How to Delete Voicemails on iPhone (and Recover Them If Needed)

Voicemails, just like emails, can pile up before you know it. One day you’re just checking messages, and the next, your inbox is full of old voicemails you don’t need anymore. If you’re ready to do a little digital cleanup, here’s how to delete voicemails on your iPhone, whether it’s a single message or all of them at once.

How to Delete Voicemail Messages on iPhone

If you just want to remove a few messages, you can delete voicemails one by one directly in the Phone app.

Here’s how:

1. Open the Phone app and select the Voicemail tab.
2. Then, do one of the following to delete a voicemail:
   • In your voicemail list, swipe the message from right to left and tap Delete.
   • Select the voicemail to display the details and tap the Delete icon (trash can).

You will not be asked to confirm when you delete a voicemail. The message simply vanishes from your voicemail list.

How to Delete Multiple Voicemails at Once

If you’ve got a bunch of old messages you want to clear out quickly, you can delete several at the same time.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Go to the Voicemail tab → select Edit on the top right.
3. Tap to mark the circle next to each voicemail you want to remove.
4. Select Delete at the bottom right.
   
   

Again, your iPhone won’t ask for confirmation. The messages will simply be removed from your list.

How to Recover Deleted Voicemail on iPhone

Accidentally deleted an important voicemail? Don’t worry, if it hasn’t been permanently removed, you can still recover it.

1. Open the Phone app → select the Voicemail tab.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the message list and tap Deleted Messages.
   Note: You will not see the Deleted Messages option if no recently deleted voicemails exist.
3. Select the voicemail you want to recover → tap the Undelete icon (trash can with a line through it).
   
   

The voicemail will instantly return to your main message list.

How to Permanently Delete Voicemails on iPhone

1. Open the Phone app → select the Voicemail tab.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the message list and tap Deleted Messages. 
3. On the top right of the list, select Clear All.
4. Confirm you want to permanently delete the voicemails by tapping Clear All at the bottom of the screen.
   
   

This will permanently remove those voicemails from your device.

Can You Recover Permanently Deleted Voicemails on iPhone?

Once you’ve cleared your Deleted Messages folder, there’s no direct way to recover those voicemails. However, you can try contacting your carrier’s support. Some carriers may be able to retrieve recently deleted voicemails from their servers, but it’s not guaranteed.

Wrapping up

Now that you know how to delete voicemails on your iPhone and recover them if needed, you can finally clear out that cluttered inbox.

Will you take a few minutes to tidy up your voicemail list today?

If you’d rather not deal with voicemail at all, check out our guide on how to turn off voicemail on iPhone for good.

Read more:

• Voicemail Not Working on Your iPhone? 8 Ways to Fix It
• Fixed: iPhone Calls Going Straight to Voicemail Without Ringing
• Live Voicemail Not Working on iPhone? 7 Ways to Fix It!