Here’s How Direct Voicemail Works on Samsung One UI 8.5

Samsung’s upcoming One UI 8.5 is no longer a mystery, as we already know plenty about it. The update is shaping up to be a substantial refinement over One UI 8, bringing a host of new features and visual changes. Thanks to an early leak build, we now have a clear picture of Direct Voicemail, a new feature within the Phone app.

Samsung’s Direct Voicemail gives users more control over missed calls

Last week, we exclusively revealed that Samsung is making a major overhaul to its Phone app in One UI 8.5. One of the most noticeable changes is the new pill-shaped navigation bar, which houses the usual three tabs: keypad, call log, and contacts. It also highlights the currently active tab through a circular indicator. Beyond the visual changes, we also spotted a feature called Direct Voicemail, but we did not know its functionality.

We recently managed to install a fresh One UI 8.5 test build on our Galaxy device, which allowed us to explore the feature in action. Samsung has introduced Direct Voicemail to give users more control over missed calls. As its name suggests, it lets callers leave a voicemail directly when you are unable to answer. You can send calls to voicemail manually from the incoming call screen, and later listen to the messages in the Phone app.

Furthermore, it allows you to automatically send calls to voicemail after a set period of time. You can choose from options like 5, 10, or 20 seconds, or even set a custom duration. This is particularly helpful if you are busy, as callers can still leave a message without needing your approval.

The best thing is that you can still pick up the call while the caller is recording their voicemail. As such, you won’t miss an important call even if you keep enabling the Direct Voicemail option. Samsung says that its voicemail services precede the operator’s voicemail (if you have opted) except in certain situations, such as when your phone is unreachable, busy, or roaming internationally. Stay tuned to learn more about One UI 8.5.