Call forwarding stops working the moment you disable it in your phone's settings

Call forwarding is a feature that sends incoming calls to a different number — usually another phone, a voicemail service, or a business line. When you turn it off, calls ring your phone normally again instead of being redirected elsewhere. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, or a landline, but the process takes less than a minute in most cases.

You do not need to contact your phone provider to disable call forwarding unless you set it up through them originally (which is less common now). Most people control it directly from their phone's settings or through a quick code.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggle it off; on Android, the path varies by manufacturer but is usually Settings > Call Settings > Call Forwarding.
  • If you cannot find call forwarding in your phone settings, you may have set it up through your carrier, and you will need to contact them to turn it off.
  • Some phones let you disable call forwarding by dialing ##002# (the code varies by carrier), which works even if you cannot access the settings menu.
  • Call forwarding set up through a third-party app like Google Voice or Skype requires you to log into that app and disable it there, not in your phone settings.

Disabling call forwarding on iPhone

Open the Settings app and tap Phone. Scroll down to Call Forwarding and tap it. If the toggle next to Call Forwarding is green (on), tap it to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, and forwarding stops immediately.

If you do not see Call Forwarding in the Phone settings, your carrier may have set it up on their end. In that case, contact your carrier's customer service line — the number is usually on your bill or on their website — and ask them to disable it.

Disabling call forwarding on Android

The exact path depends on your phone's manufacturer and Android version, but the general route is: open Settings, find Call Settings or Phone Settings, then look for Call Forwarding or Call Divert. Tap it and select the option to turn forwarding off (often labeled "Disable" or "Off").

If you use a Samsung phone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Permissions, then Settings > Call Settings > Additional Settings > Call Forwarding, and turn it off. On Google Pixel phones, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Calls > Call Forwarding, and disable it. If your phone's menu structure is different, search your Settings app for "call forwarding" — most Android phones have a search box at the top of Settings.

Using a code to disable call forwarding

If you cannot find call forwarding in your settings or your phone is not responding, you can disable it by dialing a code. The most common code is ##002#, which works on many carriers. Open your phone's dialer, type ##002#, and press the call button. You should see a message confirming that call forwarding has been disabled.

Some carriers use different codes — Verizon sometimes uses *73, AT&T uses *73 or ##002#, and T-Mobile uses ##002#. If ##002# does not work, try *73. If neither works, contact your carrier to ask which code they use, or ask them to disable it for you.

Disabling call forwarding set up through an app

If you set up call forwarding through Google Voice, Skype, or another third-party app, disabling it in your phone settings will not stop it. You must log into the app itself and turn off forwarding there.

For Google Voice, open the app, tap your profile picture in the top right, go to Settings, tap the phone number you want to change, scroll to "Call forwarding," and toggle it off. For Skype, open the app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, tap Calls, and turn off call forwarding. The exact steps vary by app, but the principle is the same: find the app's settings menu and look for a call forwarding or call routing option.

What to do if call forwarding is still active after you disable it

If calls are still being forwarded after you have turned off the setting, the forwarding may be set up at your carrier's level rather than on your phone. Contact your phone provider and tell them you want to disable all call forwarding on your account. Have your phone number and account information ready.

It is also possible that call forwarding is being controlled by a third-party app you forgot about, or that someone else set it up on a shared account. Check your phone for apps like Google Voice, Skype, Vonage, or other calling apps, and review their settings. If you share an account with someone else (such as a family plan), ask whether they set up forwarding on your line.

Disabling call forwarding on a landline

Landline call forwarding is usually managed through your phone provider's website or by calling them directly. Log into your account on your provider's website — Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, or your local provider — and look for a phone settings or call management section. You should find an option to disable call forwarding there.

If you cannot find it online, call your provider's customer service number (on your bill) and ask them to turn off call forwarding on your line. They will ask for your account number and phone number to confirm your identity, then disable it for you. The change usually takes effect within a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling call forwarding affect my voicemail?

No. Call forwarding and voicemail are separate features. Disabling call forwarding means calls ring your phone instead of going to another number, but if you do not answer, they will still go to voicemail as usual. Voicemail settings are controlled separately.

Can I disable call forwarding for just one contact?

No, call forwarding is an all-or-nothing setting — it either forwards all incoming calls or none. If you want to route calls from one specific person to a different number, you would need to use a third-party app or your carrier's selective call forwarding feature, which some providers offer as an add-on.

What if I set up call forwarding but forgot the number it is forwarding to?

On iPhone, open Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and you will see the number listed. On Android, go to your Call Settings and look for Call Forwarding — the forwarded number should be displayed there. If you cannot find it, contact your carrier and they can tell you where your calls are being sent.

Does disabling call forwarding stop spam calls from being forwarded?

Yes. If you had call forwarding enabled and spam calls were being forwarded to another number, disabling call forwarding stops that. However, you will still receive spam calls on your main phone number — disabling forwarding does not block spam, it just stops redirecting calls elsewhere.