How to set up voicemail on Android

These steps are for phones that use Google's Phone by Google app, including Pixel phones and many Motorola and other Android phones. Samsung phones use their own app: see how to set up voicemail on Samsung.

Step 1: Activate your mailbox

1. Open the Phone app and go to the dial pad.
2. Press and hold 1. If you get a message that no voicemail number is stored, see the tip below.
3. Follow your carrier's prompts. You'll usually choose a language, create a password or PIN, record your name, and record or choose a greeting.
4. Hang up when the setup is complete.

Step 2: Turn on visual voicemail (optional)

1. In the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu (or your profile icon, depending on the version) and choose Settings.
2. Tap Voicemail.
3. If you see a Visual voicemail switch, turn it on. Your voicemails will then appear in the Phone app with play buttons and, on some carriers, transcriptions.

If there's no visual voicemail option, your carrier may use its own app instead (for example, Verizon's or T-Mobile's visual voicemail apps), or may only support the voice menu.

Tip: "Voicemail number not set"

If pressing and holding 1 says there's no voicemail number, open Settings → Voicemail in the Phone app, look for Advanced settings → Setup → Voicemail number (wording varies by version), and enter your carrier's voicemail access number. Your carrier's support site lists the right number.

Check that voicemail works

Call your number from another phone, let it ring out, and leave a short test message. It should appear in the Phone app's voicemail list (with visual voicemail) or play when you press and hold 1. If the call rings out with no voicemail, your mailbox isn't active yet: run the setup in Step 1 again, or ask your carrier to turn voicemail on for your line.

Once it works, record a greeting that tells callers who they reached. See how to change your voicemail greeting on Android.