How to Forward Calls From One Phone to Another

You’re on a job site, in a meeting, or simply away from your desk when an important client calls your main business line. Nobody picks up, and that caller moves on to your competitor. According to research on the true cost of missed calls, most callers won’t leave a voicemail or try again. Learning how to forward calls from one phone to another is one of the simplest ways to stop losing business to unanswered phones.

What Is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is a phone feature that automatically redirects incoming calls from one number to a different number. Instead of ringing your office landline and going to voicemail, the call gets sent to your cell phone, a colleague’s line, or even an AI-powered phone agent. It works on traditional landlines, cell phones, and VoIP business phone systems.

The concept is straightforward, but the setup varies depending on your device, carrier, and phone system. Some methods involve dialing a simple star code on your keypad. Others let you configure forwarding rules through an app or web dashboard. What matters most for a service business isn’t just knowing the steps, though. It’s choosing the right approach so every call actually reaches someone who can help.

How to Forward Calls on iPhones and Android Devices

If you’re forwarding calls directly from a personal or business cell phone, the process differs slightly between iOS and Android. Both are quick to set up, but each has its own path through the settings menu.

Forwarding Calls on an iPhone

Apple makes call forwarding accessible through the Settings app. Here’s the step-by-step process:

• Open Settings and tap Phone.
• Tap Call Forwarding and toggle it on.
• Enter the phone number you want calls forwarded to.
• Tap Back to save. A small phone icon should appear in your status bar confirming it’s active.

One thing to keep in mind: iPhone call forwarding is carrier-dependent. If your carrier doesn’t support the feature (or if you’re on certain prepaid plans), the option may not appear at all. Also, when call forwarding is on, all incoming calls go to the forwarded number. There’s no selective filtering built into the native iOS settings.

Forwarding Calls on Android Phones

Android devices vary by manufacturer, but the general path is consistent across most models:

• Open the Phone app and tap the three-dot menu (or Settings).
• Select Calling accounts or Supplementary services, depending on your device.
• Tap Call forwarding.
• Choose when to forward: Always forward, When busy, When unanswered, or When unreachable.
• Enter the destination number and confirm.

Android actually gives you more granular control than iPhone. You can set conditional forwarding so calls only redirect when you don’t answer after a set number of rings, or when your phone is turned off. That flexibility is useful if you only want a backup, not a full redirect.

How to Forward Calls Using Star Codes and Carrier Methods

Before smartphones had settings menus for everything, call forwarding was handled through star codes dialed directly on your keypad. These codes still work on most U.S. carriers and landlines, and they’re often the fastest way to toggle forwarding on and off.

Universal Star Codes for Most Carriers

• *72 + destination number: Activates unconditional call forwarding. Dial it, wait for a confirmation tone, and all calls reroute to the number you entered.
• *73: Deactivates call forwarding.
• *71 + destination number: Forwards calls only when your line is busy.
• *61 + destination number: Forwards calls when unanswered (on some carriers).

These codes work on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile for most plans, though some codes differ slightly by carrier. For example, T-Mobile uses **21* followed by the number and # for unconditional forwarding on GSM networks. If *72 doesn’t work, check your carrier’s support page for the specific code.

Forwarding from a Landline

Traditional landlines use the same *72/*73 system. Pick up the handset, dial *72, enter the destination number, and wait for a confirmation tone or message. To cancel, simply dial *73. However, many landline providers charge an extra monthly fee for call forwarding, and the feature may need to be activated on your account before the codes work.

Here’s the limitation that frustrates most business owners: these basic forwarding methods don’t give you any intelligence. Every call goes to one number, regardless of who’s calling or when. There’s no routing by time of day, no filtering, and no way to handle overflow. For personal use, that’s fine. For a business that gets dozens of calls a day, it creates new problems.

Why Basic Call Forwarding Falls Short for Businesses

Setting up call forwarding with a star code takes about 30 seconds. So why do so many service businesses still miss calls even after enabling it? Because basic forwarding has real limitations that compound as your call volume grows.

Common Limitations of Native Call Forwarding

• Single destination only: Calls forward to one number. If that person is busy, the call goes to their voicemail, not to someone else on your team.
• No conditional logic: Most star-code forwarding is all-or-nothing. You can’t forward after-hours calls to one number and weekday calls to another.
• No tracking or recording: You won’t know how many forwarded calls were answered, how long they lasted, or what the caller needed.
• No text message forwarding: Call forwarding doesn’t redirect SMS. If a customer texts your main number, that message stays on the original device.
• Carrier charges: According to NerdWallet’s small business data, keeping overhead low is critical for SMBs. Per-minute forwarding fees from carriers add up quickly for high-volume businesses.

