8 Simple Ways to Fix Voicemail Unavailable on an iPhone

Get your voicemail working again on your iPhone

Co-authored by Rain Kengly Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: June 21, 2024 Fact Checked

Does your iPhone say your voicemail is unavailable and to try again later? If your mobile carrier says your voicemail is enabled, you may be experiencing a software bug. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to troubleshoot it. Here's what to do when you see "Voicemail Unavailable" on your iPhone.

Why Is My iPhone Voicemail Unavailable?

In most cases, your mobile carrier may have disabled your voicemail. Contact your carrier to fix issues with your voicemail. You can also try updating your carrier settings, disabling call forwarding, restarting the Phone app, or updating your iPhone.

1

Contact your mobile carrier.

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Make sure your carrier has Voicemail enabled. Voicemail is managed by your carrier, and most issues can be fixed with a simple phone call. Confirm that it isn't an issue on their end. If it isn't, continue to the next method.
- AT&T: 1-800-331-0500
- Sprint: Dial *2 or 1-888-211-4727
- Verizon: Dial *611 or 1-800-922-0204
- Cricket Wireless: 1-800-274-2538

2

Restart the Phone app.

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To force-close an app, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-press the Home button). Swipe up on the Phone app to close it.

3

Disable Call Forwarding.

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Turn off Call Forwarding. This feature can direct calls to another linked device. To turn it off, do the following:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Phone.
- Tap Call Forwarding.
- Toggle off Call Forwarding.

4

Update your carrier settings.

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Check for a carrier settings update on your iPhone. Generally, you'll be notified if an update is available, but you can manually check to ensure you're up-to-date. Do the following:
- Make sure you're connected to Wi-Fi.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap About.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to update.
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5

Disable and enable Cellular.

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Toggle Cellular on and off. If your cellular line is enabled, you can try turning it off and on again. Do the following:
- Swipe down on the top-right corner (or swipe up) to open the Control Center.
- Tap the green cell tower icon so it turns gray.
- Tap the cell tower icon again.

6

Restart your Wi-Fi connection.

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This can be done in your settings or Control Center. Open the Control Center and tap the Wi-Fi icon until it turns grey. Then, tap it again to turn it on.

7

Restart your iPhone.

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Restart your device. A quick restart can fix common issues. Do the following:
- On iPhones without a Home button, press and hold the Power button and Volume Up button until the Power slider appears.
  - On iPhones with a Home button, press and hold the side button until the slider appears.
- Slide the slider with your finger and wait for your iPhone to turn off.
- Wait 30 seconds, and then turn it back on.

8

Update your iPhone.

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Make sure your iPhone is updated. Software updates include the latest bug fixes, so be sure your device is up-to-date. Do the following:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Tap Download and Install.