How to Turn Voicemail Off on Android: Step-by-Step

If you’re trying to turn voicemail off on Android, the fastest path depends on whether your carrier uses a separate voicemail app or built-in call forwarding. This step-by-step guide walks you through disabling voicemail—starting with the right setting in your Phone app or carrier menu—so calls won’t route to voicemail. Follow it once, and you’ll know exactly what to change for your phone model and Android version.

To turn voicemail off on Android, you usually need to disable call forwarding to voicemail and—if available—turn off your carrier voicemail service. This guide walks you through the fastest Android settings first, then the most reliable carrier-level options, so you can stop calls from routing to voicemail for good.

Introduction

Voicemail on Android isn’t controlled by a single universal switch. Depending on your phone model, Android version, and mobile carrier, voicemail behavior is influenced by one or more of the following: call forwarding rules, carrier voicemail provisioning, and visual voicemail apps that display voicemail notifications as if they were separate from the carrier feature. In practice, most users get voicemail back after they “turn it off” because only one layer was changed (for example, visual voicemail was disabled, but carrier forwarding to voicemail remained active).

Below is a step-by-step approach that starts with the settings you can change directly on your device, then moves to the carrier settings and dial codes that fully cancel voicemail routing.

📊 DATA

Common Reasons Voicemail Still Happens After “Turning It Off” (Android)

#	Issue	Where It’s Controlled	Typical User Change	Impact on Voicemail
1	Forwarding for “Unanswered” remains on	Carrier call features	Disabled only visual voicemail	Voicemail still received
2	Forwarding for “Busy” remains on	Carrier call features	Turned off one forwarding condition	Voicemail triggers during calls
3	Forwarding for “Not reachable” remains on	Carrier call features	Changed only Phone app settings	Voicemail triggers when offline
4	Carrier voicemail mailbox still provisioned	Carrier account provisioning	Removed voicemail number mapping	Voicemail persists on reroutes
5	You disabled visual voicemail only	Phone app or carrier app	Turned off notifications	Calls can still land in voicemail
6	Voicemail number mapping still points to carrier	Phone app “Voicemail” setting	Left default mapping	Voicemail access remains
7	Recent carrier update or SIM swap re-enabled features	Carrier provisioning sync	Changed settings before swap	Rules revert temporarily

Turn Off Voicemail via Call Forwarding

This is the quickest path because it uses Android’s Call forwarding controls (which directly affect where unanswered/busy calls route).

Open the Phone app and go to Settings or Call settings
Find Call forwarding and select When busy / Unanswered
Choose Turn off (or disable the voicemail forwarding number)

What to look for (important):

Android will typically show multiple forwarding conditions. You’ll want to disable the ones that route to voicemail, such as:

When unanswered (most common)
When busy
When unreachable / Not reachable (often missed)
Always forward (if enabled, it will override everything else)

Why this matters:

If even one condition forwards to your voicemail service, calls can still end up in voicemail depending on your call state (e.g., you’re in another call, your phone is offline, or you don’t answer). Disabling only “Unanswered” can make voicemail appear “random” to callers.

Action tip: After toggling off forwarding, wait 1–5 minutes (some carriers need time to propagate changes), then ask a friend to call from a different phone.

Disable Voicemail from Your Carrier (Most Reliable Fix)

Even if Android’s forwarding settings look correct, your carrier may still have voicemail provisioned on your line. In that case, calls can still route to voicemail depending on how your carrier interprets forwarding rules.

Contact your mobile carrier or use their app/website
Look for voicemail settings like “Visual Voicemail” or “Voicemail” management
Turn off voicemail service or switch it to “no voicemail” if available

What “turning off voicemail” should mean:

You’re looking for language that indicates the mailbox is disabled, voicemail greeting is removed, or calls won’t be routed to a voicemail system. Some carriers offer alternatives (for example, routing to an announcement instead of a full mailbox), and those may still count as “voicemail” from a caller’s perspective.

If you need a zero-voicemail experience:

Ask the carrier to confirm whether they can:

Disable the voicemail platform for your number, or
Remove/disable any call routing to voicemail for unanswered, busy, and unreachable conditions.

This is often the most reliable fix for people whose voicemail returns after updates or SIM changes.

Use the Dial Code to Cancel Voicemail Forwarding

Many carriers implement voicemail forwarding through network features you can cancel using service codes (dial strings). These vary widely by provider, but the workflow is consistent.

Check your carrier’s specific cancellation codes (varies by provider)
Dial the code in the Phone app to disable voicemail forwarding
Restart your phone and test by calling your number

How to proceed safely:

Search your carrier name + “voicemail forwarding cancel code” or “disable voicemail call forwarding code.”
Follow the exact code format (including any star/plus digits).
Restart your phone afterward so the device refreshes the network feature state.
Test with a real call from another phone.

Why this step works:

Dial codes directly change the network’s call feature configuration—often bypassing device UI inconsistencies or manufacturer-specific Phone app differences.

> Note: Avoid random dial codes. Using the wrong code can unintentionally disable other call features like international dialing or emergency call routing.

