How To Save Verizon Wireless Voicemails: 3 Working Methods

To save Verizon Wireless voicemails, the most direct method that works for many users is forwarding the message to an email address from the Visual Voicemail app on supported Android phones. While Verizon's official support pages state you can retrieve and save messages, the specific export procedure is not fully documented, so community-tested workarounds are your best bet for creating a permanent copy.

How to save Verizon wireless voicemails: What really works

Verizon's current support overview says voicemail can be used to "retrieve and save messages," but the exact steps for exporting a voicemail as a file are not shown in the available official documentation. This means the most reliable methods come from community-sourced workarounds and device-based features. Below are the approaches that actually get the job done, ranging from forwarding within the Visual Voicemail app to using the traditional *86 phone system.

Method 1: Forward a voicemail to email from the Visual Voicemail app

On some Android phones, the Verizon Visual Voicemail app includes a built-in option to forward a voicemail as an email attachment. You can also save or download a voicemail directly to your device within the app interface by tapping the 'Save' or 'Download' button. Here are the steps as reported by Verizon community users:

If needed, go to your Home screen and open the Downloads folder, then open the Visual Voice Mail app.
Enter your voicemail password if prompted.
Highlight the voicemail message you want to save.
Press the Menu button on your phone.
Choose the Forward option from the menu.
When the forwarding options appear, select Email (rather than Voice Message).
Enter the email address where you want the voicemail sent, along with a subject and message body if desired.
Select Send to forward the voicemail as an audio attachment to your email.

This method creates a permanent copy in your email inbox that you can download and store anywhere. Note that the exact menu labels and availability vary by device, plan, and whether Visual Voicemail is active on your account.

Method 2: Forward a voicemail to another number from the *86 system

If your phone does not support Visual Voicemail or you prefer using the traditional phone-based system, you can forward a copy of a voicemail to a 10-digit phone number. This does not send the message to email, but it allows you to save it on another device or share it with someone else.

Dial *86 from your Verizon Wireless mobile device to access your voicemail.
Enter your voicemail password when prompted.
Listen to the voicemail message you want to save.
After the message finishes playing, press 6 on your keypad to send a copy to another number.
Enter the 10-digit phone number where you want the voicemail sent.
Follow any additional prompts to confirm the forwarding.

This is a non-official, community-sourced step. The person receiving the forwarded message will hear the voicemail as a new incoming call or message, depending on their carrier and device setup.

Method 3: Save voicemails with a third-party service like YouMail

Verizon community forums suggest that third-party services such as YouMail, Google Voice, or Visual Voicemail Plus have been used for voicemail forwarding or backup. These third-party voicemail transcription services can convert voicemails into text messages or emails. For transferring voicemails to a computer, you can use software like PhoneView. These apps replace your carrier's voicemail system and can automatically save, transcribe, or forward messages to email or cloud storage. This is an unofficial workaround that requires you to set up a separate service and grant it access to your voicemail.

What Verizon officially says about saving voicemails

Verizon's current support overview states that voicemail can be used to "retrieve and save messages" and to delete messages when full. The Visual Voicemail FAQ confirms you can always dial *86 from your mobile device to hear and manage voicemails. Verizon's Basic voicemail FAQ includes sections for "Can I have a permanent copy made of a voicemail message?" and "In what format can I get my saved voicemail messages?", but the available snippets do not show the full answer or the exact file format details. For setting up and managing voicemail, Verizon has dedicated Visual Voicemail FAQs and Premium Visual Voicemail pages, though the exact current setup path, menu labels, and full supported-device list are not shown in the returned snippets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save a Verizon voicemail permanently?

Verizon's support FAQ includes this question, but the full answer is not shown in the available documentation. The community methods described above, forwarding to email from the Visual Voicemail app, using the *86 system to forward to another number, or using a third-party service, are the most reliable ways to create a permanent copy outside the voicemail system.

Can I forward a Verizon voicemail to email?

Yes, but only through the Visual Voicemail app on some Android phones, as described in Method 1. The traditional *86 phone system does not offer an email forwarding option; it only allows forwarding to a 10-digit phone number. The email-forwarding steps are from community posts, not current official Verizon support pages.

Does Visual Voicemail work on all Verizon phones and plans?

Verizon community posts suggest support varies by plan and device, with prepaid plans reportedly limited to iPhone Visual Voicemail, but this is not confirmed by the official support snippets gathered here. The official pages do not provide a complete current matrix of supported iPhone or Android models, OS versions, or plan requirements.

Are there any limits on voicemail length or file size when saving?

Community posts indicate behavior can differ by device, plan, and whether Visual Voicemail is available, so your mileage may vary.

Will forwarding a voicemail delete the original from my inbox?

No. Forwarding a voicemail, whether through the Visual Voicemail app or the *86 system, creates a copy and leaves the original message in your voicemail inbox. You can delete the original later if you wish, or keep it until it is automatically removed due to inbox capacity limits.