How to Set Up Call Forwarding to an Answering Service
Setting up call forwarding to an answering service is one of the fastest wins a small business owner can make. You keep your number, callers reach someone 24/7, and you stop losing jobs to missed calls. This guide covers how to set up call forwarding to an answering service on iPhone, Android, and landline or VoIP, including conditional forwarding for after-hours and busy scenarios, with honest notes on where carrier steps vary.
You Keep Your Number
Most owners hesitate because they think they will have to change their business number. You do not. Call forwarding redirects calls from your existing number to the answering service number. Your customers, your Google listing, your business cards, your referrals: all of those stay pointed at the same number they always have. The only thing that changes is who picks up.
No new hardware, no porting, no interruption to how customers reach you.
Two Types of Call Forwarding
Before you start, know which type of forwarding fits your situation.
- Unconditional forwarding. Every call forwards immediately to the answering service. Your phone does not ring at all. Use this when you want the service to handle all incoming calls, for example during a vacation week or a stretch of back-to-back jobs.
- Conditional forwarding. Calls only forward under certain conditions: when your line is busy, when you do not answer within a set number of rings, or when your phone is off or unreachable. Your phone rings first. If you pick up, you handle the call. If you miss it, the service catches it.
Most small business owners land on conditional forwarding on no-answer. It acts as a net under your existing setup without changing how you work when you are available.
How to Set Up Call Forwarding on iPhone
On an iPhone, the forwarding setting lives inside Settings under Phone. The exact path depends on your iOS version.
On iOS 18 and later:
- Open Settings and tap Apps.
- Tap Phone, then tap Call Forwarding.
- Toggle Call Forwarding on.
- Tap Forward To and enter the answering service's number.
On iOS 17 and earlier:
- Open Settings and scroll to Phone.
- Tap Call Forwarding.
- Toggle Call Forwarding on.
- Tap Forward To and enter the answering service's number.
When active, all calls forward to that number and your phone does not ring. A small phone icon appears in your status bar as a reminder that forwarding is on.
For conditional forwarding on iPhone (forward only when busy or unanswered), the toggle inside Settings does not expose those options. You will need carrier-level MMI codes or a call to your carrier to set up conditional rules. See the MMI section below.
Note: Apple's call forwarding through Settings is available on GSM networks only. If you have a CDMA carrier, contact your carrier directly to set up forwarding. Some MVNO plans also restrict or charge for call forwarding. If you do not see the Call Forwarding option in Settings, contact your carrier.
How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Android
Android phones vary more by manufacturer and carrier than iPhones, so the exact path differs slightly. The most common route:
- Open the Phone app and tap the three-dot menu or settings icon.
- Go to Settings, then Calls, then Call Forwarding.
- You will typically see: Always Forward, Forward When Busy, Forward When Unanswered, and Forward When Unreachable.
- Choose the option that fits your setup, enter the answering service number, and confirm.
If you do not see Call Forwarding in your Phone app settings, your carrier may manage it through a separate portal or app. When in doubt, search your specific phone model plus "call forwarding settings" for the exact path.
The conditional options on Android are exactly what you want for after-hours coverage. You answer when you can. Calls that go unanswered roll to the service automatically after a set number of seconds.
How to Set Up Call Forwarding on a Landline or VoIP Line
For traditional landlines and many VoIP or hosted phone systems, call forwarding is managed through star codes or MMI codes dialed directly from the phone.
Common codes used by many U.S. landline and cable carriers:
- *72 followed by the forwarding number: activates unconditional call forwarding on many landlines, including Verizon, Spectrum, Cox, Frontier, and similar providers. Dial *72, hear a confirmation tone, then dial the number.
- *73: cancels unconditional forwarding on many of those same landline carriers.
- *90 and *92: used for busy and no-answer forwarding respectively on some carriers, including Verizon landlines. Deactivation codes are *91 and *93 on those systems.
These codes are not universal. GSM wireless carriers such as AT&T wireless and T-Mobile use a different format entirely (for example, *21* followed by the number and #, rather than *72). VoIP providers often handle forwarding through a web portal rather than a dialed code. Confirm the correct codes with your specific carrier before you dial anything. Most carriers publish their forwarding codes on their support site, or you can call business support and ask.
If you have a hosted VoIP or cloud phone system such as RingCentral, Grasshopper, or Google Voice, look for a Call Forwarding or Routing section in the admin portal. These systems offer flexible conditional rules through a web interface rather than dialed codes.
How to Set Up Call Forwarding After Hours
This is the setup most relevant to small businesses. You want calls to reach you during the day but forward automatically to the answering service in the evenings, on weekends, or when you are too busy to pick up.
There are two practical ways to handle this.
