- You can set up call forwarding on an Android phone so it transfers your calls to Google Voice or another phone.
- Call forwarding is built into the Phone app's settings.
- You can also change call forwarding settings using dial codes in the Phone app or using a third-party app like Call Divert.
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Most of the time, you probably want your phone calls to arrive on, you know, your phone. But there are a surprising number of occasions when you might want a call to your Android phone to actually ring on a different number — such as if you are traveling, or want the call to go to Google Voice. On most Android phones, it's easy to set up call forwarding, as long as your cellular plan supports the feature.
How to set up call forwarding on Android using Phone app settings
Versions of Android vary, but it's usually simple to set up call forwarding using Android's Phone app.
1. Start the Phone app.
2. Tap the three-dot icon at the top of the page and then tap Settings.
3. Tap Calls.
4. On the Call settings page, tap Call forwarding. You now have several options, and can choose the one that best suits your needs.
- Always forward: Enter the number you'd like to forward all incoming calls to and tap Turn On. Most of the time, if you want to set up call forwarding, this is the one you will change.
- When busy: Enter the number to call only if this Android phone number is busy. This is probably already set to your voicemail number.
- When unanswered: Enter the number to call if you do not pick up the phone. This is probably already set to your voicemail number.
- When unreachable: If your phone is in airplane mode, turned off, or has no cellular signal, it'll forward here. This is also probably already set to your voicemail number.
How to set up call forwarding on Android using dial codes
Before smartphones and app-based voicemail became popular, it was common to use dial codes to "program" your phone to access common features. You can still manually set your phone to forward calls using a dial code if you want to.
In most cases, you can forward all incoming calls to your Android phone to another number by dialing *72 followed by the 10-digit phone number you want to forward to. For example:
*722125551212
If it's successful, you'll hear a series of beeps and the call will disconnect.
To cancel call forwarding, repeat the process but use *73, such as:
*732125551212
Third-party apps for call forwarding on Android
As a general rule, you probably don't need to use a third-party app to perform call forwarding, but you can use them if you can't find the call forwarding settings on your phone and you prefer to have a simple interface rather than entering a dial code in your Phone app.
A few simple and free apps which set up call forwarding include:
- Call Divert - Forwarding: Call Divert has icons for enabling and disabling call forwarding along with a handful of other settings and a handy list of dial codes you can use to control various features on your phone.
- Call Forwarding: Call Forwarding is a simple app that has two buttons: one to set up call forwarding and another to disable it.
