Save it on iPhone
- Open the Phone app and tap the Voicemail tab.
- Tap the voicemail you want to keep.
- Tap the share icon, the square with the arrow.
- Choose Save to Files, then pick iCloud Drive or On My iPhone.
- Do it again and choose Mail, and send it to your own email address.
You now have a real .m4a audio file in two places. That is the whole point. A voicemail sitting in the Voicemail tab is not saved, it is borrowed.
Save it on Android
- Open your Phone or Voicemail app and find the message.
- Press and hold it, or tap the three dot menu.
- Choose Save, Export, or Share.
- Save to Files or Google Drive, and email a copy to yourself.
Carrier apps differ. If you do not see a save option, look for a Google Voice or carrier voicemail app, or forward the message to your email from the carrier's website.
If your phone will not let you save it
Record it out loud, right now
Put the voicemail on speaker in a quiet room and record it with a second phone using Voice Memos or Recorder. The quality is not perfect. It is a thousand times better than losing it.
Call your carrier
Some carriers can email you a copy or extend how long voicemails are stored. Ask before you close or transfer the line, because closing an account usually deletes everything instantly.
Never close their phone line in a hurry
This is the mistake families regret most. Keep the number active for a few months while you pull the voicemails, texts, and photos off it.
Where to back it up
- Cloud storage: iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
- Your own email, so it survives losing every device you own.
- A USB drive or external hard drive in a drawer.
- One copy with another family member.
The rule is simple: three copies, two kinds of places, one of them not in your house.
What else to save while you are in there
- Voice notes and video clips where they are just talking normally.
- Screenshots of how they text, including the typos and the way they sign off.
- Home videos where their voice is clear in the background.
- Any answering machine tape or old camcorder footage in the attic.
- Their handwriting: cards, recipes, notes on the fridge.
What you can do with it later
A saved voicemail is the single most useful thing you can have. It is the clearest, most natural recording most people ever leave behind, which is why it is our top recommendation when someone sets up a Missedyu.
Missedyu is a private memorial. You upload their photos, their messages, and a voice recording like a voicemail, and it becomes a place where you can still talk to their memory and hear something that sounds like them. We only work from recordings you have the right to use, and you can delete everything at any time.
Save the file first. Decide what to do with it later.
Common questions
How do I save a voicemail forever?
On iPhone, open the voicemail, tap the share icon, and save it to Files or send it to yourself. On Android, open Voicemail, long press the message, and choose Save or Export. Then back the file up to cloud storage and email a copy to yourself so it lives in two places.
Do voicemails from a deceased person get deleted?
Yes, and this is the part that catches people. Carriers usually delete voicemails after 30 days, and visual voicemail can wipe when you switch phones or close the account. Save the audio file itself, do not rely on the phone.
How do I save a voicemail on iPhone?
Phone app, Voicemail tab, tap the message, tap the share button, then Save to Files or Mail. That gives you a real .m4a audio file you own.
Can I get a deleted voicemail back?
On iPhone, check Deleted Messages at the bottom of the Voicemail tab, usually available for about 30 days. After that, call your carrier immediately. Do not wait, most cannot recover anything.
Save the voicemail today. You cannot get it back later.
Join the waitlistPrivate beta. No credit card needed. Founding members keep 50% off.