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How do I forward only missed calls on an iPhone?

You cannot do it in the iPhone’s Settings: the Call Forwarding switch forwards every call, and the phone stops ringing. To forward only the calls you miss, dial your carrier’s code from the iPhone’s keypad: on Verizon, *71 plus the 10-digit number; on T-Mobile, **61*1 plus the number and # for no answer. Apple itself says to contact your carrier about forwarding when the line is busy or not in service.

AT&T publishes no missed-call code; its guide explains what to test. Apple’s pages, read on 31 Oct 2026, say nothing about cost, which depends on the carrier. Whatever you set, call your number from another phone and let it ring.

Updated Oct 31, 2026

How it works

  1. Leave the Settings switch alone for missed calls

    Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding forwards all calls (with Dual SIM, pick the line first). A Call Forwarding icon shows in the status bar while it is on. Use it only if every call should go to the answering line.

  2. Open the keypad

    Open the Phone app, tap Keypad, and type your carrier’s code with the answering line’s number.

  3. Verizon

    *71 plus the 10-digit number, then Call: unanswered and busy calls forward. *73 turns it off.

  4. T-Mobile

    **61*1, the number and # for no answer; **67*1 for busy; **62*1 for unreachable. Add two stars and the seconds before the # to ring 5 to 30 seconds first. ##61#, ##67# and ##62# turn each off.

  5. AT&T

    AT&T publishes only forward-all (*21*number#, off #21#). For missed calls only, test the standard GSM codes or ask AT&T; the AT&T guide has the details.

  6. Test it before you rely on it

    Call your business number from another phone and let it ring without answering. The call should reach the answering line after the ring time. If you set busy forwarding, call again while the line is in use, and if you set unreachable, try once with the phone switched off.

What it costs to run

Apple’s pages say nothing about cost: forwarded minutes are billed, or not, by your carrier. Each carrier’s guide quotes what its page says.

When it is not worth it

  • If you set forwarding while out of range, it fails. Apple: “You must be in range of the cellular network when you set iPhone to forward calls, or calls won’t be forwarded.”
  • The Settings switch is for GSM service; Apple says that with service through a CDMA network, you contact your carrier.

Questions

Why did my iPhone stop ringing?

The Settings switch is on, and it forwards every call. Turn it off in Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding and use your carrier’s keypad codes instead.

A link asked me to turn on call forwarding. Should I?

No. Apple’s current guide says iPhone warns about and blocks links that ask you to turn on call forwarding, as a protection against scams. Set it by hand.

How do I turn it off?

The Settings switch: off in the same menu. Carrier codes: Verizon *73; T-Mobile ##61#, ##67#, ##62#; AT&T forward-all #21#.

Sources

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