How to Fix Voicemails are Delayed in 2024
Not receiving voicemails on time? Check our guide on How to fix Voicemails are Delayed issue. ,
Voicemails are a simple way to quickly inform someone about anything without having to call or text. Voicemails have been around for a long time now and the underlying technology has not changed. So, voicemails may not work perfectly every time.
I have faced issues with voicemail when it comes to receiving and sending them. Many iPhone users have complained that their voicemails arrive hours or even days late. This can cause misunderstandings and can be frustrating for the user.
If you are someone who is not receiving voicemails on time, then check out our guide on how to fix voicemails are delayed. ,
To fix delayed voicemail, you can try the following.
- Restart your iPhone
- Empty Your Voicemail Box
- Switch On Cellular Data
- Reset Cellular Service
- Enable Wi-Fi Calling
- Turn Off Call Forwarding
- Update iPhone Carrier Settings
- Update iOS
- Reset Network Settings
- Contact your Carrier
Keep reading for detailed info on how to fix voicemails are delayed where we explain each fix with steps.
Related: Ways to Fix Voicemail Not Working on iPhone
How to Fix Voicemails are Delayed
Try these first
- Verify that Cellular Data is activated. This is necessary in order to receive voicemail notifications. Under Settings >, Cellular, make sure Cellular Data is always enabled.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Please make sure you're in a location where cellular networks are available. Check to see if your iPhone has at least two signal bars. Follow the instructions to troubleshoot cellular data issues if you're experiencing trouble connecting to a cellular network.
- Make sure your iPhone has at least 15% free memory if your visual voicemails are delayed. If not, make room on your gadget. To check and manage the storage on your device, go to Settings >, General >, iPhone Storage.
- Check if the voicemail box is full.
- If the lack of voicemail notifications is your issue, make sure the Phone app's notifications are enabled. Turn on Allow Notifications under Settings >, Phone on your iPhone.
Restart your iPhone
Any temporary glitch or bug on your iPhone can cause issues with voicemail. These issues can be resolved by restarting your iPhone. ,
To restart your iPhone, do the following, ,
On iPhone X and later (with Face ID)
Step 1 Press and hold both the volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears.
Step 2 Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone.
Step 3 To turn on your device, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
iPhone 6, 7, 8, and SE (2nd or 3rd generation)
Step 1 Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears.
Step 2 Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone. ,
Step 3 To turn on your device, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
iPhone 5, SE (1st generation) or earlier
Step 1 Press and hold the top button until the power-off slider appears.
Step 2 Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone. ,
Step 3 To turn on our device, press and hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.
Once you have restarted your iPhone and see you are getting voicemails correctly. If not, move to the next fix, where I explain how to update iOS. ,
Empty Your Voicemail Box
While modern iPhones have plenty of space to store call data, voicemails, and messages, the storage dedicated to each of them is limited. So, the voicemail storage is limited and can fill up fast over time. This is why you have to clear them once in a while especially if you receive a lot of spam calls. ,
To delete older voicemails, follow these steps,
Step 1 Open the Phone app on your iPhone.
Step 2 Tap on Voicemail.
Step 3 Tap on Edit in the top right corner and select the voicemails you want to delete. ,
Step 4 Once you have selected, tap on the Delete button in the bottom right corner.
This will free up space for voicemails and you will be able to receive more if this was the issue. If you are still not able to receive voicemails move on to the next section. ,
Switch On Cellular Data
Cellular data is not required to receive voicemails but it will help. Cellular data is necessary for the Visual Voicemail feature. And since voicemail is a carrier feature, turning on cellular data might help.
To turn on cellular data, open Settings on your iPhone, tap on Cellular, and then tap on Cellular Data to turn it on or off. ,
If this didn't fix the issue, then check out our fixes below.
Reset Cellular Service
Resetting your cellular service can fix issues with voicemails. And this can even reduce voicemail download time. To turn your cellular service on and off, do this,
Either restart your iPhone or turn on Airplane mode and then switch it off. This will reset your cellular service. Check if your voicemail is working as expected if not try the next fix in this how to fix voicemails are delayed article. ,
Enable Wi-Fi Calling
If your cellular service is poor then enabling Wi-Fi calling will help in receiving voicemails. This is because a poor cellular connection can lead to long download times and missed notifications for voicemails. Wi-Fi calling will resolve this issue. ,
To turn on Wi-Fi calling on iPhone, follow these steps,
Step 1 Open Settings on your iPhone.
