What is call forwarding in simple terms?

It's a feature that automatically sends your incoming calls to a different number instead of (or before) ringing your phone. Your carrier handles the redirect, so callers just reach whoever you've forwarded to.

What's the difference between conditional and unconditional call forwarding?

Unconditional forwarding sends every call to the destination immediately — your phone never rings. Conditional forwarding only redirects calls you don't answer (busy, no answer, or unreachable), so you keep the option of picking up. Most businesses want conditional.

Does call forwarding cost money?

Call forwarding itself is included on most modern wireless and VoIP plans at no extra cost. Forwarded calls may use airtime/minutes on the line they're forwarded from, so check an older or metered plan.

Does call forwarding work when my phone is off?

Yes — because it's a network feature. Unconditional forwarding always redirects, and conditional forwarding includes a "when unreachable" condition that catches calls when your phone is off, dead, or has no signal.

How do I set up call forwarding?

On star-code carriers (Verizon, Spectrum, landlines) dial *72 followed by the destination number. On GSM wireless (AT&T, T-Mobile) dial **21* #. Many iPhones and Androids also have a toggle under Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding. Use the generator below to get the exact code.

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What is call forwarding?

Call forwarding redirects your incoming calls to another number — automatically, handled by your carrier. Here's the plain-English version.

Call forwarding is a phone feature that automatically sends incoming calls to a different number. Instead of ringing your phone, the call is redirected — to another line, your voicemail, an answering service, or an AI receptionist. The redirect happens on the carrier's network, so you don't need new equipment or a new number. This guide explains how it works, the two main types, and how to turn it on.

What call forwarding means

When someone dials your number, your carrier normally rings your phone. Call forwarding inserts a rule: before (or instead of) ringing you, send the call somewhere else.

That "somewhere else" can be any number — your other phone, a colleague, your voicemail, a call center, or an AI answering service. The caller doesn't know it happened; they just reach whoever picks up. Because it's a network feature, forwarding keeps working even if your phone is off, dead, or out of signal.

Conditional vs unconditional forwarding

There are two main types, and the difference matters:

Unconditional forwarding sends *every* call to the destination immediately. Your phone doesn't ring at all. Good for when you're completely unavailable — vacation, a long flight, after-hours coverage. See unconditional call forwarding.
Conditional forwarding only redirects calls you *don't* answer — when your line is busy, you don't pick up in about four rings, or your phone is unreachable. You keep answering the calls you can; the rest get caught. See conditional call forwarding.

Most small businesses want conditional forwarding: you answer when you're free, and nothing falls through the cracks when you can't.

How to set up call forwarding

There are three ways, depending on your line:

Line type	How to forward
Verizon, Spectrum, Cox, landline, cable VoIP	Star codes: `72` (all), `71` (conditional), `*73` (cancel)
AT&T, T-Mobile, GSM wireless	USSD codes: `*21<number>#` (all), `*61<number>#` (conditional), `##21#` (cancel)
iPhone / Android (where supported)	In-phone settings toggle (Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding)

Step-by-step guides per carrier: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, iPhone, Android. Or use the carrier code generator below to get the exact code for your setup.

What businesses use call forwarding for

For a small business, call forwarding is how you stop losing customers to missed calls. Common setups:

After-hours coverage — forward calls outside business hours to an answering service so nights and weekends don't go to a dead voicemail.
Overflow — conditionally forward the calls you can't pick up while you're with a customer or on another line.
A single published number — keep one number on your website and forward it wherever you actually are that day.

The modern version is forwarding to an AI receptionist instead of voicemail: the AI answers every forwarded call 24/7, books appointments, and texts you a summary. That's what RingOwl does.

How to check and turn off forwarding

To check whether forwarding is on, dial *#21# (GSM phones) and press call — it reports whether all-call forwarding is active and where calls are going.

To turn it off: dial *73 on star-code carriers, or ##21# on GSM wireless. To clear *every* type of forwarding at once on a GSM phone, dial ##002#. Full walkthrough: how to cancel call forwarding.

Try the carrier code generator

Pick your carrier and condition — get the exact code to dial, with a copy button.

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When should calls forward?

Forward to this number (your RingOwl number, your other line, etc.)

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FAQ

What is call forwarding in simple terms?: It's a feature that automatically sends your incoming calls to a different number instead of (or before) ringing your phone. Your carrier handles the redirect, so callers just reach whoever you've forwarded to.
What's the difference between conditional and unconditional call forwarding?: Unconditional forwarding sends every call to the destination immediately — your phone never rings. Conditional forwarding only redirects calls you don't answer (busy, no answer, or unreachable), so you keep the option of picking up. Most businesses want conditional.
Does call forwarding cost money?: Call forwarding itself is included on most modern wireless and VoIP plans at no extra cost. Forwarded calls may use airtime/minutes on the line they're forwarded from, so check an older or metered plan.
Does call forwarding work when my phone is off?: Yes — because it's a network feature. Unconditional forwarding always redirects, and conditional forwarding includes a "when unreachable" condition that catches calls when your phone is off, dead, or has no signal.
How do I set up call forwarding?: On star-code carriers (Verizon, Spectrum, landlines) dial *72 followed by the destination number. On GSM wireless (AT&T, T-Mobile) dial **21*<number>#. Many iPhones and Androids also have a toggle under Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding. Use the generator below to get the exact code.

Forward your line to an AI that books

RingOwl is a 24/7 AI answering service for small businesses. Forward your line with the codes above and the AI picks up every call, books appointments straight into your calendar, and texts you a summary. Free 7-day trial, no credit card.

Start your free trial →