cannot clear deleted voicemail on IOS7

Resetting Network settings does not help.

This is a frustrating problem. Sometimes it works to delete a voicemail, and most of the time, it reappears and nothing seems to work. I finally did call my own voicemail (hold down 1 on keypad, listen to voicemail, press 7 to delete). This works but is slow and tedious. I also re-booted a few times and was successful at deleting 1 or 2 messages before the same problem returned. I would love to see an easier fix for this issue, or a new system correction issued that does it for me and everyone involved. I have a 4S and only upgraded to the new system on Sunday morning last after holding back for weeks on doing this. I kind of regret it now.

I've now confirmed my solution posted above works on the iphone 4, iphone 4S and iphone 5. I suspect it works on all devices running ios 7. It's fast and easy and only takes two (previously unnecessary) steps. Don't reboot or screw with your network settings. Just tap a message twice, turning the "Clear All" from gray to blue, and then tap "Clear All".

Reply to Lake Stevens. I understand what you're saying once the voicemail is deleted but before it is cleared from the deleted messages. However, my problem is the first stage of deleting, and trying to delete the original message once it appears in the voice mail column. Tapping on Delete makes it move somewhere, and then it returns back onto the list like nothing happened (it does not even go to "Deleted Messages")... So I am still looking for help to make the Delete buttons work the first time.

Bob, you're on the wrong thread. This thread is for people who "cannot clear deleted voicemails in iOS 7". You want the thread regarding inability to delete voicemails...

I had the same experience and voicemail was 97% full. Screen kept freezing when I tried to delete messages. Found 1200+ deleted voicemails in the deleted folder. The clear all button was blue but would just freeze. Eventually found that it was deleting about 500 voicemails each time but had to keep turning off phone and turning back on. After several tries was able to clear all voicemails. Seems like a pretty consistent problem that has been going on for a while. They really need to get this fixed.

So add my name to the list. I can delete VMs just fine even though the performance is not that great when switching from VM to VM. My mailbox filled up and I deleted most of them without incident. I did that by the right to left swipe because that seemed to be the fastest way to do it. However, and this is consistent behavior, I tapped into the deleted messages folder to clear them out completely and the "Clear All" was greyed out. I tried getting out and going back in as suggested by some with no luck. I tried a hard reset of the phone, as suggested by others and the stupid thing brought back all those deleted VMs into my active mailbox! After deleting them all for the second time, I went into the deleted messages mailbox and "Clear All" was still greyed out. I tried tapping on a deleted message, as suggested by Lake Stevens and that turned on the "Clear All" button! Seems buggy Apple, fix it!

So it looks like iOS 7.0.3 may have fixed this. I just updated the phone (5 64GB), deleted a message and the "Clear All" button was active. Don't know if the problem is with any deleted message or with large numbers in the deleted box, but I should have a full VM box within the next day or two and I will post again.

I am running 7.0.3 and I am still having the same issue. I can only get 1 voicemail at a time to delete.

Thanks, Lake Stevens. Your solution worked for me!

I have the same issue. I delete the vmails and the go to the deleted messages and have to hit one of the messages for the clear all to go from grey to blue. I hit clear all. All looks good. Then a few seconds latter most of the voicemail messages reappear in my visual voicemail. One post suggested to delete the messages in airplane mode but that doesn't work for me. This is entirely unacceptable. I am on a 5s 10.7.3

I have the same problem. VERY Frustrating..

Go to the deleted VM screen, swipe to the left on the VM. Press 'Delete'

Really?!? If you were experiencing this issue, you wouldn't make smart *** posts like that. It's very frustrating...

No, really wasn't trying to be smart. I was experiencing the issue and that's the only way I found to delete them