How to Turn Off Call Waiting on Android

Call waiting alerts you to a second incoming call while you are already on one. On Android, you switch it on or off in the Phone app's call settings. The service itself runs on your carrier's network, so turning it off changes a setting stored with the carrier, not just on the phone.

Before you start

Because the setting lives on the carrier's side, a few conditions decide whether the change will work:

• Mobile service and an active SIM: the phone has to contact the network to read or change call waiting, so it will not work in airplane mode or without signal.
• The Phone app your device uses: Google's Phone app and Samsung's Phone app put the option in different places, and other manufacturers use their own layouts.
• The right line: on a dual-SIM phone, call waiting is set separately for each SIM.
• Carrier support: some carriers lock the option or only let you change it through your account or customer support.

Turning call waiting off does not delete anything. You can switch it back on at any time with the same toggle or code.

Step-by-step instructions

Google Phone app (Pixel and many other devices)

• Open the Phone app.
• Tap the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
• Open Calling accounts, then select the SIM you want to change if you have more than one.
• Open the section with a name like Additional settings or Advanced settings. The exact label depends on the app version and carrier.
• Wait for the settings to load from the network, then turn off Call waiting.

Samsung Phone app

• Open the Phone app.
• Tap the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
• Open Supplementary services. Older versions or some regions may use a different name for this section.
• Tap Call waiting, choose the SIM if asked, and switch it off.

Other Android phones

Open the Phone app's settings and look for sections named Calls, Call settings, Advanced or Supplementary services. If the Phone app or the system Settings app has a search field, typing "call waiting" is often quicker than browsing menus.

Use a carrier code instead

Many GSM-based networks accept standard dial codes. Dial #43# and press call to turn call waiting off, or dial *43# to turn it back on. The network replies with an on-screen message. Not every carrier supports these codes, and some use different ones, so check with your carrier if the code returns an error.

Menu names change between Android versions, manufacturer interfaces and Phone app updates. If a step above does not match your screen, look in the Phone app's settings for a section about calls or your carrier account.

Check the output

Close the settings screen and open it again. Once the phone has reloaded the value from the network, Call waiting should still show as off. If it switches back on, the carrier did not accept the change.

On networks that support it, dial *#43# and press call. The reply tells you whether the service is active.

For a practical check, ask someone to call you while you are already on a call. With call waiting off, you should not hear an alert tone. The second caller gets a busy signal or goes to voicemail, depending on your call forwarding when busy setting.

This setting covers calls on your mobile line. Internet calling apps handle simultaneous calls themselves, so changing call waiting here does not affect them.

Common problems and next steps

Network or SIM card error, or settings that never finish loading: turn off airplane mode, make sure you have signal, and check that you picked the active SIM. Then try again. If the menu still fails, try the dial code. If both fail, contact your carrier.

Toggle greyed out or missing: this usually means the carrier manages call waiting itself. Ask your carrier whether you can change it through your account or need their help.

Off for one call only: some carriers offer a code that turns call waiting off for the next call and then restores it. Codes differ between carriers, so ask yours for the correct one.

Turning it back on: go to the same menu and switch Call waiting on, or dial *43# if your carrier supports the code. Then check the status as described above.