To empty a full voicemail mailbox on an iPhone, you must delete messages in the Phone app and then permanently clear them from the Deleted Messages folder.
Hearing that voicemail storage is full after deleting messages is a common iPhone frustration. The delete button alone doesn’t finish the job—cleared messages sit in a hidden Deleted Messages folder until you empty it manually. Here’s the exact sequence to fully empty your voicemail mailbox and get that alert off your screen.
Methods to Delete Voicemail Messages on iPhone
Before you can empty the mailbox, you need to delete the messages. Here are the three main ways to do it.
| Method | Steps | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Swipe to Delete | Open Phone > Voicemail. Swipe left on a message. Tap Delete. | Quick deletion of individual messages. |
| Edit & Bulk Delete | Open Phone > Voicemail. Tap Edit. Select multiple messages. Tap Delete. | Clearing a long list of old voicemails at once. |
| Carrier Dial-In | Dial \*86. Enter voicemail password. Follow voice prompts to delete. | Managing voicemail directly through the carrier when visual voicemail isn’t working. |
Emptying the iPhone Voicemail Mailbox: The Two-Step Process That Actually Works
Deleting a voicemail from the main Voicemail tab only moves it to a recovery folder. Your mailbox isn’t considered empty until you permanently remove them.
- Open the Phone app and tap Voicemail.
- Delete messages by swiping left or using Edit.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the Voicemail screen.
- Tap Deleted Messages.
- Tap Clear All to permanently erase them.
Even after this, if the carrier holds voicemails on their server, the “full” alert may persist. The carrier’s voicemail system handles storage independently from the iPhone’s visual voicemail list.
Why Is My Voicemail Mailbox Still Full After Deleting Messages?
If you have cleared the Deleted Messages folder and the alert is still there, the problem is likely on your carrier’s side. Many carriers store voicemails on their network servers, and deleting them from the iPhone app doesn’t always sync back to the carrier.
The fix: Call your voicemail directly by dialing \*86 (or your carrier’s specific voicemail access number). Enter your password and use the menu to delete old messages. This frees up space on the network side. If that doesn’t work, you may need to contact your carrier to ask them to reset your voicemail mailbox storage entirely.
Common Mistakes That Keep Your Voicemail Mailbox Full
Knowing what doesn’t work is just as important as knowing what does.
| Mistake | Why It Fails | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only swiping to delete | Messages go to the Deleted Messages folder and still count toward mailbox limits. | Always tap Clear All in Deleted Messages. |
| Forgetting carrier-side storage | The carrier stores voicemails separately from the visual voicemail app. | Dial \*86 and delete messages from the network inbox. |
| Looking for Deleted Messages on unsupported carriers | Some carriers don’t offer the Deleted Messages folder in the Phone app. | Use the Edit method to delete, or switch to the carrier dial-in method. |
Final Checklist for an Empty Voicemail Mailbox
Walk through these steps in order to clear that full mailbox notification for good.
- Delete messages — Swipe or use Edit in Phone > Voicemail.
- Clear Deleted Messages — Scroll to the bottom, tap Deleted Messages, and tap Clear All.
- Check carrier voicemail — Dial \*86 and delete messages stored on the network.
- Contact carrier — If the alert persists, ask them to reset your voicemail mailbox storage entirely.
References & Sources
- TechSolutions Support. “How to Fix a Full Voicemail Box on an iPhone.” Covers carrier-side voicemail management steps.
- Apple Support Community. “Delete voicemails from iPhone.” Official discussion on deleting voice messages using the Phone app.