How to Turn Off Call Waiting

Call waiting alerts you to a second incoming call while you are already on the line. If those beeps interrupt meetings, recordings or video calls, you can switch the feature off for good or skip it for a single call. This guide covers iPhone, Android and landline or VoIP lines, then shows how to confirm the change and fix the usual problems.

Before you start

• Call waiting is a carrier or provider service, not just a phone setting. When you change it on a mobile phone, the request goes to the network, so you need a working cellular connection when you make the change.
• Decide whether you want to disable it permanently or only for one call. These use different methods.
• Identify your line type: iPhone, Android, or a landline or VoIP service. The steps differ for each.
• Every method below can be reversed, so you can turn call waiting back on later the same way.

Step-by-step instructions

iPhone

• 1. Open Settings.
• 2. Tap Phone. On newer iOS versions, Phone may be listed under Apps.
• 3. Tap Call Waiting.
• 4. Switch the toggle off and wait a few seconds while the phone saves the setting with your carrier.

If Call Waiting does not appear in the Phone settings, your carrier may manage the feature through your account rather than on the device.

Android

• 1. Open the Phone app.
• 2. Tap the menu icon (usually three dots) and choose Settings.
• 3. Look for Call waiting. Depending on the manufacturer and Android version, it may sit under Calls, Supplementary services, Additional settings or Calling accounts.
• 4. Switch it off and wait for the confirmation.

On dual-SIM phones, call waiting is set separately for each SIM. Pick the correct SIM before changing the setting.

Using a dial code (GSM mobile networks)

On many GSM-based mobile networks, you can change the setting with a standard code entered in the dialer and sent like a normal call. Dial #43# to deactivate call waiting, *43# to turn it back on, and *#43# to check its current status. Not every carrier supports these codes, especially on networks that route calls over VoLTE, so use the settings menu if a code returns an error.

Skipping call waiting for one call

Many North American landline providers, and some mobile carriers, let you cancel call waiting for a single call by dialing *70 before the number. Call waiting returns automatically when that call ends. Support and the exact code depend on the provider, so check with yours if it does not work.

Landline and VoIP lines

To remove call waiting from a landline permanently, contact your phone provider or use its online account settings if they offer one. VoIP services often include a call waiting option in the service portal or on the phone adapter's settings page. Removing the feature can affect your plan, so ask the provider whether anything else changes.

Check the output

• Leave the settings screen, reopen it and confirm the toggle is still off. If it switched back on, the network did not accept the change.
• On GSM networks, dial *#43#. The status message should say the service is deactivated.
• To test it, start a call and have someone else call you. With call waiting off, they should get a busy signal or reach your voicemail, depending on how your carrier handles busy lines.
• Expect calls that arrive while you are busy to go straight to voicemail or busy. Whether you also get a missed-call notification depends on the carrier.

Common problems and next steps

Settings error or endless loading: The phone could not reach the network. Turn off airplane mode, make sure you have cellular signal, and try again. If you rely only on Wi-Fi calling, the change may not go through until the phone connects to the mobile network.

Option missing or greyed out: Some carriers lock call waiting or manage it only from the account side. Check your carrier's app or account settings, or ask support to disable it on the line.

Setting turns itself back on: This usually points to carrier provisioning, for example after a SIM swap or plan change. Ask the carrier to remove or deactivate call waiting on the account.

Dial code does nothing or shows an error: The carrier may not support the code. Use the phone settings or contact the carrier instead.

Still hearing beeps on a landline: Per-call cancel codes only cover the call you dial. To stop call waiting on incoming calls, the provider has to change the line.

Missing important calls: If you only need quiet during specific calls, such as recordings or video meetings, a per-call code may suit you better than disabling the feature. You can turn call waiting back on at any time using the same steps.