We've all done it—kept a voicemail on our phone for years because it’s the only recording we have of a loved one’s voice. But relying on your carrier’s voicemail server is risky. Phones break, carriers change, and servers get wiped.
If you have a precious voicemail, you need to export it and back it up now. Here is how to do it for both iPhone and Android.
Saving Voicemails on iPhone (iOS)
Apple makes it relatively easy to share voicemails as audio files.
- Open the Phone app and tap on the Voicemail tab.
- Tap the voicemail you want to save. It will expand to show playback controls.
- Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing up).
- Choose a destination:
- Voice Memos: This saves it to your device's Voice Memos app, where you can edit it or back it up to iCloud.
- Files: Save it directly to iCloud Drive or On My iPhone.
- Email/Message: Send the audio file to yourself or a family member immediately.
Saving Voicemails on Android
The process can vary slightly depending on your carrier and phone model (Samsung, Pixel, etc.), but the general steps are similar.
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Try EchoAgain- Open the Phone app and go to Voicemail.
- Select the voicemail you want to save.
- Look for a Share, Save, or Export option. It might be hidden under a three-dot menu icon.
- Send the file to Google Drive, email it to yourself, or save it to your phone’s internal storage.
Note: If your visual voicemail app doesn't allow exporting, you may need to use a screen recorder or an audio recording app on another device to play and record the message manually (though this reduces quality).
What to Do After Exporting
Simply moving the file off your voicemail app isn't enough. You need a preservation strategy.
1. The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
- 3 copies of the data.
- 2 different types of media (e.g., your computer hard drive and an external drive).
- 1 copy offsite (e.g., cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud).
2. Organize and Rename
Rename the file immediately. "Audio_20231012.m4a" tells you nothing. Use a format like:
YYYY-MM-DD_Name_Description.m4a
Example: 2023-12-25_Mom_ChristmasGreeting.m4a
3. Give It New Life with EchoAgain
Once you have these files secured, you can do more than just hoard them. EchoAgain allows you to upload these precious voice samples to create a high-fidelity AI voice model. This preserves the unique timbre and cadence of your loved one's voice forever, allowing you to hear them say new things or read stories to future generations.
Don't wait until you switch phones or accidentally hit "delete." Secure those memories today.
Ready to start your journey?
Join thousands of others who are finding comfort and connection through EchoAgain.
