It might be hard to imagine, but sometimes you won't have your cell phone on you, yet you may still need to check your voicemail. Nowadays, most carriers have simple procedures that allow people to tap into their voicemail when using a different phone. Checking your landline voicemail with another phone usually requires the same easy steps. To check voicemail from another phone, you usually need to call your number, press the star or pound key (depending on your carrier), and enter your pin number.
Accessing your Voicemail
Call your number.
It’s that simple. Use any landline or cell phone to dial your mobile or landline number.
- Dial the full number. Make sure someone doesn’t actually answer the phone you are calling when it rings, though.
- Make sure you dial the area code with the number.
Press the Star or Pound Key.
Depending on your carrier, you will likely push one of these two keys next. It’s more common to push the star key.
- When you hear your voicemail start, that’s when you should press either the star (*) or the pound (#) key.
- For AT&T, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and T-Mobile, press the star (*) key.
- Verizon, Bell Mobility and Virgin Mobile users should press the pound (#) key.
- If you are using a different carrier, you can check its website or call customer service to be sure.
Enter your Pin Number.
You will need to know your pin or passcode in order to check your voicemail. If you don’t have this code, you will have to retrieve it from your carrier.
- You will hear instructions to input your pin.
- Hit the pound key after you enter your pin.
- Follow instructions on how to listen to your voicemail. It’s usually to push a certain number (like 1). That’s all there is to it. You should be able to hear your voicemail messages now.
Resetting your Pin or Passcode
Reset your pin.
Maybe you have forgotten your pin or passcode or you never set it up in the first place. This is a common issue.
- Most carriers have detailed instructions for changing passcodes. For example, to change a T-Mobile passcode, hold down the “1” key, then press the star key, and then press number 5 to go into passcode security. Then press 1, and you will be able to change your passcode.
- You can change your Sprint passcode online by choosing the my preferences tab and then the “things I can manage online” section.
- You can reset your pin by calling the carrier if you have forgotten it or never set it up at all. Some sites allow you to do this online.
Determine the default pin.
With some carriers, it’s possible to figure out the default pin. It might even be all zeroes.
- For phones with AT&T, the default passcode is your phone number without the area code.
- The pin is usually four digits.
Fixing Other Common Issues
Discontinue phantom voicemails.
Sometimes people see a voicemail icon, but when they check they have no voicemails. There is an easy fix for this problem.
- This problem has been reported with different types of carriers and phones.
- Many experts suggest you fix this problem by calling your phone and leaving a voicemail yourself. Then delete the voicemail.
Leave voicemail without the phone ringing.
Sometimes you might want to access a person’s voicemail without making the phone ring.
- There are services you can pay to leave a voicemail without a person’s phone ringing.
- If your phone is dead, you can still check voicemail by following the steps above, even though the phone won’t ring.
Stop all calls from going to voicemail.
If all calls to you are going directly to voicemail, you may need to change a setting in your phone.
- On an iPhone, you need to make sure you do not have the “do not disturb” function enabled under settings. Just choose settings and then do not disturb.
- Check whether your phone is in airplane mode. If it is, turn off airplane mode.
- Make sure you don’t have calls forwarding enabled on your device and that you aren’t outside your coverage area.
Tips
- A few carriers may still have this function blocked, but most allow you to check your voicemail from another phone.
- Most carriers won’t charge you anything to check your voicemail from another phone. Some might, though, so check your plan.
- It can cause you major legal problems to tap into someone else’s voicemail. Only use these instructions to listen to your own.