How to Forward Calls on iPhone to Another Number (30-Second Guide)

Call forwarding on iPhone takes less than 30 seconds to set up. Whether you want to redirect all calls to another number, or only forward when you can't answer, this guide covers every method.

For real estate agents, call forwarding is the difference between capturing a lead and losing one. According to InsideSales.com, 78% of leads go to the first agent who responds. If your phone is ringing through to voicemail while you're in a showing, that lead is calling the next agent on their list. Setting up call forwarding to an AI secretary means every call gets answered, even when you can't pick up.

Method 1: Forward All Calls (Settings App)

This is the simplest approach. Every incoming call goes to your forwarding number — your iPhone won't ring at all.

Steps:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Phone
3. Tap Call Forwarding
4. Toggle Call Forwarding to ON
5. Enter the number you want calls forwarded to
6. Tap Back to confirm

That's it. A small phone icon appears in your status bar to remind you that forwarding is active.

To turn it off: Go back to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggle it OFF.

Important note: This forwards ALL calls. Your iPhone will not ring. If you only want to forward calls you can't answer, use the conditional forwarding methods below.

When to use this method: If you're going on vacation, taking a full day off, or attending a conference where you won't be taking calls at all. For day-to-day real estate work, conditional forwarding (Method 2) is almost always the better choice because it lets you answer when you can and only forwards when you can't.

Method 2: Conditional Call Forwarding (Carrier Codes)

Conditional forwarding is more useful for most people — especially real estate agents who want their phone to ring first and only forward if they don't pick up. You can set your phone to forward calls only in specific situations:

• No answer — The phone rings, and if you don't pick up, the call forwards
• Busy — You're already on another call
• Unreachable — Your phone is off or out of service

This is the setup most agents use with CallChloé. Your phone rings normally, and if you're in a showing, driving, or meeting with a client, the call forwards to your AI secretary instead of going to voicemail.

Forward When You Don't Answer

Open the Phone app and dial:

*61*[forwarding number]#

For example, to forward unanswered calls to (888) 514-5399:

*61*18885145399#

Press Call. You'll hear a confirmation tone or see a success message.

To deactivate:

##61#

Forward When Busy

*67*[forwarding number]#

To deactivate:

##67#

Forward When Unreachable

*62*[forwarding number]#

To deactivate:

##62#

Forward All Calls (via Code)

*21*[forwarding number]#

To deactivate:

##21#

Set Up All Three Conditional Forwards at Once

For the most complete coverage, set up all three conditional forwarding types. This ensures calls forward to your AI secretary whether your phone rings with no answer, is busy on another call, or is unreachable. Run these three codes back to back:

*61*18885145399#
*67*18885145399#
*62*18885145399#

This takes about 30 seconds and covers every scenario. You'll never lose a call to voicemail again.

Carrier-Specific Notes

While the codes above work for most carriers, some have slight variations.

AT&T

AT&T fully supports the standard codes listed above. You can also manage call forwarding through the myAT&T app or by calling 611 from your phone. Note that AT&T may charge for call forwarding depending on your plan — check your plan details. AT&T's call forwarding service is compatible with both postpaid and prepaid plans, though features vary.

Verizon

Verizon uses the standard codes for conditional forwarding. For all-call forwarding, you can also use *72 followed by the number, and *73 to deactivate. Forwarding is generally included in Verizon plans at no extra charge. Verizon also supports visual voicemail alongside call forwarding, so you can keep voicemail active for personal calls while forwarding business calls.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile supports all standard forwarding codes. You can also manage forwarding through the T-Mobile app or by dialing 611. Call forwarding is included in most T-Mobile plans. T-Mobile also allows you to set the number of rings before forwarding through their customer service. T-Mobile's DIGITS feature can also route calls to multiple devices simultaneously, which some agents use alongside forwarding.

Canadian Carriers (Bell, Rogers, Telus)

Canadian carriers generally support the same *21*, *61*, *62*, and *67* codes. You can also manage forwarding through each carrier's app or customer service. Some carriers charge a small monthly fee for call forwarding — check your plan details. For agents in bilingual markets like Montreal or Ottawa, call forwarding to a bilingual AI service means francophone callers get answered in French automatically.

How to Set the Number of Rings Before Forwarding

By default, conditional forwarding (no answer) waits about 20-25 seconds before forwarding. You can adjust this with some carriers by adding a delay parameter:

*61*[forwarding number]**[seconds]#

Supported values are typically 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 seconds. For example, to forward after 15 seconds (about 3-4 rings):

*61*18885145399**15#

Fewer rings means faster forwarding, which means the caller waits less. For an AI secretary, we recommend 10-15 seconds (2-3 rings), so the caller hears your phone ring briefly before the AI picks up naturally.

Why ring timing matters for lead capture: Research from Harvard Business Review found that leads contacted within 5 minutes are 21x more likely to convert compared to those contacted after 30 minutes. If your phone rings for 25 seconds, goes to voicemail, and you call back 20 minutes later, you've already lost most of your conversion advantage. A fast forward to an AI secretary that answers and qualifies the lead immediately preserves that first-response advantage.

How Call Forwarding Works with Do Not Disturb

A common question from agents: "If I turn on Do Not Disturb, will call forwarding still work?"

