Cancel call forwarding in Settings in under one minute
To stop forwarding calls on your iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, then Call Forwarding, and toggle it off. If the toggle is already off, call forwarding is not active on your account. The setting appears only on iPhones with an active cellular plan — it will not show on Wi-Fi-only devices or iPads.
Call forwarding sends incoming calls to a different phone number instead of ringing your iPhone. Once you turn it off, calls come to your iPhone normally again. The process takes about 30 seconds and requires no restart.
Key Takeaways
- Call forwarding is toggled off in Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, and the change takes effect immediately.
- If you do not see the Call Forwarding option, your carrier may not support it or your plan may not include it.
- Turning off call forwarding does not delete any settings — you can turn it back on anytime from the same menu.
- If call forwarding is already off but calls are still going elsewhere, the problem may be Do Not Disturb or a different feature.
Step-by-step: Turn off call forwarding
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your home screen.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap Phone. It is the green icon with a phone receiver.
Step 3: Tap Call Forwarding. This option sits near the top of the Phone menu, above Call Waiting.
Step 4: Look at the toggle next to "Call Forwarding". If it is green and switched to the right, call forwarding is on. Tap the toggle to turn it off — it will turn gray and move to the left.
Step 5: Exit Settings. Your change is saved automatically, and calls will now ring your iPhone normally.
What to do if you do not see the Call Forwarding option
The Call Forwarding menu appears only on iPhones with an active cellular plan from a carrier. If you use an iPad, an iPod Touch, or an iPhone with no SIM card, the Phone settings will not include this option.
If you have a cellular plan but still do not see Call Forwarding, your carrier may not support the feature. Contact your carrier directly — most major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others) offer it, but some regional or prepaid plans do not. Your carrier can tell you whether it is available on your account and how to manage it if the iPhone setting is not showing.
Why calls might still go elsewhere even after turning off call forwarding
If you turned off call forwarding but calls are still not reaching your iPhone, check whether Do Not Disturb is on. Do Not Disturb silences calls and sends them to voicemail — it is separate from call forwarding. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center, and look for the Do Not Disturb icon (a crescent moon). If it is highlighted, tap it to turn it off.
Another possibility is that Call Waiting is off, which can make it seem like calls are not reaching you. Call Waiting lets you see incoming calls while you are on another call. If it is off, new calls go straight to voicemail while you are talking. You can turn it back on in Settings > Phone > Call Waiting.
If neither of those is the issue, restart your iPhone. Hold the power button until you see "slide to power off", slide to shut down, wait 10 seconds, then hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears. Restarting clears temporary glitches that can interfere with call routing.
How to turn call forwarding back on if you need it later
If you turned off call forwarding and later want to use it again, the process is identical. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, toggle it on, and enter the phone number where you want calls sent. The number you enter can be any phone number — another cell phone, a landline, or a work number.
When you toggle call forwarding on, your iPhone will ask you to enter the forwarding number. Type the number carefully, because calls will go to whatever number you enter. After you confirm, the toggle turns green and call forwarding is active immediately.
Difference between call forwarding and other call-handling features
Call Forwarding sends all incoming calls to a different number automatically. You set it once and it stays on until you turn it off. Do Not Disturb silences calls and sends them to voicemail without forwarding them anywhere — the caller hears your voicemail greeting. Call Waiting lets you see when someone is calling while you are already on a call, so you can switch between calls.
If you want calls to ring a second phone while your iPhone is also ringing, call forwarding is what you need. If you want to silence your iPhone temporarily without forwarding calls, use Do Not Disturb. If you want to block specific people from calling, use the Blocked Contacts list in Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off call forwarding delete the number I had set up?
No. When you toggle call forwarding off, the number you entered stays in the system. If you turn call forwarding back on later, you can use the same number again without re-entering it. To change or remove the number permanently, you would need to contact your carrier.
Can I set up call forwarding to go to multiple numbers at once?
No. iPhone call forwarding sends calls to one number only. If you want calls to ring multiple phones simultaneously, you would need to use your carrier's conference calling or a third-party app designed for that purpose. Check with your carrier about what options they offer.
Will I be charged for calls that are forwarded to another number?
That depends on your carrier and your plan. Some carriers charge for forwarded calls as if you made the call yourself, while others include forwarding in your plan at no extra cost. Contact your carrier to ask about charges on your specific account before setting up call forwarding.
What if I turned off call forwarding but the toggle keeps turning back on?
This usually means your carrier is re-enabling it on their end, often because of a setting on your account. Contact your carrier and ask them to disable call forwarding permanently on your line. They can do this from their system, which overrides what you set on your phone.