How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Any Carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile)

Call forwarding is one of the most useful — and most underused — phone features available. Whether you're a small business owner who can't afford to miss a single lead, or you just want calls routed to a different number while you're traveling, knowing how to set up call forwarding can save you time, money, and missed opportunities.

In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to set up call forwarding on every major U.S. carrier — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more — plus explain the difference between conditional and unconditional forwarding, and show you how to forward calls to an AI receptionist so you never miss another call.

What Is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding automatically redirects incoming calls from one phone number to another. Instead of the call ringing your phone, it rings a different number you specify — a landline, a cell phone, a VoIP number, or even an AI receptionist.

There are two main types of call forwarding:

• Unconditional forwarding (immediate): Every call is forwarded immediately, no matter what. Your phone never rings. This is useful when you want all calls handled by a different number or service.
• Conditional forwarding: Calls are only forwarded in specific situations — when your line is busy, when you don't answer after a certain number of rings, or when your phone is unreachable (turned off or out of service area). Most people use conditional forwarding because it gives you a chance to answer first.

Both types use star codes (also called USSD codes) that work directly from your phone's dialer. No apps, no settings menus — just punch in a code and press call.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding on AT&T

AT&T supports call forwarding on both wireless and landline accounts. Here's how to set it up:

Unconditional Forwarding (Forward All Calls)

1. Open your phone's dialer app
2. Dial *72 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to (e.g., *72 555-123-4567)
3. Press the Call button
4. Wait for a confirmation tone or message — you should hear a series of beeps
5. Hang up. All calls will now forward to the number you entered

To turn it off: Dial *73 and press Call. Wait for the confirmation tone, then hang up. Calls will ring your phone normally again.

Conditional Forwarding

• Forward when busy: Dial *67* followed by the forwarding number, then #. To deactivate: #67#
• Forward when unanswered: Dial *61* followed by the forwarding number, then #. To deactivate: #61#
• Forward when unreachable: Dial *62* followed by the forwarding number, then #. To deactivate: #62#

Note: AT&T may charge a per-minute fee for forwarded calls on some plans. Check your plan details or call 611 to confirm.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Verizon

Verizon's call forwarding setup is nearly identical to AT&T for basic forwarding. Here's the process:

Unconditional Forwarding

1. Open your dialer
2. Dial *72 followed by the forwarding number (e.g., *72 555-123-4567)
3. Press Call
4. Wait for a confirmation tone or for the forwarding number to ring. When someone answers (or you hear the tone), forwarding is active
5. Hang up

To turn it off: Dial *73 and press Call. Wait for the confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding

• Forward when busy: Dial *71 + forwarding number, then press Call. To deactivate: *73
• Forward when no answer: Dial *71 + forwarding number. To deactivate: *73

Verizon also lets you manage call forwarding through the My Verizon app or website under your line settings. This is helpful if you don't want to remember star codes.

Important: On Verizon, forwarded calls use your plan minutes (if you still have a plan with limited minutes). On unlimited plans, there's no extra charge for forwarding.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding on T-Mobile

T-Mobile makes call forwarding straightforward, and it's included on all plans at no extra cost.

Unconditional Forwarding

1. Open your dialer
2. Dial **21* followed by the forwarding number, then # (e.g., **21*5551234567#)
3. Press Call
4. You'll see a confirmation message on screen

To turn it off: Dial ##21# and press Call.

Conditional Forwarding

• Forward when busy: Dial **67* + forwarding number + #. To deactivate: ##67#
• Forward when unanswered: Dial **61* + forwarding number + #. To deactivate: ##61#
• Forward when unreachable: Dial **62* + forwarding number + #. To deactivate: ##62#

T-Mobile also allows you to set up all three conditional forwarding rules at once by dialing **004* + forwarding number + #. To deactivate all: ##004#. This is a huge time-saver if you want all conditional scenarios covered.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Other Carriers

If you're on a different carrier — US Cellular, Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile, or Google Fi — the process is usually similar:

Generic Star Codes (Work on Most Carriers)

• Forward all calls: *72 + forwarding number → Press Call
• Cancel forwarding: *73 → Press Call
• Forward when busy: *67* + forwarding number + #
• Forward when no answer: *61* + forwarding number + #
• Forward when unreachable: *62* + forwarding number + #

If these codes don't work, check your carrier's support page or call their customer service line. Some MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) have slightly different codes or require you to enable forwarding through their app first.

iPhone Settings Method

If star codes aren't your thing, iPhone users can also enable forwarding through Settings:

1. Go to Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding
2. Toggle Call Forwarding on
3. Enter the forwarding number

Note: This option may not appear on all carriers (Verizon and US Cellular often hide it). It's a carrier-dependent feature, not an iPhone feature.

