# Global Voicemail Settings

The global voicemail settings control how voicemail behaves across every extension on your Cloud Voice system. They fall into four groups: what callers are allowed to do while in voicemail, how long recorded messages may run, how greetings are played, and the number users dial to reach their own mailbox. Use the tables below as a reference for each setting.

## Caller options

These options decide what a caller can do after they reach a mailbox.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Allow callers to press 0 to break out from voicemail | Lets a caller press **0** to leave voicemail and be routed to a designated IVR (Interactive Voice Response menu) or extension instead. |
| Allow callers to dial extension | Lets a caller dial another extension from within voicemail. |
| Allow callers to press 5 for leaving a message | Waits for the caller to press **5** before recording begins, rather than starting to record automatically once the greeting ends. |
| Allow callers to review message | Lets a caller listen back to their message after recording it. |

:::caution
Each caller option lets an outside caller navigate deeper into your phone system (reach an IVR, dial other extensions, or break out of the mailbox). Enable only the options you actually need. Leaving all of them on gives unknown callers more ways to route themselves through your system.
:::

## Message options

These options set the allowed length of a recorded message.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Max Message Time(s) | The longest a single voicemail message may run. The default is 600 seconds (10 minutes). |
| Min Message Time(s) | The shortest a single voicemail message may run. The default is 2 seconds. |

:::note
Both values are entered in seconds. Keep the minimum lower than the maximum so callers can always finish a valid message. The defaults (2 seconds minimum, 600 seconds maximum) suit most deployments.
:::

## Greeting options

These options govern the greeting callers hear.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Max Greeting Time(s) | The longest a greeting may play to a caller. The default is 60 seconds (1 minute). |
| Global Voicemail Greeting | The greeting applied to all extensions. |

:::tip
Prepare and upload your greeting audio before you set the Global Voicemail Greeting, then select it from the list here. Because this greeting plays for every extension, keep it generic (for example, a company-wide message) rather than naming a single person.
:::

## Voicemail number

Turn the voicemail number on or off and set the digits to use. Once enabled, extension users can dial this number to listen to their own voicemail messages.

:::note
When you enable the voicemail number, update the Cloud Voice App welcome email template so users know what to dial. Insert the `{{.ReadVoicemailNumber}}` template variable to include the number automatically.
:::

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Voicemail Number | The number extension users dial to check their voicemail messages. |