Call forwarding sends your incoming calls to a different number instead of ringing your phone. You can turn it on two ways: through your phone’s settings menu, or by dialing a short code on your keypad. The code method is faster, works on basic phones, and — importantly — works even when you don’t have the handset in front of you.
This guide covers both, for every major US carrier, plus how to check whether forwarding is already active on your line, how to turn it off, and what to do when the codes don’t work.
Quick reference: the codes most people need
| What you want to do | Dial this | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Forward all calls | *72 + 10-digit number | Verizon, UScellular, most CDMA-legacy lines |
| Forward all calls | **21* + number + # | AT&T, T-Mobile, Mint, most GSM/modern lines |
| Stop forwarding all calls | *73 | Verizon, AT&T |
| Stop forwarding all calls | *720 | UScellular, Boost, legacy Sprint |
| Stop forwarding all calls | ##21# | AT&T, T-Mobile, GSM lines |
| Check if all-call forwarding is on | *#21# | Almost all modern phones |
| Cancel every type of forwarding at once | ##002# | Almost all modern phones |
If you only remember two of these, make them *#21# (check) and ##002# (cancel everything). They work on the widest range of phones and they’re the fastest way to fix a line that’s forwarding when it shouldn’t be.
Method 1: Forward calls from your phone’s settings
This is the easiest route if you have the phone in hand and it’s a smartphone.
How to forward calls on an iPhone
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps → Phone (on iOS 18 and later). On older versions, tap Phone directly from the main Settings list.
- Tap Call Forwarding.
- Toggle Call Forwarding on.
- Tap Forward To and enter the destination number, including area code.
- Tap back. A forwarding icon (a phone handset with an arrow) appears in your status bar while it’s active.
If you don’t see a Call Forwarding option on your iPhone, your carrier doesn’t expose the setting through iOS — this is common on Verizon, UScellular, and several prepaid brands. Use the dial codes in Method 2 instead. The option missing is not a fault with your phone.
How to forward calls on Android
Menu names vary by manufacturer, but the path is consistent:
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot menu (or gear icon) → Settings.
- Tap Calling accounts or Supplementary services, then select your SIM if you have two.
- Tap Call forwarding.
- Choose the forwarding type — Always forward, When busy, When unanswered, or When unreachable.
- Enter the destination number and tap Turn on or Enable.
On Samsung Galaxy phones the path is Phone app → three dots → Settings → Supplementary services → Call forwarding. On Pixel it’s Phone app → three dots → Settings → Calling accounts → [carrier] → Call forwarding.
How to forward a landline or office phone to your cell
For a traditional landline, dial *72, wait for the dial tone or three beeps, then dial the full number you want calls sent to. Wait for the confirmation tone before hanging up. To cancel, dial *73.
For a VoIP or business phone system — RingCentral, Vonage, 8×8, Ooma, Zoom Phone, Xfinity Voice — forwarding lives in the online admin portal, not on the handset. Look under Call Handling, Call Rules, or Answering Rules. Star codes may work but the portal setting survives handset reboots and power outages, which is what you actually want for a business line.
Method 2: Forward calls using carrier codes
Dial the code exactly as written, then press the call button. Most codes return a confirmation message or tone within a second or two.
Carrier code table
| Carrier | Forward all calls | Cancel forwarding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | *72 + 10-digit number | *73 | *71 + number forwards only unanswered and busy calls |
| AT&T | **21* + number + # | ##21# or *73 | *72 also works on some legacy lines |
| T-Mobile | **21* + number + # | ##21# | Same codes apply to Metro by T-Mobile |
| UScellular | *72 + 1 + 10-digit number | *720 | Now owned by T-Mobile — see the section below |
| Boost Mobile | *72 + number | *720 | Newer Boost lines may need **21* instead |
| Mint Mobile | **21* + number + # | ##21# | Runs on T-Mobile’s network |
| Consumer Cellular | **21* + number + # | ##21# | *72/*73 on some AT&T-based lines |
| Cricket Wireless | **21* + number + # | ##21# | AT&T network |
| Visible / Total Wireless | *72 + number | *73 | Verizon network |
| Google Fi | No dial code | No dial code | Use the Google Fi app → Account → Call forwarding |
| US Mobile | No dial code | No dial code | Use the online dashboard |
| Any GSM phone | **21* + number + # | ##21# | Universal GSM standard, works on most modern lines |
One rule that saves a lot of frustration: if a code from your carrier’s column doesn’t work, try the universal GSM version. Nearly every US line is now running on VoLTE over a GSM-derived core, and **21*number# / ##21# work far more often than carrier documentation suggests. Include the area code always; forward to a domestic number only, since US carriers block forwarding to international numbers on standard consumer plans.
