Your bags are packed, your passport is up to date, and you’re ready for some much-needed rest and relaxation. But one thing is bothering you: how can you make sure clients can call you while you’re away? The last thing you want is for them to reach your voicemail, hang up, and call a competitor.
Or maybe there’s no island vacation on the horizon, but you desperately need that one hour of uninterrupted lunch break. Give yourself a break and give clients an alternative way to reach your business — with call forwarding.
In this article, we’ll show you how to set up call forwarding on an iPhone in seconds. Plus, you’ll learn about a better alternative so you can ditch call forwarding altogether.
How to forward calls on iPhone
Learning how to forward phone calls to another number or device is a must for maintaining a work-life balance.
Set up iPhone call forwarding in six steps:
- Open the Settings app from your iPhone’s home screen.
- Go to Phone — search for it under Apps.
- Select Call Forwarding.
- Toggle on Call Forwarding. It turns green when active.
- Select Forward To and enter the destination phone number for your calls.
- Tap Back and double-check the forwarding number.
After you’ve turned on call forwarding, all incoming calls will be redirected to your forwarding number until you turn it off.
How to set up conditional call forwarding for iPhones
By default, iPhones forward all incoming calls when you turn on call forwarding. But what if you only want to forward calls when you don’t answer? Or if your phone number is busy or unreachable? That’s where conditional call forwarding comes in.
Conditional call forwarding means your iPhone only forwards calls based on specific conditions. For example, when your number goes unanswered or is busy. Here’s how you can set up call forwarding for your iPhone:
For T-Mobile users:
- Forward calls if unanswered: **61*1+PhoneNumber#
- Turn off unanswered call forwarding: ##61#
- Forward calls if not reachable: **62*1+PhoneNumber#
- Turn off not reachable call forwarding: ##62#
- Forward calls if number is busy: **67*1+PhoneNumber#
- Turn off busy call forwarding: ##67#
For AT&T users:
- Forward calls if unanswered: *92 + PhoneNumber + #
- Turn off unanswered call forwarding: *93#
- Forward calls if number is busy: *90+PhoneNumber#
- Turn off busy call forwarding: *91#
For Verizon users:
- Forward calls when unanswered or busy: Dial *71 followed by the 10-digit forwarding number
- Forward all calls: Dial *72 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to
- Turn off conditional call forwarding: Dial *73
How to turn off call forwarding for iPhones
To disable call forwarding, toggle off Call Forwarding in the phone Settings. You can also change the forwarding number as needed.
If you’ve set up call forwarding by dialing a carrier’s code, you can turn it off with a similar code. Here are the different carrier codes to turn off iPhone call forwarding:
- T-Mobile: Dial ##004#
- AT&T: Dial *73#
- Verizon: Dial *73
Limitations of the iPhone call forwarding feature
Apple’s call forwarding feature may get the job done. However, it has some drawbacks you should keep in mind:
- Manual control only: You need to remember to turn forwarding on and off manually. It doesn’t automatically route calls based on whether you’re in a meeting or are available. You have to remember when to forward and when to not forward calls throughout the day.
- Network dependency: iPhone call forwarding can only be set up when you’re in range of your carrier’s network.
- No call separation: Both personal and business calls get forwarded. You can’t route calls to different people or route only certain types of calls.
- No conditional call forwarding: You can’t set forwarding rules like “forward when busy” or “forward during specific hours.”
The best alternative to iPhone call forwarding: Virtual numbers
With these limitations, it’s clear your iPhone’s default call forwarding can’t keep up with your business. You’ll run into the same limitations when you use your carrier’s call forwarding codes.
But there’s a modern alternative that overcomes these limitations: virtual numbers.
A virtual phone number is a cloud-based number that isn’t tied to a phone line or a physical SIM. It works through your internet connection rather than traditional phone hardware.
Virtual numbers ensure you remain accessible regardless of your location. VoIP phones let you make and receive calls on your laptop or mobile phone as long as you have a strong internet connection.
5 scenarios when you may need more than iPhone call forwarding
Here are a few scenarios where you may need a virtual business phone system to give you more control over incoming calls.
1. Taking calls while out of the country
Imagine you’re traveling internationally and misplace or lose your cell phone. Or maybe you leave it behind to avoid carrying multiple devices. Without your iPhone physically in hand, there’s no way to set up call forwarding to another number. Alternatively, your phone may not support dual SIMs, or you may not have a local number to forward calls to.
