Do this tech step before it’s too late

February 9, 2024

Someone you love has passed away and you want to save a voicemail to listen to when the grief wave hits. Don’t bet on your phone to keep it for you — I’ve heard from so many people devastated their old messages are gone. Don’t let it be you.

Saving voicemails on iPhone

• Go to the Phone app and tap Voicemail in the bottom right.
• Tap on the voicemail you want to save, then tap the share button. (It looks like a box with an arrow pointing out of it.) You can now share this voicemail via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, Messenger or WhatsApp.
• To save the voicemail on your phone, select Add to New Quick Note or Save to Files. You can access the saved message again in either app — Notes or Files — and play it back at your leisure. Both apps also back up your files automatically to iCloud if enabled.
• To save the voicemail to your computer, select AirDrop, then tap on your computer’s name. Both your phone and computer must be connected to the same network. On your computer, accept the AirDrop and save the message wherever you want.

Saving voicemails on Android

These steps will vary depending on your phone’s model, but you can still follow them for a general idea of how to keep those messages.

• Open your Voicemail app or go to the Voicemail section in your Phone app.
• Tap or tap and hold the message you want to save.
• In the menu that appears, look for options like Save, Export or Archive.
• Select where you’d like the message to be saved on your phone, and tap OK or Save.