How to Save Voicemails for Court (iPhone and Android)
Reviewed by Jacob Reed, founder of Verity ·
Short answer
On an iPhone, open Phone, then Voicemail, tap the message, tap Share and choose Save to Files; it saves as an audio file. On Android, open the voicemail in the Phone or Visual Voicemail app and use Share or Save. Keep the original on the phone, save a copy somewhere else, and write down the caller, date, time and what was said. If there is no share option, ask your carrier how to keep the message.
A voicemail carries something a text can't: the person's own voice and tone. It can also disappear quietly, because many carriers delete saved voicemails after a while and a new phone may not bring them along. Saving each one as a file takes a minute.
How do you save a voicemail as a file?
1.iPhone: share the voicemail as a file
Open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, tap the message, then the Share button. Choose Save to Files and pick a folder. The voicemail is saved as an audio file (.m4a) you can copy to a computer or email to your lawyer.
2.Android: share or save from the voicemail app
Open the voicemail in the Phone app or your carrier's Visual Voicemail app, then look for Share, Save or Export. Save it to your files or send it to yourself by email. Android voicemails are often .amr or similar audio files.
3.Keep the original on the phone
Don't delete the voicemail after saving a copy. The original on the phone, with its caller and time, is what backs up the copy.
4.Write down the details
For each voicemail note the number or contact it came from, the date and time, its length, and a word-for-word transcript you type yourself. Screenshot the voicemail entry showing the caller and time.
5.Store a copy off the phone
Put the audio files in one folder on a computer or a cloud drive, named by date (2026-10-17 1532 voicemail.m4a), so a lost or replaced phone doesn't take them with it.
What if there is no share button?
On an iPhone, a list of voicemails in the Voicemail tab means your carrier supports visual voicemail and sharing should be there. If you only get a "call voicemail" button, the messages live with the carrier, not on the phone. Ask the carrier how to keep or download them, and how long they are kept. As a fallback, play the message on speaker and record it with another device, then note when and how you made the recording.
Is the phone's transcript enough?
No. iPhone and Android voicemail transcripts are automatic and often get words wrong. Copy the transcript if it helps you find messages, but keep the audio: the recording is the evidence, and the transcript you type yourself should be checked against it word for word.
What about voicemails from a blocked number?
A blocked caller can still leave a voicemail on an iPhone; you just aren't notified. Check the "Blocked Messages" list at the bottom of the voicemail screen if your phone shows one. See where texts from a blocked number go.
Will a court accept a voicemail?
Courts regularly consider voicemails, but whoever offers one has to show it is what they say it is: usually that the voice is the other person's, through the number it came from, the timing, and what was said. Our guide on authenticating electronic evidence explains how that works. Your lawyer will decide which recordings to use. If you are thinking of recording phone calls yourself, that is a different question with different rules; see recording calls with a co-parent.
Can Verity read voicemails?
No. Verity reads written conversations, not audio. Voicemails often sit next to a text thread, though: "call me back" followed by a string of messages. Verity turns that thread into a numbered list of every message in date order, so your voicemail log and the texts around it can be read side by side. The file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.
This is general information, not legal advice. Phone menus and carrier rules vary. Verity is not a law firm.
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