Samsung Voicemail Notifications: Clear or Silence Them

Voicemail alerts on a Samsung phone can usually be cleared by listening to or deleting the new message; if the alert is stuck, you can silence the Phone app’s notifications instead. You’ll need access to your voicemail service, and the exact menu wording may vary by Samsung model, Android version, carrier, and voicemail app.

What You’ll Need

• Your Samsung phone and, if you want to retrieve messages, your voicemail PIN or other carrier sign-in details.
• A cellular connection to call voicemail. Wi-Fi Calling may work if your carrier supports it.
• For app-based visual voicemail, an internet connection and access to the voicemail app.

Step-by-Step

1. Check which voicemail alert you have. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel. Look for a voicemail notification and note whether it names the Phone app, Visual Voicemail, or your carrier’s app. If available, press and hold the notification and tap the settings or gear icon to go directly to its notification controls. Do not dismiss it yet if you still need to hear the message.
2. Open voicemail from the Phone app. Open Phone and look for a Voicemail tab or icon. The location varies: it may appear along the bottom of the app, in a menu, or not at all. If you see a new message, select it and play it. You can also press and hold 1 on the Phone keypad to call voicemail on many carriers; follow the spoken prompts and enter your PIN if requested.
3. Listen to new messages and follow the service prompts. A voicemail alert often stays until the carrier registers the message as heard. Let the message finish, or use the voicemail system’s option to mark it as heard. If the alert represents more than one new message, check each one. Menu choices differ by carrier, so listen to the prompts instead of assuming a particular key will mark a message read.
4. Refresh visual voicemail if you use it. Open the visual voicemail app named in the notification. Refresh or sync its inbox if that option is available, then play any messages marked new. If you use the Phone app’s visual voicemail screen, open it and allow it to load over mobile data or Wi-Fi. A message played in a separate app may not immediately update the carrier’s notification; reopen the app or check the voicemail line again.
5. Delete a message only if you want it removed. In visual voicemail, select the message and use Delete or the trash icon. In dial-in voicemail, use the deletion option announced by the service. Deleting is not required just to clear a notification, and deleted messages may be difficult or impossible to recover. If you only want the alert gone, first try listening to or marking the message as heard.
6. Restart the Phone app or phone if the alert remains. Close the Phone or voicemail app and open it again. If needed, restart the Samsung phone, then check the voicemail inbox and notification panel. This can refresh an alert after the carrier has already marked a message as heard.
7. Silence future alerts if that is what you want. Open Settings > Notifications > App notifications, then select Phone or the voicemail app that created the alert. Tap Notification categories if shown, choose a voicemail-related category, and turn off notifications or set them to Silent. On some versions, notification categories must first be enabled from the three-dot menu on the App notifications screen. If you cannot identify the category, use the notification’s press-and-hold settings shortcut. Turning alerts off can hide reminders of new messages, so check voicemail manually.

Common Mistakes

• Silencing every Phone notification. The Phone app also handles calls and other alerts. Change only the voicemail category when possible, rather than blocking all notifications from Phone.
• Deleting a message to clear an alert. Listening to or marking it as heard is usually the better first step. Delete only when you are sure you no longer need the recording.
• Assuming dismissing the banner clears voicemail. Swiping away a notification may hide the banner without updating the voicemail system. The alert can return until the message is registered as heard or the app syncs.
• Changing settings for the wrong app. A carrier’s visual voicemail app may send the alert, while the Phone app handles calls. Check the notification’s app name before changing settings.

Tips

• If you want to keep reminders but avoid noise, set the voicemail category to Silent rather than turning it off. The alert may remain in the notification panel without sound or vibration.
• Use the voicemail app or carrier’s dial-in service that you normally use; messages and settings may not sync between different voicemail methods.
• Menu names can differ across One UI and Android releases. In Settings, use the search icon and search for App notifications, Notification categories, or the app name if the route above differs.

Troubleshooting

• The alert returns after you dismiss it: Open voicemail and check for other unread messages. Listen to each new message or mark it as heard using the voicemail service, then allow the app to sync.
• The message is heard, but the icon or alert remains: Confirm the voicemail inbox shows no new messages. Restart the phone and check again. If the carrier’s system still reports a new message, contact your carrier and ask it to refresh or reset the voicemail notification state.
• You cannot access voicemail: Check that the phone has cellular service, then try calling voicemail by pressing and holding 1 on the keypad. If your PIN is rejected or the mailbox is unavailable, use the carrier’s official support route to reset access or check service status.
• There is no Voicemail tab: Your carrier or plan may not provide visual voicemail in the Phone app. Use the voicemail number or shortcut provided by your carrier, or open its voicemail app if one is installed.
• You cannot find notification categories: In Settings > Notifications > App notifications, open the three-dot menu and check for an option to show notification categories. Alternatively, press and hold the voicemail alert and open its settings.
• Visual voicemail will not refresh: Check the app’s internet access, reopen it, and restart the phone. If the problem persists, check for an app update or ask the carrier whether visual voicemail is active on your line.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I clear the voicemail notification without listening?
Sometimes. If your voicemail app offers a mark-as-heard option, use it. Otherwise, the carrier may keep the alert until you play the message or follow its voicemail prompts.

Will silencing voicemail notifications delete my messages?
No. Notification settings control alerts, not saved voicemail. Messages remain subject to your carrier’s storage and deletion rules.

Can I turn off voicemail notifications but keep call notifications?
Usually. Open the notification categories for the app that sends voicemail alerts and disable or silence only its voicemail category. If categories are unavailable, turning off all Phone notifications may also hide useful call alerts.

Why does the voicemail icon stay after I listen?
The carrier or visual voicemail app may not have synced the message status. Check for other new messages, refresh the app, and restart the phone. Contact your carrier if it still shows a new message.

Does clearing the notification delete the voicemail?
No. Dismissing an alert removes or hides the notification, not the message. Use the voicemail service’s delete command only if you intend to remove the recording.

Can I use Do Not Disturb to silence voicemail alerts?
It may silence sounds, depending on your notification and Do Not Disturb settings, but it does not clear messages or necessarily hide the alert. Setting the voicemail notification category to Silent is more targeted.

Related

• Turn Off Autocorrect on iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch and Safari
• How to Use Your Phone App in Windows 10
• Fix Google Chrome Not Opening on Mac