When a call comes in it tells that person that my answering machine is not set up yet. I need it to work for people to leave a nIt's a Uniden cordless phone 900 MHz Model #EXA1978

Apparently you have your system set to announce instead of answer. Since you didn't specify the model of your Uniden system I can't give you specific instructions on how to switch between the modes. You can select your model from the list beginning at
http://www.uniden.com/scat/cordlessphones_mnl

Here is the manual for your phone. You can download the manual and the instructions for setting up your answering machine are on page 43:

http://www.uniden.com/pdf/DECT1580-3om.pdf

Setting Up the Answering System
You can set up your answering system's features from the handset. Only one handset at a time can access the answering system menus.

Note: If you have multiple bases, select the base with answering system you want to access (see page 15).

Recording a Personal Greeting
Your answering system comes with a pre-recorded outgoing message or greeting that plays when you receive a call: "Hello, no one is available to take your call. Please leave a message after the tone." You can record your own personal outgoing greeting. Your recorded greeting must be between two seconds and thirty seconds long.

Press /mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play the messages unless it has no messages.

Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that the system is in the command waiting mode.

Press 8 to start the recording. The system announces, "Record greeting." Begin recording after the announcement.

When you finish recording, press 8 again or press 5. You will hear a confirmation tone, and your recorded greeting plays back for you.

Selecting a Greeting

Once you have recorded a personal greeting, the phone automatically switches to your personal greeting. You can
also switch back and forth between the pre-recorded greeting and your own greeting at any time.

Press /mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play the messages unless it has no messages.

Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that the system is in the command waiting mode.

Press 6. The system plays the current greeting.

The Uniden DECT1560 isn't an answering machine. Please consult the documentation for whatever answering machine you have connected to your phone line.

It may be similar to the problem I had on wireless home phone with answering machine not taking messages when had the answering machine set to 12 rings before answering. Found the sim card (my wireless system) auto response would answer first. Fixed it by reducing time to 6 rings and answering machine now comes on first.

Have a wireless system with a sim card and the auto response of the sim card would come on first because I had the answering machine set to 12 rings. Fixed it by reducing answering response to 6 rings and now works.

someone gave me this phone and i cant figure out how to leave a message for the answering machine... help, i dont have a manuel.

How can I check the answering machine when I am away from home.

how do i change my greetings,to my voice...thanks

I lost the directions for my NW Bell GHZ answering machine. I would like to change greeting and set the time. How do I do this? It is model 36288.

Why not record a 1 second of silence instead of the standard greetings and have them "jump" straight to leaving a message.