Why is Call Forwarding missing or greyed out on my iPhone?

Apple says the setting depends on the cellular carrier, so a line or plan that does not support the feature will not show the menu. It can also be hidden while the line has no service, while Wi-Fi Calling is being set up, or on a line managed by a business profile. Contact your carrier to confirm whether the plan supports call forwarding.

Does call forwarding on iPhone forward text messages too?

No. Call forwarding is a voice service. Text messages continue to arrive on the iPhone as normal.

Call Forwarding on iPhone: How to Turn It On and Off

Q: Where is call forwarding on iPhone?

On current iPhone software it is at Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding. On older iOS versions, Phone sits directly in the Settings list. Apple notes that the option depends on your cellular carrier, so some lines and plans do not show it at all.

Q: How do I turn off call forwarding on my iPhone?

Open Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding, select the right line on a dual-SIM iPhone, and switch the toggle off. If the menu is not available, most GSM carriers cancel forwarding with the dial code ##004# from the Phone keypad, while Verizon and Spectrum lines use *73. Make a test call afterwards to confirm.

Q: What is *73 on iPhone?

*73 is a carrier code, not an iPhone feature. On Verizon and Spectrum Mobile lines it cancels call forwarding that was set with *71 or *72. Carriers on GSM networks use ##004# instead. The code that works depends on your carrier and plan, not on the iPhone model.

Q: Does call forwarding cost extra?

It depends on the carrier and the plan. Some plans include it and some bill the forwarded leg of the call as an outgoing call. Check your carrier's current terms before leaving forwarding switched on.

By OsmO AI Team August 20, 2026 6 min read

An iPhone showing a forwarded call being answered and summarised

Short answer: iPhone call forwarding lives at Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding. Turn the toggle on, tap Call Forwards To, and enter the number that should receive your calls. On older iOS versions, Phone sits directly in the Settings list instead of under Apps.

Call forwarding is a carrier service that the iPhone only switches on and off, which is why the menu looks slightly different from one line to the next — and why it is missing entirely on some plans. Below: the exact steps, the dial codes behind them, how to switch forwarding off again, and what to do when the setting is not there.

What call forwarding does on iPhone

Forwarding sends incoming calls to a different number before your iPhone rings, or after it has rung without an answer. The carrier does the redirect on its own network, so it works even when the iPhone is switched off or out of coverage.

There are two shapes to it, and they behave very differently:

Type	What happens	Typical use
Always forward (unconditional)	Every call goes to the other number. Your iPhone may not ring at all.	Moving your line to another handset for a day
Conditional forward	Only calls that are unanswered, busy, or unreachable get redirected. Everything else rings normally.	Sending missed calls somewhere useful instead of voicemail

The Call Forwarding toggle in iPhone Settings sets the always-forward kind. Conditional forwarding is usually set from the Phone keypad with a carrier code, or by your carrier's own app — the iPhone does not expose a menu for it.

How to turn on call forwarding on iPhone

Open Settings.
Tap Apps, then Phone. (On older iOS versions, tap Phone directly in the Settings list.)
Tap Call Forwarding.
On a dual-SIM or eSIM iPhone, pick the line at the top of the screen first — each line keeps its own forwarding setting.
Switch the toggle on, tap Call Forwards To, and type the destination number. Include the country code if your carrier expects it.
Call your own number from another phone and check that it lands where you meant it to.

While forwarding is active, a small forwarding indicator sits near the top of the screen or in the Dynamic Island. It is the quickest way to spot that forwarding is still on days later.

iPhone call forwarding codes

Underneath the toggle is a carrier code, and you can dial it yourself when the menu is unavailable or when you want the conditional kind. Open Phone, type the code on the keypad, and tap the green call button. The network replies with a short confirmation.

Carrier group	Forward	Cancel
GSM networks — AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Airtel, Vi, BSNL, and most carriers in India, Canada and Europe	*004<destination number># — forwards unanswered, busy and unreachable calls in one go	##004#
Verizon and Spectrum Mobile	*71<destination number> — national format, no country code, no `#` — forwards calls you do not answer	*73

These are the same codes OsmO's own setup flow uses on an iPhone, checked against each carrier's support pages in July 2026. A code that is not listed here may still be right for your line: carriers differ, and a code copied from a forum for a different network usually returns an error rather than doing damage. On Jio the standard code does not reliably take — set forwarding from the MyJio app or ask Jio customer care on 199.

