What call forwarding does and why you might want to turn it off

Call forwarding sends incoming calls to a different phone number instead of ringing on your iPhone. When it's on, someone calling you gets routed to whatever number you set — a landline, another mobile phone, or voicemail. You might turn it on when you're traveling, switching phones, or want calls to reach you at a different location. You turn it off when you want calls to ring directly on your iPhone again, the way they normally do.

The confusion happens because call forwarding lives in two different places on an iPhone, depending on which kind you set up. One is built into your phone's settings. The other is a carrier service that your mobile provider controls. Both work, but they turn off in different ways.

Key Takeaways

  • Call forwarding set up in iPhone Settings turns off by opening Settings, tapping Phone, then Call Forwarding, and toggling it off.
  • Call forwarding set up through your carrier (like Verizon or AT&T) requires calling your provider's customer service number, because it lives on their network, not your phone.
  • If you don't remember which type you set up, check iPhone Settings first — if Call Forwarding is already off there, your carrier has it active instead.
  • Turning off call forwarding does not delete your voicemail or change your phone number; it only stops calls from being sent elsewhere.

Turning off call forwarding in iPhone Settings

This is the fastest method if you set up call forwarding through your phone itself. Open the Settings app, then tap Phone. Scroll down until you see Call Forwarding. Tap it, and you'll see a toggle switch next to a phone number (the number calls are being forwarded to). Tap the toggle to turn it off. The switch will turn gray, and calls will stop forwarding when ready.

If you don't see Call Forwarding in the Phone settings menu at all, it means you didn't set it up this way — your carrier has it active instead, and you'll need to contact them to turn it off.

Turning off call forwarding through your carrier

If call forwarding is active on your carrier's network, you won't see it in iPhone Settings. You'll need to call your mobile provider directly. The number to call is usually on your bill, on your carrier's website, or in the carrier's app. For the major U.S. carriers, the customer service numbers are: Verizon (611 from your phone or 1-908-559-4899), AT&T (611 from your phone or 1-800-331-0500), T-Mobile (611 from your phone or 1-844-839-4534), and Visible (1-888-839-4534).

When you call, tell the representative you want to turn off call forwarding. They'll ask you to verify your account (usually by providing your phone number and the last four digits of your Social Security number or account PIN). Once verified, they can disable it on their end. This usually takes less than a minute, and you don't need to do anything on your phone afterward.

How to tell which type of call forwarding you have

The easiest way is to check your iPhone first. Open Settings, tap Phone, and scroll to Call Forwarding. If you see it and it's already toggled off (gray), then either you never had it on, or your carrier has it active. If you see it and it's toggled on (green), that's the iPhone Settings version — turn it off right there.

If you're not sure whether carrier call forwarding is on, call your provider's customer service number. They can check your account in seconds and tell you whether it's active. There's no penalty for calling to ask; they handle this question regularly.

What happens when you turn off call forwarding

Calls will ring on your iPhone the way they normally do. Any calls that were being sent to another number will stop being sent there. Your voicemail still works the same way — if you don't answer, calls go to voicemail. Your phone number doesn't change. You don't lose any messages or contacts.

If you had call forwarding on because you were using a second phone, that second phone will stop receiving your calls. Make sure you're ready for that before you turn it off — for example, if you were using call forwarding to reach a work phone, you might want to tell your workplace first.

Why call forwarding might not turn off

If you turned off call forwarding in Settings but calls are still going elsewhere, your carrier probably has it active too. Turn off the one in Settings, then call your carrier to turn off theirs. You may have both on at the same time without realizing it.

If you called your carrier and they said call forwarding is off, but you still see it toggled on in Settings, toggle it off in Settings as well. Sometimes both get set independently, and you need to turn off both to stop all forwarding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off call forwarding delete my voicemail?

No. Voicemail is separate from call forwarding. Turning off call forwarding only stops calls from being sent to another phone number. Your voicemail messages stay on your carrier's network and work the same way.

Can I turn off call forwarding if I don't remember the number it's forwarding to?

Yes. If you set it up in Settings, you can see the number before you turn it off. If your carrier has it on, you don't need to know the number — just call them and ask them to turn it off. They can see it in your account.

Will turning off call forwarding affect my phone bill?

No. Call forwarding itself doesn't cost anything on most plans. Turning it off or on doesn't change your bill. If your carrier was charging you for a call forwarding feature, that charge will stop once they turn it off.

What if I want to turn call forwarding back on later?

You can turn it back on the same way you turned it off. In Settings, go to Phone, then Call Forwarding, toggle it on, and enter the number you want calls forwarded to. Or call your carrier and ask them to reactivate it.