You know the feeling when you miss a call from a customer or prospect: it can potentially hurt your business.
Unconditional call forwarding sends every incoming call to another number immediately. Conditional call forwarding only forwards in specific situations: when you are busy, do not answer, or are unreachable. On Verizon and AT&T you set unconditional forwarding with *72 followed by the forwarding number to turn forwarding on, and *73 to turn it off. On T-Mobile, dial **21*1 + phone number # to turn forwarding on, and ##21# to turn it off.
You set conditional forwarding with *71 + the 10-digit number on Verizon. On T-Mobile, you use GSM codes like **67*, **61*, or **62* followed by the 10-digit number and a #. AT&T doesn’t publish its own wireless codes, but its network reportedly uses the same GSM codes as T-Mobile. To check if unconditional forwarding is active on AT&T or T-Mobile, try dialing *#21#. Verizon users must check their status via their carrier app or website.
We’ll walk you through the steps to set up conditional call forwarding from different devices, such as forwarding from a landline to a cell phone. Plus, we’ll show you an alternative that’s a lot simpler.
What is conditional call forwarding?
Conditional call forwarding redirects phone calls when certain criteria is met. The three main types are:
- Busy: Forwards the call when your line is busy
- No answer: Forwards unanswered calls after 3–6 rings
- Unreachable: Forwards the call if your phone is off, has no signal, or is in airplane mode
Unconditional call forwarding would forward every incoming call to another number. Think of it like mail delivery. Unconditional forwarding much like mail being sent straight to a new address without ever going to the old one. Conditional forwarding is like asking a neighbor to check your mailbox and to leave your mail at the kitchen counter only if you aren’t home.
| Conditional | Unconditional | |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Busy, no answer, or unreachable | None — forwards immediately |
| Typical user | Business owners, support teams | Individuals |
| Control | Different rules for different scenarios | One rule for all calls |
New to this? Start with call forwarding basics.
How to set up conditional and unconditional call forwarding
For the major US phone carriers, you set up call forwarding by dialing the “star” (*) on your keypad, followed by a code that identifies the type of forwarding.
The chart below shows you how to activate and turn off call forwarding, depending on your carrier. This applies to mobile phones.
| Phone provider | Feature | Activate | Deactivate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | No answer or busy call forwarding | Dial *71, then the 10-digit forwarding phone number. Listen for a series of beeps, then wait for the call to end automatically. | Dial *73. Listen for a series of beeps, then wait for the call to end automatically. |
| Unconditional — all calls | Dial *72 followed by the 10-digit forwarding phone number. Listen for beeps and wait for the call to end. | Dial *73. Listen for a series of beeps, and then wait for the call to end automatically. | |
| AT&T* | No answer call forwarding | Dial **61*, enter a forwarding number, then press # | Dial ##61# |
| Busy call forwarding | Dial **67*, enter a forwarding number, then press # | Dial ##67# | |
| Unreachable call forwarding | Dial ***62*, enter a forwarding number, then press # | Dial ##62# | |
| Unconditional — all calls | Dial *72, enter a forwarding number, and then press # | Dial *73# | |
| T-Mobile | No answer call forwarding | Press **61* then 1+phone number# | Press ##61# |
| Unreachable call forwarding | Press **62* then 1+phone number# | Press ##62# | |
| Busy call forwarding | Press **67* then 1+phone number# | Press ##67# | |
| Unconditional — all calls | Press **21*1+phone number# | Press ##21# |
*AT&T’s own support docs only publish forwarding codes for landline/U-verse service. AT&T wireless doesn’t publish its own codes, but its network reportedly uses the standard GSM codes above.
Using an MVNO (Mint, Cricket, Visible, etc.)? These budget carriers run on a major network, so use the codes for their parent carrier: Mint and Ultra Mobile on T-Mobile, Cricket on AT&T, Visible on Verizon. Confirm with your provider’s support docs, since a few restrict or remap these star codes.
Want to check if call forwarding is active? You can try dialing *#21#, though this may not work on every carrier.
For other phone carriers
If you don’t have service with a US cell carrier, you can still set up call forwarding on an Android device. To do this on an Android phone, do the following:
- Launch the Phone app.
- Select the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then choose Phone Settings.
- Choose Calls or Supplementary services.
- On Pixel phones, tap Calling accounts, then select the right SIM card.
- Choose Call forwarding.
- Turn on the options for call forwarding and add the numbers you’d like to forward calls to:
- Always forward
- Forward when busy
- Forward when unanswered
- Forward when unreached
6. To deactivate call forwarding, go to Phone Settings and turn off the option you chose.
💡 If those steps don’t work for you, open Phone Settings. Then search for Call settings and select Call forwarding.