UScellular call forwarding after the T-Mobile acquisition
T-Mobile completed its acquisition of UScellular’s wireless operations on August 1, 2025 (T-Mobile Newsroom). UScellular customers stayed on their existing plans, and for now the legacy codes still work — but as accounts migrate onto T-Mobile’s systems, the code that works on your line may change without notice. Here’s the practical version:
| Task | Legacy UScellular code | T-Mobile equivalent (try if the legacy code fails) |
|---|---|---|
| Forward all calls | *72 + 1 + 10-digit number | **21* + number + # |
| Cancel all forwarding | *720 | ##21# |
| Forward when unanswered | *92 + number | **61* + number + # |
| Cancel unanswered forwarding | *920 | ##61# |
| Check forwarding status | Not supported | *#21# |
| Cancel everything | Not supported | ##002# |
If UScellular call forwarding stopped working recently, the migration is the most likely cause. Dial *#21# to see the current state of the line, then ##002# to clear every forwarding rule, then set it again with the T-Mobile-style code. This resolves the majority of “conditional call forwarding is not working” cases on migrated lines.
To forward a UScellular number without having the phone, you can’t do it with dial codes — those have to be entered from the line itself. Sign in at your carrier account online or call customer service and ask for remote call forwarding to be enabled on the line. This is also the answer if the phone is lost, stolen, or broken.
Conditional call forwarding: busy, unanswered, and unreachable
Unconditional forwarding sends every call away — your phone never rings. Conditional forwarding is usually what people actually want: the phone rings first, and only calls you don’t pick up get forwarded.
There are three conditions, and you can set them independently:
| Condition | What triggers it | Set with | Cancel with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busy | You’re already on a call, or you decline | **67* + number + # | ##67# |
| No answer | It rings out without you picking up | **61* + number + # | ##61# |
| Unreachable | Phone off, airplane mode, no signal | **62* + number + # | ##62# |
| All three at once | Any of the above | **004* + number + # | ##004# |
**004* is the one worth knowing. It sets all three conditions to the same destination in a single command, which is exactly what you want when forwarding to a colleague, an answering service, or a virtual receptionist.
Making your phone ring longer before it forwards
By default most carriers forward an unanswered call after about 20 seconds. You can change that:
**61*[number]*11*[seconds]#
Replace [seconds] with a value from 5 to 30, in multiples of 5. For example, **61*5551234567*11*30# gives you a full 30 seconds of ringing before the call forwards. Thirty seconds is the hard ceiling on most networks — carriers won’t accept a higher value.
This same code is the answer to “how do I make my phone ring longer before voicemail,” since your voicemail is just the default forwarding destination for unanswered calls.
“Conditional call forwarding active” — what it means
If you see this message, one or more of the conditions above is set on your line. In the overwhelming majority of cases it’s completely normal: it’s how your carrier routes unanswered calls to your voicemail. It is not, by itself, a sign that anything is wrong. Dial *#61# to see where unanswered calls are going — if the number shown is your carrier’s voicemail platform, nothing is amiss.
How to check whether your calls are being forwarded
Dial these from the phone you want to check. Each returns a status screen rather than changing anything.
| Code | Shows you |
|---|---|
*#21# | Whether all calls are being forwarded, and to what number |
*#61# | Where unanswered calls go |
*#62# | Where calls go when your phone is off or out of service |
*#67# | Where calls go when you’re busy |
*#004# | All three conditional settings at once |
*#002# | Every forwarding setting on the line |
Read the result carefully. A response like “Voice call forwarding: Enabled, forwarded to +1555…” under *#21# means every incoming call is being diverted before your phone ever rings — that one is worth investigating if you didn’t set it. A conditional forward pointing at a carrier voicemail number is routine.
If you find forwarding you didn’t set up
Dial ##002#. That erases all call forwarding rules on the line, unconditional and conditional, and returns the phone to default behavior. Your voicemail forwarding will be re-established automatically by the carrier, usually within a few minutes.
If unexpected forwarding keeps returning after you clear it, that points to account-level access rather than something on the handset. Change your carrier account password, add a PIN or port-out lock to the account, and call the carrier to ask what changes were made and when. Carriers keep a log of forwarding changes and can tell you whether the change came from the handset or from an online account login.
A note on the widely-shared claim that *#21# reveals phone tapping or spyware: it doesn’t. It only reports call forwarding status, which is a normal carrier feature. A conditional forward showing up is not evidence of surveillance. If you have real reason to think a device has been compromised, a factory reset and a carrier account password change accomplish far more than any dial code.
How to turn off call forwarding
| Situation | Dial |
|---|---|
| Verizon, AT&T, landline | *73 |
| UScellular, Boost, legacy Sprint | *720 |
| T-Mobile, Mint, Cricket, GSM lines | ##21# |
| Not sure / nothing else works | ##002# |
| Conditional forwards only | ##004# |
On iPhone you can also toggle Call Forwarding off in Settings → Apps → Phone → Call Forwarding. On Android, go back into the call forwarding menu and select Turn off for each forwarding type — turning off “Always forward” does not disable the conditional forwards, which is the most common reason people think forwarding won’t switch off.
Troubleshooting: when the codes don’t work
“Connection problem or invalid MMI code.” The most common cause is a code format mismatch — a CDMA-style code (*72) on a GSM line or vice versa. Try the other format first. If that fails: turn Wi-Fi Calling off temporarily, make sure you’re not in airplane mode, and try again with mobile data on. On dual-SIM phones, confirm you’re sending the code from the right SIM, since the phone will silently use the default line.
