pop-up if there is an update. Click the Update button.
It’s crucial to remember to proceed with caution when adjusting your carrier settings. You should prevent it from falling into the wrong hands because this page includes information that needs to be kept confidential. Only your carrier or Apple should receive such confidential information.
Restart the cellular network after turning it off
Another way to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone is to reboot the device. Admittedly, it might seem like a mundane and ineffective option, but it’s better to give it a shot just in case. A device restart is sometimes all that’s required to get rid of the issues when your voicemail is not working as it should.
You can accomplish this by switching your phone off and back on, or by entering and exiting airplane mode. After that, call your phone from a different device to see whether your voicemail is working again. If you got a voicemail, it means you were able to successfully fix voicemail not working on the iPhone.
Ensure call forwarding is disabled
Voicemail and call forwarding are likely to conflict if you have call forwarding set up. As such, this is another factor to consider when trying to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone. To make sure Call Forwarding is not enabled or to turn it off:
Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. Call forwarding is not available on every carrier. You either don’t have it or your carrier has disabled it if you can’t see it in your iPhone’s settings.
Reset network settings
Another option to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone is to reset network settings on the device in question.
To restore your iPhone’s network settings, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings to clear the network settings.
You should contact your carrier or, as the last option, Apple Support if resetting your network settings didn’t help to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone. You can get in touch with them online or schedule an appointment at the nearby Apple Store.
In summary, these are a few ways to fix voicemail not working on an iPhone. Try any of the suggested methods and see which one works for you.