It's happened to all of us. You're expecting an important call, but you know you'll be away from your primary phone, or perhaps you're simply tired of carrying two devices. Maybe you're heading out for a vacation, or you're starting a new project that requires you to be hands-on and away from your desk. Whatever the reason, the need to seamlessly redirect your calls becomes essential.
If you're a Verizon customer, you're in luck! Verizon offers straightforward ways to forward your calls, ensuring you never miss a beat. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, step-by-step, making it easier than ever to stay connected, no matter where you are.
Mastering Call Forwarding on Verizon: Your Complete Guide
Call forwarding is a powerful tool that gives you control over your incoming calls. With Verizon, you have options for both unconditional and conditional call forwarding, allowing you to tailor the service to your specific needs. Let's dive in!
Step 1: Decide on Your Call Forwarding Type – Engage and Choose!
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of dialing codes, let's figure out what kind of call forwarding you need. This is a crucial first step, as it determines the exact method you'll use. Think about your daily routine and communication preferences.
Unconditional Call Forwarding (Immediate Call Forwarding): Do you want every single call to go to another number, and have your primary phone not ring at all? This is ideal if you're leaving your phone at home, going on vacation, or using a dedicated business line that needs to be answered elsewhere. Your mobile phone will not ring when this is active.
Conditional Call Forwarding: Do you want calls to forward only under specific circumstances? This is more flexible. Verizon offers conditional forwarding for scenarios like:
Forward when busy: If you're already on a call.
Forward when unanswered: If you don't pick up after a certain number of rings.
Forward when unreachable: If your phone is off, out of service, or in airplane mode.
Step 2: Activating Call Forwarding – The Dial Codes and Beyond
Now that you've chosen your forwarding type, let's get it set up! Verizon provides simple dial codes for quick activation from your phone.
Sub-heading: Activating Unconditional Call Forwarding (All Calls)
This is the most common type of call forwarding.
On Your Mobile Phone (Most Common Method):
Open your phone's dialer app.
Dial
*72followed immediately by the 10-digit phone number you wish to forward your calls to. For example, if you want to forward calls to 123-456-7890, you would dial*721234567890.Press the Call or Send button.
Listen for a confirmation tone or message. Verizon usually provides an audio confirmation that your call forwarding has been activated successfully.
Hang up.
Pro Tip: Your mobile phone will not ring once unconditional call forwarding is active. Test it by calling your Verizon number from another phone to ensure calls are going to the forwarded number.
Through My Verizon (Website or App):
This is a convenient option if you prefer a graphical interface or if you're managing multiple lines.
Go to the
My Verizon website Sign in to your account.
Navigate to the Account or Features section. The exact path may vary slightly but generally involves looking for "Calling Features," "Call Forwarding," or "Manage Features."
Look for the "Forward all calls" or similar option.
Enter the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to.
Confirm your selection to activate.
Sub-heading: Activating Conditional Call Forwarding
Conditional call forwarding gives you more granular control.
Forward when unanswered/busy/unreachable (Most Common Conditional Options):
Open your phone's dialer app.
Dial
*71followed immediately by the 10-digit phone number you wish to forward your calls to. For example,*711234567890.Press the Call or Send button.
Listen for a confirmation tone or message.
Hang up.
Important Note: For "Forward when unanswered," your phone will typically ring several times (usually 4-6 rings) before the call is forwarded. If you pick up during those rings, the call will not forward. For "Forward when busy," the call will forward if your line is already in use. "Forward when unreachable" will forward calls if your phone is off, has no signal, or is in airplane mode.
Through My Verizon (Website or App) for Conditional Forwarding:
Similar to unconditional forwarding, you can often manage conditional forwarding through your My Verizon account.
Go to the
My Verizon website Sign in to your account.
Navigate to Account or Features.
Look for options related to "Conditional Call Forwarding," "Call Forwarding Busy/No Answer," or "Call Handling."
Select the specific conditional forwarding scenario you want to enable (e.g., "Forward when busy," "Forward when no answer").
Enter the forwarding number and save your settings.
Step 3: Verifying Your Call Forwarding
This step is crucial to ensure everything is working as expected. Don't skip it!
From a Different Phone: Call your Verizon number from a different phone (a friend's phone, a landline, etc.).
For Unconditional Forwarding: The call should immediately ring the number you forwarded to, and your Verizon phone should not ring.
For Conditional Forwarding (No Answer): Your Verizon phone should ring for a few seconds (as per its default setting), and then the call should be forwarded to the designated number.
For Conditional Forwarding (Busy): Call your Verizon phone while it's already on another call. The new incoming call should forward.
For Conditional Forwarding (Unreachable): Turn off your Verizon phone or put it in airplane mode, then call it. The call should forward.
If the forwarding isn't working as expected, double-check the number you entered and repeat the activation steps. Sometimes a slight typo can cause issues.
Step 4: Deactivating Call Forwarding – Getting Back to Normal
When you no longer need calls forwarded, it's just as easy to turn it off.
Sub-heading: Deactivating Unconditional Call Forwarding
On Your Mobile Phone:
Open your phone's dialer app.
Dial
*73.Press the Call or Send button.
Listen for a confirmation tone or message indicating that call forwarding has been deactivated.
Hang up.
Test it! Call your Verizon number from another phone. It should now ring on your primary Verizon device.
Through My Verizon (Website or App):
Go to the
My Verizon website Sign in to your account.
