Last updated: October 2026
Live Voicemail shows what a caller says as they leave a message, so you can decide whether to pick up. It arrived with iOS 17, and it is useful for unknown numbers, delivery calls and anything you do not want to answer blind. This guide covers how to turn it on, how to use it during a call, how it differs from Call Screening, and what to check if the option is missing.
- Open Settings > Apps > Phone > Live Voicemail and make sure the switch is on.
- When a call goes to voicemail, a live transcript appears on your screen as the caller speaks.
- Tap the green Answer button to take the call, or let the caller finish and read it later in the Phone app's Voicemail tab.
- If the option is missing, check your iOS version, your region and language, and your carrier.
What Live Voicemail does
Apple describes it as real-time transcription while someone leaves a voicemail, with the option to pick up during the message, according to 9to5Mac's July 2023 report. When you send a call to voicemail, a phone and recording icon appears in the Dynamic Island or at the top of the screen. Tap it to open the live transcription. From there 9to5Mac says you can block the caller, answer the call, or let them keep talking.
iGeeksBlog (updated December 2, 2025) adds that the caller does not know you are reading the message unless you answer. Apple's statement, quoted by 9to5Mac, is that transcription is handled on the device using the Neural Engine and "remains entirely private."
Check the requirements first
- iOS version: iOS 17 or later (iGeeksBlog and 9to5Mac).
- iPhone model: iGeeksBlog says iPhone XS or newer. I did not find this on an Apple page, so confirm it on Apple's support site.
- Region and language: availability varies. iGeeksBlog says that where it is not yet available, changing the region to the US can unlock it, but that is a workaround reported by a blog, not an Apple instruction, and it can affect other settings. I could not open Apple's feature availability page for the list of supported countries and languages.
- Carrier: iGeeksBlog suggests contacting your carrier if voicemail is not set up correctly. AT&T, Telus and Vodafone UK publish their own help pages for turning the feature on, but I did not check what each carrier requires.
How to turn Live Voicemail on or off
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps, then Phone.
- Scroll to Live Voicemail.
- Switch it on (or off).
This path comes from AT&T's device help page for the iPhone 17 Pro and from iGeeksBlog. iGeeksBlog also says the feature is usually on by default after updating to iOS 17 or later. Older guides, such as 9to5Mac's 2023 article, give the shorter Settings > Phone path. If your iOS 27 Settings looks different, search Settings for "Live Voicemail".
How to use it during a call
- Let the call go to voicemail. You can decline it, or it can go there on its own.
- Open the live transcript. Tap the phone and recording icon (9to5Mac) or the Voicemail icon on the incoming call (iGeeksBlog).
- Decide. Tap Answer to connect at any point. Tap the red End button to end the call, or let the message finish.
- Exit anytime. 9to5Mac says you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to leave Live Voicemail.
- Read it later. Open the Phone app, go to Voicemail, tap the caller, then read the transcript, play the audio, share it or delete it (iGeeksBlog).
Live Voicemail vs Call Screening
They are different features, and the names get mixed up. Apple's support page "Manage unknown callers on iPhone" (published September 14, 2026) describes Screen Unknown Callers under Settings > Apps > Phone, with three options:
| Setting | What happens (per Apple) |
|---|---|
| Never | Calls from unsaved numbers ring like any other call. |
| Ask Reason for Calling | The caller is asked why they are calling before your phone rings. |
| Silence | Calls from unsaved numbers are silenced and sent to voicemail. |
Apple adds that screening may incur standard calling and data rates, that calls are not screened while roaming, and that after you call emergency services, call screening turns off for 24 hours. For FaceTime, the page describes a separate Silence Unknown Callers setting. In short: Call Screening decides what happens to unknown numbers before they ring, while Live Voicemail lets you watch a message being left.
If Live Voicemail does not work or is missing
iGeeksBlog's troubleshooting guide (July 11, 2025) lists these causes and fixes:
- Turn it off and on under Settings > Apps > Phone, and turn off Call Forwarding if it is active.
- Update iOS at Settings > General > Software Update.
- Check region and language at Settings > General > Language & Region.
- Check Focus. A Focus or Do Not Disturb can send calls straight to voicemail.
- Reset network settings at Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This removes saved Wi-Fi networks, VPNs and Bluetooth pairings, so use it last.
- Restart the phone and ask your carrier whether your plan includes the feature.
iGeeksBlog also says Screen Time restrictions or device management set by a school or workplace can grey out the option. If the toggle is missing entirely and nothing works, contact Apple Support.
The same page suggests dialing *#61# to check the voicemail delay and a carrier code to change it. Those codes differ by carrier, so I am not reproducing them; ask your carrier.
Catches and limits
- Spam calls. 9to5Mac says calls your carrier flags as spam do not appear as Live Voicemail and are declined automatically, but carriers do not block everything, so some spam can still reach it. A block button is available.
- Accuracy. iGeeksBlog says noisy surroundings can reduce transcription accuracy. I have no measured accuracy figures.
- Languages. I could not verify the full list of supported languages or countries, so check Apple's feature availability page for your region.
- Not a replacement for answering. A transcript can contain errors, so for anything important, play the audio.
FAQ
Does the caller know I am watching?
iGeeksBlog says no, unless you answer.
Does the audio go to Apple?
Apple says, as quoted by 9to5Mac, that transcription is on-device and private. I did not independently audit that.
Where are transcripts saved?
In the Phone app under Voicemail, per iGeeksBlog.
Does iOS 27 change Live Voicemail?
I found no Apple or news page describing an iOS 27 change to it. The current path in the sources I found is Settings > Apps > Phone.
My verdict
If your region and carrier support it, leave Live Voicemail on: it costs nothing and gives you a quick way to judge a call. Pair it with Screen Unknown Callers if you want unknown numbers filtered before they ring. If the toggle is missing, work down the checklist and start with iOS version, region and language. For other settings worth reviewing on the same phone, see our 10 iPhone settings you should change, and if you worry about missing important calls, how to set up iPhone Emergency SOS covers the safety side.
What I could not verify: the live version of this post, Apple's own list of countries, languages and carriers for Live Voicemail, the iPhone XS minimum on an Apple page, and whether the iOS 27 Settings screen differs from the path above. I did not test the feature myself.
Sources: Apple Support: Manage unknown callers on iPhone | AT&T: Turning on Live Voicemail | iGeeksBlog: How to use Live Voicemail on iPhone | iGeeksBlog: Live Voicemail not working | 9to5Mac: iPhone Live Voicemail how to use (July 2023)