Use this Hack to Activate the Voicemail Button on your Unlocked iPhone

In case you have unlocked the iPhone using one of the software-only hacks then you would be aware that visual voicemail feature does not work. The iPhone Dev Team who bought us the first free GUI based iPhone SIM unlock tool called "anySIM" have delivered once again as they have discovered a hack which can be used to get the voicemail button to work using any carrier.

In my article on the free GUI based SIM unlock tool by the iPhone Dev Team; I had mentioned that there were couple of known issues after unlocking the iPhone to use any SIM; the visual voicemail feature does not work as you need AT&T for it to work and people have reported problems using YouTube on their unlocked iPhone. The iPhone hacking geniuses over at iPhone Dev Team have found a way around the first known issue. Here are the steps to follow which should work using any carrier.

1. You need to first get your carrier's voicemail number.
2. Click on your iPhone's phone button.
3. Then click on the Keypad tab.
4. You need to then add the following code: *5005*86*xxx#. Here xxx would be your voicemail number.
5. After entering the code you tap call.
6. This results in the code being set.
7. Thats all, tap now on the voicemail button and it should automatically call your usual voicemail service.

Not very straightforward but I am sure you will like your unlocked iPhone even more after this hack. As always if you have unlocked your iPhone and I am guessing you are going to try this out don't forget to let us know how well it worked for you in the comments for the benefit of fellow readers.

Don't forget to tip them for their effort towards achieving SIM freedom. Follow this link for more details on how to donate to the iPhone Dev Team.

Update:

To avoid any confusion let me clarify that I am talking about just voicemail here and not visual voicemail and this article is for those who've unlocked their iPhone and have a non-functioning Voicemail button as just voicemail seems to work out of the box for some carriers like T-mobile.

Without the visual voicemail software/server on the carrier side and the feature provisioned to your mobile number you can't have visual voicemail.

[via Gizmodo]

Rate this post:

If you liked this article then you might be interested in checking out these iPhone hacks as well:

SummerBoard: iPhone hack enables scrolling of iPhone's home screen

iFuntastic v3.5.5: Adding custom ringtones to iPhone made lot easier

Native iPhone App "Connect" makes it easier to login to Wi-Fi Hotspots with your iPhone

Comments

[Luis Pagan]

I am in the Dominican Republic, using the iPhone with Orange, and the voicemail number is *777, when I type *5005*86**777# and I try to call a recording says: "Orange is not available to connect your call as dial, please try again or contact Orange customer services", what could I do to solve this???

Please, someone help me, that is the only thingh I need in order to have my iPhone working 100%.

[iPhoneHacks.com Admin]

Hey Luis, in case you haven't tried already, why don't you try *5005*86*777# and see if it works?

[RohitSingh1982]

Is it going to cost anything extra on my cell phone bill to activate this feature?

And if so, how much extra is it going to be a month?

[Md6597]

It shouldn't cost you anything.. It just creates like a shortcut to your voicemail. SO you can use the button instead of a contact.

With some carriers you can use a shortcut like *777 to jump straight to your voice mail with others you just call your own cell phone number.

I would call your cell company and find out what the phone number is to access you voicemail from a land line (not your cell phone). Then plug that into the above steps. Like I said before with a lot of US carriers you just call your own phone number.

Good Luck.

[RohitSingh1982]

I'm from Toronto, Ontario, I can't believe that this has been hacked, I love the iPhone, its amazing.

There is only one thing I can find wrong with it, and only that one.

The digital keyboard, they should have made it that if you turn the iPhone horizontally that the keyboard will end up being wider and the keys wouldnt end up being that bunched up together. The one thing that is getting to me, is hitting the wrong key every so often. My TXT ends up sounding like a half retarted person.

[RohitSingh1982]

Wait a min, this isn't the digital voicemail feature, is it? All this is, is just a shortcut to get to your voicemail.

BBBOOOOOO

that was already unlocked when I got my unlocked iPhone.

This isn't new.

[Luis Pagan]

iPhoneHacks.com Admin
I tried with *5005*86*777# and I had the same recording, I also tried my own number, and nothing, I also called my service provider asking them if there was another number for the voicemail and there is, but I'll have to dial my phone and my password that if I dial *777 from my phone I wouldn't have to, do you have any idea of any other way I can do it???

Thanks

[Al]

Hi guys thanx so much for all of this info here...I unlocked by phone using ibrkr and am still using AT&T as my carrier (on a business acct). My Voicemail button is active but I dont get visual voicemail. is there any solution for this?

[Eisa AlMuhairi]

Hello, I thought this was for visual voice mail. My voicemail button was working after the unlock (different method than anySIM). So i hope it helps everyone who has trouble with it.

[Blast]

It works for PlusGSM in Poland. Thanks a lot !

[Paulo Ebling]

this method does not work when your voicemail numbers contains *xxx works just when xxx is your numbers without the * my vm bt is not working also

[Blue]

I'm not sure if this is carrier specific, or needs be programmed much in the same way as the above "hack", but with my iPhone on AT&T I'm able to hold "1" for a few seconds to dial voicemail.

[M Irfan]

This method worked for me in UK. I am on o2 network and i used 901 voice mail number. Voice mail is working now! Thanks for the information!

[Mobilez]

Confirmed working ok:

UK Vodafone *5005*86*121#
UK o2 *5005*86*901#
UK T-mobile *5005*86*OWNNUMBER#
UK Orange *5005*86*+447973100123#

[hkman]

HOw can i receive SMS notification from my voicemail? my iphone did not receive sms from my carrier.....

[Adrian M]

I've got a problem...I misread and thought it was to unlock visual voice mail. I already had the voice mail working, so when I dialed (*5005*86*xxx#)it actually messed it up and I can no longer get to my voice mail through that voice mail button on my iPhone. Any ideas on how I can undo what I've done? Thanks! I'm with Rogers if that helps!

[CHCOM]

hkman, just type *5005*86*# and it will reset the button.

[DrSnap]

I can't understand, what the big deal with the visual voicemail needing a carrier server!?

Isn't (or couldn't be) visual voicemail just an app only on the client (iPhone) that "picks up" the phone (localy) and plays a recording just to record what comes from the other side? (The caller payes the connection anyway, why should i have to pay again?)
Why does it need a server on the carrier side?

[att1950]

Just want to say thans and it in Hong Kong.

[mac gun]

great !!
it works with Hutch/Vodafone india and now my voicemail button is active on iphone

cheers
mac

[Alejandro]

doesn't work, display messagge, unknow aplication.

No funciona despliega un error que dice aplicacion desconocida

[sonic]

works great for vodafone in germany.
though i still cant receive any notification sms by my mailbox

i wonder if vodafone's own visual voicemail service will work with the iphone? i haven't booked it yet, but i will soon try out.

[darrell]

It works! Now my phone is 100% working! Thanks for the help!

[hok]

great it works in holland with vodafone

use 1233

[Gustavo]

It works great for Movistar in Argentine.
Thanks!!
Funciona perfecto para Movistar Argentina!
Gracias!