Is voicemail dead? Not quite, but the cultural mores around leaving a voicemail aren't what they used to be.
Smartphones have changed our lives in myriad ways. As just one example, the etiquette around leaving and responding to voicemail has shifted in recent years. While some are outright declaring that voicemail is dead, it might be more accurate to say it’s evolving. People still use voicemail, but it’s losing popularity as other forms of messaging take precedence. Here’s an update from the field to help you understand how your colleagues, friends, and family are using–or not using–voicemail these days.
Voicemail Today
If you still have an answering machine in your home, let’s just say you’re likely not a millennial or a member of Gen Z. Today, most people receive voicemail via a smartphone in the form of visual voicemail, which refers to the visual interface that allows you to view, play, and delete messages without having to call a number and enter your PIN. Some operating systems or apps will translate your voicemail to text in real time while the caller is leaving the message.
To use visual voicemail on a smartphone, start by opening the Phone app and tapping the voicemail icon—usually found in the bottom corner or under a separate “Voicemail” tab. Once in the voicemail section, you'll see a list of messages, often with the caller’s number, date, and time. Tap on a message to listen.
Even with the convenience of visual voicemail, the culture is moving away from voicemail in favor of other kinds of messaging. According to at least one major newspaper, you shouldn’t be leaving voicemail at all anymore. Instead, per this advice, any information you need to share will be better communicated in a text or email. With the rise of voicemail-to-text, there’s a good chance the recipient isn’t listening to a voicemail if you leave one; they’re reading it instead. Many people, especially those who grew up with smartphones, consider text to be a more convenient way to receive information. As opposed to taking the time and quiet space to listen to a voicemail, glancing at a text message or email saves precious seconds.
When you’re calling a loved one who just wants to hear your voice, that’s different. Go ahead and leave them a voicemail, the sillier the better. But even between friends and family, the trend is away from voicemail toward voice memos, also called voice texts or voice messages. While a voicemail and a voice message might seem like the same thing in practice, don’t try telling a member of Gen Z that. The difference is that voice messages are exchanged via an app, whereas a voicemail is handled by a carrier. In 2022, WhatsApp reported that users exchange an average of 7 billion voice messages a day.
Considering the cultural shift, next time you need to reach someone, you might choose to send an email or text instead of leaving a voicemail. But if you prefer the personal touch of a voicemail, or if voicemail is more accessible for you, don’t worry too much about the current etiquette–after all, it will keep changing. Whether you’re leaving a voicemail or opting instead to text or email these days, the most important thing is to be clear and courteous. Greet the person you’re trying to reach, identify yourself, and summarize briefly your reason for getting in touch.
And keep in mind, you can always do both. When communicating with clients, a common practice these days among business owners is to call, leave a voicemail, and then send a courtesy text to alert the person that you left them a voicemail. Sometimes the voicemail alert just doesn’t appear on the person’s phone for whatever reason, so following up with a text message raises the odds of a call back.
Voicemail on a Smartphone: How to Delete Voicemail Messages
Another important piece of voicemail etiquette is to keep your inbox open for new messages. Most smartphones display a notification if your voicemail inbox is full, and some carriers will send you a text alert. You may also notice that new messages stop arriving. You can call your own number from another line to determine whether there’s still space available for new messages.
If you’re delinquent on checking your voicemail, you may have received this feedback in person: “You need to clean out your inbox!” This happens when a peeved friend or family member has tried one too many times to leave you a message and gotten that annoying recording: “The inbox is full and cannot accept any more messages at this time. Good-bye.” (Perhaps this frustrating phenomenon contributed to the decline of voicemail in the first place.)
To avoid reaching the point at which that recording greets your callers, get in the habit of deleting a voicemail right after listening to it. When you know you won’t need the message later, after listening, tap the trash can icon or select “Delete” from the message options.
If you or a client can use tech support for navigating visual voicemail or learning about today’s more popular options like texting and voice messaging, check out our recent article on senior-friendly personalized IT support.
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