The deeper problem is that forwarding a call doesn’t mean handling a call. If you forward your office line to your cell phone while you’re on a roof or in a client consultation, you’re still not answering. And missed calls can cost businesses significant revenue, especially in competitive home services and healthcare markets where the first business to respond usually wins the job.

What Growing Businesses Actually Need

Rather than simply redirecting calls, service businesses need a system that handles calls intelligently. That means routing based on time of day, team member availability, and caller intent. It also means capturing lead information even when no human is available, and keeping a record of every interaction across calls, texts, and chat.

A study on missed business call statistics shows that industries like legal, medical, and home services lose the most revenue from unanswered calls. For these businesses, the question isn’t really “how do I forward my calls?” It’s “how do I make sure every call gets a professional response, even when I can’t pick up?”

How SalesCaptain Helps

SalesCaptain’s approach goes beyond simple call forwarding by giving service businesses a complete phone system with intelligent call flows and AI-powered agents. Instead of routing calls blindly to another number, you can build custom call flows using a visual drag-and-drop builder. These flows let you set rules for how every incoming call is handled.

For example, during business hours, calls can ring your front desk first, then roll over to a specific team member if there’s no answer within three rings. After hours, the same call flow can route to SalesCaptain’s AI Phone Agent, which answers in a natural-sounding voice, qualifies the lead, books appointments, and answers common questions. There’s no voicemail limbo. No missed opportunity.

What makes this different from a basic forwarding setup or even a competing VoIP system is the depth of call handling. SalesCaptain includes IVR menus, call routing, hold music, warm and cold transfers, voicemail-to-text, and AI transcriptions with summaries of every conversation. Platforms like Birdeye and OpenPhone lack many of these capabilities. Birdeye, for instance, doesn’t offer call routing, IVR, or any AI-powered call features. OpenPhone has minimal AI capabilities and only seven integrations.

On top of call handling, SalesCaptain’s missed call text-back feature automatically sends an SMS to any caller you can’t reach, so the conversation continues even when nobody picks up. Everything flows into a unified inbox alongside texts, webchat, Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger, and email. Your team sees the full picture of every customer interaction without switching between apps.

With pricing starting at a free plan for one location and $159/month per location for the Business tier, it’s built for SMBs. According to 2024 small business statistics from Credibly, keeping costs predictable matters enormously for growing companies. SalesCaptain’s per-location model means you’re not paying per-user fees that spike as your team grows.

Key Takeaways

Knowing how to forward calls from one phone to another is a useful skill, whether you’re using iPhone settings, Android’s conditional forwarding, or star codes like *72. For personal use or a very small operation, these built-in tools work fine.

But for service businesses that can’t afford to miss calls, basic forwarding is a band-aid, not a solution. The real goal isn’t to redirect a ringing phone. It’s to ensure every caller gets a fast, professional response that captures their information and moves them toward booking. That requires intelligent call flows, AI agents that pick up when humans can’t, and a unified system that tracks every interaction.

According to PCN Answers’ missed call revenue study, the financial impact of unanswered calls is larger than most business owners realize. Don’t let a simple feature gap be the reason your next customer calls someone else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does call forwarding also forward text messages?

No. Standard call forwarding on iPhones, Android devices, and landlines only redirects voice calls. Text messages stay on the original device. If you need both calls and texts handled from a single business number, you’ll need a VoIP or unified communication platform that manages SMS and voice together.

Can I forward calls to another number if I don’t have my phone with me?

Yes, in most cases. You can call your carrier from any phone and request call forwarding be activated on your line. Some carriers also let you manage forwarding through their website or app. With a cloud-based phone system, you can change routing rules from any device with internet access.

Will the person I forward calls to see my number or the caller’s number?

It depends on your carrier and forwarding method. With most cell phone forwarding, the receiving phone sees the original caller’s number. However, some landline forwarding systems show your business number instead. Cloud phone systems typically preserve the caller’s ID so the person answering knows who’s calling.

Is there a cost for call forwarding?

Carrier-based forwarding often incurs per-minute charges, especially on landlines. Cell phone plans may include it at no extra cost, but forwarded calls usually count against your minutes. According to Lendio’s small business data, unexpected costs are a top concern for SMBs, so check your plan details before enabling forwarding.

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

The call typically goes to the voicemail of the forwarded number, not your original voicemail. That means your business voicemail greeting won’t play, and you may never know the call came in. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of basic forwarding, and it’s why businesses with higher call volumes use call flow systems that can route to multiple destinations or an AI agent as a backup.