How to Set Up T-Mobile Call Forwarding

Call forwarding on a T-Mobile line sends incoming calls to another number, such as a desk phone, a second mobile or a colleague. You can forward every call or only the calls you miss. This guide covers both methods: the network dial codes and the settings built into your phone.

Before you start

Forwarding is a network feature. Your phone sends the request to T-Mobile, and T-Mobile stores the rule and applies it. You don't need an extra app. Because the rule lives on the network, it keeps working when your phone is off or has no signal.

• Signal: the phone needs a working T-Mobile connection when you send the forwarding code, so the network can accept it.
• Destination number: have the full number ready. If a code is rejected, check T-Mobile's support documentation for the exact format, including whether to add the country code.
• Account: some plans and account types restrict forwarding. If you're unsure, confirm with T-Mobile or check your account details.
• Cost: forwarded calls may count against your plan minutes, and forwarding to an international number may be billed differently. Check your plan before you rely on it.
• Voicemail: missed calls normally go to voicemail. Forwarding unanswered calls elsewhere replaces that routing until you turn the rule off.

Step-by-step instructions

Option 1: Use dial codes (any phone)

Open the Phone app keypad, type the code with the destination number in place of NUMBER, and press Call. A confirmation message should appear on screen. Don't add spaces or dashes inside the code.

• Forward all calls: **21*NUMBER#
• Forward when you don't answer: **61*NUMBER#
• Forward when your phone is off or out of coverage: **62*NUMBER#
• Forward when you're on another call: **67*NUMBER#

Most people want the three conditional rules (no answer, unreachable, busy). Your phone still rings first, and only missed calls are redirected. Forward all calls sends every call away immediately, and your phone won't ring at all.

To control how long the phone rings before an unanswered call is forwarded, add a delay in seconds: 61*NUMBERSECONDS#. The network accepts only certain values, commonly multiples of 5 up to 30. If your entry is rejected, try a standard value such as 20.

Option 2: Use the phone's settings

On an iPhone, the Call Forwarding switch is in the Phone settings. On recent iOS versions these are under Settings, then Apps, then Phone. Older versions list Phone directly in Settings. Turn on Call Forwarding and enter the number. The switch forwards all calls, so use the dial codes above if you want conditional forwarding.

On Android, look in the Phone app's settings for an option named Call forwarding. It's often inside a Calls, Supplementary services or More settings section. The wording and location differ between manufacturers and Android versions. Where the menu offers separate entries for always, busy, unanswered and unreachable, it sets the same network rules as the codes.

Turn forwarding off

• Stop forwarding all calls: ##21#
• Stop forwarding unanswered calls: ##61#
• Stop forwarding when unreachable: ##62#
• Stop forwarding when busy: ##67#
• Cancel all forwarding rules at once: ##002#

To undo just one rule, use its matching code. The cancel-all code also clears the conditional rules that send missed calls to voicemail, so use it only when you want to reset everything.

Check the output

To see what the network has stored, dial a status code. Use *#21# for all-calls forwarding, *#61# for no answer, *#62# for unreachable and *#67# for busy. The reply shows whether each rule is active and the number it points to. The iPhone switch and the Android menu also show the current state, although some phones only refresh it when you open the screen.

For a practical check, call your T-Mobile number from another phone. With all-calls forwarding, the destination phone should ring straight away. With no-answer forwarding, let your phone ring and confirm the call moves to the destination after the delay you set. Turn your phone off to check the unreachable rule. Whether the destination sees the original caller's number depends on the network and the receiving phone, so confirm it during this test if it matters to you.

Common problems and next steps

• Code returns an error or "setting not registered": check the number for typos, spaces or a missing digit. Then confirm the required number format and whether your plan allows forwarding.
• Phone never rings: forward all calls (*21) is probably active. Dial ##21# to turn it off and keep only the conditional rules.
• Voicemail stopped answering: a conditional rule is sending missed calls elsewhere, or a cancel-all code removed the voicemail routing. Turn off the rule you added. If voicemail still doesn't answer, ask T-Mobile support to restore it.
• Forwarding seems to work only sometimes: each condition is a separate rule. Check all four status codes to see which ones are set.
• Unexpected charges: forwarded calls may use plan minutes, and international destinations can cost more. Review your plan or contact T-Mobile before forwarding long-term.

If the codes and menus all fail, T-Mobile customer support can confirm whether forwarding is available on your line and check the rules stored on your account.