AT&T Call Forwarding: How to Turn It On and Off (2026)

AT&T Call Forwarding: How to Turn It On and Off

Call forwarding sends your calls to another phone. On AT&T, you can turn it on or off in about a minute.

Here is the short answer. On a cell phone, dial *21* plus the 10-digit number, then #. To stop it, dial #21#. On a landline, dial *72 to start and *73 to stop. Wait about three seconds for the confirmation tone before you hang up.

The rest of this guide walks through each phone type, the full list of codes, and what to check when forwarding will not turn off.

AT&T call forwarding codes at a glance

AT&T lists the wireless codes on its device support pages and the landline and business codes in its home phone and business phone help.

How to forward calls on an AT&T cell phone

You have two ways to do this. You can use your phone's settings menu, or you can dial a code. The settings menu is easier to check later, because you can see the number on the screen.

On an iPhone

Apple puts the switch in your phone settings:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then Phone.
3. Tap Call Forwarding.
4. Turn the switch on, then enter the number you want calls sent to.

When the slider is green, forwarding is on, and you can see which number is getting your calls. If you do not see the Call Forwarding option at all, your carrier does not support it on that line. (Steps are from Apple's own guide.)

On an Android phone

Menus move around a bit by brand. On a Samsung Galaxy, Samsung's steps are:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu.
3. Tap Settings, then scroll to Supplementary services.
4. Pick your SIM, then tap Voice calls.
5. Choose a rule, enter the number, and tap Enable.

Samsung gives you four rules: always forward, forward when busy, forward when unanswered, and forward when unreachable. The last three are types of conditional call forwarding, which only sends the call on when a rule is met. Samsung notes that menus can look different depending on your model and software version.

With a dial code

If you do not want to dig through menus, the code does the same job. Open your keypad and dial *21*, the 10-digit number, then #.

For example, *21*5551234567# sends your calls to 555-123-4567.

Wait at least three seconds for the confirmation tone before you end the call. That tone is how you know the network took the change.

How to turn off AT&T call forwarding

To stop forwarding on a cell phone, dial #21# and wait three seconds for the tone. You can also go back into the settings screen above and flip the switch off.

One thing to know: turning forwarding off does not tell the other number that it stopped getting your calls. So if you forwarded calls to a coworker, give them a heads-up.

On a landline or business line, dial *73 (or 73#) instead.

AT&T landline and home phone forwarding

Home phone lines use star codes. To turn forwarding on, pick up the phone and dial *72 or 72#, listen for the dial tone, then enter the number.

How you enter the number depends on the call:

• Long distance: 1 plus the 10-digit number
• Needs an area code: the full number with area code
• Local: just the 7-digit number

Then wait for the confirmation tone. AT&T then calls the forward-to number. Someone has to answer that phone for forwarding to switch on. If the line is busy or nobody picks up, it does not activate and you have to try again.

To turn it off, dial *73. AT&T also notes that local and long-distance charges can apply to forwarded calls.

Two more home phone codes are worth knowing:

• Selective Call Forwarding (*63) forwards only the callers you choose.
• Ring Control (*47) changes how many rings happen before the call forwards.

Business and Digital Phone lines

Business lines get more control. Instead of one on-off switch, you can forward calls only in certain situations:

• All calls: *72 + number + #, off with *73#
• When your line is busy: *90 + number + #, off with *91#
• When nobody answers: *92 + number + #, off with *93#
• During an outage: *372 + number + #, off with *373#
• For up to 20 chosen callers: set the list in your online account, off with *83#

Two warnings from AT&T's help pages. Outage forwarding covers a network or power outage, which is handy if your shop loses power. And when you turn off the outage or chosen-caller options, the numbers you stored are erased, so write them down first.

For a service business, the busy and no-answer rules are usually the ones you want. Calls still ring your main line first. Only the ones you cannot pick up move along.

AT&T Remote Call Forwarding

Remote Call Forwarding is for when you are away from your home phone and cannot dial a code on it.

