Voicemails often carry important messages—whether it’s a missed job opportunity, a heartfelt note from a loved one, or a reminder from your doctor. But what if you accidentally delete a voicemail on your iPhone? Is it gone forever?
The good news is you can retrieve deleted voicemails on your iPhone, and depending on how long it’s been since you deleted them, there are several methods to get them back. Whether you’re a tech-savvy user or someone who’s just learning the ropes of your iPhone, this guide will walk you through practical steps to recover lost voicemails easily and safely.
Why Do Voicemails Get Deleted?
Before we dive into recovery methods, it’s worth understanding how voicemail deletion happens:
- Accidental deletion while managing your voicemail inbox.
- iOS updates or glitches causing voicemail data to disappear.
- Network sync issues with your carrier.
- Storage problems or bugs during voicemail download or playback.
Luckily, most of the time, deleted voicemails aren’t gone permanently—especially if you act quickly.
Where Do Deleted Voicemails Go on iPhone?
When you delete a voicemail, it doesn’t immediately disappear. Instead, it’s moved to a “Deleted Messages” folder, similar to how deleted emails go to a trash folder. iPhone keeps these deleted voicemails temporarily, giving you a chance to restore them—as long as you do it before they’re permanently removed.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Voicemails Directly from iPhone
Step-by-Step:
- Open the Phone app on your iPhone.
- Tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right.
- Scroll to the bottom and look for “Deleted Messages.”
- Tap it to view deleted voicemails.
- Find the voicemail you want to recover.
- Tap the voicemail, then tap “Undelete” or the trash icon with an arrow to restore it.
Good to Know:
- Deleted voicemails may only stay in this folder for a few days, depending on your carrier.
- If you don’t see “Deleted Messages,” your carrier may not support this feature—or the messages may already be removed permanently.
✅ Best for: Recovering recently deleted voicemails without any tools or backup needed.
Method 2: Check Voicemail Through Your Carrier’s App or Voicemail System
If the deleted voicemail doesn’t appear in the iPhone app, it might still be stored on your carrier’s server, especially if you’re using a traditional voicemail system or a carrier app like My Verizon, AT&T Visual Voicemail, or T-Mobile’s app.
What to Try:
- Log in to your carrier’s app and check for voicemail history or deleted messages.
- Call your voicemail number and listen to the automated system. Some carriers let you recover deleted messages using number prompts (e.g., pressing “1” for messages, then “7” for deleted).
- Contact customer support and ask if they can retrieve voicemail from their backup (usually within 7–14 days after deletion).
✅ Best for: Carriers that store voicemail data separately from the iPhone.
Method 3: Restore Voicemail via iCloud or iTunes Backup
If the voicemail is no longer on the phone and can’t be retrieved from the deleted messages folder or your carrier, the next option is to restore from a previous backup.
iCloud Backup Recovery
If you back up your iPhone to iCloud regularly:
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- After the reset, choose Restore from iCloud Backup during setup.
- Sign in and select a backup made before the voicemail was deleted.
iTunes/Finder Backup Recovery
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later).
- Click on your device > Restore Backup.
- Choose the relevant backup and follow the prompts.
⚠️ This method replaces your current iPhone data with data from the backup. It’s a full restore, not a selective one.
✅ Best for: Users who regularly back up their device and urgently need to recover voicemails that were deleted days or weeks ago.
Method 4: Use Third-Party iPhone Data Recovery Tools
There are trusted third-party tools that specialize in selective data recovery, including voicemail. Some of the best-rated ones include:
- iMobie PhoneRescue
- Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (iOS)
- Tenorshare UltData
- iMyFone D-Back
How These Tools Work:
- Install the software on your Mac or Windows PC.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB.
- Run a scan to detect deleted voicemails (even those not visible on the device).
- Preview and restore selected voicemail messages without resetting the entire phone.
✅ Best for: Users who didn’t back up their phone but urgently need to retrieve deleted voicemails.
🚨 Caution: Always download recovery tools from the official website. Some free tools may come with limitations or include unwanted software.
How to Prevent Losing Voicemails in the Future
Once you’ve recovered your important messages, here’s how to make sure you don’t lose them again:
1. Save Voicemails as Audio Files
- Open the voicemail in the Phone app.
- Tap the Share icon.
- Choose Save to Files, Voice Memos, or send via email.
- This saves the voicemail as an .m4a audio file that you can store anywhere.
2. Enable Regular iCloud Backups
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
- Turn it on and tap Back Up Now.
3. Use Carrier Apps or Visual Voicemail Backups
Some carriers offer voicemail syncing or history backup inside their apps. Explore those settings for additional safety.
Final Thoughts
Voicemails can hold meaningful and sometimes irreplaceable messages, but if you’ve deleted one by accident—don’t panic. Whether it’s still in your Deleted Messages folder or needs to be pulled from a backup, there are several reliable ways to recover lost voicemails on your iPhone.