On a landline or older cell phone, use the carrier codes in the table above. Most carriers use *72/*73 for unconditional forwarding.
iPhone only supports unconditional call forwarding. On iOS 17 or later, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding.
- Toggle Call Forwarding on.
- Add the number to forward to.
- To deactivate, toggle Call Forwarding off.
You’ll need carrier codes or a virtual phone app to set up conditional call forwarding on an iPhone.
How conditional call forwarding helps your team stay connected
Conditional call forwarding steps in when you can’t answer. It redirects calls to a teammate or backup number so your business stays responsive.
Here’s how it supports your day-to-day communication with callers:
- Prevents missed calls that could cost you revenue: When every call reaches someone who can help, you’re less likely to lose potential business because a call went unanswered.
- Keeps callers from waiting when you’re tied up: If you’re already on the phone, new calls can redirect to a teammate so no one sits on hold.
- Covers you after hours: Forward calls to voicemail or a number that’s monitored so people can still reach your business outside your normal schedule.
- Protects you when service is spotty: If you’re traveling or working remotely and lose signal, calls can automatically go to someone with better coverage.
- Helps during busy or short-staffed days: Route calls to whoever’s available to keep wait times low and share the workload evenly.
- Keeps you reachable during outages: If your phone or network goes down, forwarding to a backup number helps your team stay responsive while you troubleshoot.
Conditional call forwarding is useful, but it can only take you so far. A virtual number gives you more control and more reliable routing as your business grows. Before you set everything up, it’s worth understanding where your carrier’s call forwarding options fall short.
5 limitations of your cell phone provider’s call forwarding feature
Conditional call forwarding is better than forwarding all business calls. But there are some scenarios that your phone or a free call forwarding app can’t handle. Depending on your business, you might find these limitations annoying at best — and unworkable at worst.
1. You can’t separate work and personal calls
When you receive a forwarded call, nothing indicates the call was forwarded. It looks like any other incoming call.
You may find yourself in situations where you don’t want to answer a business call. But you’d be willing to answer personal calls, such as incoming calls in the evenings or on weekends.
If you return a dropped forwarded call, you’re doing it from your personal device, exposing your personal number to the caller.
2. You can’t schedule call forwarding for specific times
Activating and deactivating conditional call forwarding is a manual process. If you want to forward calls to another person outside your working hours — like to a team member in another time zone — you’d have to do this every day. You can’t set a specific schedule for conditional call forwarding.
That’s where a virtual phone app comes in, which lets you schedule call forwarding at specific times, to certain numbers. No manually dialing star codes or remembering to toggle on forwarding. It turns on and off automatically.
3. You need to be connected to your cell service
To receive forwarded calls on your personal cell phone, you need to have cell service. Otherwise, your call forwarding device would also be unreachable. Conditional call forwarding may not work if you’re in a rural area or traveling internationally. It can also potentially not forward calls conditionally if you don’t have the device you wish to forward calls from.
4. You can’t document incoming calls
Recording tools are common for business calls, so calls and transcripts can be reviewed later. You can’t easily record calls that are forwarded from another number.
A virtual phone platform like Quo lets you see all call recordings, texts, and voicemail transcripts stored within a single view for a contact. This allows everyone on your team to instantly access a customer’s conversation history.
Every interaction can also automatically log to your CRM. This works when you connect Quo to tools like HubSpot, Zapier, or Make. You can also use the Quo API to build custom integrations with the tools your team already uses.
5. You can’t work with a team to answer incoming calls
Let’s say you set up conditional call forwarding so that unanswered calls ring your personal cell phone. If you’re not available to take the call on your cell phone either, the caller would have had to listen to a lot of rings — and still has to leave a message.
Avoid missing important calls and potential customers slipping through the cracks by using shared numbers. Unlike a basic call-forwarding app, shared numbers simultaneously ring multiple people at once. If you have people at your company who you want to take calls first, you can even set a ring order so they get call notifications first.
If you do miss a call, you can give customers an immediate touchpoint with auto-replies and set expectations for when you’ll get back to them. You can also offer the option to schedule a call-back and confirm a specific time over text.
You can add additional context to every call in Quo with internal threads. Threads lets you tag team members to ask questions and leave notes about customers.
Virtual numbers: A better way to do conditional call forwarding
A virtual number app — like Google Voice or a full business phone system — handles call forwarding, routing, and record-keeping through software instead of your carrier. Google Voice covers the basics well for individuals, but its team routing and call-handling features are limited. Business phone systems like Quo go further with collaboration features, integrations, and an AI agent for call overflow.
