Call forwarding stops working the moment you disable it in your phone settings

Call forwarding is a feature that sends incoming calls to a different phone number — usually one you set up yourself, but sometimes one that was activated without your knowledge. To stop it, you go into your phone's settings, find the call forwarding option, and turn it off. The exact steps depend on whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, and whether your carrier (like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile) has added its own version of the feature.

Call forwarding can be useful if you want calls to ring on a second phone while you're away from your primary one. It becomes a security problem when someone else sets it up on your phone without permission — usually to intercept calls meant for you, or to monitor who is calling. If you suspect this has happened, disabling it is your first step, but you should also change your phone's passcode and check your account settings with your carrier.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, then Call Forwarding, and toggle it off; on Android, the path varies by manufacturer but usually lives in Settings > Call Settings > Call Forwarding.
  • Your carrier may have its own call forwarding system separate from your phone's built-in feature, so you may need to contact them directly to disable carrier-level forwarding.
  • If you did not set up call forwarding yourself, change your phone's passcode when ready and review your carrier account for unauthorized changes.
  • Call forwarding set up by someone else without permission is a sign your phone security has been compromised and you should review other account settings for tampering.

How to turn off call forwarding on iPhone

Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Phone. Look for Call Forwarding near the top of the menu. If the toggle next to it is green or blue, it is currently on. Tap the toggle to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, and call forwarding is now disabled.

If you do not see a Call Forwarding option in the Phone settings, your carrier may have disabled it at their end, or you may be using an older version of iOS. Try updating your phone to the latest iOS version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. If Call Forwarding still does not appear after an update, contact your carrier — they can tell you whether the feature is available on your account.

How to turn off call forwarding on Android

The steps vary depending on which Android phone you have and which version of Android it runs. On most phones, open Settings and look for a Phone or Call Settings option. Tap it, then look for Call Forwarding or Call Divert. If you see it, tap it and select Disable or Turn Off.

If you cannot find Call Forwarding in Settings, open the Phone app itself and look for a menu button (usually three dots in the top right corner). Tap it and look for Settings or Call Settings. Some Android phones hide call forwarding there instead. If you still cannot locate it, search your phone's help documentation by manufacturer name — Samsung, Google Pixel, and OnePlus all place this setting in slightly different locations.

Disabling carrier-level call forwarding

Your phone's built-in call forwarding is separate from your carrier's call forwarding system. Even if you turn off the feature in your phone settings, your carrier may still have call forwarding active on your account. To check and disable it, you need to contact your carrier directly.

Call your carrier's customer service number (usually on the back of your bill or on their website) and ask them to check whether call forwarding is active on your account. If it is, ask them to disable it when ready. They will need to verify your identity — usually by asking for your account number, phone number, and the last four digits of the Social Security number on file. Write down the name of the representative you speak with and the time of the call, in case you need to follow up.

Some carriers also let you manage call forwarding through their website or mobile app. Verizon has a My Verizon app, AT&T has AT&T Mobile, and T-Mobile has the T-Mobile app. Log in to your account and look for a Call Settings or Call Forwarding section. If you find it there, you can disable it yourself without calling.

What to do if you did not set up call forwarding

If call forwarding is active on your phone but you did not turn it on, someone else may have accessed your phone or your carrier account without permission. This is a sign that your phone security has been compromised. Change your phone's passcode when ready — use a strong passcode that is at least six digits long and does not use obvious patterns like 123456 or your birth year.

Next, review your carrier account for other unauthorized changes. Log into your carrier's website or app and check whether anyone has added a secondary phone number, changed your account recovery email, or altered your billing address. If you see changes you did not make, contact your carrier right away and ask them to find your account. Some carriers will place a temporary lock on your account while they investigate.

Consider whether anyone with physical access to your phone could have set up call forwarding — a family member, roommate, or someone who borrowed your phone. If you suspect this, have a direct conversation with them. If you do not know how call forwarding got turned on, or if you live alone, change your Apple ID password (on iPhone) or Google account password (on Android) as well. Someone with access to these accounts can change phone settings remotely.

Why call forwarding matters for your security

Call forwarding is a legitimate feature, but it is also a tool for intercepting calls. If someone sets it up on your phone without your knowledge, they receive copies of every incoming call. This can be used to monitor who is contacting you, to intercept calls from banks or other services that send verification codes, or to impersonate you by answering calls meant for you.

The risk is higher if you use your phone for two-factor authentication — the security codes that banks, email providers, and social media sites send by text or call. If someone has call forwarding enabled on your phone, they may be able to intercept those codes and access your accounts. This is why disabling call forwarding is important even if you think it was set up by accident.

Checking for other signs of unauthorized access

Call forwarding is one way someone can monitor your phone, but it is not the only one. After you disable call forwarding, check for other signs that your phone has been compromised. Look at your phone's battery usage — if an app is draining battery much faster than usual, it may be running in the background without your knowledge. Go to Settings > Battery (on iPhone) or Settings > Battery and Device Care (on Android) to see which apps are using the most power.

Check your phone bill for charges you do not recognize, or for text messages and calls to numbers you did not contact. Review the list of apps installed on your phone and uninstall anything you do not remember downloading. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see all installed apps. On Android, go to Settings > Apps to see the full list. If you find an app you do not recognize, research it online before uninstalling it — some system apps have names that do not make sense to the average user.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone turn call forwarding back on after I disable it?

If they have physical access to your phone and know your passcode, yes. If they only have access to your carrier account, they can turn it on through your carrier's website or app. Change your phone passcode and your carrier account password to prevent this. If you suspect someone has ongoing access, consider a factory reset of your phone after backing up your data.

Does disabling call forwarding stop text messages from being forwarded too?

Call forwarding and text forwarding are separate features. Disabling call forwarding stops calls only. Check your phone settings for a separate text forwarding or message forwarding option and disable that as well if it is on. Your carrier may also have a text forwarding system — ask them to check when you call about call forwarding.

What if I need call forwarding for work but someone else keeps turning it off?

This suggests someone has access to your phone or your carrier account. Change your phone passcode to something only you know, and change your carrier account password as well. If you work for a company that manages your phone, contact your IT department — they may be able to lock down call forwarding settings so only they can change them.

Will turning off call forwarding affect my voicemail?

No. Call forwarding and voicemail are separate systems. Disabling call forwarding will not change your voicemail settings or prevent voicemail from working. Calls that go unanswered will still go to voicemail as usual.