Yes. Do Not Disturb and call forwarding are independent features. If you have conditional forwarding set up and DND enabled, your phone won't ring, and calls will forward after the set number of rings (or immediately if the call can't connect). This is actually a useful combination for agents who want to silence their phone during showings but still have calls forwarded to their AI secretary.

However, if you use DND Focus modes that allow certain contacts through, those calls will ring your phone first, and only forward if you don't answer.

Call Forwarding vs. Voicemail: The Real Estate Math

Many agents rely on voicemail as their backup. Here's why forwarding to a live answering service outperforms voicemail in every measurable way:

| Metric | Voicemail | Call Forwarding to AI Secretary | |---|---|---| | Callers who leave a message | 15-20% | N/A — call is answered | | Average response time | 30-60 minutes | Instant (0 seconds) | | Lead qualification | None | During the call | | Appointment booking | Requires callback | During the call | | After-hours coverage | Message only | Full conversation | | Lead capture rate | ~15% | ~95% |

The numbers tell the story. If 85% of callers who reach voicemail hang up without leaving a message (a widely cited statistic across call center research), voicemail is effectively a lead-rejection system. Call forwarding to a service that actually answers converts those missed opportunities into captured leads.

For a deeper look at what happens when calls go unanswered, see our article on what happens when agents don't answer the phone.

Troubleshooting

Call forwarding option is grayed out? This usually means your carrier doesn't support forwarding through Settings, or you need to enable it on your account first. Try the dialer codes instead, or contact your carrier.

Forwarding not working? Make sure you're including the country code (1 for US/Canada) in the forwarding number. Also check that call forwarding is included in your plan.

Calls still going to voicemail? If you set up conditional forwarding but calls still hit voicemail, your voicemail may be intercepting before the forward triggers. Contact your carrier to adjust the voicemail pickup delay, or set it to fewer rings.

Forwarding works for some calls but not others? If you have a dual-SIM iPhone (iPhone XS or later), make sure you've set up forwarding on the correct line. Each line has its own forwarding settings.

Hearing "call cannot be completed as dialed"? Double-check the forwarding number format. Use the full 11-digit number with country code (e.g., 18885145399, not 888-514-5399 with dashes).

Pro Tip: Forward to Your AI Secretary During Showings

Real estate agents are in and out of showings, meetings, and client appointments all day. Instead of sending calls to voicemail, set up conditional forwarding to your AI secretary number.

Here's the workflow:

1. Set up no-answer forwarding: *61*[your CallChloé number]#
2. Go about your day normally
3. When you can answer, your phone rings and you pick up
4. When you can't answer, the call automatically forwards to your AI secretary
5. The AI answers, qualifies the lead, and books an appointment on your calendar
6. You check your dashboard between appointments and see every call handled

No missed leads, no voicemail, no phone tag. Your phone works the way it always has — you just have a backup that's always ready.

Consider this: the average real estate agent misses roughly 40% of inbound calls during a typical workday. That's not because agents are lazy — it's because showings, closings, and client meetings make it physically impossible to answer every ring. Call forwarding to an AI secretary solves this without changing how you work.

How Other Agents Use Call Forwarding with CallChloé

Here are three common setups real estate agents use:

The "Always On" Agent: Sets up conditional forwarding once and leaves it. Their phone rings, they answer when they can, and the AI catches everything else. This is the most popular setup — zero daily maintenance.

The "Showing Mode" Agent: Activates full call forwarding (*21*) before entering a showing, then deactivates (##21#) afterward. This is useful for agents who want all calls going to the AI during specific blocks of time.

The "After Hours" Agent: Uses the iPhone's Shortcuts app to automatically enable forwarding after 6 PM and disable it at 8 AM. This ensures evening and weekend calls — when most real estate decisions happen — are always answered by the AI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does call forwarding cost extra on my iPhone plan?

It depends on your carrier and plan. Most current plans from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and major Canadian carriers include call forwarding at no extra charge. Some older or prepaid plans may charge a small fee. Check your plan details or call your carrier's customer service to confirm.

Can I forward calls to a number in a different country?

Yes, but international call forwarding may incur long-distance charges depending on your carrier and plan. For US and Canadian agents forwarding to a CallChloé number, there are no international forwarding concerns since all CallChloé numbers are domestic.

Will the caller know their call has been forwarded?

No. From the caller's perspective, the phone rings and someone answers. They won't see a different number or hear any indication that forwarding occurred. The experience is seamless.

Can I forward calls from my personal iPhone to my business AI secretary?

Yes. Many agents use a single iPhone for both personal and business calls. Conditional forwarding (forward when unanswered) works well here — personal calls you answer go through normally, and business calls you miss during showings get forwarded to the AI.

How do I forward calls to CallChloé specifically?

When you sign up for CallChloé, you receive a dedicated forwarding number. Use any of the methods in this guide to forward calls to that number. The setup takes about 5 minutes including your greeting and qualification script configuration.

Does call forwarding drain my iPhone battery?

No. Call forwarding is handled by your carrier's network, not by your iPhone. Your battery usage won't change whether call forwarding is enabled or disabled.

Try CallChloé Free

Ready to stop missing calls? CallChloé answers 24/7, qualifies leads, and books appointments — all for a flat $99/month. See pricing or call our demo line: +1 (888) 514-5399