“Quo has a suite of further features that allow users to define and refine their voicemail, call forwarding, AI agent, texting, call transcription that feels streamlined…everything is clearly and easily accessible.” — Quo user on G2
Additionally, virtual numbers are much more affordable than bundled carrier plans. For example, T-Mobile’s business phone plans start at $60 per month for 1 line. For 2 lines, you’ll pay $90 per month. This doesn’t include features like automated call routing, call recording, or other business features. In contrast, Quo’s plans start at $15 per number per month.
If you need to set up call forwarding for your Quo phone number, you can do it in a few simple steps.
How to set up conditional call forwarding in the Quo desktop or web app
Advanced inbound call handling that lets you forward calls based on specific conditions is available on our Business plan. To get started in the desktop or web app, click on Settings from the left-hand menu.
- In the Workspace section, click on Phone numbers.
- Choose the specific phone number you wish to enable call forwarding for.
- If you haven’t already, add your business hours.
- Scroll down to the Call flow section and click Edit call flow.
- From here, you can use the Quo call flow builder to drag and drop different call flow steps during and after business hours. For example, if you wish to forward all calls outside your business hours to another number, drag and drop the Forward call step below After hours. Then select Pick a phone number and enter the number you want calls to be forwarded to.
- You can also use the call flow builder settings to drag and drop a Forward call step to any part of your call flow. For example, you can route calls to an external number based on a phone menu option callers select. To learn more about the call flow builder and your different options, check out our guide to setting up the call flow builder.
What to read next
Weighing options beyond your carrier? See our guide to the best call forwarding apps.
FAQs
Error messages like “call forwarding unconditional voice not forwarded” usually mean your phone couldn’t forward the call — often because there’s an issue with the number or your carrier.
First, double-check the number you’re forwarding to is active and includes the right area or country code. You can also try restarting your device or forwarding it to a different number. If that doesn’t work, your carrier may need to enable call forwarding on your account.
For more troubleshooting tips, see our guide to why call forwarding isn’t working.
Standard unconditional call forwarding forwards every incoming call to another phone number. Conditional call forwarding forwards calls only in certain scenarios, such as when you don’t answer a call or you’re already on an active call.
Turning off conditional call forwarding varies by phone carrier. You’ll dial a star (*) or ## on your keypad, then enter a 2-digit code associated with the type of forwarding, followed by another #. Refer to the chart above for the steps to deactivate conditional call forwarding by carrier.
Quo gives you a few different ways to route calls during and after business hours. If a caller reaches you within business hours, you can:
– Route calls to a shared number that can have a set ring order
– Forward calls to an external US or Canadian number
– Automatically send callers to voicemail if no one’s available
– Play an audio recording that doesn’t provide the option to leave a message, but includes information such as an alternate way to reach you
Outside of business hours, you can:
– Set up an after-hours phone menu
– Automatically forward calls all after business hours to an external US or Canadian number
– Route callers to an away voicemail greeting
– Play an after-hours audio recording
It means your iPhone is forwarding calls only in certain situations, like when you don’t answer, your number is busy, or your phone has no signal. Your carrier is handling the forwarding in the background, so you may not see anything change on your screen while it’s active.
Most landline providers let you forward calls by dialing a short code. Then, you enter the mobile number you want calls sent to and press #. For many carriers, this is *72 followed by the mobile number. Once enabled, anyone calling your landline will be automatically redirected to your mobile.
The simplest option is to use a virtual number from a business phone system like Quo. You can log in on multiple devices and share the same number without swapping SIM cards or paying for extra lines. Everyone sees the same call history and messages, which keeps conversations organized.
Immediate call forwarding is another way to say unconditional call forwarding. It automatically sends every incoming call to another number, so your original line never rings.
Yes, call forwarding is safe to use as long as you forward calls to a number you trust. Your carrier handles the transfer, so the call isn’t exposed to outside parties. Just be cautious about enabling forwarding to unfamiliar numbers since you’re giving them control of your incoming calls.
Call forwarding is usually included with major US carrier plans at no additional charge. That said, some carriers charge per-minute rates for forwarded calls, especially if the forwarding number is long-distance or international. With Quo, domestic call forwarding is included at no extra cost.
Carrier call forwarding — conditional or unconditional — only affects voice calls. Any texts or picture messages still go to your original device, not the forwarding number. If you need texts to follow you too, see our guide to how to forward text messages.
It depends on your carrier. Many US carriers don’t support forwarding to international numbers at all, and the ones that do often charge high per-minute rates. A virtual number forwards internationally over the internet instead of a cell network, so there’s no roaming charge either way. Learn more about international call forwarding.
