How to Disable Voicemail in Teams? Step-By-Step Guide

Voicemail in Microsoft Teams is designed to make sure you never miss an important call. When you are unavailable, busy, or offline, calls can be redirected to voicemail so callers can leave a message. While this feature is helpful for many users, it is not ideal for everyone.

In some organizations, voicemail creates unnecessary follow-ups. In others, businesses prefer direct call routing, call queues, or forwarding instead of message storage. If you are using Teams for professional communication, you might want tighter control over how incoming calls are handled.

In this guide, you will learn exactly how to turn off voicemail in Teams, whether you are managing your own account or handling settings for your organization.

Let us begin with a quick overview.

Table of Contents

How to Disable Voicemail in Teams?

To disable voicemail in Teams:

Open Microsoft Teams and click on your profile picture. Go to Settings, then select Calls. Under the section labeled When unanswered, change the option from Voicemail to another available choice, such as forwarding the call or letting it ring. Save your changes.

If voicemail is controlled by your organization, an administrator must disable it through the Microsoft Teams Admin Center by modifying the assigned voice policy.

Want to know exactly where these options are located and how to ensure they apply correctly? Follow the detailed steps below.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams Settings

The first step is accessing your personal call configuration inside Microsoft Teams.

Launch the Teams application on your desktop or open it in your web browser. Once you are logged in, look at the top right corner of the interface. Click on your profile picture. A dropdown menu will appear.

From that menu, select Settings. This will open the main configuration panel where you can adjust notifications, privacy, devices, and calling preferences.

Inside Settings, click on the Calls tab. This section controls how incoming and outgoing calls are handled in your Teams account.

If you have never explored this area before, you may be surprised at how many options are available. But do not worry. The next step focuses only on the voicemail-related setting.

Step 2: Change the “When Unanswered” Setting

Once you are in the Calls section, scroll until you find the setting labeled If unanswered or When unanswered. This is the key area that controls voicemail behavior.

By default, many organizations set this option to Voicemail. That means when you do not pick up a call within the specified time, the call is redirected to voicemail automatically.

Click on the dropdown menu next to this setting. You will see alternative options depending on your organization’s configuration. These may include forwarding the call to another number, redirecting to a colleague, or simply letting it ring longer.

Select an option that does not include Voicemail. For example, you might choose to forward calls to your mobile number or to a call group.

After selecting your preferred option, make sure the change is saved automatically. Teams usually applies settings instantly, but it is always wise to confirm by navigating away and returning to ensure the selection remains active.

At this point, voicemail should no longer trigger when you miss a call. But what if the voicemail option still appears active or cannot be changed? That brings us to the next scenario.

Step 3: Confirm Organizational Policy Restrictions

In many business environments, voicemail settings are controlled by IT administrators using centralized policies. If the option to disable voicemail is grayed out or unavailable, it likely means your organization manages it through an assigned policy.

If you are an end user, you will need to contact your IT department and request that voicemail be disabled for your account.

If you are the administrator, follow these steps:

Open a browser and go to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center. Sign in with your admin credentials. From the left-hand menu, select Voice and then navigate to Calling policies or Voice policies, depending on your configuration.

Locate the policy assigned to the user or group. Inside the policy settings, review the voicemail configuration. Adjust the policy so that voicemail is disabled or restricted.

After making changes, assign the updated policy to the intended users and allow time for the changes to propagate. This can take some time depending on your organization’s setup.

Once updated, users will no longer have voicemail as the default unanswered action.

Before you consider the job done, there is one more area worth reviewing.

Step 4: Test Your Call Behavior

After modifying the settings, it is important to verify that voicemail is truly disabled.

Use another phone or ask a colleague to call your Teams number. Let the call ring without answering. Observe what happens after the ringing period ends.

If configured correctly, the call should follow the new action you selected, such as forwarding or disconnecting, instead of redirecting to voicemail.

Testing ensures there are no surprises later, especially in professional environments where missed calls can affect client communication.

If the call still routes to voicemail, double-check both your personal Calls settings and the applied voice policy in the admin center.

FAQs

Can I completely remove voicemail from Microsoft Teams?

In most cases, voicemail can be disabled by changing the When unanswered setting or adjusting the assigned voice policy. However, full removal depends on your organization’s licensing and configuration. If you do not see the option, it is likely controlled by an administrator.

Why is the voicemail option locked in my settings?

If the setting is grayed out, your organization manages calling features through centralized policies in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center. You will need IT support to modify it.

Will disabling voicemail affect call forwarding?

Yes, it can. When you change the When unanswered option, you are replacing voicemail with another action. Make sure you select a forwarding or call group option if you still want calls redirected elsewhere.

Does disabling voicemail delete old voicemail messages?

No. Disabling voicemail prevents future calls from being sent to voicemail. Existing messages remain in your mailbox unless manually deleted.

Can I disable voicemail only during certain hours?

Teams does not offer built-in time-based voicemail disabling for individual users. However, administrators can create advanced routing rules using call queues and auto attendants.

Now that your questions are answered, let us wrap everything together.

Summary

Disabling voicemail in Microsoft Teams is straightforward once you know where to look. For individual users, the process begins in Settings, under the Calls tab. Changing the When unanswered option away from Voicemail prevents missed calls from being redirected to message storage.

If the option is unavailable, the feature is controlled by organizational policies. Administrators must log into the Microsoft Teams Admin Center, adjust the relevant voice policy, and reassign it as needed.

After making changes, always test your call flow to confirm the voicemail is no longer active. This ensures your communication setup works exactly as intended.

By understanding both user-level and admin-level controls, you gain full flexibility over how calls are handled in your Teams environment.