What call forwarding does and why you might use it
Call forwarding sends incoming calls from your iPhone to a different phone number automatically. When someone calls your iPhone number, their call rings on whichever phone you've chosen instead — or in addition to your iPhone, depending on which type of forwarding you set up.
You might use this if you're switching phones temporarily, working from a different location, or want calls to reach you on a landline or second mobile phone. Unlike Do Not Disturb, which silences your phone, call forwarding actually redirects the call so the person calling still reaches you — they just reach you somewhere else.
The feature lives in your iPhone's Settings app and takes about one minute to turn on. Your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or another provider) handles the actual forwarding on their network, so the feature works even if your iPhone is off or out of battery.
Key Takeaways
- Call forwarding is found in Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and requires you to enter the phone number where you want calls to go.
- Turning on call forwarding does not disable your iPhone's ability to receive calls — both phones will ring unless you turn off your iPhone or disable cellular service.
- Your carrier may charge a monthly fee for call forwarding, though many include it free with standard plans.
- Call forwarding works even when your iPhone is powered off, because the carrier's network handles the redirect, not your phone.
- You can turn call forwarding off at any time by returning to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggling it off.
How to turn on call forwarding in Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap Phone, then tap Call Forwarding. You'll see a toggle switch next to "Call Forwarding" — tap it to turn it on. The switch will turn green.
When you turn on call forwarding for the first time, a keypad will appear asking you to enter the phone number where you want calls forwarded. Type the complete number, including the area code. Tap Call Forwarding again (or the back arrow) to confirm. Your iPhone will send the number to your carrier and display a confirmation message.
The entire process takes less than a minute. Once it's on, every call to your iPhone number will ring on the phone number you entered instead of on your iPhone itself.
The difference between call forwarding and other call features
Call forwarding redirects all incoming calls to a different number. Call waiting lets you know when a second call is coming in while you're already on a call — it doesn't redirect anything. Do Not Disturb silences your phone but doesn't forward calls anywhere; callers hear a busy signal or go to voicemail.
Conditional call forwarding (sometimes called "call forwarding on no answer") forwards calls only if you don't pick up within a certain number of rings. This is different from the basic call forwarding described above, which forwards every call when ready. Conditional forwarding is usually set up through your carrier's website or customer service line, not through your iPhone Settings.
If you want calls to ring on both your iPhone and another phone at the same time, call forwarding is not the right tool — you'd need to contact your carrier about simultaneous ringing or use a business phone system app instead.
What happens to voicemail when call forwarding is on
When call forwarding is active, voicemail behavior depends on whether the forwarded phone answers the call. If the phone you're forwarding to picks up, the call is answered and voicemail doesn't come into play. If that phone doesn't answer, the call goes to voicemail on that phone, not on your iPhone.
This means if you forward calls to a landline that doesn't have voicemail, and nobody answers, the caller may hear a busy signal or be disconnected. Before you set up forwarding to a number, confirm that the destination phone can receive voicemail or that someone will be available to answer.
Your iPhone's own voicemail is still active and working — it's just that forwarded calls won't reach it unless the forwarded-to number doesn't answer and sends the call back to your iPhone's voicemail system, which varies by carrier.
Turning call forwarding off and troubleshooting
To turn off call forwarding, open Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and tap the toggle switch to turn it off. The switch will turn gray. Your iPhone will when ready stop forwarding calls, and all incoming calls will ring on your iPhone again.
If call forwarding isn't working, first confirm that your carrier supports it — most major carriers do, but some prepaid or regional carriers may not. Check your carrier's website or call their customer service line. If your carrier supports it but forwarding still isn't working, try toggling it off and back on in Settings. If that doesn't work, restart your iPhone and try again.
If you see an error message when trying to turn on call forwarding, you may not have an active cellular plan, or your carrier may be experiencing a temporary issue. Contact your carrier's support line — they can confirm whether call forwarding is active on your account and troubleshoot from their end.
Carrier fees and plan details
Most major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and others) include call forwarding free with standard cellular plans. Some carriers charge a small monthly fee — typically $1 to $3 — if you're on an older or very basic plan. Check your carrier's website or your bill to see whether call forwarding is included or costs extra.
Call forwarding uses your regular cellular minutes or data allowance when the call is forwarded, so if you're forwarding to an international number, international calling rates may explore. Confirm with your carrier before forwarding to a number outside your country.
If you're using an eSIM or traveling internationally, call forwarding may not work the same way. Some carriers disable it when you're roaming, or forwarding may not be available in certain countries. Contact your carrier before traveling if you plan to rely on call forwarding.
When call forwarding stops working
Call forwarding stops working if your iPhone loses cellular service, but the forwarding setting itself remains on. Once you regain service, forwarding resumes automatically. If your iPhone is powered off, call forwarding continues to work because your carrier handles it on their network, not on your phone.
If you switch to a new iPhone, call forwarding settings do not transfer automatically. You'll need to set it up again on your new phone by going to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and entering the forwarding number. If you restore from a backup, the setting may transfer, but it's worth confirming in Settings that it's still active.
If you cancel your cellular plan or switch carriers, call forwarding will stop working on that number. When you set up a new plan or switch to a new carrier, you'll need to set up call forwarding again if you want to use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my iPhone still ring when call forwarding is on?
No. When call forwarding is active, incoming calls go to the forwarded number instead of your iPhone. Your iPhone will not ring. If you want calls to ring on both phones, you need to contact your carrier about simultaneous ringing or use a third-party app — basic call forwarding doesn't do this.
Can I forward calls to an international number?
Yes, but international calling rates may explore. Contact your carrier before setting this up to confirm whether international forwarding is supported on your plan and what charges you might incur. Some carriers charge per-minute rates for forwarded international calls.
What if I forget the number I'm forwarding to?
Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. The number you're forwarding to is displayed on that screen. You can tap it to edit it or turn off forwarding entirely.
Does call forwarding work if my iPhone battery dies?
Yes. Call forwarding is handled by your carrier's network, not by your iPhone, so it continues to work even if your phone is off or the battery is dead. The call will ring on the forwarded number instead.
Can I set up different forwarding numbers for different contacts?
No. The basic call forwarding feature forwards all calls to the same number. If you need to forward calls from specific people to different numbers, you would need to use a business phone system app or contact your carrier about more advanced call routing options.