How to Set Up Verizon Call Forwarding

Call forwarding on Verizon sends incoming calls for your number to another phone. This helps when you are working from a desk line, a second device or a calling app on your computer. Forwarding runs on Verizon's network, so the setting belongs to your line rather than to the handset itself.

Before you start

Nothing is processed locally on your phone. The phone sends a request to Verizon's network, and Verizon routes the calls. Have the following ready:

• An active Verizon line, and access to the phone that uses it, so you can dial the forwarding codes.
• The full 10-digit destination number, including the area code.
• Access to your My Verizon account if you would rather manage forwarding there. On shared or business accounts, the account owner or a manager may need to make the change.
• Your plan details. Forwarded calls can use plan minutes or add charges, and some plans or line types may not include the feature. Confirm with Verizon if you are unsure.

Forwarding is a privacy decision. Whoever answers the destination number receives every forwarded call, including calls from people who expect to reach you. Forward only to a number you control or trust. Also check how voicemail behaves with your setup, because the destination's voicemail may answer instead of your Verizon voicemail.

Step-by-step instructions

Forward all calls

• 1. Open the dialer on the Verizon phone whose calls you want to forward.
• 2. Enter *72, followed by the 10-digit destination number. Do not add spaces or dashes.
• 3. Press Call.
• 4. Wait for a confirmation tone or message, then hang up.

While this is active, calls go straight to the destination number and your Verizon phone normally will not ring.

Forward only unanswered or busy calls

Verizon Wireless also offers conditional forwarding. Dial *71, followed by the 10-digit destination number, and press Call. Your phone rings first, and the call moves to the other number only if you don't answer or the line is busy. Availability can depend on your plan.

Turn forwarding off

Dial *73 from the forwarded phone and press Call. Wait for the confirmation, then hang up. This restores normal call routing, so you can safely test forwarding and undo it in seconds. Forwarding stays on until you cancel it, so keep track of when you have it active.

Use My Verizon instead of codes

If you manage several lines or don't have the phone with you, use the call forwarding controls in your My Verizon account. They let you pick the line and enter the destination number. Menu names and their placement change between app and site versions, so search for call forwarding inside your account instead of following a fixed menu path.

Some phones also show a call forwarding switch in their own settings. Whether that switch controls a Verizon line can vary by device and software version. If it doesn't seem to take effect, use the dial codes or My Verizon.

Verizon home phone services, such as a traditional landline or Fios Digital Voice, may use different forwarding options. Check the guide for your specific service before applying the wireless steps.

Check the output

Call your Verizon number from a third phone, not from the destination phone. With full forwarding, the destination should ring and your Verizon phone should stay quiet. With conditional forwarding, let the call ring out or decline it, then confirm that it moves to the destination.

• Caller ID: check what the destination shows. Depending on the receiving service, it may show the original caller or your Verizon number, so don't rely on either without testing.
• Audio: if the destination is a calling app on a computer, talk through a full test call to confirm that the microphone and speakers work in both directions.
• Charges: after the first billing cycle with forwarding on, review your usage for any forwarded-call charges.

Common problems and next steps

• No confirmation or an error message: make sure you entered all 10 digits after the code, with no extra characters. Try again with a stronger signal. If it still fails, the feature may not be active on your plan, so contact Verizon support.
• The Verizon phone still rings: you may have set up conditional forwarding instead of full forwarding. Dial *73 to clear it, then set it up again with *72.
• You can't turn forwarding off: the codes must be dialed from the forwarded line itself. If you don't have that phone, change the setting in My Verizon.
• Forwarding to an international number fails or costs more: international forwarding may be restricted or billed separately. Check with Verizon before relying on it.
• Forwarding to a video calling or VoIP app: the app must have its own phone number that can receive standard calls. An account name or username cannot receive forwarded calls.
• Calls reach the wrong person: dial *73 right away, confirm the destination number, then set up forwarding again.

Once forwarding works as expected, decide how long you need it. If it is only for a meeting or a trip, cancel it with *73 when you are done, so calls don't keep going to another phone.