Unable to setup Visual Voicemail on Galaxy S25? Here’s how to fix it

The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has been making waves with its cutting-edge features, but not all is smooth sailing for early adopters. A growing number of users are reporting a frustrating issue: the Samsung Visual Voicemail app is missing from the Galaxy Store. Whether you’re rocking the S25 Ultra, the standard model or the Plus, this hiccup has sparked confusion and annoyance. But fear not — we’ve got the lowdown on why this is likely happening and how to get your voicemail back on track.

For some Galaxy S25 users, the Visual Voicemail app has vanished into thin air. Some report that it’s nowhere to be found in the Galaxy Store, while others who’ve tried sideloading the app hit a wall with unsupported error messages. Interestingly, this isn’t a brand-new problem. Some Galaxy S24 users faced a similar issue last year, with Visual Voicemail being conspicuously absent on their devices.

So, what’s going on? The answer lies in the difference between carrier-locked and unlocked models. When you buy an unlocked phone directly from Samsung, certain carrier-specific features aren’t pre-installed. Visual Voicemail is one of them. Carrier-locked phones, on the other hand, often come with these features baked in, including the voicemail icon in the dialer app.

For unlocked S25 users, the app should still be available — just not in the Galaxy Store. Look for a green app labeled “Visual Voicemail” in your app drawer. If it’s not there, don’t panic. There are workarounds.

One of the most common hurdles users face is activating Visual Voicemail while connected to Wi-Fi. Surprisingly, many have found that turning off Wi-Fi is the key to getting things up and running. If you’re stuck during setup, try disabling Wi-Fi and using cellular data instead.

For those who’ve already set up their voicemail but aren’t receiving notifications, clearing the app’s cache and data can often do the trick. Just head to your phone’s settings, find the Visual Voicemail app, and wipe its cache. Then, try setting it up again — sans Wi-Fi.

If the app is still MIA, some tech-savvy users have found success by sideloading the APK from trusted sources like APKMirror. One AT&T user shared their experience of downloading a newer version of the app that wasn’t available on the Google Play Store. After sideloading, they had to grant restricted permissions for SMS access, but voilà — it worked.

While this method isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s a viable option for those willing to tinker. Just be sure to download APKs from reputable sites to avoid security risks.

The Visual Voicemail saga gets even more complicated when you factor in carrier differences. Verizon users, for example, have reported seeing a voicemail app that prompts them to sign up for a subscription service. Meanwhile, AT&T users have noticed that the app has disappeared from the Galaxy Store altogether, though it still works for those who already have it installed.

This inconsistency suggests that carriers may need to update their apps to fully support the Galaxy S25 series. If you’re on AT&T or another carrier and can’t find the app, it might be worth reaching out to customer support for guidance.

For more tech tips and fixes, check out our coverage on the Galaxy S25’s camera blur issues, WhatsApp restore bugs, and Android Auto connection woes.