Forwarding Calls From One Phone to Another: Easy Guide

By SalesCaptain Team · Updated October 5, 2026

A potential customer calls your business at 5:45 PM, but you’ve already left the office. Your desk phone rings six times and goes to voicemail. That caller doesn’t leave a message. They just call your competitor instead. Sound familiar? This scenario plays out constantly for service businesses, and it’s entirely preventable. Forwarding calls from one phone to another is one of the simplest, most effective ways to make sure every call reaches someone who can answer it.

Forwarding calls from one phone to another automatically redirects incoming calls from your office line to your cell phone, colleague’s phone, or virtual receptionist. This phone feature ensures you never miss important calls, whether you’re away from your desk or outside the office, preventing lost business opportunities.

What Is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is a phone feature that automatically redirects incoming calls from one number to another. When someone dials your office line, the call can ring on your cell phone, a colleague’s phone, or even a virtual receptionist instead of just sitting on your desk. It’s basically a routing rule you set up. The call follows you wherever you go.

There are a few different types. Unconditional forwarding sends every call to the new number, no matter what. Conditional forwarding only kicks in under certain circumstances. Like when your line is busy, you don’t answer within a set number of rings, or your phone is unreachable. Most smartphones and business phone systems support all of these variations, though the setup process differs depending on your device and carrier. According to CallerDesk’s analysis of call forwarding benefits, businesses that use conditional forwarding significantly reduce the number of calls that drop to voicemail.

How to Forward Calls on Android

Android devices handle call forwarding through the Phone app’s settings menu. The exact path varies slightly by manufacturer (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus), but the general steps stay consistent.

Standard Android Setup

• Open the Phone app and tap the three-dot menu (or gear icon) to access Settings.
• Look for Calls or Supplementary Services, then tap Call Forwarding.
• You’ll see options like “Always forward,” “Forward when busy,” “Forward when unanswered,” and “Forward when unreachable.”
• Select the type you want, enter the destination phone number, and tap Enable or Turn On.
• To disable, return to the same screen and tap Disable.

On Samsung devices running One UI, the path is typically Phone → Settings → Supplementary Services → Call Forwarding. Google Pixel phones use Phone → Settings → Calls → Call Forwarding. Can’t find it? Try searching “call forwarding” in your Settings app’s search bar.

Using Star Codes

If the menu route doesn’t work (some carriers restrict it), you can use dialer codes instead. Open your phone’s dialer and enter *72 followed by the destination number, then press Call. You’ll hear a confirmation tone or message. To deactivate, dial *73 and press Call. These codes work with most major U.S. carriers. Though T-Mobile sometimes uses different codes for conditional forwarding. Check your carrier’s support page if *72 doesn’t produce a confirmation.

How to Forward Calls on iPhone

Apple’s approach is more standardized since there’s only one manufacturer. But there’s an important catch that trips up a lot of people.

Steps for iPhone Call Forwarding

• Go to Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding.
• Toggle Call Forwarding on.
• Tap Forward To and enter the destination number.
• A small phone icon with an arrow appears in your status bar, confirming it’s active.

Here’s the catch that matters: this built-in toggle only appears if your iPhone uses a GSM network (like AT&T or T-Mobile). If you’re on a CDMA network (historically Verizon or US Cellular), the toggle won’t show up in Settings at all. You’ll need to use your carrier’s star codes instead. Or manage forwarding through your carrier’s app or website. For Verizon, dial *72 + destination number, just like Android.

Apple’s official support page for call forwarding confirms this GSM/CDMA distinction and provides carrier-specific guidance.

Setting Up Call Forwarding on Landlines and Business Phone Systems

Forwarding calls from one phone to another isn’t limited to mobile devices. In fact, for most service businesses, the more critical use case is forwarding your office landline or VoIP number to a mobile phone. You can’t let calls go unanswered after hours.

Traditional Landlines

With a traditional landline from providers like AT&T, CenturyLink, or a local telco, the process is pretty straightforward. Dial *72 from the landline phone, enter the destination number, and wait for a confirmation tone. Some providers charge a small monthly fee for call forwarding service. And you may need to call them to activate the feature on your account first. Deactivation is usually *73.

VoIP and Business Phone Systems

Modern VoIP platforms give you far more control. You don’t get just one forwarding rule. Instead, you can build call flows that route calls based on time of day, caller ID, department, or whether a team member is available. For example, you might route calls to your front desk during business hours. Then forward after-hours calls to a manager’s cell phone. And if that goes unanswered, send the caller to a voicemail with an automatic text-back. As VoxBot’s guide on small business call forwarding explains, this layered approach captures far more leads than simple one-to-one forwarding.

The U.S. Telephone Answering Service Industry report shows continued growth in businesses outsourcing or automating their call handling. The shift from basic forwarding to intelligent routing systems is driving this change.

Troubleshooting Common Call Forwarding Problems

Call forwarding is straightforward in theory. But a surprising number of issues pop up in practice. Here are the most common ones and how to fix them.

Forwarding Doesn’t Activate

If you set up forwarding and calls still ring your original phone, your carrier may not have the feature enabled on your plan. Some prepaid plans and budget MVNOs don’t include call forwarding by default. Call your carrier or check your account online. Confirm it’s available. Also verify you entered the destination number correctly, including the area code.

