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How do I forward missed RingCentral calls to an answering line?

In the RingCentral app, go to Settings, Phone, Call handling, Edit, and under Missed calls (work hours) choose “Forward to external number”, enter the answering line and save. Your phones and apps ring first; calls nobody picks up go to that number instead of voicemail.

Set the ring time in the Admin Portal: RingCentral lets you choose from 2 rings (10 seconds) to 15 rings (75 seconds). The pages read on 31 Oct 2026 give no busy or unreachable rule to an outside number, do not spell out how to turn missed-call forwarding off, and state no cost for forwarding. RingCentral uses menus, not star codes.

Updated Oct 31, 2026

How it works

  1. Send missed calls to the answering line

    RingCentral app: Settings, Phone, Call handling, Edit. Under Missed calls (work hours), choose “Forward to external number”, enter the number and Save.

  2. Set how long your phones ring

    Admin Portal (service.ringcentral.com): Settings, Phone, Call rules and voicemail, My work day, Incoming calls (Work hours or After hours), Ring settings. Choose Ring all together or Ring in order and the rings per entry, from 2 (10 seconds) to 15 (75 seconds), then Done. RingCentral warns: “If your phones or apps ring for too little time, calls may get routed to voicemail before you can answer them.”

  3. Forward all calls, if you want that instead

    Profile picture, Incoming call rules, turn on Forward all calls, choose the destination (any extension or phone number), add a schedule if you like, and Save. It needs call handling permission from your admin, and while it is on you show as unavailable in call queues.

  4. Turn it off

    Forward all calls: switch the toggle off, or tap Turn off in the banner at the top of the app. Missed-call forwarding: RingCentral’s pages do not spell it out; setting Missed calls back to another option in Call handling is the way the menu suggests.

  5. 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

RingCentral’s pages read on 31 Oct 2026 state no cost for forwarding a RingCentral call to an outside number. The one cost note is for the other direction, when a carrier line forwards into RingCentral:

ItemList priceSource
Forwarding a carrier line into RingCentralThe phone company “may charge activation or ongoing monthly fees”RingCentral, Using third-party numbers for your RingCentral callsRead on Oct 31, 2026

Third-party list prices, read on the date shown. They are not Betterlane prices.

When it is not worth it

  • If you need busy or unreachable calls to go to an outside number, the RingCentral pages read document only missed-call and forward-all rules; ask RingCentral before relying on it.
  • If a call queue has to keep working, think twice before Forward all calls: RingCentral says the user then shows as unavailable in queues.

Questions

What if Do not disturb is also on?

RingCentral says that if Do not disturb is also on, calls follow Forward all calls.

How many rings should I give my team?

Any number from 2 rings (10 seconds) to 15 (75 seconds). When a carrier line forwards into RingCentral on no answer, RingCentral recommends four rings on the carrier side.

Can apps keep ringing until someone answers?

RingCentral says apps can be set to Always Ring. Its pages do not say how that interacts with missed-call forwarding, so if you use it, test that unanswered calls still reach the answering line.

Sources

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