To check what is currently set, most GSM carriers answer *#21# for always-forward and *#67# for the unanswered-call setting. Verizon and Jio lines tend to return an unreadable reply to those, so treat a test call as the real proof.

How to turn off call forwarding on iPhone

Go back to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding and switch the toggle off. Check each line on a dual-SIM iPhone — turning one off leaves the other running.
If there is no menu, dial the cancel code for your carrier from the table above: ##004# on GSM networks, *73 on Verizon and Spectrum.
Call your number from another phone. If it rings on the iPhone, forwarding is off.

One thing that catches people out: the Settings toggle and a code you dialled control different things on many carriers. If the toggle already reads off but calls are still being redirected, dial the cancel code as well — that clears the conditional forwarding the toggle never touched.

When Call Forwarding is missing, greyed out, or not working

The menu is not there at all. Apple says the option depends on your cellular carrier. Some plans — a number of prepaid and business plans in particular — simply do not offer it. Your carrier can confirm whether the line supports it.
It is greyed out. The iPhone needs to reach the network to change a forwarding setting. Wait for signal, turn Airplane Mode off, and try again.
The wrong line is selected. On a dual-SIM iPhone, forwarding you set on one line does nothing for calls to the other.
The number was rejected. Try the destination in full international format (+1… or +91…), and try it in plain national format too — carriers disagree about which they accept.
The setting keeps resetting. Some carriers drop forwarding when the line changes network or after a plan change. Re-dial the code and test again.
A work profile owns the line. Managed business lines can have the feature switched off centrally.

Setting up an Android phone as well? The menus and conditions are different there — see the call forwarding guide for iPhone and Android.

Forward to an assistant instead of voicemail

Most people looking up call forwarding on iPhone want the same thing: the calls they miss should end up somewhere better than a voicemail box nobody listens to.

That is what OsmO uses forwarding for. You point your unanswered calls at OsmO with the code for your carrier, keep your existing number, and calls you do not pick up reach an AI phone assistant instead of voicemail. It answers in a natural voice, asks who is calling and what they want, takes the message, and texts you a transcript. Spam and robocalls hang up on it rather than on you.

Why an iPhone especially: iPhone has a built-in call screening setting that asks an unknown caller to say who they are, but it does not hold the conversation for you. See our guide to turning on iPhone call screening if you want that set up too. Forwarding is how an iPhone gets a caller actually answered and a written record of what was said. The OsmO app walks through the exact Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding steps and the code for your specific carrier during setup, so you are not guessing which option to pick. It will not catch every spam call, and it is a separate app rather than an iPhone setting.

Frequently asked questions

Where is call forwarding on iPhone?

Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding on current iPhone software; on older iOS versions, Phone sits directly in the Settings list. Apple notes the option depends on your cellular carrier, so some lines and plans do not show it at all.

How do I turn off call forwarding on my iPhone?

Switch the Call Forwarding toggle off in Phone settings, choosing the right line on a dual-SIM iPhone. With no menu available, dial ##004# on a GSM carrier or *73 on Verizon and Spectrum, then make a test call.

What is *73 on iPhone?

It is a carrier code rather than an iPhone feature. On Verizon and Spectrum Mobile lines it cancels forwarding that was set with *71 or *72. GSM carriers use ##004# for the same job. Which one applies depends on your carrier, not on your iPhone model.

Does *72 forward calls on iPhone?

On some US carriers, *72 followed by a number forwards all calls and *73 cancels it. The iPhone is only dialling it, so it works where the carrier supports it and errors where it does not. On Verizon and Spectrum, *71 forwards the calls you do not answer; most other networks use **004*<number>#.

What happens to my calls when forwarding is on?

The network redirects them to the destination number before your iPhone rings, or after it rings unanswered, depending on the type you set. Because the redirect happens on the carrier's side, it still works when the iPhone is off or has no signal.

Does call forwarding forward text messages too?

No. It is a voice service — texts keep arriving on your iPhone as usual.

Does call forwarding cost extra?

That depends on your carrier and plan. Some include it; some bill the forwarded leg as an outgoing call. Check your carrier's current terms before leaving it switched on.

Official sources

Checked August 2026. Menu paths and carrier features change.