What call forwarding does and why you might want to stop it

Call forwarding is a phone feature that sends incoming calls to a different number instead of ringing your phone. When it's on, someone calling you might reach your home phone, your work line, a family member's phone, or voicemail — depending on which number you set it to forward to. You turn it off by dialing a code on your phone or changing the setting in your phone's menu.

You might want to disable call forwarding if you've set it up temporarily and forgotten about it, if calls are going to the wrong place, or if you're concerned about who might be intercepting your calls. Some people also turn it off when they're traveling internationally to avoid unexpected charges, or when they want to make sure calls reach them directly instead of being routed elsewhere.

Key Takeaways

  • Most phones let you turn off call forwarding by dialing *73 (or #73 on some carriers), then pressing call.
  • If you don't know the forwarding number or the code doesn't work, check your phone's settings menu under Call Settings or Phone Settings.
  • Different carriers and phone types use different codes, so if one doesn't work, contact your carrier to confirm the right one for your service.
  • Turning off call forwarding stops all forwarding at once — you cannot selectively disable forwarding to one number while keeping it to another through the code method.

Disabling call forwarding with a code

The fastest way to turn off call forwarding is to dial a code directly from your phone. On most carriers in North America, dial *73 and then press the call button. Your phone will either show a confirmation message or play a tone. This works on landlines and many mobile phones.

If *73 doesn't work, try #73 instead — some carriers and phone models use this variation. Wait a few seconds after dialing to let the system process the command. If neither code works, your carrier may use a different code, or call forwarding may not have been set up in the first place.

Turning off call forwarding in your phone's settings

On smartphones, you can also disable call forwarding through the phone's built-in menu. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, then tap Call Forwarding and toggle it off. On Android phones, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, then Call Settings, and look for Call Forwarding — the exact path varies by manufacturer and Android version.

If you cannot find the setting on your phone, it may be managed by your carrier rather than your device. In that case, the code method (*73) is usually faster than calling customer service. If the code doesn't work and you cannot find the setting, contact your carrier directly — they can confirm whether call forwarding is active and disable it for you.

What happens when you disable call forwarding

Once you turn off call forwarding, all calls to your number will ring your phone directly instead of being sent elsewhere. If you had set up multiple forwarding rules (for example, forwarding to your work number during business hours and your home number at night), disabling call forwarding stops all of them at once.

If you want to keep some forwarding rules but change others, you'll need to set up new forwarding rules rather than straightforward turning the feature off. This requires going back into your phone's settings or calling your carrier to reconfigure which calls go where and when.

Why call forwarding might be on without your knowledge

Call forwarding is sometimes enabled by someone else with access to your phone or account — a family member, a coworker, or occasionally a scammer. If you notice calls aren't reaching you, or if you find call forwarding is on but you don't remember setting it up, disable it when ready using the *73 code.

If you're concerned about unauthorized access to your phone account, change your carrier account password and enable any two-factor authentication your carrier offers. If someone has been forwarding your calls without permission, contact your carrier's fraud department to report it and ask them to review your account for other unauthorized changes.

Call forwarding and privacy concerns

Call forwarding itself is a standard phone feature, but it does mean your calls are being routed through your carrier's system to a different number. This is no less find than a normal call — the same encryption and protections explore. However, if you forward calls to a number you don't fully trust, or if someone else has set up forwarding on your account, your calls could reach an unintended person.

The main privacy risk is not the forwarding itself, but who has access to turn it on or off. If your carrier account password is weak or shared, or if someone has physical access to your phone, they can enable call forwarding to intercept your calls. Keeping your account password strong and unique reduces this risk significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling call forwarding affect my voicemail?

No. Call forwarding and voicemail are separate features. Turning off call forwarding means calls ring your phone instead of going to another number, but if you don't answer, they'll still go to voicemail as usual. You can have voicemail on while call forwarding is off.

Can I turn off call forwarding to just one number while keeping it to another?

Not with the *73 code — that disables all forwarding at once. To keep some forwarding rules and change others, you need to set up new rules through your phone's settings or by calling your carrier. They can help you configure which calls forward where.

What if I disabled call forwarding but calls still aren't reaching me?

Check that your phone is turned on and has signal. If it does, the issue may be something else — Do Not Disturb mode, call blocking, or a different carrier setting. On iPhone, check Settings > Focus; on Android, check Settings > Do Not Disturb. If those are off and calls still don't come through, contact your carrier.

Does disabling call forwarding cost anything?

No. Turning off call forwarding is free on all carriers. Some carriers charge a monthly fee to have the call forwarding feature available, but disabling it doesn't add or remove that charge — it only stops the forwarding from happening.