The first is carrier-level conditional forwarding. On many carriers, you can set forwarding to activate only when the line is busy or unanswered. Your phone rings normally. If you do not pick up within a few rings, the call forwards automatically to the service. No action needed from you each time. This runs silently in the background.
The second is manual toggling. You turn forwarding on when you leave the office or start a busy job, and turn it off when you are back. This gives you more control but requires you to remember. For most solo owners, the conditional no-answer setting is a cleaner fit because it requires no active management.
For time-based rules, such as forwarding only between 6 PM and 8 AM, you typically need your carrier's business calling plan, a VoIP system with scheduling features, or a phone system that supports time-of-day routing. Standard cell plans do not usually offer time-based forwarding natively. Ask your carrier what is available on your plan, or consider a VoIP line with routing rules.
If you want to understand how conditional forwarding fits into a full after-hours answering setup, comparing an AI receptionist, a traditional answering service, and voicemail walks through the tradeoffs in plain terms.
What Happens After You Forward Calls
Forwarding the call is the technical half. What happens on the other end determines whether the setup is worth anything.
A caller who reaches a generic voicemail or a hold queue has not been helped. A caller who reaches an answering service that does not know your business name, your hours, or what you do has also not been helped much. The goal is for callers to get a real answer and, if they are ready to book, to get an appointment confirmed before they hang up.
AnswerCove is an AI phone receptionist built for exactly this. When a forwarded call comes in, AnswerCove picks up in your business name, answers questions from your actual hours and services, books directly into Google Calendar if the caller is ready, and texts a confirmation from your shop's own number. Spam and vendor calls get screened. Every real call logs to a dashboard. You get a brief email alert when a message is waiting, with no call content in the email itself.
The price is flat at $99 per location per month, no contracts, cancel anytime. There are no per-minute charges and no after-hours surcharges. Whether a forwarded call comes in at noon or midnight, the cost is the same. AnswerCove discloses that it is AI if a caller asks, does not give medical, legal, or financial advice, and is multi-language capable so callers who prefer Spanish or another language can be helped in that language.
If you are wondering what the full experience looks like, how an AI receptionist works covers the process from ring to resolution.
A Note on Forwarding Costs
Most carriers include call forwarding at no extra charge on standard business and consumer plans. Some older plans or certain MVNOs charge a small per-minute fee for forwarded calls. Check your plan details before you set it up. The cost, if any, is typically minor, but it is worth knowing before you go live.
VoIP lines and hosted systems almost always include forwarding in the base plan.
Common Questions
Do I need to change my business phone number to use an answering service?
No. Call forwarding redirects calls from your existing number to the answering service without changing what customers dial. Your number stays the same.
How do I forward calls on iPhone to an answering service?
On iOS 18 and later, go to Settings, then Apps, then Phone, then Call Forwarding. On iOS 17 and earlier, go to Settings, then Phone, then Call Forwarding. Toggle it on and enter the answering service number. This activates unconditional forwarding. For conditional forwarding on busy or no-answer, you will need carrier MMI codes or a call to your carrier, since iOS Settings only offers unconditional forwarding natively. This path is available on GSM networks; CDMA users should contact their carrier.
How do I forward calls on Android to an answering service?
Open the Phone app, go to Settings or the three-dot menu, then Calls, then Call Forwarding. Most Android phones show options for Always Forward, Forward When Busy, Forward When Unanswered, and Forward When Unreachable. Choose the condition that fits your situation and enter the answering service number. The exact path varies by phone model and carrier.
What codes are used for call forwarding on a landline?
On many U.S. landlines and cable providers, *72 activates unconditional call forwarding and *73 cancels it. For conditional forwarding, carriers such as Verizon use *90 for busy and *92 for no-answer. These codes are not universal: GSM wireless carriers use a different format, and VoIP systems typically use a web portal rather than dialed codes. Confirm the correct codes for your specific line with your carrier before you dial.
Can I set up call forwarding only after hours or when I do not answer?
Yes. This is called conditional call forwarding. On Android, the Forward When Unanswered option does exactly this: your phone rings first, and unanswered calls roll to the service. On landlines, the specific conditional code depends on your carrier. For time-of-day rules such as forwarding only after 6 PM, you typically need a VoIP system or a carrier business plan with scheduling features.
Getting It Running
The forwarding setup itself takes five minutes or less once you have the answering service number. The part that takes a few minutes longer is configuring the answering service with your business information so callers get real answers rather than a generic pickup.
With AnswerCove, onboarding means sharing your hours, your services, and your common questions, then optionally connecting Google Calendar for booking. After that, every forwarded call is handled from your actual business profile. You can start a free trial at $99 per month with no commitment. Forward your line, and your calls are covered from day one.
See how it works: AnswerCove for any local business.
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See how AnswerCove works for your industry, compare it as an answering service for small business, or read the FAQ.