Where Does FreePBX Store Config and Voicemail?
FreePBX keeps dialplan configs in /etc/asterisk, voicemail in /var/spool/asterisk, and recordings plus sounds in /var/lib/asterisk.
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FreePBX is three directories, not one. Configs generated from the database live in /etc/asterisk. Voicemail boxes and call recordings live in the spool tree. Sounds, music on hold, and custom prompts live in the library tree.
Backups need all three. The config dir alone restores dialplan logic but no audio. The spool dir alone restores messages but no routing. Use the paths below as a checklist before migrating a PBX to a new host.
Where FreePBX stores this, by platform
/etc/asterisk
Generated dialplan plus _custom overrides. Voicemail.conf is special: most voicemail settings live only in that file, so keep a copy.
/var/spool/asterisk
Voicemail boxes under voicemail/default plus call recordings under monitor. Preserve symlinks when copying between hosts, then fix owners.
Frequently asked questions
Where are FreePBX voicemail files?
Look under /var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default for per extension INBOX folders. Greetings and messages sit there, with symlinks involved so copy with a tool that preserves them.
Where are FreePBX call recordings?
Check /var/spool/asterisk/monitor. That is the default call recording spool. The exact name pattern can be overridden in Advanced Settings.
Which Asterisk config files are safe to edit?
Edit the _custom.conf variants, not the generated files. FreePBX rewrites the base configs on reload, so direct edits get overwritten.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.