How to Cancel Diverted Calls: A Complete Guide to Turning Off Call Forwarding

Call diversion — also called call forwarding — is a feature that automatically redirects incoming calls from your number to another destination. Cancelling it sounds simple, but the exact steps depend on your device, carrier, and how the divert was originally set up. Here's everything you need to know.

What Is Call Diversion and Why Does It Need Cancelling?

When call diversion is active, anyone calling your number gets silently redirected — to a voicemail service, another mobile number, or a landline — without the caller knowing. This is useful when you're traveling or unavailable, but it can cause problems if left running unintentionally:

• You stop receiving calls on your own device
• You may be charged for forwarded calls (depending on your carrier plan)
• Calls to voicemail pile up without you realising divert is still on

Cancelling a divert means disabling that redirection so calls come through to your phone as normal again.

The Two Main Ways Call Diverts Are Set Up

Understanding how a divert was activated matters — because the cancellation method usually mirrors the setup method.

1. MMI/USSD Codes (Carrier-Level) These are shortcodes entered directly from your phone's dialler. They communicate with your carrier's network directly, independent of your operating system. Common examples:

📞 ##002# is the most widely recognised universal cancellation code and works on most GSM networks worldwide. Dial it like a phone number and press call.

2. Device Settings (OS-Level) Some diverts are configured through your phone's settings menu rather than via codes. These are managed differently:

• Android: Settings → Phone (or Calls) → Call Forwarding → select the active type → Disable
• iPhone (iOS): Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding → toggle off

The exact menu path varies by Android manufacturer (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus, etc.) and iOS version.

Carrier and SIM Differences That Affect the Process

Not all call diversion behaviour is the same across networks. Key variables:

• GSM vs. CDMA networks: USSD codes like ##002# are a GSM standard. Older CDMA carriers (more common historically in the US) may require you to contact customer support or use the carrier's app instead.
• VoIP and eSIM setups: If you're using a VoIP service (Google Voice, Skype Number, etc.) or a virtual number, call forwarding is typically managed through that service's app or web dashboard — not your phone's native settings.
• Carrier-level voicemail forwarding: Some networks automatically forward unanswered calls to voicemail at the network level. This type of divert often cannot be fully disabled from your phone — only managed through your carrier account or their helpline.

What Happens If the Divert Doesn't Cancel

If you've entered the cancellation code or toggled off the setting and calls still aren't coming through normally, there are a few common reasons:

Multiple active diverts: Conditional forwarding (busy, no answer, unreachable) may still be active even if unconditional forwarding is off. Use ##002# to clear all types at once.

Network propagation delay: Carrier-side changes can occasionally take a few minutes to take effect. Restarting your phone after cancelling can help.

Carrier override: Some mobile plans include mandatory voicemail forwarding that sits outside your device's control. In these cases, contacting your carrier directly — or managing it via their app — is the only route.

Third-party apps: Call management or business phone apps (like Google Voice, RingCentral, or similar) may have their own forwarding rules that operate independently of your SIM's settings.

Cancelling Call Divert on Specific Devices 📱

iPhone

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Phone
3. Tap Call Forwarding
4. Toggle the switch to off

If the toggle is already off but calls still divert, the forward may be set at the carrier level — try ##002# from the Phone app dialler.

Android (General)

1. Open the Phone app
2. Tap the three-dot menu (or settings gear)
3. Go to Settings → Calls → Call Forwarding
4. Select each forwarding type (Always, Busy, No Answer, Unreachable)
5. Tap Disable or Turn Off

Samsung devices often label this under Supplementary Services within the call settings menu.

Landlines and Desk Phones

Most landline call forwarding is carrier-managed. Common cancellation methods include:

• Dialling #21# or a carrier-specific deactivation code
• Logging into your provider's web portal
• Calling the carrier's support line

The Variables That Determine Your Specific Steps

Whether cancelling a divert takes ten seconds or requires a call to your carrier depends on several factors that vary by user:

• Your network type (GSM, CDMA, VoIP, or hybrid eSIM)
• Who set up the divert (you, your employer's IT team, or the carrier by default)
• Which types of forwarding are active (unconditional vs. conditional)
• What device and OS version you're using
• Whether a third-party business phone app is involved

Someone on a standard GSM SIM who set up forwarding themselves can typically cancel it in under a minute using ##002#. Someone using a work phone managed by an IT department, or a VoIP service with its own forwarding rules, is dealing with a meaningfully different situation — one where the cancellation path runs through a different system entirely.

Your specific setup is what determines which of these routes applies to you.