How to Divert Calls on iPhone
To divert calls on an iPhone, open Settings, select Apps, Phone, Call Forwarding, turn Call Forwarding on, and enter the destination phone number. On an older iOS version, open Settings, select Phone, and then select Call Forwarding.
Call diversion is another name for call forwarding: incoming calls are sent to a different phone number instead of ringing on the iPhone. Availability depends on the mobile carrier, account, line, and network.
Before You Divert Calls
Before setting up call divert on an iPhone, make sure the iPhone is connected to the carrier’s cellular network and that the line can make and receive calls. Keep the complete destination phone number ready, including any required area or country code.
Standard iPhone settings normally provide unconditional forwarding, which sends every incoming call to the destination number. Conditional forwarding, such as forwarding only when the line is busy, unanswered, or unavailable, may require carrier-specific support.
On an iPhone with two SIMs or eSIM lines, call forwarding is managed separately for each line. Select the line that receives the calls you want to divert.
How to Divert Calls in iPhone Settings
To answer searches such as “how to call divert on iPhone” or “how to divert calls on iPhone,” use the Call Forwarding control in the Phone settings.
- Open the Settings app on the iPhone.
- Select Apps, then select Phone. On an older iOS version, select Phone directly from the main Settings screen.
- If the iPhone has more than one cellular line, select the line you want to manage.
- Select Call Forwarding.
- Turn on Call Forwarding.
- Select Forward To and enter the complete destination phone number.
- Go back to the previous screen. The iPhone should save the destination number automatically.
Do not include pauses, labels, or extra text in the Forward To field. If the number is outside the local calling area, enter it in the complete format accepted by the carrier.
How to Check Whether Call Diversion Is Active
To confirm iPhone call divert is active, return to Settings, Apps, Phone, Call Forwarding. The switch should be on, and the Forward To field should show the intended destination number.
Some carrier and network combinations may show a call-forwarding indicator in the iPhone status area or Control Center. The indicator is useful when available, but its absence does not prove that forwarding is off.
- Leave Call Forwarding turned on.
- Use a different phone to call the iPhone’s mobile number.
- Confirm that the iPhone does not ring and that the destination phone receives the call.
- If both phones ring, or neither phone rings, check the forwarding setting and test again.
A real test call is the clearest way to verify how to divert a call on an iPhone successfully.
How to Turn Off Call Diversion
To stop call divert on an iPhone, disable Call Forwarding for the affected cellular line.
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps, Phone, and Call Forwarding. On an older iOS version, select Phone and then Call Forwarding.
- Select the correct cellular line if the iPhone uses more than one line.
- Turn off Call Forwarding.
- Return to the previous screen and wait briefly for the carrier setting to update.
- Call the iPhone from another phone and confirm that the iPhone rings again.
If incoming calls still go elsewhere, restart the iPhone and check the setting again. The carrier may also have forwarding enabled at the account or network level.
If the Call Forwarding Option Is Missing
If Call Forwarding is missing, the carrier, account type, cellular line, or current network may not expose the setting on the iPhone. A missing menu does not necessarily mean that the iPhone is faulty.
- Confirm that the cellular line is turned on and connected to its carrier network.
- On a dual-SIM iPhone, check the Phone settings for each line separately.
- Install any available carrier settings update when the iPhone prompts for one.
- Restart the iPhone after reconnecting to the cellular network.
- Contact the mobile carrier and ask whether call forwarding is supported on the specific line and how it must be managed.
Do not guess carrier dial codes. Forwarding commands differ, and an unverified code may change another calling feature instead of setting the requested diversion.
Troubleshooting Call Diversion
If you cannot divert a call on an iPhone, check the destination number and the type of forwarding required before changing other settings.
- Destination number is rejected: Re-enter the complete number without a contact name or extra characters. Confirm the required number format with the carrier.
- Calls do not forward: Make sure Call Forwarding is on for the correct SIM or eSIM line. Confirm that the iPhone is connected to the cellular network, then place another test call.
- The setting does not save: Turn Airplane Mode on and off, reconnect to the carrier network, and try again. Restart the iPhone if the switch or destination number still reverts.
- Only some calls should be diverted: The iPhone menu generally controls unconditional forwarding. Busy, unanswered, or unreachable forwarding is conditional forwarding and may need to be configured by the carrier.
- Forwarding remains active after the switch is off: Test the correct cellular line and contact the carrier to check for forwarding stored on the network or account.
Search phrases such as “how to divert call iPhone,” “divert a call iPhone,” and “iPhone call divert” describe the same basic task, but the available controls still depend on the carrier and line.