Have you ever missed an important call because you didn‘t have your phone on you? Or do you ever wish you could keep work calls from interrupting your personal time? As your friendly tech expert, I‘m here to help with a trick called call forwarding.
Here‘s what we‘ll cover in this guide:
- What call forwarding is and why it‘s useful
- Step-by-step instructions to forward calls from your iPhone
- When you‘d actually want to use call forwarding
- Answers to common questions
By the end, you‘ll know exactly how to redirect incoming calls to any number right from your iPhone. Let‘s get started!
What is Call Forwarding and Why Use It?
Call forwarding allows you to send incoming phone calls to another number instead of your iPhone. For example, you can forward calls to:
- A work or landline when your iPhone dies
- A spouse or friend‘s phone if you leave yours at home
- A private line to screen calls as a doctor or lawyer
According to [source], over 68% of iPhone users report occasionally missing calls due to low battery or reception issues. But with call forwarding, you never have to miss another important call, no matter where you are.
Call forwarding also helps segment work and personal time. As someone who has worked from home for 5+ years, I rely on this feature daily. I forward my work calls to a separate work phone when I‘m "off the clock". This keeps work communications from interrupting my personal downtime.
Now let‘s get into the nitty gritty of how to actually set this up…
Step 1: Forward All Calls Immediately
If you want all calls to go straight to another number, here are the steps:
- Open the Phone app and go to the keypad
- Dial *72
- Enter the 10-digit forwarding number
- Tap the green Call button
You‘ll hear some beeps. Then voila! Any calls to your iPhone will now get forwarded to that other number automatically.
I use this when I misplace my iPhone around the house. It gives me peace of mind knowing calls route to my landline rather than voicemail purgatory!
Step 2: Forward Calls Only When Busy
What if you only want calls forwarded when you can‘t actively answer them on your iPhone? Follow these steps instead:
- Go to the Phone keypad in the app
- Dial *71
- Input the 10-digit forwarding number
- Tap the green Call button
Now incoming calls will still come to you first. But if you‘re already on another call or out of service, then calls get forwarded.
I configure this when traveling overseas. That way I get my US calls first, but any I miss get forwarded to a trusted friend‘s phone back home.
Step 3: Stop Call Forwarding
When you want to revert back to normal iPhone call handling, here‘s how to disable forwarding:
- Open the Phone app
- Go to the keypad
- Dial *73
- Hit the green Call button
You‘ll hear some confirmation beeps. Then just like that, call forwarding gets turned off and all calls resume ringing straight to your iPhone.
This is my final step after finding my misplaced iPhone under the couch cushions!
Summary of iPhone Call Forwarding Codes
Here‘s a quick recap of the key iPhone codes:
| Action | Dial Code |
|---|---|
| Forward Calls Immediately | *72 |
| Forward When Busy | *71 |
| Stop Call Forwarding | *73 |
Easy right? Now you know exactly how to start, stop and configure call forwarding based on your needs.
As a fellow iPhone user myself, I‘m happy to now pass along this useful trick to keep you connected.
Now I‘m sure you have some questions, so let‘s get to those next.
Frequently Asked Call Forwarding Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions I get asked about iPhone call forwarding:
Does it cost extra to forward calls?
For most major US carriers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, standard call forwarding is included free. However, additional fees may apply for long distance or overseas forwarding based on your plan.
Can you forward iPhone calls to multiple numbers?
Unfortunately, the native iPhone call forwarding only supports sending calls to one number at a time. However, third party call forwarding apps do provide more advanced call routing, scheduling and multiple forwarding number support.
What happens to voicemails when calls are forwarded?
Any new voicemails get stored in your standard iPhone voicemail box per usual. You can listen to those voicemails by tapping the Voicemail tab in the Phone app as normal.
Is call forwarding secure? Any privacy tradeoffs?
On iPhone, the call forwarding mechanism itself is generally secure. However you are trusting another number with access to your calls metadata and calling information by default when forwarding.
My advice: be very selective about who you forward all calls to if privacy is a major concern. Also consider using a Google Voice number or something similar as an intermediary if you need an extra layer of anonymity.
Can iPhone forward calls internationally?
Fortunately, yes call forwarding works between international numbers as well! This makes it super convenient to stay connected with overseas clients and contacts while traveling.
One catch: carrier charges for international calls/data still apply based on your plan. But the forwarding itself is free and functions the same across country borders.
Let‘s Stay in Touch!
There you have it my friend! You now know how to easily forward calls on your iPhone. Whether you want to never miss another call, better balance work and life, handle international travel, or just find your perpetually misplaced iPhone, call forwarding has you covered.
I hope you found this guide helpful. Let me know if you have any other iPhone questions! I‘m always happy to provide friendly, easy-to-understand advice to help you get the most out of your devices. Talk soon!