You call a special access number, enter your home phone number and PIN, press 72#, and then give the number where you want calls to go. To turn it off, do the same thing but press 73#.

If you forget your PIN, you cannot reset it yourself. You have to call the AT&T Service Center.

This one trips people up. If your calls keep forwarding after you dial #21# or *73, a setting on your account may be doing it, not your phone.

Before you forward your calls, know these rules

AT&T is clear about a few limits on wireless lines:

• Forwarding beats voicemail. When forwarding is on, it overrides your wireless voicemail. Callers cannot leave you a message.
• A busy line means a busy signal. If the forward-to number is busy, your caller hears a busy signal.
• No international numbers. You cannot forward calls to a number in another country.
• You get billed for the call. Forwarded calls are charged for the length of the call, and long distance or roaming charges can apply.
• Only from your own phone. For security, AT&T does not let you change wireless forwarding settings online.

That first rule matters most for a business. A forwarded call that nobody answers does not land in voicemail. It just ends.

When call forwarding will not turn off

Try these in order:

1. Dial the off code again and wait the full three seconds for the tone. Hanging up early is the most common reason a change does not stick.
2. Restart your phone. It reconnects to the network, which clears up small glitches.
3. Check your phone's settings screen. A rule set in the menu can stay on even after you dial a code.
4. Check each rule. On Android, "always forward" and "forward when busy" are separate switches. Turning off one leaves the other running.
5. Log in to myAT&T. Some forwarding lives on your account.
6. Call AT&T if calls still move. Remote Call Forwarding and some business features are handled on their side.

Forwarding moves the call. It does not answer it.

This is the part most business owners miss. Call forwarding decides where a call rings. It does not decide whether anyone picks up.

Say you forward the shop phone to your cell. You are under a sink, on a roof, or driving. The call rings your cell instead, and you still miss it. Worse, since forwarding overrides voicemail, the caller may not even get a chance to leave a message.

That call is usually gone for good. About 85% of customers whose calls go unanswered will not call back — they call a competitor instead. You can see the rest of the numbers on our missed call statistics page, and what those calls are worth in the cost of missed calls.

So the real question is what you forward to:

• Your cell phone. Free and quick. Works until your hands are full.
• A teammate. Good if someone is reliably free to answer.
• An answering service. A person or an AI receptionist picks up every time, takes the details, and can book the job while you work.

That last option is why most service businesses set up forwarding in the first place. Point the busy and no-answer rules at a service, and your main line still rings first. Only the calls you cannot catch get handed off. Our guide to the best answering service for small business compares what those services cost and do.

For more on picking and setting up the phone system behind all this, start with our business phone systems guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the AT&T call forwarding code?

On a wireless line, dial *21* plus the 10-digit number, then #. Dial #21# to turn it off. On a landline or business line, use *72 to turn forwarding on and *73 to turn it off. Wait three seconds for the confirmation tone each time.

How do I turn off call forwarding on AT&T?

Dial #21# on a cell phone, or *73 on a landline. You can also open your phone settings and switch it off there. If calls still forward, check your phone's forwarding rules and your myAT&T account.

Does AT&T charge for call forwarding?

AT&T does not charge a fee to turn it on or off. But forwarded wireless calls are billed for the length of the call, and long distance or roaming charges can apply. Home phone lines can pick up local and long-distance charges too.

Why do my callers not reach voicemail?

Call forwarding overrides your wireless voicemail. The call goes to the other number, so the caller never hears your greeting. If that number is busy, they get a busy signal. Turn forwarding off and voicemail works again.

Can I forward AT&T calls to an international number?

No. AT&T does not allow forwarding to an international number on a wireless line.

How do I know if call forwarding is already on?

Check your phone's settings screen. On an iPhone, a green slider under Call Forwarding means it is on, and it shows the number. On a Galaxy, open the Phone app, then Settings, then Supplementary services to see each rule.

Can I forward only some of my calls?

Yes. Business lines can forward when your line is busy (*90) or when nobody answers (*92). Home lines can forward chosen callers with *63. Cell phones handle this in the settings menu, where each rule is its own switch.