Step 2 Tap on Phone. ,
Step 3 Tap on Wi-Fi Calling. ,
Step 4 Now, toggle Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.
Now your iPhone will enable Wi-Fi calling if you are on Wi-Fi which is a cool feature as it doesn't cost anything extra. Wi-Fi calling also has better voice quality so I would recommend leaving it on.
Turn Off Call Forwarding
Call forwarding is a feature that directs your calls to a different number. And this can affect voicemails too, so make sure call forwarding is turned off. ,
To turn off call forwarding, follow these steps,
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2 Tap on Phone.
Step 3 Tap on Call Forwarding.
Step 4 Tap on it to Disable it. ,
All carriers don't support call forwarding, so if you find the setting on your iPhone, then don't worry, it just means your carrier doesn't support it.
Update iPhone Carrier Settings
Carrier settings are responsible for the smooth operation of calls, internet, and even voicemails. This is why carriers update these settings once in a while. New settings will fix issues and improve cellular performance. Keeping carrier settings up to date is a good way to make that you don't face any issues on your iPhone when it comes to tasks like calls, internet, messages, and voicemails.
Check out how to update iPhone carrier settings below, just follow the steps,
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2 Tap on General.
Step 3 Now, tap on About.
Step 4 If there is a popup about an available update, then tap on Update. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.
Once updated, check if you are receiving voicemails correctly. ,
Update iOS
The latest software version offers the best experience, so make sure that your iPhone is always updated to the most recent version. Check out how to update your iPhone in this section. Follow these steps to update iOS on your iPhone,
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2 Now, tap on General.
Step 3 Here, scroll down and select Software Update.
Step 4 If there is an update available, you will see the Install Now option, tap on it. ,
Step 5 Alternatively there might be a Download and Install option too, click on it to download and install the latest version of iOS on your iPhone.
Step 6 You will have to enter your passcode, after which you have to confirm by tapping on Install Now. ,
Once the update is installed, check if voicemails work normally. ,
Reset Network Settings
If the issue still persists, you can try resetting your iPhone’s network settings. This will reset all your network settings to default and fix any setting that is messing with voicemail. Follow these steps to reset your iPhone settings,
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2 Tap on General.
Step 3 Now, tap on Reset iPhone.
Step 4 Now, select Reset Network Settings.
Doing this will reset all your iPhone’s network settings, so you will lose data like WiFi passwords, VPN settings, etc. Now, check if your iPhone has issues with voicemail, if yes, then you might have to contact Apple or your carrier. ,
Use Voicemail the Old-Fashioned Way
Although Visual Voicemail in the Phone app is excellent, there are other ways to check your voicemail if it isn't functioning. You might need to check your voicemail the old-fashioned manner for the time being if you've attempted the aforementioned workarounds and your iPhone's voicemail system still doesn't work.
You can check your voicemail through your carrier by dialling your own number on your phone. To do this, simply enter your password after selecting your number and pressing the pound key. The last four digits of your phone number are typically the default password if you don't know it.
Contact your carrier and ask them to reset your voicemail password if you are still unable to log in or are experiencing problems with voicemail there as well. To see whether there are any other problems, you can also phone them.
Turn off Voicemail to text
Voicemail to text, a feature offered by some carriers, is another feature that obstructs voicemail. Voicemail to text can be disabled from your carrier's account or by asking a customer service agent to do it for you.
Get a new SIM
Although changing the SIM card with a new one might seem like an extreme remedy, there is a chance that this issue will be resolved. If none of the other options, including calling a customer care representative, worked, I'd advise against trying this.
Contact your Carrier
If you still have issues with your voicemail like not receiving them on time, then you can try contacting your carrier. Since voicemails are a cellular function, carriers control them and so this can be a carrier problem. You can contact popular carriers using these links,
- Xfinity Mobile
- Verizon
- US Cellular
- T-Mobile USA
- Sprint, now a part of T-Mobile
- Mint Mobile
- Cricket
- Consumer Cellular
- Boost Mobile
- AT&,T
How to Fix Voicemails are Delayed - Conclusion
Voicemails are still widely used by iPhone users to share information quickly. But what if voicemails don't work as intended, that can cause a lot of confusion and frustration. One such problem with voicemail is that they can arrive late on your iPhone. ,
If you are facing the voicemails are delayed issue, then you might have been scratching your head for a solution. But I am sure that now that you have read our article, you would have fixed it. I hope our guide on how to fix voicemails are delayed was helpful. Let us know in the comments which fix worked for you. ,
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