Pre-Recorded Voicemail Messages

A pre-recorded voicemail message is a professionally recorded telephone message that is ready to use when you cannot answer a call.

Instead of recording your own voicemail greeting, you can choose a professionally produced message that already suits your situation, purchase it and use the finished audio with a compatible telephone, VoIP or cloud phone system.

Pre-recorded voicemail messages are particularly useful when you need a professional telephone greeting quickly and do not require a completely bespoke recording.

What Is a Pre-Recorded Voicemail Message?

A pre-recorded voicemail message is an audio recording that has already been written and professionally recorded for a particular telephone situation.

For example, you may need a message telling callers that:

• you are unable to answer the telephone;
• your office is currently closed;
• you are in a meeting;
• your business is outside normal opening hours;
• callers should leave their name and number;
• someone will return their call;
• the caller should contact you by another method.

Rather than writing and recording the message yourself, a pre-recorded voicemail gives you a finished professional recording that can be used immediately with a compatible telephone system.

This makes a ready-made voicemail particularly useful for straightforward situations where the wording does not need to mention a specific business name or other personalised information.

For examples of different situations and possible wording, see our 100 Most Used Voicemail Message Ideas.

How Do You Get a Pre-Recorded Voicemail?

Getting a pre-recorded voicemail message is straightforward.

First, choose a message that matches the situation you want to cover.

You can then purchase the recording online and download the finished audio file.

The recording can then be uploaded to a compatible telephone, VoIP or cloud phone system according to the instructions provided by your telephone service provider.

You can browse the pre-recorded voicemail recordings to see the ready-made messages currently available.

If you specifically want a recording that is ready to download and use, Voicemail Messages Ready to Download provides a dedicated collection of downloadable voicemail recordings.

If you need a message that includes your business name, personal name, department, opening hours or specific instructions, a custom voicemail recording is usually the better option.

For help creating the wording before recording, you can also use the Voicemail Script Generator.

What Can a Pre-Recorded Voicemail Message Say?

A ready-made voicemail can cover many common telephone situations.

Typical messages include:

General Voicemail Messages

A simple message asking callers to leave their name, telephone number and message.

Unable-to-Answer Messages

A recording explaining that you cannot take the call at the moment and asking the caller to leave a message.

Business Voicemail Messages

A professional greeting designed for a company, office or individual business telephone.

Out-of-Hours Messages

A recording explaining that the business is closed and providing instructions for leaving a message or making contact.

Office Closure Messages

Useful for temporary closures, holidays, staff training days and other periods when the normal telephone service is unavailable.

Professional Personal Voicemail Messages

Suitable for individuals who want their personal or business mobile voicemail to sound more professional.

If you are unsure what type of message you need, the 100 Most Used Voicemail Message Ideas provides examples covering many common situations.

Where Can Pre-Recorded Voicemail Messages Be Used?

Pre-recorded voicemail messages can be used with many different types of telephone systems, provided the system accepts a compatible audio file.

Common applications include:

• Business telephone systems
• Office phones
• VoIP phone systems
• Cloud-based telephone systems
• Hosted telephone systems
• Business mobile phones
• Telephone answering systems
• Virtual telephone systems
• Some PBX systems
• Individual professional voicemail greetings

Modern cloud and VoIP telephone systems often allow users or administrators to upload their own audio recordings.

However, every telephone provider has its own technical requirements, so you should check the required file format and audio specification before uploading a recording.

For more specialist telephone requirements, including IVR, auto attendants and business telephone prompts, see the Voicemail & IVR Recording service.

What Format Are Pre-Recorded Voicemail Messages Supplied In?

Pre-recorded voicemail recordings are supplied in MP3 and WAV formats, with telephone-compatible 8 kHz, 16-bit mono audio available as standard.

These formats are commonly used for telephone recordings and can be suitable for many VoIP, cloud and business telephone systems.

Your particular telephone provider may have additional requirements, so always check its audio upload specifications before installing a recording.

If you specifically need a recording that is ready to download, visit Voicemail Messages Ready to Download.

What Is the Difference Between a Pre-Recorded and Custom Voicemail?

The main difference is personalisation.

A pre-recorded voicemail message uses wording that has already been written and recorded.

A custom voicemail recording is created specifically for you.

A Pre-Recorded Voicemail Is Suitable When:

• You need a simple message quickly.
• A standard message already says what you need.
• You do not need your company name included.
• You want a low-cost recording.
• You want to download a finished message and use it immediately.

You can browse the pre-recorded voicemail recordings to see the available options.

A Custom Voicemail Is Suitable When:

• Your company name needs to be included.
• Your personal name needs to be recorded.
• You need specific opening hours.
• You need bespoke caller instructions.
• You need several connected telephone prompts.
• You require IVR or auto-attendant messages.
• Your wording is unique to your business.

For bespoke requirements, see the Voicemail & IVR Recording service.

Can I Buy a Pre-Recorded Voicemail Message?

Yes.

There is a collection of professionally recorded voicemail messages available to purchase online.

You can browse the pre-recorded voicemail recordings and choose a message that suits your requirements.

