# Voicemail Capacity and Limitations

Every mailbox in Cloud Voice comes with built-in limits on how many messages it holds and how long each recording can be. A mailbox is the storage that collects voicemail for one extension. This page explains those default limits, what happens when a mailbox fills up, and where to change the settings.

:::note
Two separate limits apply to each mailbox: the **number of messages** it can hold and the **length of any one message**. They are controlled by two different settings, covered under [Change the limits](#change-the-limits) below.
:::

## Default limits per mailbox

Each mailbox can store up to **100 messages**, and any single message can run no longer than **10 minutes**. These limits apply per extension, not across the whole phone system.

When a mailbox reaches 100 messages, Cloud Voice makes room for new voicemail by removing the oldest recordings first.

:::caution
The automatic cleanup deletes the oldest messages permanently, and deleted voicemail cannot be recovered. If a mailbox is near the 100-message cap, an important old message can be dropped as soon as a new one arrives. Listen to and save anything important before the mailbox fills, or raise the retention limit (see below).
:::

There is no time-based expiration on stored voicemail. A message stays on the phone system (the PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, that runs your extensions) for as long as you keep it: it is removed only when someone deletes it manually or when the 100-message cap pushes it out.

## Change the limits

You can raise or lower these defaults per extension to match how each mailbox is used:

- To change how many messages a mailbox retains before old ones are cleared, see [Auto Cleanup Voicemail Messages](/pbx/administrator-guide/auto-cleanup-voicemail-messages/).
- To change the maximum (and minimum) length allowed for a recorded message, see [Limit Voicemail Message Length](/pbx/administrator-guide/limit-voicemail-message-length/).

:::tip
For mailboxes that receive a lot of voicemail, set up auto cleanup so the system trims old messages on a schedule you choose instead of only when the mailbox is full. That keeps storage predictable and reduces the chance of losing a message you still needed.
:::