How to enable Call Forwarding on Google Android, Apple iPhone or a Landline

Call Forwarding allows you to send your calls to another phone.

Also, it's a great way to prank your friends, albeit I do NOT recommend that you do this!! If you suspect you’re being pranked using Call Forwarding, then you might want to read this article.

If you suspect you’re being pranked, it's hard to tell as you can still make outgoing calls while Call Forwarding is active. Because calls are forwarded so fast, you can't answer incoming calls.

There are two (2) types of Call Forwarding:

1.      Unconditional Call Forwarding

2.      Conditional Call Forwarding

Unconditional Call Forwarding forwards all calls to the number specified when the Call forwarding is set up. Conditional Call Forwarding only forwards specific calls and is similar to blocking incoming numbers to your Smartphones as described in my MICO Wars Blog article entitled “How to block phone calls on your Google Android phone”.

When you're calls are being forwarded, you can still make outgoing calls while Call Forwarding is active. However, because they get transferred so fast, you can't answer incoming calls. This is why Conditional Call Forwarding is the preferred option for Call Forwarding and is effectively the same thing as Blocking Calls.

So how do you activate Call Forwarding?

Call Forwarding – USSD Codes for Landlines

To activate Call Forwarding, you use a special set of codes to activate the feature on any phone, be it on Google Android, Apple iPhone, Windows Phone or a Landline.

The procedure to turn on Call Forwarding is as follows:

1.      Open the Phone App or listen for a dial Tone (landline)

2.      Press *72

3.      Listen for a stutter dial tone followed by regular dial tone

4.      Dial the number where you want your calls forwarded e.g. *7218769806245

5.      When the phone's answered -- either by a person or voicemail, hang up

6.      Your calls will be forwarded to the number you dialed

To deactivate Call Forwarding, use the following procedure:

1.      Open the Phone App or listen for a dial Tone (landline)

2.      Press *73

3.      Listen for 2 short tones, then a regular dial tone.

4.      Call Forwarding is OFF.

So here’s the list in Table form.

Verizon Call Forwarding Commands
To Do This	Input First Number	Input Second Number
Forward unanswered incoming calls	*71	Forwarding number
Forward all incoming calls	*72	Forwarding number
Cancel call forwarding	*73	None

Sometimes these USSD Codes may not work on your Telecom providers. Here an alternative set of USSD codes to turn on Call Forwarding:

1.      Open the Phone App or listen for a dial Tone (landline)

2.      Dial **21* with the forwarded number e.g. **21*18769806245#

3.      Press 'yes/ok/send'

4.      A notification or Text message will tell you that unconditional Call Forwarding has been enabled

5.      Restart your phone

To disable Call Forwarding, use the following procedure:

1.      Open the Phone App or listen for a dial Tone (landline)

2.      Dial ##21#

3.      A notification or Text message will tell you that unconditional Call Forwarding has been enabled

Call Forwarding - Android and Apple iPhones

These codes also work on any phone, be it Android or Apple iPhone. However, if you're not into USSD Codes, then use the Phone App on your Google Android smartphone as follows:

1.      Open the Phone app

2.      Touch the 3-dote menu in the lower right hand corner

3.      Select Settings

4.      Select Voice Call

5.      Select Settings or Call Settings

6.      Select Voice Call

7.      Select Call Forwarding

Then choose one of the following options:

1.      Always Forward: All incoming calls are sent to the number you specify; your phone doesn’t even ring. This option overrides all other forwarding options.

2.      Forward When Busy: Calls are forwarded when you’re on the phone and choose not to answer. This option is normally used to send a missed call to voicemail, although you can forward to any number.

3.      Forward When Unanswered: Calls are forwarded when you choose not to answer the phone. Normally, the call is forwarded to your voicemail.

4.      Forward When Unreached: Calls are forwarded when the phone is turned off, out of range, or in airplane mode. As with the two previous settings, this option normally forwards calls to voicemail.

Set the forwarding number and then Touch Enable or OK to start forwarding your calls.

On the Apple iPhone, it's pretty much the same thing:

1.      Open the Settings App

2.      Select Phone

3.      Select Call Forwarding

4.      Turn call forwarding on

5.      Enter the number you would like to forward your calls to

That’s it! That's how you enable Call Forwarding on Google Android, Apple iPhone or a Landline. Sharing is caring so share this information with as many people as you like.