How to Turn Off Call Waiting on iPhone

Call waiting alerts you to a second incoming call while you are already on the phone. If those interruptions are unwanted, you can switch the feature off in your iPhone settings. With it disabled, a second caller normally does not ring through during an active call. What that caller hears or where the call goes next depends on your carrier.

Before you start

Call waiting is a carrier network service, not a feature that runs only on your iPhone. When you change the switch, the iPhone sends the request to your carrier. Your iPhone therefore needs an active cellular connection to apply the change. Airplane mode or a weak signal can stop the setting from saving.

• An iPhone with an active SIM or eSIM line
• A working cellular signal, with airplane mode off
• A carrier plan that lets you control call waiting from the phone. Some carriers do not show the switch on iPhone, or manage the feature only on their side.

Step-by-step instructions

The location of the Phone settings depends on your iOS version. Starting with iOS 18, app settings, including Phone, are grouped under Apps in the Settings app. Earlier versions list Phone directly in Settings.

• Open the Settings app.
• On iOS 18 or later, tap Apps, then Phone. On earlier versions, tap Phone.
• Tap Call Waiting.
• Turn off the Call Waiting switch.
• Wait a few seconds while the iPhone contacts your carrier. Leave the screen only after the switch stays off.

The change is reversible. To turn call waiting back on, return to the same screen and switch it on again.

Many GSM carriers also accept standard dialer codes. You type the code in the Phone app keypad and tap Call: #43# disables call waiting, *43# enables it, and *#43# checks its status. Carriers do not all support these codes, and some use their own codes. Confirm the right code with your carrier before you rely on one.

Check the output

First, reopen the Call Waiting screen and confirm the switch is still off. The screen briefly displays a loading indicator while the iPhone asks the carrier for the current state. The result is reliable only once it finishes loading.

To confirm the change in practice, start a call, then ask someone to call your number. With call waiting off, you should not hear the second call alert during your call. Depending on your carrier and voicemail or forwarding settings, the second caller may hear a busy signal or be sent to voicemail. A missed-call notice may or may not appear afterward.

Common problems and next steps

The Call Waiting option is missing. Some carriers do not expose this setting on iPhone. Try the dialer codes if your carrier supports them. Otherwise, ask your carrier to disable call waiting on your line or tell you how to manage it.

The switch keeps loading or turns itself back on. The iPhone could not confirm the change with the carrier. Make sure airplane mode is off and you have a cellular signal, then restart the iPhone and try again. If the switch still will not stay off, the carrier may be controlling the feature, and you should contact them.

You have two lines. On a dual SIM or dual eSIM iPhone, check whether call waiting needs to be turned off separately for each line. The behavior for the second line during a call can also depend on your carrier.

Calls from apps still interrupt you. The Call Waiting switch controls cellular calls handled by your carrier. FaceTime and third-party calling apps may still display incoming calls during a call. Check the notification and call settings inside those apps.

You want fewer calls overall, not just during a call. Call waiting only affects calls that arrive while you are already talking. To limit calls at other times, use a Focus mode such as Do Not Disturb, or the Silence Unknown Callers option in Phone settings.