Navigate back to the Calling Features or Call Forwarding section.
You should see an option to "Disable" or "Turn Off" call forwarding.
Confirm your choice.
Sub-heading: Deactivating Conditional Call Forwarding
On Your Mobile Phone:
For conditional call forwarding (enabled with *71), you typically use the same deactivation code as unconditional forwarding:
*73.Open your phone's dialer app.
Dial
*73.Press the Call or Send button.
Listen for confirmation.
Hang up.
Note: While *73 usually deactivates all forms of call forwarding, some specific conditional settings might need to be adjusted via the My Verizon portal or by contacting customer support if *73 doesn't fully resolve it.
Through My Verizon (Website or App) for Conditional Forwarding:
Access your My Verizon account (website or app).
Go to the Calling Features or Call Handling section.
Locate the specific conditional forwarding settings you enabled.
Toggle off or disable the desired conditional forwarding option.
Save your changes.
Step 5: Troubleshooting and Important Considerations
Sometimes, things don't go exactly as planned. Here are some tips and important details to keep in mind:
Confirmation is Key: Always wait for the confirmation tone or message after dialing the codes. If you don't hear one, the command might not have registered.
Prepaid Accounts: If you have a Verizon Prepaid account, you might be limited to managing call forwarding solely through dialing codes from your phone, and may not have the My Verizon app/website options for this feature.
Cost: Call forwarding itself generally does not have an additional monthly fee for Verizon postpaid customers. However, airtime charges will apply to all forwarded calls according to your plan, even if you forward calls to a landline. If you forward calls to a long-distance number, long-distance charges may also apply.
International Forwarding: Forwarding calls to an international number may incur significant international long-distance charges. It's often recommended to set up call forwarding before traveling internationally and to keep your Verizon phone off or in airplane mode to avoid unintended roaming charges while calls are being forwarded.
Voicemail Conflicts: If you have certain voicemail features active (like Apple's Live Voicemail), they might interfere with conditional call forwarding. You may need to disable such features to ensure call forwarding works as intended.
Specific Device Settings: While the dial codes work across Verizon devices, some smartphones (especially Android) have their own built-in call forwarding settings within the phone's "Phone" or "Call Settings" app. These settings can sometimes override or conflict with carrier codes. If you're experiencing issues, check your phone's internal settings.
For Android: Open the Phone app > Tap the three dots (More options) > Settings > Supplementary Services or Call Forwarding.
For iPhone: Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding.
Customer Support: If you've tried everything and are still having trouble, don't hesitate to contact Verizon Customer Support. They can troubleshoot issues on their end or provide specific codes for your account or device.
You've now got the full playbook for managing call forwarding on Verizon! By understanding the different types and knowing the activation and deactivation steps, you can seamlessly direct your calls and stay connected, no matter what your day brings.
Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 related FAQ questions about Verizon call forwarding, starting with "How to" and with quick answers:
How to know if call forwarding is active on Verizon?
The easiest way is to call your Verizon number from a different phone. If your Verizon phone doesn't ring (for unconditional forwarding) or rings a few times and then goes to another number (for conditional forwarding), it's active. You may also hear a brief confirmation tone when you make outgoing calls from your Verizon phone if forwarding is enabled.
How to set up call forwarding to voicemail on Verizon?
Typically, when you use call forwarding, you forward calls to another phone number. If you want calls to go directly to your Verizon voicemail without ringing your phone, you would set up unconditional call forwarding to your own phone number. However, this essentially means your phone won't ring, and calls will go straight to voicemail. For conditional forwarding (e.g., if you don't answer), calls will naturally go to your Verizon voicemail if not forwarded elsewhere.
How to forward calls only when my Verizon phone is busy?
Dial *71 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to. This activates conditional call forwarding, where calls will be redirected if your line is already in use.
How to forward calls on Verizon when I don't answer?
Dial *71 followed by the 10-digit number you want to forward calls to. This will forward calls to the designated number if you don't answer after a few rings.
How to forward calls on Verizon when my phone is off or out of service?
This is part of conditional call forwarding. Dial *71 followed by the 10-digit number you wish to forward calls to. If your phone is unreachable (off, no signal, airplane mode), calls will be forwarded.
How to forward calls from a Verizon landline?
For Verizon landlines, unconditional call forwarding is usually activated by dialing *72 followed by the forwarding number. To deactivate, dial *73. Consult your specific Verizon Fios Digital Voice or landline service guide for precise instructions as codes can vary slightly.
How to confirm successful call forwarding activation on Verizon?
After dialing *72 or *71 and the forwarding number, listen for a confirmation tone or message. The most reliable way is to call your Verizon phone from another line to verify the calls are being redirected correctly.
How to turn off all call forwarding on Verizon at once?
To turn off all active call forwarding (both unconditional and conditional) on your Verizon mobile phone, dial *73 and press the Call/Send button. Listen for the deactivation confirmation.
How to check the number my calls are currently forwarded to on Verizon?
Verizon does not typically offer a direct dial code to check the forwarding number. You usually need to turn off forwarding and then reactivate it with the desired number, or check your settings via the My Verizon app or website.
How to avoid charges for forwarded calls on Verizon?
While call forwarding itself is generally free, airtime charges apply to all forwarded calls according to your plan. To avoid these, you would need to disable call forwarding. There's no specific setting to avoid airtime charges while forwarding calls.