How to forward only the calls you miss

By Evan Bushey, founder of CallRescue · Updated October 13, 2026

Most carriers let you forward only the calls you don't answer (often called conditional or no-answer forwarding). Your phone still rings first, and if nobody picks up, the call goes to the number you choose instead of voicemail. Here's how to turn it on.

In the codes below, replace 5551234567 with the 10-digit number you're forwarding to.

Verizon (cell phones)

• Turn on: dial *71 then the number, for example *715551234567, and press call. Wait for the confirmation tone.
• Turn off: dial *73.

AT&T and T-Mobile (cell phones)

Many prepaid brands that run on these networks use the same codes.

• Turn on: dial **004*1, the number, then #, for example **004*15551234567#. You'll see a confirmation on screen.
• Turn off: dial ##004#.
• Check it: dial *#004# to see where calls are forwarding.

Business landlines

Many traditional landlines use *92 plus the number for "forward when not answered" (*93 to turn off) and *90 for "forward when busy" (*91 to turn off). Codes vary by provider and some plans need the feature added, so if a code doesn't work, ask your phone company for call forwarding on no answer.

Office phone systems and apps

RingCentral, Comcast Business, Spectrum, Google Voice, Grasshopper and similar systems don't use dial codes. In the online settings, find the rule for unanswered calls (it may be called "When I don't answer" or "No answer") and set it to forward to the new number after about 20 seconds, or 4 to 5 rings.

iPhone and Android: turn off call screening first

Features that answer calls on the phone itself, like iPhone Live Voicemail (Settings, Apps, Phone) or Android Call Screen, can pick up before the carrier forwards the call. If forwarding doesn't seem to work, turn those off and test again.

Don't use "forward all calls" by mistake

Codes like *72 (Verizon and many landlines) forward every call, so your phone never rings. For missed calls only, use the codes above.

Codes are correct for most plans as of October 2026, but carriers change them. If one doesn't take, your carrier can turn on no-answer forwarding for you.

Common questions

How do I forward missed calls on Verizon?

Dial *71 followed by the 10-digit number and press call. Dial *73 to turn it off.

How do I forward missed calls on AT&T or T-Mobile?

Dial **004*1 followed by the 10-digit number and #, then press call. Dial ##004# to turn it off.

Why aren't my missed calls forwarding?

Check that you used a no-answer code rather than forward-all, and turn off iPhone Live Voicemail or Android Call Screen, which can answer the call before it forwards.

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