How to Use giffgaff Voicemail, 443, PIN Reset and Abroad Access

Save the essential voicemail actions

Set the PIN and test the mailbox before travelling. That preparation is easier than trying to recover access through an unfamiliar roaming network.

Set up the mailbox from start to finish

1. 1

   Call 443 from the giffgaff phone

   Follow the prompts and create a four-to-ten-digit PIN. It protects voicemail access from another phone and is separate from the handset passcode and SIM PIN.
2. 2

   Record a greeting

   Tell callers that the call cannot be answered and invite them to leave a name and contact detail. Call 443 and press * to reach the main menu when it needs changing.
3. 3

   Test from a second phone

   Call the giffgaff number, leave it unanswered and record a message. Return to the giffgaff phone, dial 443 and retrieve it.

The test proves that calls divert to the mailbox, a caller can record a message and the member can retrieve it. Diagnose the failing step instead of resetting every setting.

Reset or change the voicemail PIN

If the PIN has been forgotten, send an SMS containing RESET to 802443 from the giffgaff SIM. giffgaff replies with a temporary PIN. Use it to enter voicemail and create a new PIN.

When the current PIN is known, call 443, press *, choose option 4 and enter the old PIN followed by #. Enter and confirm the new PIN when prompted.

Switch giffgaff voicemail on or off

While in the UK, call 1616 to enable network voicemail or 1626 to disable it. Test the result from a second phone. A caller who still reaches the greeting is still being sent to voicemail.

Disabling voicemail means callers cannot leave a message when the phone is off, out of coverage or unanswered. The member may also lose the missed-call notification that the mailbox would otherwise generate.

iPhone Live Voicemail is separate

iOS 17 and later may have Live Voicemail enabled. This is an iPhone feature with a separate switch. After calling 1626, open Settings, Apps, Phone and Live Voicemail if real-time transcription still appears. Switching off Live Voicemail alone does not disable the giffgaff mailbox.

Anyone who wants all voicemail disabled should check both controls and then make another test call from a second phone.

Fix calls that do not reach voicemail

Call 1616 first, then inspect call forwarding. On iPhone, open Settings, Apps, Phone and Call Forwarding. On Android, look under the Phone app, Settings, Calls, Supplementary Services or Calling Accounts.

Android may offer separate rules for always forward, busy, unanswered and unreachable. Select 443 when the destination should be giffgaff voicemail. On a dual-SIM phone, choose the giffgaff line before changing the setting.

Older star-and-hash divert codes no longer behave consistently on every device or roaming network. giffgaff now directs members to handset settings. Ask an agent when the menu is missing or the ring time needs changing.

Listen to or control voicemail abroad

Before leaving the UK, call 443, save the PIN, leave a message from another phone and retrieve it. Then check the destination's current roaming rates.

Abroad, try 443 first and +443 if the local network does not recognise the short number. Support depends on the roaming partner, so a route that works in one country is not universal.

Access in the EU and selected destinations may follow an eligible plan's roaming rules. Elsewhere, listening may deduct airtime credit at the destination's call rate. Check the giffgaff China roaming guide and the live giffgaff destination page before calling.

The 1616 and 1626 controls are intended for UK use. A member who needs voicemail switched on or off while already abroad should contact a giffgaff agent.

Confirm the final working state

1. 1

   Leave a test message

   Use a second phone to call the giffgaff number and record a short message.
2. 2

   Retrieve it from giffgaff

   Call 443 and confirm that the new message is available.
3. 3

   Test backup access

   Call the number again from the second phone, press * during the greeting, enter the PIN and press #.
4. 4

   Prepare for travel

   Record the destination rate and keep enough airtime credit for any chargeable voicemail call.

Once these checks pass, the mailbox has a known greeting, a recoverable PIN and two tested access routes. A visible voicemail button or one successful call to 1616 is not a complete test.

Anyone who still needs a real UK number can review the giffgaff physical SIM. Complete the voicemail setup and test once the SIM is working before relying on it during travel.

giffgaff voicemail FAQ

官方来源 / Official sources

• Everything you need to know about voicemail · giffgaff
• How to manage call forwarding on your phone · giffgaff
• Useful Network Shortcodes · giffgaff
• Using your mobile phone in the Rest of the world · giffgaff

相关文章 / Related guides