The ready-made recordings cover common voicemail situations and can be downloaded after purchase for use with a compatible telephone system.

If you specifically want to see recordings presented as ready-to-download telephone audio, visit Voicemail Messages Ready to Download.

Can I Get a Voicemail Message Recorded With My Own Words?

Yes.

If none of the ready-made messages says exactly what you need, a bespoke recording can be produced using your own script or wording.

This is particularly useful if your voicemail needs to include:

• Your company name
• Your name
• A department name
• Opening hours
• Website details
• Email instructions
• Alternative contact information
• Holiday opening arrangements
• Specific caller instructions

The Voicemail & IVR Recording service provides professionally recorded bespoke telephone messages, IVR prompts and related telephone audio.

You can also use the Voicemail Script Generator if you need help creating the wording before recording.

How Do I Choose the Right Voicemail Message?

Start by considering what you want the caller to know.

A good voicemail message should usually tell the caller:

1. That they have reached the correct person or business.
2. Why the call cannot currently be answered, if appropriate.
3. What the caller should do next.
4. What information they should leave.
5. What will happen after they leave their message.

For a simple personal voicemail, a short message may be enough.

For a business voicemail, you may want to provide additional information such as opening hours, expected response times or alternative contact methods.

If you are unsure what wording to use, our 100 Most Used Voicemail Message Ideas provides examples for common situations.

If you would rather create your own message, the Voicemail Script Generator can help you produce a starting-point script.

Are Pre-Recorded Voicemail Messages Suitable for Business?

Yes.

A professionally recorded voicemail can give callers a consistent and professional experience when nobody is available to answer the telephone.

For businesses, this can be useful for:

• Main office numbers
• Individual staff extensions
• Sales departments
• Customer service teams
• Professional services
• Small businesses
• Remote teams
• Out-of-hours telephone services

A pre-recorded message can also provide a simple alternative when a business needs a professional telephone greeting without commissioning a complete bespoke IVR system.

If your business needs several messages, departments or telephone prompts, the Voicemail & IVR Recording service may be more appropriate.

Can I Use a Pre-Recorded Voicemail With VoIP?

Yes, provided your VoIP provider accepts a compatible audio file.

Many VoIP and cloud telephone platforms allow administrators to upload recorded greetings and prompts.

The exact requirements vary between providers, so check whether your system requires MP3, WAV or another specific audio format.

The standard recordings are supplied as MP3 and WAV 8 kHz 16-bit mono files.

For specialist requirements involving telephone systems, IVR, auto attendants or cloud telephony, see the Voicemail & IVR Recording service.

What If I Cannot Find the Message I Need?

You do not need to settle for a message that is almost right.

If the existing pre-recorded collection does not contain the wording you require, you can have a bespoke message recorded.

You can first browse the pre-recorded voicemail recordings to see whether a ready-made message meets your needs.

If you specifically want a downloadable recording, visit Voicemail Messages Ready to Download.

If you need something completely bespoke, contact Spencer Cork to discuss a custom recording.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pre-recorded voicemail message?

A pre-recorded voicemail message is a professionally recorded telephone message that has already been created for a common situation, such as being unavailable, closing the office or asking callers to leave their details.

How do I get a pre-recorded voicemail?

You can choose a suitable message from the pre-recorded voicemail recordings, purchase it online and download the finished audio for use with a compatible telephone system.

Can I download a pre-recorded voicemail?

Yes. Ready-made voicemail recordings can be purchased and downloaded for use with compatible telephone, VoIP and cloud phone systems. See the Voicemail Messages Ready to Download collection.

What format are voicemail recordings supplied in?

The standard recordings are supplied in MP3 and WAV formats, with 8 kHz 16-bit mono telephone audio.

Can I use a pre-recorded voicemail on a VoIP phone?

Yes, provided your VoIP provider accepts the audio format supplied. Always check the technical requirements of your particular telephone system before uploading a recording.

Can I get a voicemail recorded with my company name?

Yes. A bespoke voicemail recording can include your company name, personal name, department, opening hours and specific instructions. See the Voicemail & IVR Recording service.

What if I don't know what my voicemail should say?

You can browse the 100 Most Used Voicemail Message Ideas for inspiration or use the Voicemail Script Generator to create a starting-point message.

Related Voicemail Resources

If you're researching professional voicemail messages, these resources provide different parts of the process:

Ready to buy:
Browse Pre-Recorded Voicemail Recordings

Ready to download:
Voicemail Messages Ready to Download

Need wording ideas:
100 Most Used Voicemail Message Ideas

Need help writing a message:
Voicemail Script Generator

Need something bespoke:
Voicemail & IVR Recording

Have a question or specific requirement:
Contact Spencer Cork

Need a Professional Voicemail Message?

If a ready-made message is exactly what you need, browse the pre-recorded voicemail recordings and choose from the available messages.

If you want a finished audio file that is specifically presented for download, visit Voicemail Messages Ready to Download.

If you need your company name, wording or telephone instructions recorded specifically for you, contact Spencer Cork about a custom voicemail recording.