With Live Voicemail in iOS 17 and later, you can view a real-time transcription of the message someone is leaving you as they speak, giving you immediate context for the call. If you want to address it, you can pick up the call while they're still on the line.


In iOS 17 and later, Live Voicemail is on by default. You can turn this on and off at any time.


Turn Live Voicemail on or off
  • Open the Settings app, then tap Phone.
  • Tap Live Voicemail.
  • Turn Live Voicemail on or off.


Apple Live Voicemail cannot be used in conjunction with any Bell Message Center options.


When Live Voicemail is on, your phone picks up and coming calls to capture the caller's voicemail for you to see in real-time. Standard calling or data rates may apply. The caller can't hear you and you can't hear them unless you answer the call.



Send a call to Live Voicemail

When you receive an incoming call and you want to send it to Live Voicemail, tap the Voicemail button. Standard calling or data rates may apply.


If you don't answer a call while on your carrier network, it's also sent to Live Voicemail. If you don't answer a call while roaming, the call is not sent to Live Voicemail. While roaming, a call is only sent to Live Voicemail if you tap the Voicemail button.


Where to find Live Voicemail transcriptions

After a call, you can find voicemails captured by your phone with Live Voicemail in the Voicemail tab of the Phone app.


Transcriptions captured during Live Voicemail are available to view as long as you keep the voicemail in your inbox. We know that voicemails can contain precious moments. Your voicemails are never deleted on your behalf, so you can keep them for as long as you'd like.


If Visual Voicemail is turned on, voicemails captured by your carrier also appear in the Voicemail tab. If your iPhone is turned off or out of your carrier network's range, calls go to carrier voicemail. Otherwise, the call goes to Live Voicemail.


Visual Voicemail is available from select carriers in select countries or regions.


An iPhone showing a voicemail transcription in the Voicemail tab of the Phone app.


If conditional call forwarding isn't working as expected

If conditional call forwarding that you set up with your carrier isn't working as expected or you don't see the option to decline an incoming call, turn off Live Voicemail to continue using conditional call forwarding:


  • Open the Settings app, then tap Phone.
  • Tap Live Voicemail.
  • Turn Live Voicemail off.