With a virtual phone number, you don’t have to worry about carrying your iPhone to take calls while traveling. You can access your virtual number on any device, including your computer. Download your virtual number provider’s apps on your device, log in to your account, and start making calls. For example, Quo, formerly OpenPhone, has Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android apps that you can use. You can also use Quo in your browser, so it works on most devices.
2. Setting up call forwarding at specific times
While the iPhone gives you a basic way to redirect calls, you can’t schedule forwarding based on work hours or shifts. For example, you may want to forward calls only during meetings or outside regular business hours.
A virtual phone service gives you the option to automate call routing based on predefined schedules. Calls are redirected without constant manual activation.
For example, Quo users can set up business hours that determine when their team is available to take calls. Calls that come in outside of business hours can be routed to another number in their workspace or a backup emergency number.
Quo also lets you schedule custom call routing flows in advance. With temporary call flows, you can schedule call forwarding rules based on your team’s availability.
For example, let’s say your team has limited hours or needs to forward calls to a different team during the holidays. You can schedule the system to route calls elsewhere.
3. Sharing responsibility for incoming business calls
Virtual phones let you share your virtual number with your team. Incoming calls are routed to everyone who has access to your shared number. This way, even if you can’t take a call, your team can. It reduces your missed calls, which means fewer missed opportunities.
VoIP phone providers offer multiple ways to manage incoming call routing. You can set up simultaneous ring on your iPhone and other team members’ devices so everyone receives calls at the same time. You can also have a custom ring group that can ring your team in a specific order.
And if no one on your team can take a call, you can set up SMS auto-replies on your iPhone or route calls to an AI answering service.
4. Keeping a record of all incoming calls
Many industries need to maintain accurate call history for compliance and accountability. A virtual phone system lets you track and log every call, including details such as caller information and call duration.
With Quo, you can record calls automatically with built-in call recording compliance. You can also generate time-stamped AI call transcripts after every call. With both features, you can keep an accurate record of what customers shared with you. This way, you can keep track of customer needs and resolve potential disputes. Plus, with AI call tags on Quo’s Scale plan, you can identify your call drivers and surface recurring issues and opportunities.
5. Automatically diverting calls to the right person or AI agent
Forwarding calls to just one number might not cut it when your business has multiple departments or roles.
A phone menu, also known as an auto-attendant, can greet callers and route them to the appropriate person or team based on their input. This helps callers reach the right destination faster while reducing hold times and overall call volume.
VoIP providers like Quo also provide AI voice agents to handle calls when your team is busy or unavailable. Our AI agent, Sona, can answer common questions from callers and take down messages that your team can review later. Sona can also send SMS messages and transfer calls to your team as needed. With Sona, you can make sure your business never misses an incoming call again.
Get a reliable virtual number with Quo
While you can forward calls with your iPhone, it’s a less efficient way to manage your calls. When you’re running a business, your phone should be able to adapt to your team’s needs.
With a virtual number from Quo, you can do exactly that. You’ll have access to:
- Time-saving business phone features like snippets, AI-generated responses, and automated text messages
- Easy team collaboration through shared numbers and customizable ring order
- Smart call management with AI-generated tags, call transcripts, and summaries
Get started with our virtual numbers today. Try Quo with our seven-day free trial.
FAQs
Call forwarding redirects incoming calls to another number. Call waiting notifies you of incoming calls while you’re already on a call.
When you turn on default call forwarding on an iPhone, all incoming calls are redirected to your forwarding number.
With conditional call forwarding, you can determine when you want to forward calls to another number. For example, you can specify if you want to forward calls when:
• You don’t answer the phone
• Your number is busy
• Your number is unreachable
iPhone call forwarding works internationally, but you’ll pay international rates for forwarded calls. The person calling you pays normal rates, but you’re charged for the international leg of the forwarded call.
Share access to a Quo number with your team by inviting team members through the Quo dashboard or mobile phone app.
Call forwarding is usually included in your phone plan, but some carriers may charge you per minute or per forwarded call. Your best bet is to check with your provider to be sure. With Quo, call forwarding is included at no extra cost.
No, call forwarding only works for phone calls. If you want to forward text messages, you’ll need a separate app or service that supports SMS forwarding.
