What to Do with a Deceased Loved One's Voicemails

Finding yourself scrolling through old voicemails, hearing their voice say your name one more time — it can stop your breath. Those messages weren't meant to be precious when they were left. Now they're irreplaceable.

If you're wondering what to do with the voicemails your loved one left behind, you're not alone. This guide will walk you through the most important steps: saving them before they vanish, backing them up safely, and — when you're ready — turning them into something you can hold onto.

First Priority: Save the Voicemails Before They Disappear

This is the most time-sensitive step. Carriers automatically delete voicemails after a set period — sometimes as few as 14 days for listened messages, or 30-40 days total. If the phone line is disconnected or the account is closed, those messages may be gone permanently.

If the voicemails are on your own phone

You have the most control here. Start by saving each voicemail as an audio file:

On iPhone:

1. Open the Phone app and tap Voicemail
2. Select the voicemail you want to save
3. Tap the Share icon (the square with an upward arrow)
4. Choose Save to Files or Save to Voice Memos
5. Repeat for each message

For a more detailed walkthrough, see our guide on how to save a visual voicemail forever on iPhone.

On Android:

1. Open your Phone or Voicemail app
2. Long-press the voicemail you want to save
3. Look for Save, Share, or Export options
4. Save the file to your device or cloud storage

If your phone doesn't offer a direct save option, you can play the voicemail on speaker and record it with another device — not ideal, but it works in a pinch.

If the voicemails are on their phone

This is more complicated, but often still possible. You'll need access to their device or account.

• If you have their phone and passcode: Follow the steps above to export voicemails directly
• If you have account access: Some carriers let you access voicemail through an online portal or by calling from another phone
• If you're the estate executor: Contact the carrier with a death certificate and proof of your role — they may be able to help you retrieve messages or keep the line active temporarily

We have carrier-specific guides for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile that walk through these processes in detail.

Consider keeping the phone line active

If you're not ready to deal with this yet, or if you need more time to figure out access, you may be able to keep the phone line active temporarily. This pauses the deletion clock and gives you breathing room. Some carriers allow this for a few months with minimal fees.

Back Up the Audio Files Safely

Once you've saved the voicemails as audio files, don't stop there. A single copy on one device isn't safe enough for something this precious.

Create multiple backups

Follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep 3 copies, on 2 different types of storage, with 1 stored offsite.

Here's a simple approach:

1. Your phone or computer — the original save location
2. Cloud storage — upload to iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, or another service you trust
3. External drive or USB stick — keep this somewhere safe, like a fireproof box or a trusted family member's home

Organize and label clearly

Create a folder called something like "Dad's Voice" or "Mom's Voicemails" and include:

• The date each voicemail was left (if known)
• A brief note about what they said or the context
• The original file, unedited

This will help you — and future generations — understand what you're listening to.

Check for Other Voice Recordings

Voicemails aren't the only place their voice might live. Before you move on, take inventory:

• Text message voice memos — both iMessage and Android Messages support audio messages. Here's how to save a voice memo someone texted you.
• WhatsApp voice messages — these can be exported as audio files
• Facebook Messenger audio — also exportable with the right steps; see our guide on saving audio messages from Messenger
• Videos — even if the video itself isn't important, the audio might be. Most video editing apps can extract just the sound.
• Old answering machines — if you still have cassette tapes, they can be converted to digital audio
• Voice memos on their phone — if you have access to their device, check the Voice Memos app (iPhone) or any recording apps they used

Gathering everything in one place gives you more to work with — and more ways to remember them.

Improve Audio Quality If Needed

Phone voicemails aren't exactly studio recordings. Background noise, compression artifacts, and low volume are common. If a recording is hard to hear, there are ways to clean up and restore low-quality voice recordings so the voice comes through more clearly.

This can make a real difference, especially if you're planning to use the audio for something meaningful.

Decide What to Do with the Recordings

Once the voicemails are safe, you can take your time deciding how — or whether — to use them. There's no right answer here. Some people listen to them often. Some can't bear to. Some want to share them with family; others keep them private.

Here are a few paths people take:

Simply keep them

There's nothing wrong with just having them. Knowing the files exist, backed up and safe, can be enough. You don't have to do anything with them.

Share with family

Consider creating a shared folder or sending copies to siblings, children, or other loved ones who might want to hear that voice again. For some families, this becomes a quiet gift.

Create a physical keepsake

Some people find comfort in having something tangible — something they can hold.

A voicemail can become the source material for a voice keepsake bear that speaks in their voice when hugged. No apps, no screens — just their voice, coming home.

If you're interested in this path, our guide on turning a voicemail into a lasting memorial keepsake explains how the process works.

Include in a memorial

Some families play a voicemail at a funeral or celebration of life. Others incorporate voice into a video tribute or memory book with a QR code linking to audio. There's no single right way to honor someone's voice.

A Note on Timing

If you're reading this in the first days or weeks after a loss, please know: you don't have to figure all of this out right now. The only urgent step is saving the files before they're deleted. Everything else can wait.

Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and neither does deciding what to do with the pieces of someone you've lost. Save what you can. Back it up. Then give yourself permission to sit with it — for as long as you need.

Their voice isn't going anywhere now. You made sure of that.