To listen to voicemail, you usually either call your voicemail number or use a visual voicemail screen on your phone.

Fast basics (works on most phones)

  • Press and hold the 1 key in the Phone/Dialer app to call your voicemail inbox (common on many carriers like AT&T, T‑Mobile, etc.).
  • When the automated system answers, enter your PIN/password if asked, then follow the voice prompts (usually “Press 1 to listen to messages”).
  • Use the keypad to control playback: replay, save, delete, or skip to the next message.

On iPhone

  • Open the Phone app and tap the Voicemail tab at the bottom right.
  • Tap any message in the list, then tap Play to listen.
  • If enabled, you can read a text transcription of the voicemail under the audio controls.
  • You can also ask Siri by saying something like “Hey Siri, play my voicemail,” and then choose a message to play.

On Android

  • Open the Phone app, then either:
    • Press and hold 1 to dial voicemail, or
    • Tap the voicemail notification or voicemail icon if your carrier shows a list of messages (visual voicemail).
  • Enter your voicemail PIN if prompted, then follow the audio menu to play, save, or delete messages.
  • On some Android phones, tapping the voicemail icon or a dedicated “Voicemail” tab shows a list where you just tap a message and hit Play.

Using carrier websites or apps

  • Many carriers (like T‑Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) let you check voicemail through:
    • Their visual voicemail app on your phone.
* Their **website** or account portal, where you log in and click a play button next to each voicemail.
  • Some services also send voicemails to your email as audio files or text transcriptions so you can listen from any device.

Common keypad controls while listening

Exact keys vary by provider, but these are typical:

  • 1 – Replay/restart the message
  • 2 – Save the message
  • 3 – Delete the message
  • 4 – Slow down playback
  • 5 – Change volume or hear time/date details
  • 6 – Speed up playback
  • 7 – Rewind a few seconds
  • 8 – Pause/Resume
  • 9 – Fast‑forward a few seconds
  • 0 or * – Help or return to main menu

  • – Skip to the end or next message

If you’re calling from another phone

  • Dial your own mobile number.
  • When your voicemail greeting starts, press ***** or # (depends on carrier: often * for AT&T, # for Verizon).
  • Enter your voicemail PIN, then choose the option (often “1”) to play your messages.

Quick TL;DR:
Press and hold 1 in your Phone app, enter your PIN, and follow the prompts; on smartphones, you can usually tap a Voicemail tab or notification and just hit Play for each message.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.