Android Settings Method

On most Android phones:

1. Open the Phone app → tap the three-dot menu → Settings
2. Tap Calls or Supplementary services
3. Tap Call forwarding
4. Choose the forwarding type (Always, When busy, When unanswered, When unreachable)
5. Enter the forwarding number and tap Enable or Turn on

The exact menu path varies by manufacturer (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus), but the option is usually under call settings somewhere.

Conditional vs. Unconditional: Which Should You Use?

This depends entirely on your situation:

• Use unconditional forwarding when you want every call handled by a different number or service — for example, if you're on vacation and want your business partner to handle calls, or if you're forwarding to an AI receptionist 24/7.
• Use conditional forwarding when you want to answer calls yourself first, but have a backup for when you can't. This is the most common setup for small businesses — you try to answer, and if you miss it, the call gets forwarded to a service that can handle it.

For most business owners, conditional forwarding is the sweet spot. You get first crack at answering, but nothing falls through the cracks when you're busy, in a meeting, or off the clock.

How to Forward Calls to an AI Receptionist

Here's where call forwarding gets really powerful. Instead of forwarding to another phone that may or may not get answered, you can forward calls to an AI receptionist that picks up every time, 24/7.

With a service like ReadyToTalk, the setup takes about two minutes:

1. Sign up and configure your AI receptionist — set your business name, hours, and how you want calls handled
2. Get your ReadyToTalk forwarding number — this is the number your AI receptionist answers on
3. Set up call forwarding on your carrier using the instructions above, pointing to your ReadyToTalk number
4. Test it — call your business number and verify the AI picks up

That's it. Every call you can't answer gets handled by an AI that can greet callers, answer common questions, take messages, and even book appointments — all while sounding natural and professional.

The beauty of this approach is that you keep your existing business number. Customers call the same number they always have. The only difference is that someone (or something) always picks up.

Troubleshooting Common Call Forwarding Issues

Sometimes call forwarding doesn't work on the first try. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them:

Forwarding Won't Activate

• Check your plan: Some prepaid or basic plans don't include call forwarding. Contact your carrier to confirm it's available on your plan.
• Include the area code: Always dial the full 10-digit number when setting up forwarding.
• Try from the dialer: Some phones block star codes from the contacts app. Use the native dialer/keypad instead.

Calls Still Ring Your Phone

• You may have set up conditional forwarding instead of unconditional. Conditional forwarding only kicks in when you don't answer — your phone will still ring first.
• If you want zero rings on your end, make sure you're using unconditional forwarding (*72 on most carriers or **21* on T-Mobile).

Forwarding Turns Off by Itself

• Some carriers reset forwarding settings after a network update, SIM swap, or phone restart. If forwarding stops working, re-enter the star code.
• On AT&T specifically, forwarding may deactivate after 20-30 days of inactivity. Set a calendar reminder to re-enable it if needed.

Forwarded Calls Go to Voicemail Instead

• The forwarding destination number may have its own voicemail picking up too quickly. Increase the ring time on the destination or disable voicemail there.
• If forwarding to a service like ReadyToTalk, this usually isn't an issue since the AI answers within one ring.

Quick Reference: Call Forwarding Codes by Carrier

Here's a summary of the most common codes for quick reference:

• AT&T: Forward all: *72 + number | Cancel: *73
• Verizon: Forward all: *72 + number | Cancel: *73
• T-Mobile: Forward all: **21* + number + # | Cancel: ##21#
• Most other carriers: Forward all: *72 + number | Cancel: *73

Stop Missing Calls for Good

Call forwarding is a powerful tool, but it's only as useful as what's on the other end. Forwarding to another phone that might not get answered just moves the problem. Forwarding to an AI receptionist that answers every call actually solves it.

If you're a small business owner tired of playing phone tag and losing leads to missed calls, try ReadyToTalk free and see what happens when every call gets answered — professionally, instantly, and 24/7.