Calls Go Straight to Voicemail on the Forwarded Phone

This usually means the destination phone has its own don’t Disturb or call screening enabled. The forwarded call arrives as a regular incoming call on the second phone. So any blocking rules there still apply. Check the destination phone’s DND settings, silence unknown callers toggle (on iPhone), and any third-party call-blocking apps.

Double Voicemail Problem

Sometimes a forwarded call hits voicemail on the destination phone before the original phone’s voicemail can pick it up. Or vice versa. You end up with voicemails scattered across two phones. To fix this, adjust the number of rings before forwarding kicks in. The destination phone needs enough time to ring before its own voicemail answers. Most carriers let you set ring duration when configuring conditional forwarding.

International or Long-Distance Charges

Forwarding to a number in a different area code or country can incur charges on both ends. The original phone pays for the forward. And the destination phone may pay for receiving it if it’s long distance. Check with your carrier before forwarding calls internationally.

Why Basic Call Forwarding Falls Short for Growing Businesses

Simple call forwarding works fine for solopreneurs who just want their office calls to ring their cell. But once you’ve got a team, multiple locations, or after-hours volume, basic forwarding creates new problems. You can only forward to one number at a time. There’s no visibility into which calls were forwarded, answered, or missed. And every forwarded call still requires a human to pick up.

Research from Answering Agent on missed call revenue impact highlights how even a small percentage of unanswered calls can translate into significant lost revenue for service businesses. Basic forwarding reduces missed calls, but it doesn’t eliminate them. Someone still has to answer.

That’s where intelligent call routing and AI-powered answering become the next step. Rather than forwarding to a single phone and hoping someone picks up, modern systems can try multiple team members in sequence. They play customized greetings, capture caller information, and even handle the entire conversation without human involvement.

How SalesCaptain Helps

SalesCaptain’s phone system and call flow builder take the concept of forwarding calls from one phone to another and expand it into a complete call handling strategy. You don’t get a single forwarding rule. Instead, you build visual call flows using a drag-and-drop interface. An incoming call can route through an IVR menu, attempt your front desk, ring a specific team member’s cell, and then fall back to an AI Phone Agent that answers naturally. It books appointments. It qualifies leads. It captures caller details.

The AI Phone Agent is the critical difference. It doesn’t just take a message. It carries on a natural conversation, answers FAQs about your business, and can book directly into your calendar through native integrations with tools like Acuity Scheduling, ServiceTitan, or Housecall Pro. Every call gets transcribed and summarized with AI. So your team sees exactly what happened without listening to recordings. And because everything flows into SalesCaptain’s unified inbox alongside texts, webchat, and social DMs, you never lose context on a customer conversation.

For multi-location businesses, the per-location pricing keeps costs predictable as you grow. You start with a free plan for one location, then $159/month per location on the Business plan. You’re not paying per user or per seat. That’s a meaningful difference compared to platforms like Aircall, where pricing starts at $30 per license with a three-seat minimum. AI Voice Agent capabilities cost an additional $0.49 per minute on top.

Key Takeaways

Forwarding calls from one phone to another is a foundational tool for any business that can’t afford to miss calls. On Android, use Settings or dial *72. On iPhone, use the Settings toggle for GSM carriers or star codes for CDMA. For landlines, *72 is the standard activation code. VoIP systems offer far more sophisticated routing options.

But forwarding alone only redirects the ring. It doesn’t guarantee someone answers. For service businesses that need reliable 24/7 call coverage without hiring additional staff, combining intelligent call flows with AI-powered answering closes the gap. Basic forwarding leaves that gap wide open. The businesses that capture every call are the ones that win.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does call forwarding cost extra on my cell phone plan?

It depends on your carrier and plan. Most major U.S. carriers include basic call forwarding at no additional charge on postpaid plans. But you’ll pay airtime minutes (if your plan isn’t unlimited) for the forwarded leg of the call. Forwarding to international numbers typically incurs long-distance fees. Prepaid and MVNO plans sometimes don’t include forwarding at all. So check your plan details.

Can I forward calls to multiple numbers at once?

Standard cell phone call forwarding only supports one destination number at a time. If you need calls to ring multiple phones simultaneously (called “ring groups” or “simultaneous ring”), you’ll need a VoIP or business phone system that supports that feature. SalesCaptain’s call flow builder, for example, lets you route calls through sequential or parallel ring patterns across your team.

Will the person I forward to see the original caller’s number?

In most cases, yes. The forwarded call typically displays the original caller’s number on the destination phone. However, some carriers and VoIP systems may show your business number instead. It depends on how the forwarding is configured. If caller ID pass-through matters to your workflow, test it after setup. You’ll know for sure what to expect.

How do I forward calls only during specific hours?

Basic phone forwarding doesn’t support time-based rules. You’d have to manually enable and disable forwarding each day. Business phone systems and VoIP platforms solve this with scheduled call flows or time-based routing rules. You set business hours once, and the system automatically forwards after-hours calls to the designated number or AI agent.

What happens if the forwarded phone doesn’t answer either?

If nobody picks up on the destination phone, the call typically goes to that phone’s voicemail. This creates the “double voicemail” problem mentioned earlier in this article. Business phone systems address this by adding additional fallback steps. Like trying another team member, sending a missed call text-back, or routing to an AI agent that can handle the conversation automatically.