Your iPhone is off. Who answers?
Live Voicemail shows a message as the caller leaves it, while your iPhone is on and in range. Vicem is an AI on its own number: it answers the calls you miss, even with your phone off or abroad, talks with the caller and asks you before anything important.
What does Live Voicemail do well?
- It’s built into the iPhone’s Phone app. Apple, iPhone User Guide: set up voicemail
- You read the message as the caller speaks, and can pick up. Apple, iPhone User Guide: set up voicemail
- Calls your phone company flags as spam are declined. Apple, iPhone User Guide: set up voicemail
- It can ask unknown callers why they’re calling first. Apple support, screen unknown callers
Where does Live Voicemail stop?
- If your iPhone is off or out of range, the call goes to your phone company’s voicemail.Apple, iPhone User Guide: set up voicemail
- Abroad, screening stops: “If you’re roaming, phone calls are not screened, regardless of settings.”Apple support, screen unknown callers
- Apple lists Live Voicemail in nine languages, not including Turkish, Italian, Dutch or Arabic.Apple, iOS feature availability: Live Voicemail
Checked on October 9, 2026
What happens when your iPhone is off?
Live Voicemail runs on the phone, so it stops when the phone does.
It runs on its own number, not on your phone. So it works on a plane, with a flat battery, or when you have no signal.
How do they compare?
| What it does | Live Voicemail | Vicem |
|---|---|---|
| Works when your phone is off | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes |
| Emails the caller back | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes |
| Its own number, email and page | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes |
| Speaks the caller’s language | Live VoicemailSome | Vicem16 languages |
| Asks you before anything important | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes |
| Anyone can check what it did | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes |
| Works on any phone | Live VoicemailiPhone only | VicemYes |
| Calls for you | Live VoicemailNo | VicemYes, with Vicem Plus |
| Robocalls, scam calls and silent calls Vicem screens out at the start never count against your minutes, nor do calls that fail on our side | Does not apply | VicemYes |
| Junk calls and texts are handled without interrupting you | Live VoicemailSome | VicemYes |
Only things Vicem does today are listed. “Varies” means products of that kind differ. An empty cell means it doesn’t apply.
Already screen unknown callers? Set it to Silence.
Your phone silences the strangers, and with Live Voicemail off, Vicem answers them. It also picks up any call you miss, and does something about it.
What do people ask?
Is Vicem a Live Voicemail alternative?
Yes: turn Live Voicemail off and forward missed calls to Vicem.
Why turn Live Voicemail off?
It answers missed calls on the iPhone, so they never forward.
Does Live Voicemail work when my iPhone is off?
No: Apple says those calls go to your phone company’s voicemail.
Does Vicem say it’s an AI?
Yes. Vicem always says it’s an AI. Every call starts with: “Hi, this is Sam’s AI.”
Want it answering your calls?
Vicem is an AI that answers your phone when you can’t. Free for 14 days.
Get your Vicem