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How to forward calls on an iPhone
Call forwarding isn’t something most people need, but there are situations when it can come in handy — say if you need to take personal calls on a work phone, or vice versa. Here’s how to forward calls from an iPhone, including the separate methods needed for CDMA carriers.
Read more: The iPhone buying guide
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With most carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile, you can set up forwarding on your iPhone by going to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. If you're on a CDMA network like Verizon's, you'll have to talk to your carrier about forwarding, probably to confirm a carrier code you can dial.
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How to set up call forwarding on an iPhone (GSM)
While Apple identifies this method as applying to GSM carriers, realistically it should cover most iPhone owners worldwide. We’ll explain why in the next section, but for now, suffice it to say that unless you’re with Verizon, Visible (on the Verizon network), or UScellular, you probably don’t have to worry.
Most iPhone users should follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down, select Phone, then Call Forwarding.
- Toggle the option on, then tap Forward To. You’ll be asked to choose a line if you have Dual SIM active.
- Enter the number you want to forward to.
Be aware that there may still be carrier limitations. Generally speaking, you can’t forward to an international phone number, but you might be able to get around this by forwarding to a service like Google Voice.
How to set up call forwarding on an iPhone (CDMA)
CDMA is on its deathbed. T-Mobile (which bought Sprint) shut down its self-branded 3G CDMA network in March 2022, and did the same for Boost Mobile customers in May. Verizon is planning to follow suit on December 31, followed by UScellular a day later. All major carriers are migrating to an entirely 4G/5G infrastructure where CDMA (and GSM for that matter) don’t exist. Outside the US, CDMA is rare to non-existent.
If you are with a carrier still using CDMA, contact them to see if you’re required to dial a carrier code. Verizon, for example, allows you to forward by dialing *72 plus the number you intend to push calls to. You can even dial *71 (plus a number) if you only want calls forwarded when your iPhone is busy or you don’t answer.
How to stop call forwarding on an iPhone
This is extremely easy in most cases. It’s just a matter of opening the iPhone Settings app, returning to Phone > Call Forwarding, then flipping the toggle off.
Turning off CDMA forwarding involves special steps. Verizon asks you to dial *73 (not *72), or else find the option at My Verizon. With other carriers, contact them for details.
Read more: How to switch from iPhone to Android