Disable call forwarding through Settings
To turn off call forwarding on your iPhone, open Settings, then tap Phone. Scroll down and tap Call Forwarding. Toggle the switch to Off (it will turn from green to gray). Your iPhone will no longer forward incoming calls to another number.
This method works on all iPhone models running iOS 12 or later. The setting applies to your cellular service, not just the phone app — any call that would normally ring your iPhone will now ring your iPhone instead of being sent elsewhere.
If you do not see the Call Forwarding option in Settings, your carrier may not support it, or you may need to contact them to enable the feature first. Some carriers require a separate activation before the setting appears on your phone.
Key Takeaways
- Call forwarding is disabled by going to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggling the switch off.
- Turning off call forwarding stops your iPhone from sending calls to another number, but does not affect Do Not Disturb or call blocking.
- If you cannot find the Call Forwarding option, your carrier may not support the feature or may require you to contact them first.
- Disabling call forwarding takes effect immediately — no restart or confirmation is needed.
- You can turn call forwarding back on at any time using the same Settings menu.
What happens when you disable call forwarding
Once you toggle call forwarding off, any calls that were being sent to another number will now ring on your iPhone instead. If you had set up forwarding to your work phone, your home phone, or another device, that forwarding stops immediately.
Disabling call forwarding does not affect other call-related settings. Do Not Disturb, call blocking, and Do Not Disturb While Driving all continue to work as before. If you have blocked specific contacts, those calls will still be blocked even after you turn off call forwarding.
Verify call forwarding is actually off
To confirm that call forwarding is disabled, go back to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. The toggle should be gray and positioned to the left. If it is green and positioned to the right, call forwarding is still active.
You can also check by looking at the status bar at the top of your iPhone. When call forwarding is on, a small icon (usually an arrow or forwarding symbol) appears next to the signal strength. When it is off, that icon disappears.
Call forwarding versus other call features
Call forwarding sends incoming calls to a different phone number entirely. Do Not Disturb silences calls and notifications but does not send them anywhere — they go to voicemail. Call blocking prevents specific contacts from reaching you at all.
If you want calls to ring on your iPhone but silence notifications, use Do Not Disturb instead. If you want to block calls from certain people, use the block feature in the Phone app. Call forwarding is only for redirecting calls to a completely different number.
Turning call forwarding back on
If you need to re-enable call forwarding later, return to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggle the switch on. You will be prompted to enter the phone number where you want calls forwarded. Type the number and tap Call Forwarding to confirm.
Your iPhone will remember the last number you forwarded to, but you can change it each time you turn the feature back on. There is no limit to how many times you can toggle call forwarding on and off.
Troubleshooting call forwarding issues
If the Call Forwarding option does not appear in your Settings menu, contact your carrier first. Some carriers do not support call forwarding, or they may require you to contact them to activate it on your account before it shows up on your phone.
If call forwarding is off but calls are still being sent elsewhere, check whether Do Not Disturb is enabled or whether you have set up call forwarding through your carrier's website or app instead of through your iPhone. Some carriers offer call forwarding management outside of the iPhone Settings app.
Restart your iPhone if you recently disabled call forwarding but the setting does not seem to be taking effect. Hold the power button until the slider appears, swipe to power off, wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disabling call forwarding affect my voicemail?
No. Voicemail is separate from call forwarding. Calls that go unanswered will still go to voicemail whether call forwarding is on or off. Disabling call forwarding only stops calls from being sent to a different phone number.
Can I disable call forwarding for only certain contacts?
No. Call forwarding is an all-or-nothing setting — it either forwards all incoming calls or none. If you want some calls to go to another number and others to ring on your iPhone, you will need to turn call forwarding off and use a different method, such as setting up call forwarding through your carrier for specific contact groups.
Will my carrier charge me for disabling call forwarding?
No. Turning call forwarding on or off does not cost anything. Some carriers charge a monthly fee to have the call forwarding feature available on your account, but toggling it on and off in Settings is free.
What if I forgot the number I was forwarding calls to?
When you toggle call forwarding on, your iPhone will show the last number you forwarded to. If you need to know what number was set, turn call forwarding back on and the number will appear on the screen before you confirm.