Disable call forwarding in Settings in under one minute

Call forwarding on your iPhone sends incoming calls to another phone number automatically. You turn it off through the Phone app's settings, not through your carrier's website or a phone call. The exact steps depend on whether you're using an iPhone with a physical SIM card, an eSIM, or multiple phone lines.

The fastest way: open Settings, tap Phone, select Call Forwarding, and toggle it off. If you don't see Call Forwarding in the Phone settings, your carrier may not support it on your current plan, or you may need to check a different location depending on your iPhone model and iOS version.

Key Takeaways

  • Call forwarding is managed in Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, not through your carrier's app or website.
  • If Call Forwarding doesn't appear in your Phone settings, your carrier may not offer it, or you may have a dual SIM setup that requires checking each line separately.
  • Turning off call forwarding stops all incoming calls from being redirected, but does not delete the forwarding number you set previously.
  • If you can't find the Call Forwarding option, restart your iPhone and check again, as the setting sometimes takes a moment to appear after a software update.

Steps to disable call forwarding on a standard iPhone

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Tap Phone (the green icon with a phone receiver). Scroll down and tap Call Forwarding.

You'll see a toggle switch next to "Call Forwarding" — it will be green and switched to the right if call forwarding is currently on. Tap the toggle to turn it off. The switch will turn gray and move to the left. Your iPhone will display "Call Forwarding Off" on the screen.

That's the complete process. Your calls will no longer forward to another number. If you set up call forwarding to go to a specific number, that number is still saved in your settings — turning off the toggle just stops the forwarding from happening. If you want to set it up again later, the number will still be there.

What to do if you don't see Call Forwarding in your settings

If you open Settings > Phone and don't see a Call Forwarding option, your carrier may not support this feature on your account, or your iPhone may have a dual SIM setup that requires a different approach. Check which carrier you're using by opening Settings > Cellular and looking at the carrier name under your phone number.

If you have two phone lines (a physical SIM and an eSIM, or two eSIMs), you need to check the Call Forwarding setting for each line separately. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, and you should see options for each line. Make sure you're turning off the correct one.

If Call Forwarding still doesn't appear after checking both locations, restart your iPhone by holding down the power button and volume button together, then sliding to power off. Wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. Sometimes the setting takes a moment to load after a software update. If it still doesn't appear, contact your carrier — they can tell you whether call forwarding is included in your plan.

Turning off call forwarding when you have an eSIM

If your iPhone uses an eSIM (a digital SIM card), the process is identical to a physical SIM. Open Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggle it off. The eSIM carrier information appears in the same Phone settings menu, so you won't see a separate location for it.

If you have both a physical SIM and an eSIM active at the same time, you'll see Call Forwarding listed twice in the settings — once for each line. Toggle off the one that corresponds to the carrier you want to stop forwarding calls from. The other line will continue to work normally.

Why call forwarding might turn back on by itself

Call forwarding occasionally reactivates after a major iOS update or if your carrier pushes a settings change to your account. This is rare, but if you notice calls forwarding again after you've turned it off, check the Phone settings again and toggle it off once more.

If it keeps turning back on repeatedly, the issue is usually on your carrier's end. Contact your carrier's customer support and tell them you're unable to keep call forwarding disabled. They can check whether something in your account is automatically re-enabling it, or whether there's a technical issue with how the setting is syncing to your phone.

The difference between call forwarding and Do Not Disturb

Call forwarding and Do Not Disturb are two separate features that do different things. Call forwarding sends your incoming calls to another phone number. Do Not Disturb silences notifications and calls on your current phone but doesn't send them anywhere else — the caller hears a ring and can leave a voicemail.

If you want to stop calls from reaching you entirely, Do Not Disturb is what you need. If you want to receive calls on a different phone instead, call forwarding is the tool. You can have both turned on at the same time, though that combination means calls go to the forwarded number and your iPhone stays silent.

What happens to voicemail when you disable call forwarding

Turning off call forwarding does not affect your voicemail. Calls that you don't answer will still go to voicemail on your iPhone, just as they did before. The only change is that calls no longer get redirected to a different phone number before reaching your voicemail.

If you had set call forwarding to go to another phone, that phone will no longer receive your calls. But if the person calling doesn't reach you on your iPhone, they'll still be able to leave a voicemail message on your iPhone's voicemail system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling call forwarding delete the number I was forwarding to?

No. The forwarding number stays saved in your settings. If you toggle call forwarding back on later, it will forward to that same number again. You only need to enter a new number if you want to change where calls go.

Can I turn off call forwarding for just one contact?

No. Call forwarding is an all-or-nothing setting — it either forwards all incoming calls or none of them. If you want to handle calls from specific people differently, use Do Not Disturb with exceptions, or create a contact group and set a custom ringtone for them instead.

Does my carrier need to approve turning off call forwarding?

No. Disabling call forwarding through your iPhone's settings takes effect immediately and doesn't require any approval or contact with your carrier. The change happens on your phone right away.

What if I'm traveling and need to turn off call forwarding without cellular service?

You can turn off call forwarding over Wi-Fi. Open Settings, connect to a Wi-Fi network, and follow the same steps in Phone > Call Forwarding. The setting will sync to your carrier's system once you have cellular service again.

Can I disable call forwarding on someone else's iPhone?

Only if you know their iPhone passcode or have access to their Apple ID. Call forwarding settings are protected by the same security as the rest of the Phone app. You cannot change another person's call forwarding remotely.