“MMI code started” and nothing happens. The request was sent but the network hasn’t responded yet. Wait ten seconds. If it never returns a result, the feature isn’t provisioned on your line — call your carrier and ask them to enable call forwarding on the account.
The code works but calls still ring your phone. You set a conditional forward when you wanted an unconditional one. Use **21*number#, not **61* or **67*.
Forwarding is on but calls go to voicemail instead. Your voicemail is intercepting before the forward triggers. Set the ring duration explicitly with **61*number*11*30#, or forward unconditionally so the call never reaches voicemail.
It works, then stops after a reboot or a few days. Some carriers reset supplementary services during network maintenance, and this became noticeably more common on UScellular lines during the T-Mobile migration. If it keeps happening, set the forwarding through your carrier’s online account portal rather than by dial code — portal settings persist where handset codes sometimes don’t.
Forwarding to an international number fails. US carriers block this on standard consumer plans. You’ll need a VoIP number or a business plan with international forwarding enabled.
What call forwarding costs, and what it doesn’t cover
Cost. On most modern unlimited plans, forwarded calls are treated as outbound minutes from your line and are included. On limited-minute and some prepaid plans, a forwarded call consumes minutes on both legs — the call to you and the call to the destination. If you’re on a metered plan and forwarding heavily, check your first bill after setting it up.
Text messages are not forwarded. This is the single most misunderstood part of call forwarding. Every code in this guide moves voice calls only. SMS stays on the original SIM. To move texts you need a separate feature — Google Messages device pairing, iMessage on multiple Apple devices, or a business number platform that handles both.
Caller ID stays with the original caller. When a forwarded call arrives, the destination phone shows the caller’s number, not yours. Some carriers add a distinctive ring or a brief announcement so you know it came through a forward.
Voicemail follows the destination. Once a call is forwarded, an unanswered call lands in the destination phone’s voicemail, not yours. Plan for that — it’s the usual reason people can’t find messages after setting up forwarding.
Forwarding calls to something that actually answers
Forwarding solves routing. It doesn’t solve answering. Sending your business line to your personal cell means the calls follow you, but you’re still the one who has to pick up — during a job, at dinner, at 11 p.m. Sending them to voicemail means most callers hang up without leaving a message and try the next business on their list.
The middle option is to forward to a service that answers on your behalf. That’s a live answering service, or an AI receptionist like Marlie, which picks up every call, greets callers in your business’s wording, answers routine questions, books appointments, and texts you a summary — then transfers to you when a call genuinely needs a person.
Setting it up is the same process you’ve just read:
- Get your forwarding number from your provider. In Marlie, it’s shown in your dashboard once your AI receptionist is configured.
- Decide what to forward. Most businesses use conditional forwarding —
**004*[your Marlie number]#— so your phone rings first and only the calls you can’t take get answered by the AI. Forward unconditionally with**21*[number]#if you want every call handled. - Test it. Call your business number from a different phone and confirm the greeting is what you expect.
- Verify the setting stuck with
*#21#or*#004#.
If you’re forwarding a landline, VoIP, or 800 number rather than a cell, do it from the provider’s portal under Call Handling rather than with star codes — it survives reboots and outages.
To reverse any of this, ##002# clears every forwarding rule and puts your line back exactly how it was.
Frequently asked questions
Is call forwarding free? On most unlimited plans, yes. On metered and prepaid plans, forwarded calls typically consume minutes on both legs of the call. The feature itself is standard and carriers don’t generally charge to enable it.
Can I forward calls without having the phone? Not with dial codes — those must be entered from the line itself. You can do it through your carrier’s online account portal, or by calling customer service and requesting remote call forwarding. This is the route to take for a lost, stolen, or broken phone.
Can I forward calls from one cell phone to another cell phone? Yes. Every code in this guide works cell-to-cell. Enter the destination mobile number with its area code exactly as you’d dial it.
Can I forward only certain numbers? Not through carrier codes — those are all-or-nothing per condition. Selective forwarding requires either your phone’s built-in blocking and routing features or a business phone platform with call rules.
Can I forward to more than one number? Not with standard carrier forwarding, which accepts one destination per condition. Simultaneous or sequential ringing across multiple phones requires a VoIP or business phone system.
Will people know their call was forwarded? No. The caller hears normal ringing and has no indication the call was routed elsewhere.
Does call forwarding work when my phone is off? Unconditional forwarding (**21*) does — the network diverts the call before it ever reaches your handset. So does the “unreachable” condition (**62*). Busy and no-answer forwarding require the phone to be reachable.
What does ##002# do? It erases every call forwarding rule on the line at once — unconditional and all three conditional types. It’s the safest reset when you’re not sure what’s set.
Why doesn’t my iPhone show a Call Forwarding option? Your carrier doesn’t expose the setting through iOS. This is normal on Verizon, UScellular, and several prepaid brands. Use dial codes instead.
Last verified: August 2026. Carrier codes change, particularly on lines migrating between networks — if a code in this guide doesn’t work on your line, dial *#21# to check the current state and try the universal GSM equivalent before contacting your carrier.