Turn Off Visual Voicemail in the Phone App

If your phone uses Visual Voicemail, you might still see voicemail transcripts and notifications even when call forwarding is correct—or even if voicemail is disabled at the carrier. Visual Voicemail is an app-side interface layered on top of voicemail service.

Open your voicemail/visual voicemail settings in the Phone app
Disable voicemail notifications or visual voicemail features
If needed, uninstall or disable the voicemail app provided by your carrier

Common Android locations (varies by brand):

Phone app → Settings → Voicemail / Visual voicemail
Phone app → Settings → Notifications → Voicemail notifications
Settings app → Apps → (carrier voicemail app) → Disable/Uninstall

Business impact:

Turning off Visual Voicemail doesn’t necessarily stop callers from reaching voicemail—it mainly stops the display layer. That’s why this step should follow (or accompany) call-forwarding and carrier voicemail deactivation.

Check Voicemail Settings in Google Voice (If Used)

If you use Google Voice, voicemail may be handled by Google rather than your carrier. In that setup, disabling carrier voicemail might not fully stop voicemail prompts—Google Voice can still capture calls.

Open Google Voice and go to Settings
Disable voicemail options or forwarding to voicemail
Review linked numbers to ensure calls aren’t being routed there

What to verify:

Whether voicemail is enabled under Google Voice settings
Whether your linked number is configured to forward calls
Whether voicemail is configured for specific call flows (for example, “Call screening” routes, business hours, or “unavailable” actions)

Caller experience check:

Ask the caller whether they hear your phone ring, an announcement, or a voicemail greeting. That feedback helps confirm whether the voicemail is coming from Google Voice, the carrier, or a forwarding rule.

Test and Confirm Voicemail Is Fully Off

After you change settings, you need to verify end-to-end. Otherwise, you can end up with a partial fix: no visual voicemail, but voicemail service still captures the call.

Ask a friend to call and verify it doesn’t go to voicemail
If calls still route, re-check call forwarding for all conditions
Wait a few minutes after changes and re-test if necessary

A structured test approach:

Unanswered test: Put the phone on silent and don’t answer; confirm the caller doesn’t reach voicemail.
Busy test: Place a call to your number from another phone and keep it active; confirm the second call doesn’t route to voicemail.
Unreachable/offline test: If safe, switch to airplane mode briefly; confirm “unreachable” forwarding is not routing to voicemail.

If it still routes to voicemail:

Return to the call forwarding menu and verify that every condition is disabled (including “unreachable”). Then confirm with your carrier that voicemail is deprovisioned or that forwarding is cleared at the network level.

Conclusion

Disabling voicemail on Android usually comes down to turning off call forwarding to voicemail and, for a complete stop, updating or cancelling voicemail service through your carrier. Use the Phone app to disable forwarding conditions first, then confirm carrier-side voicemail management (and Visual Voicemail/Google Voice behavior if applicable). Finally, test using real calling scenarios—unanswered, busy, and unreachable—so you can be confident voicemail is truly off.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn voicemail off on Android without contacting my carrier?

The exact steps depend on your carrier, but many Android phones let you disable voicemail by changing the call forwarding settings. Open the Phone app → tap the three dots/More → Settings → Call settings → Call forwarding, then set all forwarding types (or “When busy,” “When unanswered,” and “Unreachable”) to “Off.” If your carrier uses a dedicated voicemail number, you may also need to remove or replace the voicemail forwarding destination so unanswered calls don’t go to voicemail.

What should I do if my Android voicemail won’t turn off using call forwarding?

If voicemail keeps activating, your carrier may control voicemail through a specific voicemail service number that overrides call forwarding settings. Check your carrier’s voicemail settings in the carrier app or on the carrier website, then disable voicemail from there. You can also try deleting the voicemail number in your phone’s voicemail settings (if available) or ask support to remove the voicemail feature from your account.

Why is voicemail still going to my Android even after I disable it?

Some carriers route calls to voicemail at the network level, so disabling call forwarding on Android won’t stop the service. Additionally, “Do Not Disturb,” call screening apps, or “Call forwarding on no reply” settings can still route unanswered calls to voicemail. Review Android settings like Do Not Disturb and any call handling features, then verify the carrier’s voicemail activation status.

Which Android phones and voicemail apps have built-in options to disable voicemail?

Many Android devices rely on the Phone app’s voicemail setup, but the availability of “Visual Voicemail” or “Voicemail settings” can vary by brand and carrier. Samsung, Google Pixel, Motorola, and other manufacturers may show voicemail options under Phone app → Settings → Voicemail, while some carriers require using their own voicemail app or account portal. If you see a “Voicemail service” or “Set voicemail number” option, you may be able to disable notifications or re-route voicemail; otherwise, the carrier account is usually the controlling switch.

What’s the best way to turn off voicemail on Android with voicemail transcription or visual voicemail?

If you’re using visual voicemail, the quickest fix is often to turn off voicemail notifications and transcription features while preventing calls from being forwarded to voicemail. Go to your Phone app → Voicemail or Call settings → disable visual voicemail, voicemail notifications, and/or transcription, then check call forwarding for “when unanswered” and set it to off. For a complete “no voicemail” setup, you’ll still likely need to disable voicemail from your carrier account or remove the voicemail routing number.