Voicemail greeting generatorthat doesn't sound like a robot
Up to 500 characters, which is plenty: a good greeting is usually under 60 words.
What a good greeting actually says
Callers decide in the first few seconds whether to leave a message or hang up. Every line in a good greeting answers a question they have.
Who they reached
Your name or the business name, first. A caller who isn't sure they dialed the right number won't leave a message.
When you'll call back
"Today", "within one business day", or "Monday at 9". A specific promise gets more messages than "as soon as possible", and it's easier to keep.
What to leave
Name, number, and the reason for the call. Ask for the one detail you'll need to help them, such as an address or an order number.
A faster route, if there is one
An emergency line, a colleague, or a website. Put it after the basics so callers with routine questions don't have to sit through it.
Keep it under 20 seconds
Spoken at a natural pace, 50 words takes about 20 seconds. That's enough for every line above. Cut "your call is important to us", today's date, and anything that will be out of date next week. Read your draft aloud once in the generator above: if you get bored, so will your callers.
Voicemail greeting examples
Copy one, change the details, and paste it into the generator. Each one fits under 500 characters.
Small business, main line
Hi, you've reached Oak Street Bakery. We're busy with customers right now. Leave your name, number, and what you'd like to order, and we'll call you back within the hour. Our hours and menu are on our website.
Professional, personal line
You've reached Maria Gonzalez at Lakeside Realty. I'm with a client or away from my desk. Leave your name, number, and the property you're asking about, and I'll call you back today.
Medical office, after hours
You've reached Westgate Family Medicine. Our office is closed. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and call 911. To speak with the on-call provider, press 2. For appointments, leave a message and we'll call you back when we open at 8 AM.
Sales or support team
Thanks for calling the Acme support team. All of our agents are helping other customers. Leave your name, number, and account email, and we'll call you back within four business hours. You can also reach us any time at support.acme.com.
Vacation
Hi, it's Alex. I'm on vacation until the 20th and not checking messages. If it's about the Henderson project, call Dana at 555-0187. Otherwise, leave a message and I'll call you back when I'm home.
Short and simple
Hi, you've reached Chris. Leave your name and number, and I'll call you back.
Phone numbers in these examples use the 555-01xx range reserved for fiction. Replace them with yours.
From script to phone system in three steps
Write the script
Start from a template above or type your own. Write numbers the way you want them read: "8 AM" and "555-0142" both come out right.
Pick a voice and listen
Choose a voice in the player and press Play. Try two or three voices on the same script; callers hear the voice before they hear the words.
Download and upload
Select Create MP3, then Download MP3. Upload the file in your phone system's voicemail or greeting settings.
Will my phone system accept the file?
Most business phone systems and VoIP providers accept an MP3 or WAV upload for a voicemail greeting. Check your provider's greeting settings for the exact format before you upload.
MP3
What this page downloads
A compressed file that most web-based phone systems and VoIP dashboards accept as a greeting upload.
WAV, 8 kHz
For systems that ask for telephone audio
Older PBX systems often ask for an 8 kHz mono WAV. The Cartesia API can return that directly, in µ-law or A-law, so nothing gets re-encoded on the way.
Your mobile phone
Usually not uploadable
Carrier voicemail on most mobile phones only records a greeting through the phone's own voicemail menu, so an uploaded file isn't an option there.
A greeting asks callers to wait. An agent can answer.
If your voicemail fills up with the same questions about hours, bookings, and order status, a recorded greeting can't help. A voice agent can pick up, answer the question, take the message, or book the appointment, in the same kind of voice you just heard.
Explore more voice tools
Voicemail greeting generator FAQs
What is a voicemail greeting generator?
A tool that turns a written greeting into a recorded audio file, so you don't have to record it yourself. This one uses Sonic, Cartesia's text-to-speech model: type or pick a script, choose a voice, listen, and download the MP3.
Is this voicemail greeting generator free?
Yes, for a greeting up to 500 characters: you can preview it and download the MP3 on this page without an account. A free Cartesia account adds more credits and the Playground. Paid plans, starting with Pro, include a commercial use license, so check the plans if the greeting is for a business.
How long should a voicemail greeting be?
Aim for 10 to 20 seconds, which is roughly 25 to 50 words. Say who the caller reached, when you'll call back, and what to leave. Anything longer and callers start to hang up before the beep.
What should a professional voicemail greeting say?
Your name and company, a specific callback time, and what you need from the caller (name, number, reason for calling). Add an alternative contact only if you have one. Skip filler like "your call is important to us". The examples on this page follow that pattern.
What file format do I need for my phone system?
Most VoIP and business phone systems accept MP3 or WAV. Some older systems require an 8 kHz mono WAV. This page downloads MP3. For WAV, use the Text-to-Speech Bytes API with a wav container, or convert the MP3 with any audio editor.
Can I make a greeting in my own voice?
Yes. Voice cloning creates a voice from a short recording of you, and then any script you type comes out in that voice. Clone only voices you have permission to use.
Can I create a greeting in another language?
Yes. Sonic speaks 44 languages. Switch this page's language to hear voices in Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, or Italian, or use the Playground for every language. Write the script in the language you want spoken.
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