Merged Voicemails after IOS 17 Update

They’re full of beans. We’ve had two phones on the same Apple ID for 10+ years and voicemails only started being “shared” when the second of the pair updated to 17. We’ve checked every setting we can think of to make it stop and have found nothing.

dhinlax wrote:

What’s missing in this conversation is that there are multiple family sharing use cases. Apple might want to consider providing a solution that allows a Customer to choose from a list of things their family does (and doesn’t) want/need to share. I realize that could get really complicated really fast.

What seems to be missing in most of these posts is the understanding that Apple isn't a part of this conversation. This is a user-to-user technical support forum. Whether you like the way things, work, don't like the way the work or don't care, this is the way they work and no amount of discussion here will change it.

Tell Apple how you feel:

Product Feedback - Apple

I have two phones with two different providers and my voicemails show up on both phones. So, it MUST be related to Apple ID. Not good.

bingalls wrote:

Yup - that obviously would solve the problem, but also eliminate the advantages that I have had prior to this issue. Best example - I have all of my contacts sync'd across all devices and yet did not have voicemails shared as they are now. I also could toggle if I sync other areas of my phones or not.

I would hope that Apple might introduce a toggle for this new shared voicemail.

Contacts (except for iCloud contacts) do not sync across devices; they sync to email servers. And even iCloud contacts are actually syncing to your iCloud email account.

If you have a separate work phone that uses the same Apple ID as your personal phone that means your employer “owns” all data in your iCloud account (legally). That’s another reason not to put a personal Apple ID account on a work phone.

You're right, we don't know you or your needs. But whatever they are, there is really no other solution other than to stop sharing an Apple ID. It's a fact, which you nor anyone else can change. I get you don't like it, but that doesn't make it less a fact.

I did read in another place that turning off FaceTime may solve this for you. But if you do that, you'll never be able to use FaceTime. Maybe that won't be an issue for you.

As to me repeating myself, when you buy the forum, you can direct what others can say. I'm not violating any terms of use, so I'm as welcome to post as you are, whether you like my message or not.

Have a nice rest of the day.......

Here is the whole procedure:

• If you don’t have a recent backup, create one on your computer or in iCloud (just for security, you probably won’t need it)→How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
• Go to Settings/[apple ID name] and tap Sign Out
• If you sync to iCloud you will be asked if you want to keep the content that syncs; say yes
• Tap to create a new Apple ID
• If you sync to iCloud, go to Settings/Apple ID name]/iCloud and turn on the switches for items you want to sync.
• Log in to the same email accounts you had on the shared Apple ID if they have logged out (they probably did not, unless one of them was an iCloud email address)

Contacts, Calendars, Notes, and Reminders sync to email accounts, so if you are logged in you will still have all of them. You will also still have all photos.

Next, decide who will be the family “organizer” and have that person set up Family Sharing→Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support

You can share all previous and future purchases; here is more information on that→Share with your family - Apple Support

Gemini33594 wrote:

I’ve updated to 17.02 still same issue

Apple gave no indication that iOS 17.0.2 (or 17.0.3) would change this. In fact, they have given no indication they see it as a problem.

Let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

robb720 wrote:

Hey everyone I know there is frustration. I CALLED APPLE and this fix was direct from help chat and worked. It's several things in one so go step by step. My problem-similar to others-I have been sharing my apple id with my wife for at least 15 years (Iphone 2). It turns out apple has a fix that doesn't force me or the folks that need a business voice mail vs a personal voicemail to change how we do things. This worked/immediately. I believe apple does understand the need for one voicemail per one telephony number......it just makes sense. Hope this helps. Please copy to other forums.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/fad93fa7-75e9-42a0-9d5f-1d4f52f0d76b

That's nice, but it actually DOESN'T work. Many here have tried this and the merged call lists return soon after. One person said it stopped voicemail messages from displaying on both phones. But I doubt that's a long term result. The Apple Support person didn't give you the ONLY solution which will stop this, which is to NOT share an Apple ID.

Please come back in a few days and let us know if the Merged Call logs are no longer merged. I'm willing to be they will still be merged. And I know this because I tried to help some dear friends who refuse to stop sharing an Apple ID and I did all these things on their iPhones and it simply didn't work.

First of all, most people already know not to have message numbers checked on both phones. But then that doesn't prevent anyone from unchanging that and reading each others message without the other person knows. Handoff was not enabled on their phones. Again, most people who share an Apple ID already know about the same setting for FaceTime, just like they did for messages.

Slanier1072 wrote:

same with me! I have spent hours trying to fix this. I did turn off Facetime syncing and that seemed it fix it. Who knows why facetime, but maybe try that?

You are likely going to find it is a short term fix, but the merged calls and voicemail messages will continue soon again. Many have tried this and it's not effective. Apple has said for more than a decade that two people should not share the same Apple ID. Either accept the merged call logs/voicemails or unshare the Apple ID.

Here is show you can do that (written by a very respected member of this forum - Lawrence Finch) --> How to “unshare” an Apple ID - Apple Community

I have the same problem but it isn’t me sharing an account with someone. I personally have 2 iPhones. I have one that is my personal phone and one that is my work phone. I do not want to have my work voicemails on my personal phone and I do not want my personal voicemails on my work phone.

However, I also don’t want to have to pay for a family Apple Music to be able to listen to my music at work as well as at home just because I have 2 devices.

Is there any solution that allows me to separate my work and personal phone features but not have to pay for Apple Music twice other than abandoning Apple Music and using Spotify?

I’m not “sharing” an Id with 2 people. I just want one Apple ID across all my devices. Doesn’t seem to be that hard. They make a big deal about having everything connected with your appleID. For me this is 2 phones, iPad and mac.

Read the thread. Yes, it's because you are using the same Apple ID on two iPhones. The carrier has nothing to do with it. Apple does not recommend using the same Apple ID on more than one iPhone, especially, if the phones are used by different people.

Juliew1116 wrote:

Unfortunately, this didn’t work for us. It appeared to at first, then the sharing resumed.

It hasn't worked for ANYONE who has tried it. There is ONLY ONE cure for merged call logs/voicemail messages. STOP SHARING AN APPLE ID.