Verizon Call Forwarding: Codes, Setup and How to Turn It Off
Short answer: Verizon call forwarding is set by dialling a code from the Phone app keypad, not from a menu on the handset. *72 plus the destination number forwards every call. *71 plus the destination number forwards only the calls you don't answer. *73 cancels it.
That is the whole mechanism. What makes Verizon forwarding confusing is everything around it: there is no toggle to look at afterwards, the phone's own Call Forwarding screen often shows nothing, and Verizon answers a successful code with a tone rather than a message you can read back. This page covers the codes, the setup, how to forward to another number, how to switch it off, and how to prove it actually worked.
Verizon call forwarding codes
Three codes cover it. Dial them from the Phone app keypad on the Verizon line itself — not from another phone, and not with the number saved as a contact.
| Code | What it does | When you want it |
|---|---|---|
| *72<number> | Forwards every incoming call to the destination. The Verizon handset may not ring at all. | Moving your line to another phone for a day |
| *71<number> | Forwards only the calls you don't answer. The handset rings first, and everything you pick up stays on it. | Sending missed calls somewhere useful instead of voicemail |
| *73 | Cancels forwarding. No destination number after it. | Turning it off again |
These are the codes Verizon publishes on its own call-forwarding FAQ page, and the same ones OsmO's setup flow dials on a Verizon line. Which options a specific line and plan carry is Verizon's to answer — check their FAQ page or ask on 611 before relying on it. A star code copied from a forum for a different carrier will usually just return an error on Verizon.
How to set up call forwarding on Verizon
1. Open the keypad on the Verizon line
Open the Phone app and go to the keypad. The code has to be dialled from the line you want forwarded.
2. Type the code and the number together
Type *72 (all calls) or *71 (unanswered calls) and then the 10-digit destination number, with nothing in between. No spaces, no country code, no # at the end.
3. Press call and wait for the tone
Tap the green call button and wait. Verizon replies with a short confirmation tone rather than a text or an on-screen note, so there is nothing left behind to check afterwards.
4. Test it from another phone
Call the Verizon number from a different phone and see where it lands. With *71, let it ring out without answering — that is the only case it redirects.
Step 4 is not optional advice we're padding the list with. Because the confirmation is a tone, a test call is the only evidence you get that the code took.
Forward Verizon calls to another number
The destination goes straight onto the end of the code, with no separator:
- Right:
*725551234567— code, then 10 digits. - Wrong:
*72 555 123 4567,*72+15551234567,*725551234567#.
Verizon wants plain national format. A leading +1, a country code, or a trailing hash is the most common reason a Verizon forwarding code is rejected — those belong to the **004*<number># style that AT&T, T-Mobile and most carriers outside the US use, and Verizon is not on that family of codes.
Check that the destination can actually receive calls from your line before you rely on it, and remember that a forwarded call still has to be answered at the other end.
On Spectrum Mobile: Spectrum Mobile runs on Verizon's network and uses the same codes. OsmO treats a Spectrum line exactly like a Verizon one, and *71 was verified working on a real Spectrum SIM in July 2026.
How to turn off call forwarding on Verizon
1. Dial *73
From the Verizon line's keypad, dial *73 on its own — no number after it — and press call.
2. Wait for the tone
Let the confirmation tone play before you end the call. Hanging up early is a common way to leave forwarding running.
3. Test it
Call the Verizon number from another phone. If the handset rings, forwarding is off.
If calls are still being redirected after a test, dial *73 again and test once more. If it persists, that is a question for Verizon on 611 — not something a different code will fix.
Why there's no forwarding menu on a Verizon line
Most US carriers run GSM-style supplementary services, where the handset's own Call Forwarding screen talks to the network and shows you the current state. Verizon uses star codes instead. Two practical consequences:
- The handset toggle may show nothing. A Call Forwarding screen that reads "off" does not mean a *71 you dialled last week isn't still running. The two are not always looking at the same setting.
- The GSM status codes don't help.
*#21#and*#67#, which report the current forwarding state on carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile, don't return a readable answer on a Verizon line. OsmO's own Android forwarding check skips Verizon lines for exactly this reason.
Which brings it back to the same place: on Verizon, a test call is the status check.
When Verizon call forwarding isn't working
- Check the number format first. 10 digits, no
+1, no spaces, no#. This is the fix more often than anything else on this list. - You need signal. The code is a request to Verizon's network. Dialling it in a dead spot or in Airplane Mode does nothing.
- You dialled from the wrong phone. The code has to go out from the Verizon line being forwarded.
- You tested the wrong way. With *71, answering the test call proves nothing — let it ring out.
- Both kinds may be set. If you have dialled *71 and *72 at different times, cancel with *73 and set only the one you want, then re-test.
- A managed business line. Lines administered by an employer can have features switched off centrally.
- Still stuck? Verizon customer care is 611 from the Verizon phone, or 1-800-922-0204.
Forward missed calls somewhere better than voicemail
Most people setting up *71 are after the same thing: the calls they miss should end up somewhere more useful than a voicemail box they will never listen to.
That is what OsmO uses forwarding for. You keep your Verizon number and point your unanswered calls at OsmO, and the calls you don't pick up reach an AI phone assistant instead of voicemail. It answers in a natural voice, asks who is calling and what they want, and texts you what was said. Spam and robocalls hang up on it rather than on you.
The Verizon-specific part: the OsmO app knows a Verizon line takes *71 rather than the GSM code, builds the dial string with your assistant's number already in it, and hands it to the keypad — so there is no code to copy out and no format to get wrong. It won't catch every spam call, and it's a separate app rather than a Verizon setting. Setting up an iPhone or an Android phone as well? See call forwarding on iPhone or the iPhone and Android forwarding guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Verizon call forwarding code?
*72 plus the destination number forwards every call, *71 plus the destination number forwards only the calls you don't answer, and *73 cancels forwarding. Dial them from the Phone app keypad on the Verizon line.
How do I set up call forwarding on Verizon?
Open the keypad, dial *72 or *71 immediately followed by the 10-digit destination number, and press call. Wait for the confirmation tone, then ring your Verizon number from another phone to check where it lands.
How do I forward my Verizon calls to another number?
Type the code straight into the number with nothing between them — *725551234567. Plain 10-digit format, no country code and no hash.
How do I turn off call forwarding on Verizon?
Dial *73 on its own and press call, wait for the tone, then make a test call. If the handset rings, it's off.
What's the difference between *71 and *72 on Verizon?
*72 redirects everything, so your phone may never ring. *71 lets the phone ring first and only redirects what you don't answer. *73 cancels either.
Why doesn't my phone's Call Forwarding setting show anything?
Verizon forwarding is set on the network by a star code rather than by the handset, so a phone's own forwarding screen may be empty or may not reflect what a code set. Dial the code from the keypad and confirm with a test call instead.
Does Verizon call forwarding forward text messages too?
No — it's a voice service. Texts keep arriving on the handset as usual.
Does Verizon call forwarding cost extra?
That depends on the plan. Some include it and some bill the forwarded leg of the call. Check the current terms with Verizon on 611 or 1-800-922-0204 before leaving forwarding switched on.
Official sources
Checked August 2026. Carrier codes and plan features change.
Related: Call forwarding on iPhone · Call forwarding on iPhone & Android · What is an AI phone assistant? · How AI call screening works · Stop spam calls on iPhone