Call forwarding · Verizon
Verizon call forwarding, step by step.
Dial *72 and a 10-digit number to forward every call, *71 to forward only the calls you don't answer, and *73 to turn forwarding off. Below: the steps, what it costs, the limits Verizon lists, and how a business sends the calls it misses to a receptionist.
The codes
Verizon call forwarding codes
- All calls
*72[number], for example*72 908 123 4567- Only the calls you don't answer, or that come in while you're on the line
*71[number]. It rings 3 to 6 times first; Verizon has no shorter setting.- Turn forwarding off
*73
Use all 10 digits, area code included, even for a local number. After you dial, wait for a confirmation tone or message; it can sound like a busy signal.
How to turn it on
- Open the Phone app and dial *72 followed by the 10-digit number, area code included.
- Press Call and wait for the confirmation tone or message, then hang up.
- Call your number from another phone to check it rings through.
To forward only the calls you don't answer, dial *71 instead of *72. To stop forwarding, dial *73.
What to know before you forward
- Call Forwarding is available on all Verizon plans, with no monthly fee on most of them; a fee may apply on certain older plans.
- Without unlimited minutes, forwarded calls are billed according to your plan, as if you had answered them. If your plan includes long distance, it isn't charged on forwarded calls.
- Calls can't be forwarded to international numbers.
- You can't set up forwarding while you're outside Verizon's coverage or traveling abroad. Set it up before you leave and it should keep working.
- Only calls are forwarded, not text messages.
- On an iPhone, Live Voicemail can stop *71 from working: turn it off in Settings, Apps, Phone, Live Voicemail.
For a business: send the calls you miss to a receptionist
Odile After Hours answers a business's calls 24/7 in 32 languages, takes the caller's name, number and what they need, and texts it to you. Forward only the calls you miss, with *71 and the number in your welcome email, and your customers keep calling the number they know. It is $199 a month, free until it books your first job; Solo is $29 a month for up to 40 calls.
See Odile After Hours · Forwarding codes for every carrier and office phone system · Other carriers: AT&T · T-Mobile
Questions people ask
How do I forward calls on Verizon?
Dial *72 and the 10-digit number you want calls to go to, press Call and wait for the confirmation tone. To forward only the calls you don't answer, dial *71 and the number instead.
How do I turn off call forwarding on Verizon?
Dial *73 and press Call. You'll hear a confirmation tone or message, which can sound like a busy signal.
Does Verizon charge for call forwarding?
Verizon says there's no monthly fee on most plans, though a fee may apply on certain older plans. Without unlimited minutes, forwarded calls are billed according to your plan, as if you had answered them.
Can I forward Verizon calls to an international number?
No. Verizon says calls can't be forwarded to international numbers, and the number must have all 10 digits, area code included.
Does call forwarding forward my texts?
No. Verizon's Call Forwarding forwards calls only, not text messages.
How many times does it ring before *71 forwards a call?
It rings 3 to 6 times first; Verizon has no shorter setting.
Sources, read 31 October 2026: Verizon: Call Forwarding FAQs.
