How to Send a Call to Voicemail on iPhone

By Conner Carey Updated 09/18/2024

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. Sign Up. *

Did you know that when your iPhone is locked, you will be prompted with the Slide to Answer feature when someone calls, but when it's unlocked, you can tap the green button to answer or the red button to decline? This makes it tricky to send calls to voicemail when your iPhone is locked. Here's how to make calls go straight to voicemail.

Why You'll Love This Tip:

Quickly send calls straight to voicemail on your iPhone when you can't answer the phone.
Learn how to send a caller to voicemail when your iPhone is locked.

How to Send Calls Straight to Voicemail

System Requirements

This tip was performed on an iPhone running iOS 17 but will work with all current operating systems.

We'll quickly go over both ways of sending calls straight to voicemail. If you like tips about using your iPhone, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day!

Discover your iPhone's hidden features

Get a daily tip (with screenshots and clear instructions) so you can master your iPhone in just one minute a day.

When your iPhone is unlocked, tap the red Decline button.
Or, tap the banner of the incoming call to enlarge the screen.

Then, tap the red Decline button.
When your iPhone is locked, double-click the side button to send the call to voicemail.

If you just want to silence the incoming call from ringing but don't want to decline the call, click the side button once.

And that's how you send a call directly to voicemail on your iPhone! Now, enjoy a bit of peace.

Master your iPhone in one minute a day: Sign up here to get our FREE Tip of the Day delivered right to your inbox.

Topics

Author Details

Conner Carey

Conner Carey's writing can be found at conpoet.com. She is currently writing a book, creating lots of content, and writing poetry via @conpoet on Instagram. She lives in an RV full-time with her mom, Jan and dog, Jodi as they slow-travel around the country.

Featured Products

Hands Down One Of The Best 0% Interest Credit Cards

If you have outstanding credit card debt, getting a new 0% intro APR credit card could help ease the pressure while you pay down your balances. Our credit card experts identified top credit cards that are perfect for anyone looking to pay down debt and not add to it! Click through to see what all the hype is about.

The Best Calendar & Advanced Task Manager for iOS

Now you can try Informant 5 for free and experience a productivity boost by managing projects with tasks and notes, syncing your calendar among all your devices, enjoying a user-friendly 30-day calendar view, and so much more. Informant 5 features SmartBar navigation which makes it so much easier to use and master this calendar app. Plus, you can use it almost anywhere thanks to Dark Mode. With a dark background, you can check in on your tasks and schedule anywhere, even the movie theater. Upgrade to the best calendar app and task manager for iOS! Embrace an "out with the old, in with the new" spirit with Informant 5.