How to Enable Voice Mail in MS Teams? Complete Guide

Before enabling voice mail in Microsoft Teams, it is important to understand how it works. Voice mail in Teams is powered by Microsoft 365 and integrates with Exchange Online. When someone calls you, and you do not answer, the call is redirected to a cloud-based voicemail system. The message is then stored in your mailbox and can be accessed from:

The Calls tab in Teams
Your Outlook inbox
The Microsoft Teams mobile app

To enable voice mail successfully, you must meet certain requirements:

You must have an active Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Teams. You need a Teams Phone license or an Enterprise Voice capability. Your account must be configured with Exchange Online. Calling policies must allow voicemail.

Once these requirements are met, voice mail can be enabled at both the admin level and the user level.

In this complete guide, you will learn how to enable voice mail in MS Teams with very easy steps!

Table of Contents

How to Enable VoiceMail in MS Teams?

To enable VoiceMail in MS Teams, ensure you have a Teams Phone license, then open Teams Admin Center, go to Voice settings, enable voicemail in Calling policies, and assign the policy to users. Individual users can manage voicemail greetings and settings from the Calls section in the Teams app under Settings and Voicemail.

Now, let us go through the complete step-by-step process.

Step 1: Verify Microsoft Teams Phone License

The first and most important step is to confirm that the user has a valid Teams Phone license. Without this license, voice mail features will not function properly.

Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using your administrator credentials. Go to the Users section and select Active Users. Choose the user account for whom you want to enable voicemail. Click on Licenses and Apps and verify that Teams Phone or Enterprise Voice is assigned.

If the license is not assigned, enable it and save the changes. It may take a few minutes for the changes to reflect in Microsoft Teams.

Step 2: Access the Microsoft Teams Admin Center

Once the license is confirmed, the next step is to configure voicemail settings in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center.

Open your browser and go to the Teams Admin Center. Log in with your administrator account. From the left-hand menu, select Voice. Under the Voice section, choose Calling Policies.

Calling policies control how users can make and receive calls, including voicemail functionality.

Step 3: Enable Voicemail in Calling Policy

After opening Calling Policies, select the policy that is assigned to the user. You can either modify an existing policy or create a new one.

Inside the calling policy settings, look for the Voicemail option. Ensure that voicemail is set to On. This setting allows unanswered calls to be redirected to voicemail.

Save the policy after making the changes. If you created a new policy, you will need to assign it to specific users.

Step 4: Assign Calling Policy to Users

To apply the voicemail-enabled policy, you must assign it to the appropriate users.

In the Teams Admin Center, navigate to Users. Select the user account. Click on Policies. Under Calling Policy, choose the policy that has voicemail enabled. Save the changes.

It may take some time for policy updates to apply across the system. Users might need to sign out and sign back into Teams for changes to take effect.

Step 5: Configure Voicemail Settings for Individual Users

Once voicemail is enabled at the policy level, individual users can customize their voicemail settings directly in the Teams app.

Open Microsoft Teams on your desktop. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings. Navigate to the Calls section. Scroll down to Voicemail.

Here, users can record a custom greeting, configure call answer rules, and choose how calls are handled when unanswered.

Users can record their greeting using their microphone or upload a pre-recorded message. This greeting will play when someone reaches their voicemail.

Step 6: Set Up Call Answering Rules

Call answering rules determine what happens when someone calls you.

In the Calls section under Settings, users can choose to let calls ring for a specific duration before redirecting to voicemail. They can also set up call forwarding options.

To ensure voicemail works properly, confirm that unanswered calls are set to redirect to voicemail after a certain number of seconds.

These settings allow flexibility based on work schedules, availability, and business needs.

Step 7: Test the Voicemail Feature

After completing the configuration, it is important to test the voicemail setup.

Use another phone or Teams account to call the configured user. Allow the call to go unanswered. Verify that the voicemail greeting plays correctly and that a message can be recorded.

Check whether the voicemail message appears in the Calls tab in Teams. Also, confirm that an email notification is received in Outlook with the voicemail attached.

Testing ensures that everything is functioning as expected.

Step 8: Access Voicemail Messages

Users can access voicemail messages in multiple ways.

In Microsoft Teams, go to the Calls tab. Click on Voicemail. You will see a list of received messages along with transcription if enabled.

You can play the message directly, call the person back, or delete the voicemail.

Voicemails are also sent to your Outlook inbox as audio attachments, allowing you to listen from any device.

Step 9: Enable Voicemail Transcription

Voicemail transcription converts voice messages into readable text. This feature helps users quickly understand the message content without listening to the entire recording.

To enable transcription, ensure that your organization’s voicemail policy allows transcription. In the Teams Admin Center, check the voicemail settings under Voice configuration.

If transcription is enabled, voicemail messages will include a text preview in Teams and Outlook.

Faqs

What is Voice Mail in MS Teams?

Voice mail in Microsoft Teams allows callers to leave recorded messages when you are unavailable. The messages are stored in your mailbox and can be accessed from Teams or Outlook.

Do I need a special license to enable voicemail in Teams?

Yes, you need a Teams Phone or Enterprise Voice license along with Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online to use voicemail features.

Where can I access my voicemail messages?

You can access voicemail messages in the Calls tab in Teams or in your Outlook inbox as audio attachments.

Can I customize my voicemail greeting?

Yes, users can record a custom greeting directly in the Teams app under Settings and Calls.

Is voicemail transcription available for all users?

Voicemail transcription depends on your organization’s policy settings. If enabled, it provides a text version of the voice message.

How long are voicemail messages stored?

Voicemail storage depends on your Exchange Online mailbox retention policy. Messages remain available until deleted or archived.

Ending Lines

Enabling VoiceMail in MS Teams ensures that you never miss important calls, even when you are busy or offline. By properly configuring licenses, calling policies, and user settings, you can create a reliable communication system within your organization.

Whether you are an administrator managing multiple users or an individual professional setting up your account, following the step-by-step process outlined above will help you activate and manage voicemail effectively.