How to Set Up Voicemail on an iPhone for the First Time

If you're just getting started with your first iPhone, or have switched cell service providers, you'll need to set up voicemail on your phone. Here's how to set up a first-time voicemail and record a new voicemail message on your iPhone. 

Related: How to Share Voicemail-to-Text Transcriptions on the iPhone

We've already gone over how to change the voicemail greeting on your iPhone, how to set up and use Visual Voicemail, and how to open your voicemail so you can listen to and delete messages. Check out our free Tip of the Day for more Phone and Voicemail tutorials. Now, let's learn how to set up a first-time voicemail on your iPhone:

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.

1. Open the Phone app.
   
   
    
2. Tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
    
3. You'll see a button labeled Set Up Now at the center of the screen; tap it to continue.
   
   
    
4. When prompted, create a new passcode for your voicemail, then reenter it. When finished, tap Done.
5. Tap Default to use the prerecorded greeting, or Custom for a personalized greeting.
6. Tap Record to record your greeting.
   
   
    
7. Tap Stop when you're finished recording.
   
   
    
8. To listen to your greeting, tap Play.
   
   
    
9. If you don't like what you hear, just tap Record to try again. Once you're happy with the message, tap Save.
   
   

And that's all there is to it!